La Valse

[liszmaninopin]

today I sight read through Ravel's piano arrangement of La Valse.  Just glancing at the score, it didn't look too bad, but when I tried to play it, it's difficulty really suprised me.  Actually, I find it harder to sight read than any of Gaspard de la Nuit.  It's a lovely piece, though!  What do you all thing of La Valse?

[JK]

I like la valse, have you heard Glenn Goulds' arrangement of it?

[f0bul0us]

I played that for my grade 10 exam about 2 years ago, it's definitely a step away from ordinary (Ravel NEVER disappoints!)  

[Tash]

oooh i heard this piece played at a piano recital the other night by francis joel thollier (he was off his seat by the end of it half the time!) and it so was good i was like i want to play that. then bought a martha argerich cd yesterday with it on it and now it's one of my faves. cheers to good music!

[etuden88]

I'm trying to tackle this piece as well...it's great! I have the Piers Lane recording of the piece on his CD of '20th Century Piano Transcriptions'...but I'm puzzled by how he is able to seamlessly incorporate the third (optional?) staff in the score without having three hands! Has anyone been able to do this successfully? Or do you think he's just adding another separate track to the recording? Some parts I've been able to include somewhat successfully, but others--like the long passage of rising descending chromatic scales near the end of the piece--are just too impossible to play along with the melodic and rhythmic line.