opinions and help on these great peices

[matt_haley]

im currently learning the aflat polonaise op53 by chopin,during the piece there is a two page sudden run of down played octaves in the bass and and a jumpy rhythm in the right with rushing chords,can anyone help with this section,what a master peice it is aswell, also i would love to know your opinions on some of my most loved pieces- hungarian rhapsody no 12, transcendental study no 10 in f minor , the ever famous fantasie impromptu op66 and beethovens opening movement in sonata no 32,it maybe overshadowed by some of his earlier works but still a tremendous array of perfection to it.

thank you all   matt haley

[donjuan]

Hi matt, welcome to the forum!  The octave section in the Chopin Polonaise is famous and remains famous because it is such a daunting challenge to every pianist.  When I played it, I relied strictly on adrenaline to keep me going.  But, it wasnt too controlled in the end.  You may want to make sure you are frequently changin the position of your wrist and the muscles used in the repitition.  Use a high wrist and more arm movement for the first part, and when it repeats, use a low wrist with rapid wrist action.  This way, your muscles can relax when they arent being used.  

I see you like Liszt!!
I love Hungarian Rhapsody No.12.  What recording do you have?  I have Jorge Bolet and Jeno Jando.  I prefer Jeno Jando because he captures the wandering gypsy tone and style in his playing.

Transcendental Etude No.10 is okay, but I prefer the earlier version of it from 1838- when it was called "Grand Etude No.10".  It is further developed than in the final set, and is much more creative.  The Transcendental version cuts out many themes and impressive work.  I dont know why List decided to revise it..You can find a recording of Leslie Howard playing the 12 Grand Etudes, as well as Janice Weber.    

Chopin's fantasy impromptu is a great piece, but I cant really say much, because I am so sick of hearing everyone play it.  

In beethovens 32 sonata (Op.111, yes?), I prefer the second movement, because it has such an amazing range of colors.  Have you heard Claudio Arrau play this piece?  It is one of the most powerful works ever written, in my opinion.  It even has a little bit of Jazz in it.  

I must say, you have excellent taste!
donjuan

[matt_haley]

thanks for the advice donjuan, it is an amazing piece,u asked what recording ive got of hungarian rhapsody no 12, it is by evgeny kissin, the greatest pianist alive in my opinion do you know? ive seen him many times  playing mussorsky colourful pictures of an exabition bachs toccata adagio and fugue in c major and glinkas the lark, have you heard all this.they are unbelievable, the last time i saw him last month his played chopin 4 polonaises 4 impromptus and stravinskys petrushka suite- incredabile

donjuan could you let me know your favourite pieces because i beleive theres so much music out there i still hav not yet heard        are you familiar with chopins incredibile sonata no 3 in bminor   and scriabin etude in dsharp minor  there terrific.  also wat beethoven sonatas do you find most appealing

thanks matt

[f0bul0us]

and scriabin etude in dsharp minor  there terrific...

I almost choked when I read that! Finally someone whos enojoys the Scriabin etudes! If you want something different, try Isaac Albeniz

[donjuan]

Hi matt,
Evgeny Kissin is sure amazing.  I have never seen him in person.  Of those works you mentioned played by him, I did hear a recording of him play bachs toccata adagio and fugue in c major.  Kissin has some amazing Liszt recordings.  I recommend Soirees de Vienne: Valse Caprice, Spanish Rhapsody, and Concert Etude: La Leggierezza.  

Now, you wanted to know my favorite works..I have a lot of them, but Ill name out a few...

Bach-Busoni: Chaconne in D minor
Liszt: Grand Galop Chromatique
Liszt: Totentanz
Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies No. 1,2,11,12,14,19
Balakirev: Islamey
Vescey-Cziffra: Valse Triste

I have countless favorites, really.  Scriabin's Etude Op.8 No.12 in D Sharp minor is a really great piece as well, especially when played by Horowitz.  I am not too familiar with Chopin's Sonatas.

In Beethoven sonatas, I love "Appassionata", the "tempest" sonata, Sonata Op.111 (yeah, you know..), and parts of the fifth Sonata.  I havent really listened to too many Beethoven Sonatas, but my teacher is making me play some, so I better start.

Best Wishes,
Donjuan

[steve]

matt, i just saw evgeny kissin playing the chopin/stravinsky programme recently, too! he was incredible.

f0bul0us, what albeniz pieces do you like?  suite iberia is immense, i must say.  you'd probably really like goyescas by granados, if you haven't already heard it.

scriabin etude in d# minor is one of my favourite pieces: gonna learn it soon, hopefully, once i've finished my current projects (nearly finished Mussorgsky's the Great Gate at Kiev; am learning Rach's prelude in C# minor and have just got up to the section with the chords crashing down in triplets; also doing my best with liszt's Un Sospiro, but it's tough for me and it's really a long term project).

[donjuan]

Liszt's Un Sospiro is TONS easier than Scriabin's Etude in D sharp Minor.
Lots of luck!
donjuan

[steve]

lol maybe i'll hold off with the scriabin for a while then! or rather, i'll give it a shot and see how i find it, difficulty being relative (ie how some stuff is so easy for some people, while other people find it impossible)

[matt_haley]

hey steve
yeah you should have a go at the scriabin,very tricky left hand but there is a steady pattern there at first then it goes into a repetition of chords in the left with the same theme in the right, its a master peice - personally i would nt perform it at a concert no yet anyway.

you said you were playing great gates of kiev another amazing piece of music, from travelling through all the promenades the hatching of the chicks and that enormously difficult baba yagas hut, amongst others ten you reach the great gates of kiev where all that hard work and satisfaction comes in,   have you played all the movements,  ive left baba yagas hut for now.  also the passage in the gates of kiev when you are ripling up in down in broken chords and the minor bass that is quite tricky,   how u find it??

[steve]

Hey, I haven't heard the rest yet, but I actually just ordered Kissin's recording of them yesterday (won't arrive for a bit yet cos i ordered a few less readily available things at the same time), so I can't wait to hear them.  I went on a bit of a cd buying spree actually - I also bought Hamelin playing the Alkan and Busoni concertos, a great big box of Rach played by Ashkenazy, Pollini's recording of the Chopin etudes, Emil Gilels playing the Brahms concertos and Richter playing the Tchaikovsky ones.

As for the Mussorgsky, I'm getting there with the broken chords section - still mostly at the stage of getting the notes down cleanly and so forth, and my fingers are starting to move naturally to the right notes without me having to stop and wonder what chord comes next

I love the structure of the piece: I think it works really well if you can interrupt those quieter interludes as abruptly as possible with that ebullient main theme (eg there's the introduction with the main theme, a quiet bit, and then suddenly a repeat of the main theme in one hand with the other playing those scales in octaves; it's superb).

And i love that polonaise you're learning. I've heard kissin playing it live and on a recording and it was so much the superior recording when compared to Horowitz's, I thought.  Horowitz's was just lifeless.