Waldstein Sonata 1st Movt vs Chopin's gmin Ballade

[Irock1ce]

Waldstein Sonata 1st movt vs Chopin's gmin ballade #1. Which one is more difficult in ur opinion?  

[Hmoll]

Waldstein Sonata 1st movt vs Chopin's gmin ballade #1. Which one is more difficult in ur opinion?  

Both are about the same level.  Most people will find one more difficult than the other. It just depends on your technique and whether you can play a piece like Op 53 musically.

[sharon_f]

It's difficult to compare them since they both make very different technical demands. I believe the Waldstein is more difficult musically.

[maxy]

Mechanically, I would say the Ballade is harder.
Musically... that would depend on your personality.

[cheeeekan]

Technically, I'd say Waldstein is harder, but it really depends on the person... I think musically, the ballade is much deeper and harder in that sense

[bitus]

Finaly a sonata other than Pathetique and Moonlight

I'd go for Waldstein holding more musical resources. Technically the ballade has some challanging measures, but Waldstein is harder to pass by with mistakes.
Bitus.

[f0bul0us]

Musically... that would depend on your personality.

No it wouldn't, musicality has nothing to do with the performer's personality, but has everything to do with how the composer's written the piece and the emotional intention behind the notes. You have to try and think like the composers, listen to one piece then to the other, there's always a definite (sometimes contradictory) answer (when the piece is played by someone who does justice to the composer).

[DarkWind]

I've never liked the Waldstein that much, and the Chopin is more beautiful and harder in my opinion. For a really difficult and beautiful Sonata, try the Hammerklavier.

[maxy]

Good Beethoven players can be boring Chopin players. Personality does count when it comes to affinity with different types of music.  Therefore, what is musically challenging for one is not equally challenging for another.  Different personalities will musically conceive a same piece very differently.  Otherwise there would be no point in having many "performers" in this world.

I still say Ballade is mechanically harder, but people with weak left hands may consider Waldstein much harder!

[benbenben9752]

i love the waldstein!!! its just so hard that u get the its that play the moonlite with no emotion and u get the concert artists that play the hammerklavier
i have no idea which one is more difficult but i felt like posting because its 215 in the morning
im trying to learn the waldstein 1 but im working on rach op 23 no 5, pathetique, beethoven op 2 no 3 mvt 1, debussy mouvement from images 2, and brahms rhapsody in g minor op 72 no 2 all at the same time so its not coming along so well...  

[larse]

im trying to learn the waldstein 1 but im working on rach op 23 no 5, pathetique, beethoven op 2 no 3 mvt 1, debussy mouvement from images 2, and brahms rhapsody in g minor op 72 no 2 all at the same time so its not coming along so well

Wow. You need to chop down on your repertoire... I would like to see you play 1 Sonata, 1 romantic piece and the debussy.

The difficulties on the pieces you are talking about are not for anyone of us to judge. Chopin is hard to those who havent played much Chopin. Beethoven is the same. I've played both since Kindergarden. Not true, but I played Pathetique(Beethoven) and Waltz No 10(Chopin)when I was 12. Then Polonaise in Ab(Chopin) and Moonlight 3rd when I was 14. And so on. They have always been my two pillars. I've played the Brahms rhapsody, and Liszt Rhapsodies, Debussy and Bach, but Beethoven and Chopin always stood closer to me. What it have come to is that Chopin is alot easier than Beethoven generally. I've never played Waldstein, I've looked at the opening, so I cannot judge the piece. But I'm playing Gm Ballad and Appasionata right now. And the Ballad is coming along just alot better than the Sonata.

But I'm used to Chopin runs, so I always know whats coming with him. And his expressions seems natural to me. I don't know how others feel. It seems to be quite individual.