Two Studies

[simonjp90]

Hi all

just found out for first year at music college at the end of the second term you have to present two etudes for performance. i'm guessing everyone will be going for the usual, chopin op 10 something, liszt, rachmaninov, that d sharp minor scriabin one, etc etc

so i was wondering

are there any really really good studies out there that are not as well known?

they have to be amazing

and also quite difficult

thanks
simon

[ronde_des_sylphes]

You could take a look at the Liapunov opus 11 set of Transcendental Etudes, or the Henselt opus 2 or opus 5 sets.

[simonjp90]

havent heard of the henselt, so thanks! if the liapunov ones are based on the liszt then yep ive had a listen and like them quite a lot

[slow_concert_pianist]

Mosceles etude - La Forza (Op 51)

Any of the 4 Prokofiev etudes (Op2) are brilliant & I never hear them played.

[berniano]

Brilliant and amazing, and definitely not mainstream----


KAPUSTIN CONCERT ETUDES!!! (Op. 40, I think)

Also, Kernis Superstar Etude.


Look for them on Youtube, Kapustin 3 and 8 are most impressive, and stay away from no 1 which everyone plays.

[retrouvailles]

Kernis Superstar Etude.

You must be kidding. Those two etudes are the sort of things that you play as silly encores, not as serious etudes! I would not present either of these for a jury or any other serious performance.

I highly recommend the Kapustin etudes, though. You could also look at the Op. 67 etudes or the Op. 68 etudes in different intervals, which are even less well known than the Op. 40 concert etudes.

[berniano]

Watch Andrea Lam play the second Kernis etude @ Cliburn.tv. She plays it so convincingly, nothings ever going to make me laugh at her OR the etude ( even though, I must admit, I don't care for the first etude entirely that much).

[nanabush]

I think there's a Kapustin etude in minor 2nds (might be both major and minor 2nds, correct me if I'm wrong).  I haven't seen sheets for it, but it's one crazy piece of music, still keeping that jazz undertone, but just overflowing with dissonance haha.  One of those pieces that will make you laugh, but also probably one of those pieces that could take a year to learn.

Morel's "deux etudes de sonorites" are extremely good, and very underplayed.  The first one's kind of slow, but the second one's got a really cool rhythmic section at the very bottom of the piano register.  Look it up on youtube NOW!

Lizst's Paganini Variations etude in A minor is a good one, and personally I don't hear it nearly as much as La Campanella or any of his TE's or Concert Etudes.

Prokofiev Etudes, but the D minor one, and the one that has all the crazy double notes in C minor look disgusting on paper.

[retrouvailles]

I think there's a Kapustin etude in minor 2nds (might be both major and minor 2nds, correct me if I'm wrong).  I haven't seen sheets for it, but it's one crazy piece of music, still keeping that jazz undertone, but just overflowing with dissonance haha.  One of those pieces that will make you laugh, but also probably one of those pieces that could take a year to learn.

You're correct about that etude. It's the first of the Op. 68 etudes in different intervals. However, it is not as bad as it sounds. When you see the sheetmusic and try it out, you'll find that many of the 2nds (and 7ths and 9ths) lie very well under the hand, which is almost always the case with Kapustin's music. It's the other aspects of his music that make it difficult, such as the complex rhythms and speed. I wouldn't call it a piece that takes a year to learn though. I would say to go for it, or the similar etudes in that series.

[simonjp90]

Brilliant and amazing, and definitely not mainstream----


KAPUSTIN CONCERT ETUDES!!! (Op. 40, I think)

Also, Kernis Superstar Etude.


Look for them on Youtube, Kapustin 3 and 8 are most impressive, and stay away from no 1 which everyone plays.

If i was going to play a kapustin study i think it would have to be either no 5 or no 7! good idea though, had forgotten about them

[prongated]

You could take a look at the Liapunov opus 11 set of Transcendental Etudes...

That Lezghinka (no. 11 in the set I think) is a GREAT piece! Highly recommended, especially if you intend to do something beyond conservatory juries with it. A friend of mine plays it a lot for all sorts of competitions and is earning her quite a bit of $$$ My old teacher who suggested it to her likened it to Balakirev's Islamey, except with musical taste. Actually, Lyapunov did belong to the musical circle that Balakirev was in too, so...

[nanabush]

#10 is Lesghinka, and I just listened to it.  Wow, you should definitely check that out.

Also #4 'Terek' from the set, and #8 'Chant Epique'.

[nanabush]

Question for prongated:

I suddenly became extremely fascinated with Lezghinka.  Alot of the second years at my school are playing random etudes, and I'm thinking for next year playing an etude that isn't as often played as the standard Chopin/Liszt etudes (I've done a few from each).  Do you know how your friend found learning it, and other stuff she may have been playing at the same time?  If she learned and played that etude, then she has a good taste in really awesome pieces that aren't heard as much  .  I want a couple more ideas for some possibilities for next year.