No idea what to play next

[apathy]

Hi everyone! So I'm new here and looked through some pages, looks like this place will be super useful

I really hope some of you can help me out I'm 21 now, I took piano lessons for like...I don't know, 4 years or something, but I stopped when I was 14 (sophomore in HS). I've played casually since then, but mostly just looking up sheet music for songs I like and playing them, and now I sort of want to get back into the classical mindset of things?

Problem is...I have no clue what "level" I stopped on or what I should be looking for next. So I don't know what songs to look for. I can give you a bit of history as far as what I remember:

Last song I played when I still took lessons was Debussy's Claire de Lune. Song before that was Reverie, and song before THAT was La fille aux cheveux de lin (lol see a pattern here?)
Other songs that I remember playing include Beethoven's Adagio Cantabile and Fur Elise. Pachelbel's Canon in D (though I might've cheated on this one, I think I remember just ignoring some of the notes I had a hard time reaching on the second page x_x anyways.) I also remember learning The Swan, two of Chopin's preludes (don't remember which ones though) and...that's all I can remember. If I had the book, I could probably flip through and pick out some other ones I learned, but I don't.

I flipped through my Debussy book but to be honest, I really don't want to do another Debussy piece right now. Piano lessons are not something I want to pick up right now, I don't really need another monthly thing to pay...
So I'm wondering if anyone here could kind of look at what I've played so far and give me some suggestions on some pieces to try next? I'd really appreciate it. 

[christina-lover]

hmmm ... claire de lune and fur elise? how about some Chopin mazurkas? I think they are about the same level as you are. Op 6 No 1, Op 7 No 1, Op 17 No 2, Op 24 No 1, Op 30 No 2, Op 33 No 4, Op 50 No 3, Op 67 No 4, and Op 68 No 2 are really beautiful, and not that difficult (actually none of the mazurkas is as difficult as the other works of Chopin).

also a waltz wouldn't be the worst idea: Chopin Opus 69 No 2 or Brahms Op 38 No 15.

You can try Mozart's Rondo alla turca, too. Or his facile Sonata K545.

[Bob]

Clementi sonatinas to get back into it?

[nanabush]

Mendelssohn has some AMAZING songs without words at around the same level as Fur Elise.  They are very evocative pieces, and extremely fun to play.  One of the sets of pieces that aren't too overplayed, and I never hear anything about a bad experience learning any of them.

His 'Venetian Boat Song' in F# minor is very good.  Some intense left hand parts, and some trills, but it's a level or two lower than the Debussy stuff.  Check those out though for sure, lots to choose from.

Grieg's 'Notturno' from Lyric pieces. (or any other Lyric Pieces; they're all excellent)

Bach Prelude and Fugue in C minor bk1, or a Sinfonia (3 part invention)?

Aaron Copland "4 piano blues" - the first three are really cool, and I think the 4th one is quite a bit more difficult.

Brahms Waltzes Op 39 (simplified version might be a little better.  The originals are VERY difficult in some spots)

Ravel Pavane for a Dead Princess

Moszkowski's Etudes for Dexterity are really cool.  Pretty good technical work out and also fun to play and listen to.

Chopin Preludes in B minor, E major, Db major AKA "raindrop"

I'm going to throw this out there:  Yann Tiersen's music from "Amelie" usually gets good feedback from my students who play any of it (it can range from stuff a bit easier than Fur Elise to a bit more difficult than Claire de Lune).  There are loads of youtube videos from his stuff.  I'm already expecting people to bash this suggestion, but it doesn't change the fact that it's easy listening and fun to play.

[apathy]

Thank you all, I will look through these pieces.

I actually found a book of finger exercises, I have been working on those for now, but I will see what I can pick up from your suggestions. Much appreciated.

[quasimodo]

Thank you all, I will look through these pieces.

I actually found a book of finger exercises, I have been working on those for now, but I will see what I can pick up from your suggestions. Much appreciated.

I have a question: What would YOU like to play?

[apathy]

I have a question: What would YOU like to play?

Well, I have been playing what I "want" to play since I stopped taking lessons
Needless to say, the songs I picked out, while I did have to work at them, I did not have to work at them nearly on the same level I did when I was being assigned pieces by a teacher.

I'm looking for that kind of challenge again, but I don't want to jump too far ahead of my level, really just looking for a bit of guidance from other piano lovers since I can't exactly get a teacher atm.

[quasimodo]

^^I don't believe that the relative level of the pieces is going to have an influence on how serious you'll be working on them.
There's a list of graded pieces here: https://www.pianostreet.com/Graded_Pieces_All.xls you may want to look at it and pick those that you love.

[learntopianoonline]

Mendelssohn has some AMAZING songs without words at around the same level as Fur Elise.  They are very evocative pieces, and extremely fun to play.  One of the sets of pieces that aren't too overplayed, and I never hear anything about a bad experience learning any of them.

His 'Venetian Boat Song' in F# minor is very good.  Some intense left hand parts, and some trills, but it's a level or two lower than the Debussy stuff.  Check those out though for sure, lots to choose from.

Grieg's 'Notturno' from Lyric pieces. (or any other Lyric Pieces; they're all excellent)

Bach Prelude and Fugue in C minor bk1, or a Sinfonia (3 part invention)?

Aaron Copland "4 piano blues" - the first three are really cool, and I think the 4th one is quite a bit more difficult.

Brahms Waltzes Op 39 (simplified version might be a little better.  The originals are VERY difficult in some spots)

Ravel Pavane for a Dead Princess

Moszkowski's Etudes for Dexterity are really cool.  Pretty good technical work out and also fun to play and listen to.

Chopin Preludes in B minor, E major, Db major AKA "raindrop"

I'm going to throw this out there:  Yann Tiersen's music from "Amelie" usually gets good feedback from my students who play any of it (it can range from stuff a bit easier than Fur Elise to a bit more difficult than Claire de Lune).  There are loads of youtube videos from his stuff.  I'm already expecting people to bash this suggestion, but it doesn't change the fact that it's easy listening and fun to play.

Yes, i agree with you!

[apathy]

^^I don't believe that the relative level of the pieces is going to have an influence on how serious you'll be working on them.
There's a list of graded pieces here: https://www.pianostreet.com/Graded_Pieces_All.xls you may want to look at it and pick those that you love.

Thank you, that is perfect!!  I wanted something more of a challenge, so I didn't want to pick something really easy, but I didn't want to overshoot and pick out something too hard either! I will take a look at that list and see what I've already played, then try to pick around there. Thanks again!

[3htohn]

My story,

Hi Apathy, it looks like you've got all your ideas now but just thought I'd say that I took a couple of years off without a teacher and eventually stopped playing all together.

Then after a couple of years I picked up Tchaikovsky's "Autumn Song" (taught by myself) and when I got to bar 22, that was it I was hooked again, got a new teacher and never looked back.

Энтони.