Extremely difficult sections on standard repertoire

[stormx]

Hi:

There are many posts commenting about what are considered the hardest pieces in standard repertoire. For instance, many think that LvB Hammerklavier o Liszt Sonata in B minor rank among the most challenging works. However, these are very long works, and i imagine there are "normal" passages as well as extremely difficult ones.

I wonder what are, in your opinion and allways speaking about standard repertoire, those specific passages most feared by professionnal pianists. What are those sections where even the virtuosos, thinking about them, swear in advance.

For people like me, that cannot play a single bar of those works, just listening does not give a precise idea of the difficulty. There are quick and furious passages that i beleive are not so difficult, and, on the other hand, there are parts that do not sound extremely difficult and are probably a nightmare to play. Looking at the score is probably a better way to determine the difficulty, but i beleive that at the end the real way to judge the difficulty is trying to actually play the part.

Thanks,

Juan

[perfect_pitch]

For me - it was the 14th variation of Brahms variations on a theme by Paganini - just before hell breaks loose with the Coda.

That or the Dance of the Coachmen from the 3rd Movement from Stravinsky's '3 Movements from Petrushka)...



(shudders)