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New Piano Piece by Chopin Discovered – Free Piano Score
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Topic: Most underrated Chopin?  (Read 9477 times)

Offline edubia

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Most underrated Chopin?
on: October 31, 2011, 04:58:33 PM
Hello everyone!

I have recently bought a CD of Vladimir Ashkenazy playing the Chopin Polonaises (which are some of my favorite pieces) along with some other, very neglected works by the composer. Along with the polonaises, it contains the surprisingly beautiful Trois nouvelles etudes, the Allegro de Concert, two Bourees, and some other works. I listened to the Allegro de Concert just a few minutes ago, and i thought it was fantastic! Maybe it lacked some of the genius of some of his other works, but its still wonderful in its own right. Its extremely underrated, for some reason I can't understand. Another piece which I found to be very underrated (although not as much) was the Polonaise in F Sharp Minor, Op. 44, which I now consider to be one of my all time favorite pieces.

So, what do you find to be the most underrated Chopin pieces?

Offline 49410enrique

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #1 on: October 31, 2011, 06:56:46 PM
sonata for piano and cello, op 65. freakin awesome.



Offline pianoplayjl

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #2 on: October 31, 2011, 08:43:10 PM
Tarantella.
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Offline drkilroy

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #3 on: October 31, 2011, 10:44:37 PM
Bolero perhaps.

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Offline scott13

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #4 on: November 02, 2011, 03:02:09 PM
Ballade #2 is often neglected.

I read somewhere that "Allegro de Concert" was actually Chopin's initial sketch for a 3rd piano concerto, that never developed so he published what was the first movement.

I also feel the set of Op 28 Preludes are often shunned as well, yet i feel the set shows the range of emotion better than any other of his sets.

Offline dafnis

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #5 on: November 02, 2011, 03:35:40 PM
Polonaise in G sharp minor, op.posth.
Rondo, Op.16

Offline edubia

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #6 on: November 02, 2011, 05:31:19 PM
I also feel the set of Op 28 Preludes are often shunned as well, yet i feel the set shows the range of emotion better than any other of his sets.

I hardly consider the preludes underrated. And another one I'd add to the list is "Cantabile in B-Flat", which Chopin really should have expanded on, because it is like a nocturne but shorter and less developed.

Offline pianoplayjl

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #7 on: November 03, 2011, 03:59:12 AM
Most of his other Mazurkas are also neglected.
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Offline werq34ac

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #8 on: November 05, 2011, 02:32:39 AM
I'll add the other cello piece he wrote, Introduction and grand polonaise. i believe that's Op. 8?
Ravel Jeux D'eau
Brahms 118/2
Liszt Concerto 1
Rachmaninoff/Kreisler Liebesleid

Offline pianoplayjl

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #9 on: November 05, 2011, 03:48:26 AM
I'll add the other cello piece he wrote, Introduction and grand polonaise. i believe that's Op. 8?

I don't know what you mean by 'the other cello piece.' I just found out op8 was a Piano trio!
Chopin's eccosaise are rarely played so I think they deserve mention in this thread.
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Offline werq34ac

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #10 on: November 06, 2011, 05:04:31 PM
I don't know what you mean by 'the other cello piece.' I just found out op8 was a Piano trio!
Chopin's eccosaise are rarely played so I think they deserve mention in this thread.

Oops, I meant Op. 3. Though the piano trio definitely deserves mention as well!
Ravel Jeux D'eau
Brahms 118/2
Liszt Concerto 1
Rachmaninoff/Kreisler Liebesleid

Offline mozartk365

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #11 on: November 09, 2011, 03:12:34 AM
sonata no.1 in c minor, Op.4

Offline japanesepianist

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #12 on: November 12, 2011, 03:21:49 AM
   Hmmmmm...... I think the marzukas are a bit underrated, and some of the nocturnes are underrated as well, but Chopin's pieces are overplayed quite a bit as well- Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2, Fantasie Impromptu, Etude Op. 10 No. 12, etc.
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Offline scott13

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #13 on: November 14, 2011, 10:51:19 AM
Allegro De Concert - Op 46 . In my opinion Chopin's finest composition, yet is shunned by nearly everybody.

Offline teccomin

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #14 on: November 21, 2011, 04:01:05 AM
Rondo Op. 1 is pretty underrated for a very decent piece.

Offline werq34ac

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #15 on: November 21, 2011, 09:32:07 PM
Allegro De Concert - Op 46 . In my opinion Chopin's finest composition, yet is shunned by nearly everybody.

It may be because it's incomplete. It was the sketches of his 3rd piano concerto but he never finished it and it was accidentally published or something like that. It's a pity Chopin died so early.
Ravel Jeux D'eau
Brahms 118/2
Liszt Concerto 1
Rachmaninoff/Kreisler Liebesleid

Offline scott13

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #16 on: November 23, 2011, 02:04:38 AM
It may be because it's incomplete. It was the sketches of his 3rd piano concerto but he never finished it and it was accidentally published or something like that. It's a pity Chopin died so early.

True the work began life as the sketch of Concerto #3, however, Chopin struggled to orchestrate it and he himself published it believing that the piece was far better without an orchestration. One need only look at his comment about wanting to play this piece as the first he played to a free Warsaw to understand its importance and significance to him.

And in my opinion i feel it is his finest work as it contains everything that Chopin's writing style encompassed. From the emotion of the Ballades, to the virtuosity of the Etudes & Concertos, to the grace and elegance of the Valses, and the haunting melodies of the Nocturnes. 

Offline mlbbaseball

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #17 on: November 24, 2011, 02:32:43 AM
I give a vote to Prelude op 45
Bach: Toccata BWV 914
Beethoven: Sonata op. 57
Liszt: HR 12
Rachmaninoff: Prelude op. 32 no. 12
Prokofiev: Suggestion Diabolique
Liszt: La Campanella
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no. 2, op. 18

Offline pianoplayjl

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #18 on: November 24, 2011, 02:50:44 AM
Marche funebre, op 72 no 2. I thought this was the funeral march in b flat minor when searching for the score but turns out I was wrong. Fooled because of a title.
Many of his pieces we hear are maybe only 25-40% while many of his minor pieces and pieces for other instruments are rarely recorded. I'll also add the variation he composed for Liszt's Hexameron variations.
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Offline pastlifepianist

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #19 on: November 24, 2011, 03:18:46 AM
His Krakowiak for piano and orchestra.

Offline williampiano

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #20 on: November 25, 2011, 12:15:43 AM
Impromptu no. 3 in G flat
Mazurka op. 6 no. 2
Rondo in c minor op. 1

Offline fftransform

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #21 on: November 26, 2011, 01:29:11 AM
I think that Chopin's music is played quite a bit too much for any of it to be considered underrated, in the grand scheme of piano repertoire.  The Fantasy Op. 49 is probably one that I think should get more playtime than some of his others, though.

Offline richterfan1

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #22 on: November 26, 2011, 11:36:40 AM
i think most of Mazurkas are underrated

Offline megadodd

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #23 on: November 26, 2011, 01:48:43 PM
His Valse in E major.
It really paints the picture in your head.
Repertoire.
2011/2012

Brahms op 118
Chopin Preludes op 28
Grieg Holberg Suite
Mendelssohn Piano trio D minor op 49
Rachmaninoff Etude Tabelaux op 33 no 3 & 4 op 39 no 2
Scriabin Preludes op 1

Offline williampiano

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #24 on: January 04, 2012, 07:59:00 PM


This piece is beautiful. It's a bummer people rarely play it.

Offline chopinlover96

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #25 on: January 04, 2012, 09:49:47 PM
  Another piece which I found to be very underrated (although not as much) was the Polonaise in F Sharp Minor, Op. 44, which I now consider to be one of my all time favorite pieces.

So, what do you find to be the most underrated Chopin pieces?

I totally agree with that polonaise maybe my favourite chopin piece along with the 4th ballade an the Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise.
I do think that some of the nocturnes are underplayed. They have some of the most beautifull melodies he ever composed. However some of the nocturnes are played rather alot. (Not that that is a bad thing)
Chopin-Waltz Op.42
Brahms-Intermezzo Op.118 No.2
Field-Sonata No.1
Beethoven-Sonata Op.14 No.1
Bach-Prelude and Fugue in B flat No.21 WTC 1

Offline 49410enrique

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #26 on: January 04, 2012, 09:58:18 PM
the chopin fugue is seldom mentioned most don't even know it exists, not considered a very good composition vs his other work but still relevant and important   even as an 'exercise' in composition it has some nice elements

Offline chopin1993

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #27 on: January 04, 2012, 10:39:20 PM
His pieces written for Cello and piano trio.
Also his Bolero and some of his Mazurkas should be played a bit more!

Valerie

Offline fftransform

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #28 on: January 06, 2012, 09:50:28 AM
Did somebody really say Ballade No. 2?  Anyway, maybe you guys should look into other composers who are completely neglected, instead of the idolatry of anything related to Chopin.  Great works by lesser-known composers will often be better than Chopin's more mediocre stuff.

Also, I remember when I thought the Allegro de Concert was a good piece.  I was about 13.  It's like bad, early Massenet or something.  Clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk.

Offline jas_sorian

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #29 on: January 12, 2012, 10:36:09 AM
I give a vote to Prelude op 45
Agreed.  ;D

Offline transitional

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #30 on: October 27, 2023, 05:58:26 PM
Sonata No. 1 Op. 4 - it follows an ideal and a mood not typical of Chopin. I can enjoy it much more than other Chopin pieces. It has an enjoyable polish vibe but not overly introspective or dull. Quite long and creative. the first movement literally has 4 voices how often does chopin do that??? Only minuet Chopin ever wrote in this sonata. that 5/4 3rd movement! 4th movement is great too. not over the top like most chopin, it's all the things I like about chopin in a new format, but clearly inspired from beethoven and bach. I could enjoy chopin much much more if he went on like this.

That and the three Impromptus that aren't No. 4


Most overrated? The op 48 no 1 nocturne,  posthumous c# nocturne, op 9 no 2 nocturne, scherzo no 2, FI sounds good but is compositionally weak.
last 3 schubert sonatas and piano trios are something else

Offline lelle

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #31 on: October 28, 2023, 10:58:09 PM
Sonata No. 1 Op. 4 - it follows an ideal and a mood not typical of Chopin. I can enjoy it much more than other Chopin pieces. It has an enjoyable polish vibe but not overly introspective or dull. Quite long and creative. the first movement literally has 4 voices how often does chopin do that??? Only minuet Chopin ever wrote in this sonata. that 5/4 3rd movement! 4th movement is great too. not over the top like most chopin, it's all the things I like about chopin in a new format, but clearly inspired from beethoven and bach. I could enjoy chopin much much more if he went on like this.

That and the three Impromptus that aren't No. 4


Most overrated? The op 48 no 1 nocturne,  posthumous c# nocturne, op 9 no 2 nocturne, scherzo no 2, FI sounds good but is compositionally weak.

I think that first sonata is just not very memorable. I think it shows the young Chopin experimenting compositionally and finding his voice, but the result is not successful for the listener. Do you find it interesting to listen to?

Offline transitional

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #32 on: October 29, 2023, 03:18:55 AM
I think that first sonata is just not very memorable. I think it shows the young Chopin experimenting compositionally and finding his voice, but the result is not successful for the listener. Do you find it interesting to listen to?
Yes, definitely. Experimentation is not a bad thing. I think with the mature chopin works he's really going for perfection and frankly, that can frequently get boring. The 1st sonata is full of rich ideas. It's true that it may not be memorable in terms of motifs, and what makes it so memorable to me is its dynamic contrast, rich compositional techniques, and gripping thoughts .. But this is a mausoleum of chopin and more ... it clearly takes ideas for etudes/polonaises to come. I hear the 2nd sonata funeral march in the slow movement of this sonata, but it's also almost a more daring take on the nocturne. i almost get a "haunted house" vibe from the main motif that I'd compare to the appassionata or d 784 sonatas.

Just my grain of salt. I see many compositions much differently from how other peopledo.  I suppose really a subjective thing.
last 3 schubert sonatas and piano trios are something else

Offline piabanoch

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Re: Most underrated Chopin?
Reply #33 on: November 08, 2023, 02:58:25 PM
i think that an underrated chopin would mazurkas, sonata n 1, op 9 n 3
I can't control Music, but Music controls me
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