Pieces you hate/don't like by composers you like

[pianoplayjl]

I don't think this is going to be a popular topic but anyway I thought it would be nice to know what people don't like about their favourite composers. I guess this is a choppin block for the big guns like Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, Schumann, Mozart, etc.

I'll start: Chopin and his Fantasie op 49. Got some nice moments but overall a rabble of music.

I have more...

What are yours?

JL

[commissiona]

Nah, I think it's a pretty interesting post, here goes:

Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1.  I've really, really tried, but it just seems riddled with pretention to me, and boring, and I'm very easy to please.  But I think I'll give it another shot, and soon.

Pianoplayjl, I'm going to start a conterpart, if you will, to this post, because I'd like to see the opposite, too (Pieces you love/enjoy by composers you hate ).

[drkilroy]

I do not think that there is such a piece in my case. Even if I think that I do not like some composition, usually I become to like it after a few listenings. It happened recently to me and the pieces in question were Debussy's Images and Estampes. I think at the moment I do not like Spanish Rhapsody by Ravel, but I have only listened to it about two times, so it is probably going to change.

As a matter of fact, I have not listened to all works by Mozart, Bach and Schumann, which are on my favourite composers list, so I cannot say that I like their whole oeuvre.

Best regards, Dr

[outin]

Don't care much for Chopin mazurkas and waltzes with a couple of exceptions. I have never been able to listen through his variations, terribly boring...

[49410enrique]

i like schubert, but care very little for the lieder, not just becuase it's voice/piano, in fact i like some vocal stuff very much, i just come away from these feeling kind of bleh

[gn622]

i really hate chopin's military polonaise..it sounds too mechanical to me.

[megadodd]

Sciabin - Verse la Flamme.

[stoudemirestat]

Sciabin - Verse la Flamme.

  Interesting.

A  couple days ago with Liszt I would have said the Fantasy and Fugue on B-A-C-H, and also the Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen varitions for solo piano. However, thanks to amazing performances by Mark Salman, for now I really like them. I wonder if it will last.

Still...Grand Galop Chromatique I don't even like as a showpiece.
In general I love his tone poems, but Prometheus I find plain dull and Die Ideale WAY too long for its musical content.
I've never really been fond of Cantique d'amour, either.
I love many/most of his late pieces, but some, like Unstern: sinistre, disastro, and some others, just make me cringe.
9, known as one of the greatest, is perhaps my least favourite Rhapsody. It's alright, I guess. I don't particularly like it though.
His  Fantaisie sur des motifs favoris de l'opéra La Sonnambula I don't like much either.
The Rigoletto Paraphrase de Concert just flat out annoys me for the most part.

That's it for now.

[chopinlover96]

Chopin-Fantasie Impromptu.
This is perhaps one of the only works by Chopin which i would never really consider playing some time in the future.I adore practically all other Chopin pieces. I have never understood why so many people want to play it.

[ionian_tinnear]

I do not think that there is such a piece in my case. Even if I think that I do not like some composition, usually I become to like it after a few listenings.

This comment expresses my approach to, and advice for, performing works that you mostly don't enjoy.  In my case it musical theatre productions.  I don't like all the shows I play, but I always try to find something that's my reward for playing.  Whether it is just one song or scene, I look for one thing to make the rest worthwhile.

Rarely will anywork be just totally bad, find your 'happy spot' and work out from there, maybe more of the piece will start to grow on you!

[thorn]

Chopin-Fantasie Impromptu.
This is perhaps one of the only works by Chopin which i would never really consider playing some time in the future.I adore practically all other Chopin pieces. I have never understood why so many people want to play it.

Echoed. Chopin himself intended it to be burned if I am not mistaken? Also on the Chopin front, the bloody Raindrop prelude- not because it isn't a beautiful piece, but because of the amount of times I have heard it.

Also, Debussy is my absolute favourite composer. But I can't stand his Arabesques, nor the Prelude from Suite Bergamasque, nor Pour le piano (apart from the Toccata).

[chopinlover96]

I also feel the same way about Chopin 10/12

[stoudemirestat]

I also feel the same way about Chopin 10/12

Just wondering, what are your favourite pieces by him?

[pianoplayjl]

I like Schumann very much but one thing I wish Schumann didn't composer is: his concerto. Too boring and plain, lack of excitement which is a characteristic of a romantic concerto, I think.

JL

[chopinlover96]

Just wondering, what are your favourite pieces by him?

I adore all of Chopins Ballades,practically all of his nocturnes and waltzes. My favourites would have to be Ballade 4,Barcarolle and Op44 Polonaise.

[lontano]

Don't care much for Chopin mazurkas and waltzes with a couple of exceptions. I have never been able to listen through his variations, terribly boring...

I have to agree. While Chopin is certainly one of my top favorite early romantic composers, there are only a small handful of Mazurkas and Waltzes I care for. And it's not specific to Chopin. I never cared much for Scriabin's Mazurkas or Mazurkas in general. I don't know why. Another idiom is the Polka. I happen to live in eastern Pennsylvania, home to many Pennsylvania Dutch folk, and they do love their Polka music. Of course, these polkas are centered around the accordion and other than being in the same meter as "classical" polkas by 19th century composers, they don't sound much like the (IMHO) horribly repetitive PA Dutch style.   

[lontano]

Sciabin - Verse la Flamme.

Wow. To each his own. I find Vers la Flamme to be one of Scriabin's greatest works, a harbinger of great things to come, had it not been for an infected pimple.  

[drexo]

Most Mazurkas by Scriabin and Chopin's Minute Waltz.

[amelialw]

I second chopin's fantasie op.49... I have tried to like it but still don't, it seems to just go on and on and there's nothing that causes me to think that it's something worth learning
Along with that his mazurkas have been something I've never liked, perhaps because my first teacher forced me through so many just for the sake of it

[werq34ac]

I ABHOR THE MILITARY POLONAISE OMG OMG I HATE IT.

Yeah I never really cared for the Chopin mazurkas and waltzes, although there was a mazurka i liked and a waltz I liked.


Chopin Fantasie? really? I think it's a great piece! but I guess each to his own opinion..

I sort of agree with Fantasie-Impromptu. Not that it's a god awful piece like the military polonaise, but too many people play it.



OTHER COMPOSERS
I really don't like Debussy's Girl with the Flaxen Hair. It's overpopular for its worth. Clair de Lune I've heard too many times plus Twilight had to soil it's name even further.

I'm not big on some of the Liszt HRs, although i absolutely love 6 10 11 and 12. But some of them are just a bit.. boring.


There's very few Rachmaninoff pieces that I don't like. Probably Prelude in C#m due to overplay and maybe Prelude in Gm, again overplayed. Not enough play the B minor prelude, which is probably my favorite prelude.

[fftransform]

Chopin and his Fantasie op 49.

My favorite Chopin piece.  I think some people are turned off by this piece because there is neither as much cheese nor pyrotechnics as most of his other major works.  It is much more subtle.  I als used to think it was comparatively boring when I was young.

Sciabin - Verse la Flamme.

My second-favorite Scriabin piece, behind Sonata No. 6 (by the way, it's "Vers").


Honestly, I don't really think of composers as a whole who I like or dislike.  I like or dislike pieces only.  However, there are, of course, composers whose pieces I (almost) unilaterally like or dislike.  As far as a very major work by a composer who I like quite a lot, I have no interest in Liszt's Sonata in B Minor.  I find it uninteresting, past the first few minutes.  I also don't like his first Piano Concerto.  I don't like Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1, or the Sonatas Nos. 3/9.  I think that 2 and 4 are far too underplayed in comparison to No. 3.

[megadodd]

(by the way, it's "Vers").

I'm incredibly sorry for my misspelling. It must must have been an aweful experience for you.

[drexo]

One to add: Liszt Sonata in B Minor. I gave this piece a chance for years and experienced two live performances of it (one by Kissin), but I never managed to like it.

[lontano]

There's very few Rachmaninoff pieces that I don't like. Probably Prelude in C#m due to overplay and maybe Prelude in Gm, again overplayed. Not enough play the B minor prelude, which is probably my favorite prelude.

Face it: the Prelude in c#m is really a lousy piece. It's an amateurish work. I cringe when I hear it. And Rachy hated its undeserved popularity and regretted having written it, more so since it was invariably demanded of him as an encore. 

[lontano]

Nah, I think it's a pretty interesting post, here goes:

Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1.  I've really, really tried, but it just seems riddled with pretention to me, and boring, and I'm very easy to please.  But I think I'll give it another shot, and soon.

Rachmaninoff sought out hypnotherapy due to the depression he felt after the poor reception he got from his first symphony, so you're not alone in your distaste for the piece. 

[pianoplayjl]

Rachmaninoff sought out hypnotherapy due to the depression he felt after the poor reception he got from his first symphony, so you're not alone in your distaste for the piece. 

Perhaps it is a dull display of his sentiments at the time. But what a comeback with the 2nd piano concerto. Such wonderful themes...

Scriabin Vers la flame
Tchaikovsky June from the 12 seasons suite (am I right!?)
Chopin Waltz in F minor
Liszt Nuages gris
Prokofiev visions fugitives

JL

[stoudemirestat]

Face it: the Prelude in c#m is really a lousy piece. It's an amateurish work. I cringe when I hear it. And Rachy hated its undeserved popularity and regretted having written it, more so since it was invariably demanded of him as an encore. 

Oh how I disagree. I think it's a miniature masterpiece.

[pianoplayjl]

Oh how I disagree. I think it's a miniature masterpiece.

 

Stoude, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I agree with you. It is a masculine sounding piece very fit for an encore. While Rachmaninoff, as you say, 'hated' it he performed the piece at his encores, frequently and the audience love it when he does that.

JL

[stoudemirestat]

 

Stoude, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I agree with you. It is a masculine sounding piece very fit for an encore. While Rachmaninoff, as you say, 'hated' it he performed the piece at his encores, frequently and the audience love it when he does that.

JL

Oh, I know and embrace the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But to say 'Face it: the Prelude in c#m is really a lousy piece. It's an amateurish work.' - I had to comment on that.

[pianoplayjl]

Oh, I know and embrace the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But to say 'Face it: the Prelude in c#m is really a lousy piece. It's an amateurish work.' - I had to comment on that.

I know. I would have done the same thing. To say that the Prelude is an amateur work is blasphemy indeed! I'd rather say it is a lousy professional work. To say it is an amateur work is really despicable and a rather horrible remark to say to a master. I doubt anyone can composer a quality work. If the prelude is a lousy piece then I guess most other compositions in the piano repertoire must be classified as very very very very very very lousy works.

JL

[megadodd]

Wow, a lousy work? It's a great piece I think!
I wouldn't want to play it myself, atleast not right now, but I enjoy listening to it from time to time.

When you think about it, I'm sure Rachmaninoff played alot of concerts in different places, he liked showing off his skills, or atleast so I've heard.
And the audiences I'm sure didn't hear the piece as many times as Rachmaninoff did, since recordings wasn't very common I immagine.

I'm sure he was just sick of it, and perhaps he changed his taste later on and stated, if that's true. That it didn't deserve it's popularity.
I'm personally not a fan of Fantasy Impromptu, as many. But I did like it before my 102nd listen.
You get the point.

[lontano]

I know. I would have done the same thing. To say that the Prelude is an amateur work is blasphemy indeed! I'd rather say it is a lousy professional work. To say it is an amateur work is really despicable and a rather horrible remark to say to a master. I doubt anyone can composer a quality work. If the prelude is a lousy piece then I guess most other compositions in the piano repertoire must be classified as very very very very very very lousy works.

JL

My goodness  ! Please, everyone, forgive me for omitting IMHO re: this work. I suppose I liked it when I was young, but I got over that long ago. There are many Rachmaninoff works I like very much. One of my best friends hates EVERYTHING he ever wrote! My dear mother loved Rachmaninoff, and as I mentioned here once before, my parents saw him performing (at Carnegie Hall I believe), and my dad LOVED the prelude in c#m and played it when I was young, so in some small way it's in my blood. But time can do some bloodletting and that bit of blood got let years ago. Peace.

Lontano

[pianoplayjl]

My goodness  ! Please, everyone, forgive me for omitting IMHO re: this work. I suppose I liked it when I was young, but I got over that long ago. There are many Rachmaninoff works I like very much. One of my best friends hates EVERYTHING he ever wrote! My dear mother loved Rachmaninoff, and as I mentioned here once before, my parents saw him performing (at Carnegie Hall I believe), and my dad LOVED the prelude in c#m and played it when I was young, so in some small way it's in my blood. But time can do some bloodletting and that bit of blood got let years ago. Peace.

Lontano

Had you posted this earlier, I would have understood. I forgive you. There are some pieces that I used to like when I was little but now I don't like as much. When I was 8 years old I was very obsessed with Fur Elise by Beethoven because of the beautiful and melancholic right hand melody but slowly came to dislike a bit when I started hearing the piece every where. Everyone was playing it and even the beginners know a few lines or so.

JL

[lontano]

Perhaps it is a dull display of his sentiments at the time. But what a comeback with the 2nd piano concerto. Such wonderful themes...

Scriabin Vers la flame
Tchaikovsky June from the 12 seasons suite (am I right!?)
Chopin Waltz in F minor
Liszt Nuages gris
Prokofiev visions fugitives

JL

Jeez! I get roasted for criticizing Rachmaninoff's c#m prelude, but here we have someone who categorically dismisses all 20 of Prokoviev's "Visions fugatives" several of which I've enjoyed playing. And gives no reason for this and likewise the Scriabin. Between the Rachmaninoff and the Scriabin it seems like a no-brainer which is the real muscular, powerful, original and NOT over-played work. Both were written by Russians, one at the beginning of his career and the other at the end (sadly foreshortened by fate).
But we all are entitled to our own opinions. 

L.

[pianoplayjl]

Jeez! I get roasted for criticizing Rachmaninoff's c#m prelude, but here we have someone who categorically dismisses all 20 of Prokoviev's "Visions fugatives" several of which I've enjoyed playing. And gives no reason for this and likewise the Scriabin. Between the Rachmaninoff and the Scriabin it seems like a no-brainer which is the real muscular, powerful, original and NOT over-played work. Both were written by Russians, one at the beginning of his career and the other at the end (sadly foreshortened by fate).
But we all are entitled to our own opinions. 

L.

But Rachmaninoff's prelude is much more popular and more recognisable to a person's ears than Prokofiev and his visions fugitives is not as important to Prokofiev's output as compared to Prelude in C sharp and Rachmaninoff. The prelude in C sharp minor was one of his definining moments of his carrer and thats what made him to be a composer.
As for Scriabin and Rachmaninoff, one sounds more atonal that the other and I am not a very big fan of atonal music. Personally I find the Scriabin Vers la Flame to be quite barren and empty of emotion.

JL

[lontano]

But Rachmaninoff's prelude is much more popular and more recognisable to a person's ears than Prokofiev and his visions fugitives is not as important to Prokofiev's output as compared to Prelude in C sharp and Rachmaninoff. The prelude in C sharp minor was one of his definining moments of his carrer and thats what made him to be a composer.
As for Scriabin and Rachmaninoff, one sounds more atonal that the other and I am not a very big fan of atonal music. Personally I find the Scriabin Vers la Flame to be quite barren and empty of emotion.

JL

I believe we each would be rather unhappy going through each others music libraries. If you are really into popular pieces that are tonal and full of emotion that's fine. It just sounds incredibly boring over the long run. For me, a good mix of styles makes for a more rounded musical life. It's something generally developed over time.

[stoudemirestat]

I believe we each would be rather unhappy going through each others music libraries. If you are really into popular pieces that are tonal and full of emotion that's fine. It just sounds incredibly boring over the long run. For me, a good mix of styles makes for a more rounded musical life. It's something generally developed over time.

I think you're underestimating the scope of tonal and emotional pieces. However I do agree. Everything in moderation, round and vary your musical tastes and give everything the best chance possible.

[argerichfan]

I certainly don't hate it, but I've never been able to properly connect with Prokofiev's 5th piano sonata.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I HATE with all my heard Chopin's piano sonata 2

[pianoplayjl]

I hate with all my HEARD Scriabin's Mazurkas. Should never be composed. Too dark and dull.

JL

[argerichfan]

I HATE with all my heard Chopin's piano sonata 2

Must be a typo in your post. You perhaps meant 1 instead of 2?

[pianoplayjl]

I hate with all my soul the Liszt Paraphrase on Handel.

[fleetfingers]

I do not like Chopin's Nocturnes. My teacher made me learn that one in C-sharp minor, and since then I've played it a few times when I was really sad and it fit my mood. Seriously, though, they are so depressing and not very pretty. To be fair, I haven't heard them all - I just know of a few and don't like them.

[lontano]

I hate with all my HEARD Scriabin's Mazurkas. Should never be composed. Too dark and dull.

JL

I agree. At least Chopin wrote a few that I can live with. But how do you hate with all your "HEARD"? Heard is not a noun in English. I'll assume you know English as a 2nd language, and as such you are certainly proficient. 

[werq34ac]

Perhaps it is a dull display of his sentiments at the time. But what a comeback with the 2nd piano concerto. Such wonderful themes...

Scriabin Vers la flame
Tchaikovsky June from the 12 seasons suite (am I right!?)
Chopin Waltz in F minor
Liszt Nuages gris
Prokofiev visions fugitives

JL

I object to "what a comeback with the 2nd concerto." While the 2nd concerto is quite fantastic, it's an entire 5 opus after the 1st symphony. I can't remember 14 or 15 off the top of my head but 16 was the wonderful moment musicaux and 17 was THE AMAZING 2nd 2-piano suite. Though I suppose it is considered as the piece that got Rach out of his depression.


To the person who said Chopin piano sonata 2, you only mean the 3rd movement right? Because otherwise i'll kill you. Though I do believe the 3rd piano sonata is far superior. In my opinion one of the best sonatas ever written.

[lontano]

I certainly don't hate it, but I've never been able to properly connect with Prokofiev's 5th piano sonata.

Again, an unexpected opinion. I've always liked the 5th. Prokofiev wrote 2 versions of this piece, op.38 and op.38/135, and honestly I've never attempted to compare the two. But it is a sort of breezy, lighthearted work, especially compared with the following "War Sonatas". Also I may especially like the 5th (and Visions fugitives) because I bought a Melodya LP back around 1972 that featured these 2 works, performed delightfully by a young Russian girl, and being my first exposure to Prokofiev's piano music, opened my ears to the rest of his music, most of which I really like. 

L.

[lontano]

I think you're underestimating the scope of tonal and emotional pieces. However I do agree. Everything in moderation, round and vary your musical tastes and give everything the best chance possible.

You think I'm "underestimating the scope of tonal and emotional pieces"
What on earth does that mean? I don't intend to brag, merely to inform you that I ran a sizable college music library for many years. We had thousands of scores, recordings and books, much of which I eventually became at least somewhat familiar with over the years. I studied all sorts of music from pre-Renaissance to very modern. Piano music has always been my favorite, but working in the college music education program I certainly learned a very broad spectrum of music. So just to make this point clear, I don't really think I'm underestimating the scope of any general genre of classical music. But fortunately we agree that a well rounded knowledge of music is very important. 

Lontano

[pianoplayjl]

Beethoven op 2 no 1. Personally I find I like Beethoven's sonatas from op13  onwards mroe than the ones before because the first few ones don't display as much emotion as the ones after and lack virtuosity to play compared to the later ones. But the worst piano sonata Beethoven composed, IMO has to be this one.
I also dislike Prokofiev's sarcasms. I'd rate those Sarcams along the lines of the Visions Fugitives.

JL

[chopinlover96]

the first few ones don't display as much emotion as the ones after and lack virtuosity to play compared to the later ones..
 

I can understand the lack of emotion in the first few sonatas. I personally think they are very good sonatas.However I think it is strange to judge whether you like or dislike a work because of the virtuosity required to play it. If I judged music like that i wouldnt like anything i play.

[werq34ac]

Beethoven op 2 no 1. Personally I find I like Beethoven's sonatas from op13  onwards mroe than the ones before because the first few ones don't display as much emotion as the ones after and lack virtuosity to play compared to the later ones. But the worst piano sonata Beethoven composed, IMO has to be this one.
I also dislike Prokofiev's sarcasms. I'd rate those Sarcams along the lines of the Visions Fugitives.

JL

What of Op. 2/3? That one is MUCH more difficult than Op. 13. Especially that 4th movement. As for emotionally, how is Op. 7 any less beautiful than Op. 78? Or 81? How is Op. 10/1 any less dramatic as Op. 13? Though i do agree. I hate Op. 2/1 and Op. 10/1 (too many younger children play them). Op. 2/2 is quite nice along with 2/3, 10/2 and 10/3.


I also hate Op. 13, Op. 27/2, Op. 49/1 and 2, Op. 79. mostly due to too many children playing them.