Virtuosic Pieces For Me To Play?

[th3kangst3r]

I'm looking for some nice, impressive, virtuosic piano pieces for me to play.
As of now, I can play pieces like Mendelssohn's Rondo Capriccioso and Chopin's "Black Keys" Etude.

What are some pieces that are virtuosic that I can play? I'm looking for stuff like Fantasie Impromptu by Chopin, Moonlight Sonata 3rd Movement, Liszt Sonata, etc. Not the same difficulty as those pieces but complex pieces like those that I will be able to play.

[stoudemirestat]

Play more Chopin Etudes!

[j_menz]

Don't get ahead of yourself. In order to play 'virtuoso" pieces, you need a solid grounding, both technically and musically.

More Chopin Etudes (nocturnes, scherzi and polonaises, too) , Beethoven Sonatas, Several P&Fs from the WTC, some Mozart sonatas, some Schubert Impromptus and/or sonatas. Some of the Liszt Consolations, some Debussy.  These are all great pieces in their own right, and will give you some breadth.  The list does not attempt to be exhaustive.

[chauncey]

Don't get ahead of yourself. In order to play 'virtuoso" pieces, you need a solid grounding, both technically and musically.

I agree with j_menz. But if you want something virtuosic, try one of Liszt's Transcendental Etudes..
No. 10 is played quite often, but usually no. 4 and no. 5 are thought to be "the most difficult" out of all the 12 of them.

[49410enrique]

i guess it depends on your definition of 'virtuosic', i don't see pieces as, "this is a virtuosic piece, that one not" , there are certainly passages in works that could be described as virtuosic but that
s really being synonymous with extremely difficult perhaps.
my favorite definition of virtuoisity is a rare combination of orginiality and excecution of the common, uncommonly well. that is play the music to an un common level of refinement with your own command of what you want to convey. in that sense most any work becomes virtuosic, i think you'd be well served to consider this perspective when reviewing repertoire /exploring new music to undertake. above all make sure you connect with it emotionall and congitively, this first before, wow that sounds hard.....

give the Mendellsohn Prelude and Fugue in E minor Op 35  No 1 a read and listen. Really nice work.

[austinarg]

Definitely Bach. You can never have enough Bach. Have you played his 2nd Partita? It's one of my all-time favourite piano pieces, although I can't play it... yet 

Also, if you would like to see a totally new definition of "virtuoso", try to play some Ravel 

[j_menz]

Definitely Bach. You can never have enough Bach.

A man after my own heart!

[austinarg]

A man after my own heart!

I'm sorry to tell you this, but my heart only belongs to women... and Bach.

[j_menz]

I'm sorry to tell you this, but my heart only belongs to women... and Bach.

Haha, it wasn't a line. Just means I agree wholeheartedly.

[49410enrique]

... my heart only belongs to women... and Bach.

does that make you 'Bach-urious'? 

[austinarg]

Haha, it wasn't a line. Just means I agree wholeheartedly.

Haha, I get it now. Long live Bach and women!!

[ajspiano]

does that make you 'Bach-urious'? 

..That would perhaps make me baroquophobic.

[grandstaff]

Bach is great, but it doesn't sound like what th3kangst3r means by "virtuosic". I'm assuming stuff with lots of big chords and runs and intense, hard sounding stuff. Bach is virtuosic and difficult in an entirely different way. Someone mentioned other Chopin etudes... Op. 10 no. 12, overplayed (as are most of the Chopin etudes, IMO), but still very virtuosic, also not too far out of your difficulty level. Also, look at some of his polonaises. If you're looking for a different composer (and a different style altogether), then you may want to look at some modern stuff. Some of Prokofiev's visions fugitives are short and virtuosic.

[49410enrique]

...There’s a widely known saying attributed to certain luminaries such as Benjamin Franklin, Sir Walter Raleigh, Samuel Butler, and Hudribras:
 

“A man convinced against his will; is of the same opinion still.”

i don't think we'll get much traction with a paradigm shift on the op anytime soon, i.e. he wants something that sounds flashy and impresses...i'll resist the urge to dive deeper into the implications of such a mentality of a pianistic lifetime....

to the op try the Rachmnaninoff Prelude in C# minor, it's not 'fast and notey' like the Beethoven and Chopin you mentioned but  it's 'big sounding' and to untrained ears sounds much harder to execute than it actually is, also prerequisite technique is much less (i.e. the price of admission here) than with some of the faster works. also even though it is inline with 'romanticism' or 'neo romanticism' it's at least contrasting somewhat to what you say you've played. (though i couldn't very well post this response without admonishing you to please step back and take stock of your long term goals. consider spending time in baroque and classical common practice period works....)

[swansonjw]

How about the Khatchaturian Toccata?  Really dramatic but easy to play.  Sounds impressive.

[th3kangst3r]

Bach is great, but it doesn't sound like what th3kangst3r means by "virtuosic". I'm assuming stuff with lots of big chords and runs and intense, hard sounding stuff. Bach is virtuosic and difficult in an entirely different way. Someone mentioned other Chopin etudes... Op. 10 no. 12, overplayed (as are most of the Chopin etudes, IMO), but still very virtuosic, also not too far out of your difficulty level. Also, look at some of his polonaises. If you're looking for a different composer (and a different style altogether), then you may want to look at some modern stuff. Some of Prokofiev's visions fugitives are short and virtuosic.

I actually really like Bach, I've played Invention 15 and 10 and I really like the Sinfonia 15 by Glenn Gould. Bach is actually my favorite composer right now but I guess his music isn't really dramatic with big chords and stuff like that.
I just don't like playing pieces that seem simple, whenever I go out in Bach festivals or SYMF competitions I feel like my piece isn't complex enough.
I like playing that kind of dramatic stuff a little more, it's just more fun for me.

...There’s a widely known saying attributed to certain luminaries such as Benjamin Franklin, Sir Walter Raleigh, Samuel Butler, and Hudribras:
 

“A man convinced against his will; is of the same opinion still.”

i don't think we'll get much traction with a paradigm shift on the op anytime soon, i.e. he wants something that sounds flashy and impresses...i'll resist the urge to dive deeper into the implications of such a mentality of a pianistic lifetime....

to the op try the Rachmnaninoff Prelude in C# minor, it's not 'fast and notey' like the Beethoven and Chopin you mentioned but  it's 'big sounding' and to untrained ears sounds much harder to execute than it actually is, also prerequisite technique is much less (i.e. the price of admission here) than with some of the faster works. also even though it is inline with 'romanticism' or 'neo romanticism' it's at least contrasting somewhat to what you say you've played. (though i couldn't very well post this response without admonishing you to please step back and take stock of your long term goals. consider spending time in baroque and classical common practice period works....)

Thanks, and I love that quote by the way. I've always thought that's true.
But anyways, what you mentioned about the implications of such a mentality of a pianistic lifetime is true but I get kind of bored by pieces that seem simple, it doesn't match with me. I've played a couple of Clementi Sonatina's too. But mostly I need to work on my rhythm, it's my weakest part.
But thanks for the advice.