Which etude would be best for a competition?

[gelato123]

Hi......
I have about 3 months to learn an etude for a piano competition I'm entering.  I really want to do either a Chopin etude or a Rachmaninoff etude-tableau (I think the Liszt etudes are beyond my reach right now).  I'm debating between Chopin's Op. 10 no. 4, Rach's op. 39 no. 1, or Rach's op. 33 no. 3.  In your opinion, which is "easier", and better for a competition? 
Thanks in advance.

[49410enrique]

really like many of these questions that keep coming up over and over again, the best answer you'll get (and one that will do you the most good), is, "it depends". honestly. what your strengths are, what style of music and piano writing you tend to be more passionate about, or it can be simply which 'tune' do you just like better, at the end of the day play the one you like the most, you're most likely to practice it with focus and discipline beyond any suggestions by a faceless name. i'd suggest you just listen to various recordings, mark off what your ear likes then pull the score do some digging see whats involved and make a decision as to what you feel you can present at the highest musical level on contest day.

also, if you're not limited by some comittee rul on Chopin or Rachmaninoff, there's a composer or two out there besides them that wrote etudes too...

(these are just two that i like to pull out and listen to regularly) this one actually reminds me in mood and some technical construction elements to the Chopin Op 10 No 4 you mentioned...
Karol Szymanowski - Etude No. 3, Op. 4

if you want for flash (though the above is 'slower' it is not without it's own style of fanfare, see the build up and climax going into and beyond the 2 minute mark)

this one is all about showing off (not in a bad way, it's a wonderful work and interesting considering the simple harmonic underpinnings...)


Prokofiev Etude Op.2 No.1

there's lots to see and listen to out there, also might want to listen to Arensky (a professor to both Rachmaninoff and Scriabin @ the Moscow Conservatory...), Blummenfeld, SCRIABIN!, Lyapunov, Debussy, Saint Saens, etc

[starstruck5]

 

That Prokofiev is much too easy I reckon.

[iratior]

As was written above, a lot depends upon the type of technique you are most gifted at exhibiting.  If you are good at octaves, maybe Chopin 25/10.  If you are good at thirds, Chopin 25/6.  If good at interlocks and leaps, Rachmaninoff 39/6. If good at single note runs, Chopin 25/2.  If good at arpeggios and have big hands, then Chopin 10/1.  On the other hand, Chopin 25/5 is a very beautiful etude that is seldom played.

[jayeckz]

I have about 3 months to learn an etude for a piano competition I'm entering.

I must be an extremely slow learner.

In your opinion, which is "easier", and better for a competition?

For me, the easiest would be Op. 33 No. 3 by a pretty large margin; however this would probably be the least desirable for a competition (at least for me because I don't care too much for the piece).

If learning time wasn't a factor, I would definitely do the Chopin; however, since this piece is extremely risky for me (I would have to take risks with the final section and play faster and louder than I can comfortably play) I probably wouldn't be ready to play this piece for a competition no matter how much time I dedicated to this piece in 3 months.

I just read through the Rach Op. 39 No. 1 and I'm thinking about learning it; however, I wouldn't even consider getting this competition ready in 3 months.


Here's a diagram to give you an idea of the relative difficulty of these pieces for me:
Rach Op. 39 No. 1 (hardest)
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Chopin Op. 10 No. 4
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Rachmaninoff Op. 33 No. 33. (easiest)


Again, the responses above are based on my technique and my preferences.  Ultimately you should consult your teacher if you have one.  If you don't, post your playing of several pieces you have learned and I'm sure someone would make a recommendation based on your playing.  In my opinion, you either want to play a piece easily in your technical and musical grasp or just barely out of your technical grasp so you can learn the pieces in 3 months and have them ready for competition.  The only exception would be if you have an incredible burning desire to learn a piece and are willing to study it almost exclusively.

I really want to do either a Chopin etude or a Rachmaninoff etude-tableau (I think the Liszt etudes are beyond my reach right now).

Have you read through these pieces your inquiring about?

If Rachmaninoff Op. 39 No. 1 is indeed in your reach, quite a few of the Liszt etudes are in your reach imo.  Definitely check out Liszt's concert etudes.  I've never looked at the other Liszt etudes so I can't really comment on those.

Keep in mind that I'm just someone who plays the piano for fun so take what I say with a grain of salt.

[49410enrique]

That Prokofiev is much too easy I reckon.

obviously, makes a decent warm up though.

[werq34ac]

Yes I was going to say, check out the concert etudes. La Leggierezza, Un Sospiro, Waldesrauchen should all be within reach if you can handle the Rachmaninoff. Not sure about Gnomenreigen and the one in F minor.