Picking a Concerto?

[figgelan88]

Hi, I'm deciding on a concerto to learn for next year. I have narrowed it down to my 5 favorites, which are as follows:

Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 2
Saint-Saens Piano Concerto No. 5
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2
Schumann Piano Concerto

From this list, I ask you that you post the most difficult, least difficult, your favorite, and your least favorite. Please give reasons of why you chose each. This should help me decide on a concerto. Also, if you have a favorite please let me know, and I will look at it. Thank you very much!

[zezhyrule]

I really love Chopin 2 and Schumann's. Some of my favorite 

Can't say much else since I've never like, played a concerto or have any idea about the difficulty of them.

[sphince]

I will assume you are interested in learning a full concerto not just 1 movement but anyway.
1)saint-saens piano concerto no.5: never heard of it never played it sorry
2saint-saens piano concerto no.2: quite manageable but the scherzo is quite painful to learn
3)tchaikovsky:definetely the hardest of the list,do not attempt it unless you love for it is beyond measure
4)chopin:little easier than the tchaikovsky but still demands some tricky dynamics
5)schumann:litle easier than the chopin,does not demand perfect technique but the 1st movement requires stamina and the cadenza is tough.
My favorite concertos of the above is certainly the tchaikovsky and the schumann
I wish you to have fun whatever you choose to play.
Cheers

[cadenza14224]

Okay so I've never attempted playing any of these...but OMG go for the Saint-Saens No. 5!!

I have no idea why it's so underplayed/underrated....it is the most fun sounding concerto ever. The third movement never fails to put a smile on my face!

Also by looking at the scores, it seems to be the easiest. But that's just my opinion lol.

[marik1]

I'd think if the pianist is on the level of playing any of those concerti, (s)he should be able to make that decision on hers/his own... or consult a teacher.

Best, M

[j_menz]

I'd think if the pianist is on the level of playing any of those concerti, (s)he should be able to make that decision on hers/his own... or consult a teacher.

Best, M

+1

They're none of them all that easy, so you are going to be spending quite a bit of time with whichever you choose. I'd pick the one you most enjoyed.

[bachbrahmsschubert]

Are these your own selections?

They're all overplayed amongst the concerti. There are tons of other concerti to choose from, and if you desire Saint-Saens, for the love of Steinway please choose something other than 2 or 5. Tchaikovsky's 3rd is a remarkable piece of music, and not many orchestras, assuming you're planning to collaborate with one and not a second piano, enjoy playing Chopin. The difficult part is that the more abstract you select, the more difficult/expensive it is to find the orchestral parts.

In my opinion, every pianist, unless you've already "made it", is only hurting him/herself by selecting repertoire that is already heavily circulated within the market. Try being creative in your selections of repertoire.

So! My advice is none of the above. I also agree with Marik.

[j_menz]

In my opinion, every pianist, unless you've already "made it", is only hurting him/herself by selecting repertoire that is already heavily circulated within the market.

That is true only to the extent that one's objectives are entirely mercenary. And to the extent that is true, my interest is correspondingly diminished (and in my experience, so is the likely resulting performance).

[cazico]

If you're going to choose one of those you have listed, I would go for Saint Saens 5. It's a wonderful concerto, and indeed, I think it should be performed more often.

On the contrary, I think you should NOT choose Schumann, because it is vastly overplayed.

Otherwise, I would go for Chopin.

[sophie117]

schumann:litle easier than the chopin,does not demand perfect technique

You're sure it's easier than chopin 2? The 3rd movement is a killer..

[shubertimproviz]

I like Chopin and Tchaikovsky's one.

[leandro1990]

It's better to play a concerto that is common if you are going to competitions.
I'd say Schuman the easiest, Tchaikovsky the hardest.
I personally like Saint saens and Tchaikovsky, and would like to learn them.

[49410enrique]

.... Also, if you have a favorite please let me know, and I will look at it.

i'm not sure i jive with the statement that common standards are preferrable for concerto competitions, the concerto you connect with the most and can play your best i would think would be the best choice, so long as the competition guidelines/standards do not exclude it.

you mentioned all over lovely and fine choices.

for this 'period' i like this concerto VERY much, especially since you mentioned Saint-Saens (x2), i might have a gander at this one....

[thalbergmad]

Never like the Pierne. For a French concerto it is pretty difficult to exceed the Massenet.

Thal

[49410enrique]

Never like the Pierne. For a French concerto it is pretty difficult to exceed the Massenet.

Thal

will hunt down a viddy and give a listen. thanks for the clue, heaven knows I don't have one!

[jkosmic]

WARSAW CONCERTO!!!!

[haydnseeker]

I'm trying to choose a concerto that I would start working on in the autumn, for possible performance about a year later.  It would be an entirely amateur event, which my teacher organises every year or two with a local orchestra.

I have a question about the Tchaikovsky B flat minor.  Aside from the solo part, an obvious problem is B flat minor - a very unfriendly key for strings.  Can anyone who's performed this concerto, or heard it performed, with an amateur orchestra tell me how well the players managed and whether it's something I should be concerned about?

Are there any other standard concertos where the orchestra part might pose difficulties?

[pianoman53]

When you pick a concerto, you have to ask you some questions:
Why do you want to learn it?
Is it for practicing, like learning to play with an orchestra.
Is it because you find it a very beautiful piece,
Is it for a competition?
Is it to play with an amateur orchestra?

As you know, a practicing concerto is not the same as a competition.
And I don't think any amateur orchestra want to play any of the chopin, since they only play a chord pattern as a back. And, as mentioned, the Tchai is in B flat minor. An amateur orchestra will screw it up.

And we can't decide for you. Obviously, all the concertos are both good and difficult. So that part is all up to you.

[cstotlar]

Tschaikovsky is technically the most demanding and conductors avoid Chopin by the droves because the orchestra does next to nothing once the piano comes in.  The Saint-Saens 5th is a light-weight delight but not a great deal more.  The final movement has been successfully  arranged for solo piano, by the way.  Schumann is a solid choice but the third movement poses some major technical problems.

Curtis Stotlar

[figgelan88]

Hello, thanks for all the replies! I was just wondering what you all think of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 4. It is very underplayed, and I am trying to figure out why. Tell me your thoughts on this concerto please. Thanks!

[figgelan88]

Hello, thanks for all the replies! I was just wondering what you all think of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 4. It is very underplayed, and I am trying to figure out why. Tell me your thoughts on this concerto please. Thanks!

Besides technical difficulties 

[davidjosepha]

Hello, thanks for all the replies! I was just wondering what you all think of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto 4. It is very underplayed, and I am trying to figure out why. Tell me your thoughts on this concerto please. Thanks!

Hmm...I've only listened to the 4th once, compared to the dozens, maybe hundreds of listens to his other concerti. I'll give it another listen and get back to you shortly.

Edit: Basically, the concerto is fine and has some very good moments, but it lacks substance...it doesn't really have any memorable themes, and the whole thing feels rather haphazard, like a bunch of parts put together, but not quite a whole. Listen to it a bit and if you like it, there's no reason I know of that you shouldn't play it, if you are able to technically, but I just don't think it stands up well next to Rach's other 3 concertos. However, the third movement especially has some nice moments. Given that the other 3 concertos, especially 2 and 3, are played nearly to death (and with good reason, as they are amazing), you have to do something very special for your performance to stick out in any way. You probably wouldn't have this problem with the 4th. Go for it?

Edit 2: And to clarify, I still think it's a great concerto, but not on the same scale as Rachmaninoff's others.

[maestrowoojulee]

WARSAW CONCERTO!!!!

I was gonna say that