Hough-"The most difficult piece I played...once"

[49410enrique]

cool little commentary with recording and pic by one of my favorite pianists and arrangers (Stephen Hough):


https://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/stephenhough/100065553/the-most-difficult-piece-i-played-once/


this made me laugh:
"probably the most intricately tricky, frustratingly fiddly, accident-prone little beast I ever wasted hours learning in my youth....I played it once in concert as an encore and decided, as charming as it is, that Rachmaninov had the best idea: he kept this finger-twister as a finger-warmer when no one was listening....."

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Rachmaninoff twisted his fingers to keep them warm?!  What the heck?!

[landru]

I looked this one up on imslp. It doesn't look like it would be exceptional to the virtuoso until you look at the fingerings. The hand is never allowed to fall into a pattern with the music - every measure seemingly is in a new harmonic land and new fingering patterns. The basic motif that the perpetuum mobile theme is built on was also constructed to disrupt the hand to the maximum especially at fast tempos. I wouldn't touch this in a million years.

https://petrucci.mus.auth.gr/imglnks/usimg/1/1e/IMSLP242958-PMLP21441-de_schloezer_etude_Op1No2.pdf

[ajspiano]

lol -  I've been meaning to tackle this for a while... 

in the AR by the start of next year? good challenge?

[j_menz]

lol -  I've been meaning to tackle this for a while... 

in the AR by the start of next year? good challenge?

It looks specifically designed to trip you up, sort of like a musical tongue twister.

[ajspiano]

It looks specifically designed to trip you up, sort of like a musical tongue twister.

A big bug bit a bold bald bear and the bold bald bear bled blood badly...

*in a melodious fashion.

There. Too easy.

[j_menz]

A big bug bit a bold bald bear and the bold bald bear bled blood badly...

*in a melodious fashion.

There. Too easy.

LOL, except you also have to do "Betty baked a bit of bitter batter..." out of the other side of your mouth at the same time.

[ajspiano]

aB bEiTgT bYugB bAiKtE aD bAoBlIdT bOaFldB bIeTaTrE aRndB tAhTeT bEoRld...

...its not even easy to type.

[j_menz]

aB bEiTgT bYugB bAiKtE aD bAoBlIdT bOaFldB bIeTaTrE aRndB tAhTeT bEoRld...

...its not even easy to type.

And sounds rather more atonal than I'd hoped.

[ajspiano]

And sounds rather more atonal than I'd hoped.

Luckily despite my not having 2 mouths (and other voice related paraphernalia) - I do have 2 completely separate hands, my fingers are also not webbed.

[starstruck5]

Stephen Hough is lucky -I find everything hard.

[cherub_rocker1979]

You mean this piece?  

Amazing pianist.

[j_menz]

Stephen Hough is lucky -I find everything hard.

I suspect he would think that years of hard and dedicated work may have more to do with it than luck. 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Stephen Hough is lucky -I find everything hard.

But of course, this piece Stephen is talking about is nowhere near as hard as Bach's easiest piece! 

[ajspiano]

I suspect he would think that years of hard and dedicated work may have more to do with it than luck. 

indeed..

..I ever wasted hours learning in my youth

[j_menz]

But of course, this piece Stephen is talking about is nowhere near as hard as Bach's easiest piece! 

And what is Bach's easiest piece?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

And what is Bach's easiest piece?

I don't know, you tell me!  You're the one who actually likes him!

[j_menz]

I don't know, you tell me!  You're the one who actually likes him!

I don't rank.

Bach himself appears to have gone for BWV994.

[pianoman53]

I don't know, you tell me!  You're the one who actually likes him!

HAHAHAH! I'm going to steal that one...

[starstruck5]

indeed..

Not sure that is strictly true -I think having musical DNA must involve a massive amount of luck -what are the odds of being born anyway? What are the odds of being Valentina Listista or whatever her name is -with her photographic memory and perfect pitch? ( I am not envious of her either -because that won't give me her musical gifts)-

I am not saying that hard work isn't necessary -but also that luck does play a part -