Mozart Piano Concerto no.20 in D minor difficulty

[rajochowdo]

Hi, I am a 14 year old ATCL diploma piano student and i would like to start learning a concerto. One that immediately come to mind is Mozart's 20 in d minor. I would your thoughts on the general technical demands of this piece: which parts are difficult etc.

My Current repertoire (for ATCL recital) is:
-Scarlatti Sonata in B minor K.27
-Beethoven Pathetique Sonata full
-Chopin Ballade 3 Op.47
-Debussy La Plus Que Lente

I am also learning Chopin's Scherzo in B minor.

If you think that this concerto is above my level then please do suggest some easier alternatives for me to play.

[lisztmusicfan]

Hello,
I am also an 14 yr old pianist and I had to ask myself the same question, but after a while of searching I found the Shostakovich Piano Concerto no 2. I know it has a reputation of being the easiest piano concerto out there, but I would say there are some difficult parts, like fast octaves and very fast chromatic and arpeggiated runs (did I spell that right?). If you take a look at it and think its to easy for you, then I would say go ahead with the mozart, OR you can try Griegs piano concert, thats also a lot of fun!
Best of luck !

[rajochowdo]

Are You sure about the Grieg Concerto being a starting concerto play? it seems quite technically challenging. Unless it is one of those pieces that sounds hard but is actually easy...

[h_chopin148]

Are You sure about the Grieg Concerto being a starting concerto play? it seems quite technically challenging. Unless it is one of those pieces that sounds hard but is actually easy...

I would do the Mozart before the Grieg.

[thalbergmad]

Are You sure about the Grieg Concerto being a starting concerto play? it seems quite technically challenging. Unless it is one of those pieces that sounds hard but is actually easy...

It is a starting romantic concerto. It sounds harder than it is.

Thal

[chopinrabbitthing]

Hi there,
Mozart's D minor is probably his most difficult, in my opinion.
It's quite tricky for those who haven't played a concerto, or chamber music before.
I guess, in terms of playing all the notes, it isn't quite difficult, like a lot of Mozart.
But it is extremely tricky musically, not to mention it would be wise to play a lot of Mozart before this.
You might want to try some other ones, they might be too easy for you but they'll act as building blocks for the future:
Haydn - Keyboard Concerto in D major
Mozart - Concertos in A major K414, K488
Mozart - Concerto in F major K459

I think Grieg and Schumann will be alright for you, they don't seem difficult, I've only studied the Schumann. I'm not saying Mozart's D minor concerto is too difficult for you, it's just that I'd recommend you learn an easier concerto to get used to playing concertos, and then learn it.

Good luck!
I'm 14 too, around the same level I guess, just haven't bothered to get the ATCL because it's a bit difficult to apply over in my country. Actually, I'm learning the third Ballade now

[canada100]

Your repertoire shows me you are a proficiently skilled pianist.

But I am warning you-Mozart is the hardest concerti! Not Rachmaninoff! Stylistically, it is extremely difficult to understand and play well. You hear Rach 3 all the time, why not Mozart? Because either people underestimate him or are afraid of his tremendous difficulty.

K466 is one of his best known but also one of his hardest, both technically and musically.