Sad, sad, but very sad intermediate piece

[chechig]

Hello
I need to find a very very sad piece. A piece that makes you cry of sadness.
Imagine for instance what music would you play if you see a young girl crying.
I know Chopin has this kind of music, but unfortunately is out of reach for me. It must be intermediate level, kind of Trinity's 5th level or lower.
Thanks a lot if you have any idea.

[the_fervid_pig]

I know you said Chopin's out.... but what about Opus 28/4? Most of it's easy enough to get under the fingers, but there's about 4 bars that will frustrate the hell out of you, but it's doable, I've been playing for about 9 months and I managed to get it a few weeks back. Run through it a few times, but concentrate mainly on the hard bit, get it memorised then you can work on it in short bursts and the rest will follow. Keep the LH low though or it sounds plodding and murky. Not easy but worth the effort. Other than that there's Schubert's Serenade and Goodnight, not the Liszt one though. Chopin's 28/20 may also be a possibility if you can manage the stretches. There's some wonderful contrasting dynamics.

[chechig]

Thanks a lot for the idea, I love this prelude and it's the kind of thing I'm looking for, some time ago I started to learn it but I think is too difficult to play it well, not my way, ja ja ja

[the_fervid_pig]

I did exactly the same thing, but if you love it it's worth persevering with.

[ajspiano]

Schumann,  Op. 68 No. 16 - "first loss"
Gurlitt, Op. 82 - study in E minor

or for something a bit harder..

Heller, Op. 45 No. 4 - "Sorrow and Joy"

^the latter can appear quite mournful if taken at a fairly leisurely pace (lower than is marked)

[iquinn876]

Venetien Boat Sing by Mendelssohn is very sad, it's late intermediate/early advanced I believe. It's in the grade 7 rcm book. Wonderful piece. A sad advanced piece has to be clair de lune by debussy, every time I've heard this performed there is a few people crying.   

[chechig]

Thanks a lot, the one by Schumann is the kind of thing I'm looking for. Brilliant idea
Debussy's clair de lune is one of my favourites but is out of my level for the moment, the one by Mendelssohn is also beautiful but the same thing. Thanks anyway

[the_fervid_pig]

There's a few Venetian Gondola Songs, Opus 30/6 is certainly manageable though the thirds are a pain, but I've been struggling with 19/6 for about 6 months now and it's supposed to be easier!

[iquinn876]

The one I was talking about. Was 30/6. If you like Venetian Gondola/Boat Song you may enjoy Barcarolle by Stephen Heller. It's easier than the Mendelssohn, but still very beautiful. I believe it's opus 138 no 5.

[lilla]

Here is my "funeral" list.  I jot down sad, expressive pieces anytime I run across them.  Different levels.  I can provide a literature reference book if you can't locate the pieces.

'Chorale" Schumann
'Etude in C Major' Couppey
"Etude in E Minor' Heller
'Serious Moments' Gurlitt Op.130 #23
'Lento Affettuoso'  C.P.E. Bach
'New World Symphony Theme' Dvorak
'Nearer My God to Thee'
'Mist' Carloyn Miller Take A Bow Book 2
'The Rosary' Ethelbert Nevin
'Study' Op. 132 No. 1 Gurlitt

[iquinn876]

Just thought of another one.

Prelude no 4 in E Minor by Chopin. It's easy to play, but takes a lot of work to be expressive with the piece. Its nicknamed the suffocation prelude, and it was played at  Chopins funeral.

[chechig]

Thanks a lot for all the ideas, interesting pieces. I love The lento affettuoso and the rosary.
I like very much the prelude by Chopin, but still too difficult. I've been doing recently the cantabile by Chopin, wich is wonderfull.
Thanks again for the help

[knutmarius]

I recently played Chopin - Prelude op. 28 no. 6 "Tolling Bells" in my fathers funeral. It is not technically difficult, but requires a lot of feeling/emotions when played. It was played in Chopin´s own funeral (as with the 28/4 prelude).

[chechig]

Really nice tha prelude, but is quite complicated, anyway I have it in mind for a short future

[ajspiano]

I recently played Chopin - Prelude op. 28 no. 6 "Tolling Bells" in my fathers funeral. It is not technically difficult, but requires a lot of feeling/emotions when played. It was played in Chopin´s own funeral (as with the 28/4 prelude).

the b minor prelude is pretty difficult technically for an intermediate student. certainly more so than the E minor prelude which the OP has already stated is too hard.

[iquinn876]

I agree. The b minor prelude is definitely harder than the e minor prelude. Look at the rcm syllabus. The op has stated that the Mendelssohn and the e minor prelude are too hard and they are both in the grade seven piano syllabus. The b minor is in grade eight. So if the the grade seven one is above their level then the grade eight will also be above their level. I think they should try something in the grade 5-6 range. Like the barcarolle I suggested.

[the_fervid_pig]

The Chopin B minor Prelude was Grade 5 Trinity in 2001, so not completely out of range!

[chechig]

Fervid, thanks you for your reply, I love that prelude, and maybe I start to learn it as a summer project, but for the thing I have in mind I need a less complicated piece.

[j_menz]

Have you considered Grieg's Death of Ase or Solveig's Song from the Peer Gynt suite?

[chechig]

Thanks a lot for your reply. I love Grieg's music, and I've been searching his lyric pieces, this one you mention is beautiful but doesn't fit what I have in mind, more love sorrow, more romantic (in the good way).

[nufan]

You may want to check out Satie as well, he composed many darkish pieces for beginner / intermediate level.

[the_fervid_pig]

You may want to check out Satie as well, he composed many darkish pieces for beginner / intermediate level.

Agreed, there's Gnossiennes 1 & 3, which are easier than they look because of the repeats. No. 2 is nice too, but not really sad.... Not learnt the others, so can't comment on them, but they're supposed to be rather more difficult than the first 3.

[chechig]

Thanks again, it's funny because I'm studying Gnossienne 1, not difficult at all. But it's not exactly what I'm looking for, I need something more romantic, I love Satie but is not for everybody

[nocturnetr]

 Gabriel Pierné's Funeral March is not that hard and sad (that should be because it's a funeral march.) Good luck finding the score though. Maybe you can try Mussorgsky's Il veccio Castello from The Pictures from an Exhibiton. It's not that hard either, and one of my favourites. Grieg's music is really suitable. Chopin has a few preludes, E and C minors may be suitable for you, but they are really low grade. Sibelius' Impromtu No. 1, in G minor, one of the first ten pieces I had played. I look at my notes and see Scriabin's first sonata, fourth movement there, listed as one of the easier pieces. Le Gibet, from Gaspard de La Nuit is easy too, oddly. And there is Schubert's Lied, Der Tod und Das Mädchen, it is technically a lied, but it is sad and easy too. Finally, you can take a look at Debussy's preludes. There are some, if I remember correctly, that are actually really easy. Danseuses de Delphes and Les Sons Et Les Parfums Tournent Dans L'Air Du Soir fit your description (although I'm not sure with the sad part, but they are most definetely not happy).

[chechig]

That's wonderful, thanks a lot!!! There's plenty of interesting pieces in there!!

[chechig]

Well, I think that I found the piece, is not really sad, but so beautiful! It's this one