chopin etudes?

[david456103]

hi guys,
so im entering a piano competition in around 3 months, which requires a chopin etude(among other pieces). i don't want to pick a chopin etude that's too easy(like op 25 no 7, 25 9, 25 2), since it wont show off anything, but i don't want to pick one thats too hard(like 25 6, 25 11, 10 2, 10 4) that I can't learn to performance level in 3 months.
Which chopin etudes do you guys recommend that are reasonably difficult(not too difficult, but hard enough to show off technique) that I can reasonably learn in 3 months? I've never studied a chpin etude, but here is some other chopin I've played:
Waltzes: A flat major(i think its op 64 no 1?)
Polonaises: C# minor, B flat minor, A flat major(heroic)
Ballades: #4 in F minor
And some other etudes i've played:
Liszt: Gnomenreigen, La Campanella, Mazeppa
Any help is greatly appreciated!

[j_menz]

How is it that you can't just have a look and listen and make up your own mind? 

[prestoconfuocco]

I don't think 10-4 is as hard as the other etudes you mentioned, but okay.
I think two wonderful etudes are 25-10 and 10-10, try taking a look at them. They leave a great impression if you play them really well.

[theholygideons]

I believe op.10 no.1 could be pulled off in 3 months if your arpeggio technique as open broken chords  is decent. It's quite easy to memorize and very repetitive in its specific focus of technique.

[awesom_o]

I don't think there is a single Chopin Etude that isn't extremely difficult to play well, both technically and musically.

Learning one from scratch in 3 months for a competition is asking for trouble.
These Etudes take time to mature to 'performance level'.

Having said that already, I would recommend op. 25 no. 5. It's one of the greatest ones musically, and if played well, it would leave a powerful impression.

[classicalnhiphop]

well, how long did it take you to learn La campanella and Mazeppa? If those took less than 3 months, you should be able to play any of the etudes.  My favorite out of the ones that you said weren't off limits is Opus 25 No. 12 the Ocean Etude

[david456103]

la campanella took around 5 months. mazeppa around 9.

[classicalnhiphop]

Honestly, as a student, I think the times for those pieces are quite impressive.  But I would do the Ocean Etude, though it only really displays a couple of technical abilities. 

[david456103]

thanks for the feedback everyone!

Ok, I've narrowed my list to the following:
op. 10 no. 1
op. 10 no. 5
op. 25 no. 1
op. 25 no. 9
op 25 no 10
op. 25 no. 12
right now im leaning towards op 25 no 9, since its short and doesn't sound too hard. i know no 9 is one of the easier ones, but exactly how easy is it in comparison to the other etudes?

[awesom_o]

Not at all easy. It's short but extremely hard. Huge jumps at frightening speeds.

Why won't you consider 25/5? It's a great all-around one.

[theholygideons]

don't choose op.25 no.9... even though it's 2 pages there are wayyy to many leaps and right hand is very awkward. I got pains from playing it during the first few weeks of practising.

[nanabush]

Ermm.. if you can play Mazeppa and La Campanella, you should be able to play all of the Chopin etudes haha!

Try Op. 25 #6; there are some horrible double thirds in Mazeppa, and in the 4th Ballade, so try gunning for this one haha.

The Op 10 #8 is deceptively tough, but is such an awesome piece.  I'm sure you could get this one going in three months.  It has quite a bit of repetition (and when the theme translates into d minor, you are essentially playing the same passage).  I find later on in that one there are some almost 'guitar solo style' licks in the right hand that are really hard, and one part that feels like your hand is going to split in two haha.  I kid, I kid, those parts are challenging but I don't think there are enough of them to turn someone off spending time learning this piece in 3 months.

[cabbynum]

25 7 may be an easier one technically, but the music is incredible. I highly recommend it.
There is soooooo much room for interpretation on this one especially