Which Schumann piece is the most manageble out of this list?

[aaronpetit]

Sonata in F # minor op.11  
Sinfonic Studies op. 13      
Kreisleriana op.16  
Fantasia in C Major op. 17  
Humoresque op. 20

I am pretty advanced but I have never played Schumann so I don't know the difficulty of his music. I have heard its usually pretty hard. I have to learn one of these for a competition so I just wanted to know which would proabaly take the least work Technically, Musically, and Both. Thanks. -Aaron

Also, there are a few other choices for this section of the competition.

Liszt: Dante or B minor.
Chopin: Sonata 2 or 3
Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy.

It seems like what they are looking for is a big 25+ minute romantic work. I figuerd I would do Schumannn so I could began to expand my reperatoire.

[thalbergmad]

I think I would skip the competition.

Thal

[aaronpetit]

LOL yea it's a lot of hard stuff but the competition is in november and the audition is not due until august so if I am not ready by then I won't apply.

[thalbergmad]

It is a thankless task to labour so hard on music that is not worth the effort.

Good luck.

Thal

[j_menz]

I think I would skip the competition.

Thal

Only think you would? You're mellowing Thal.  

@ aaron - they're all much of a muchness in terms of difficulty, so length should be you main guide. If you haven't played any Schumann before, a dip into the Album for the Young and Kinderscenen would be a useful first step; just read through a bit to get the hang of how he writes.

[thalbergmad]

If you haven't played any Schumann before,

Then don't start.

No good will come of it.

Thal

[aaronpetit]

@ aaron - they're all much of a muchness in terms of difficulty, so length should be you main guide. If you haven't played any Schumann before, a dip into the Album for the Young and Kinderscenen would be a useful first step; just read through a bit to get the hang of how he writes.
[/quote]
Thanks! I actually have played through most of the album for the young, the Toccata Op. 7, the Concerto Op. 54 movements 1 and 2 and 5 pieces from the Kinderscenen. Just Never anything professionally.

[j_menz]

If you've played the Toccata, you should find the ones you've listed quite manageable. Schumann himself considered it his most difficult work.

[david456103]

i would pick the fantasie in c, op. 17 -  such a beautiful piece of music!

[redbaron]

Schumann's piano writing tends to be awkward and unpianistic so I'd start with something technically simpler than the pieces on your list in order to familiarise yourself with his style.

[aaronpetit]

Schumann's piano writing tends to be awkward and unpianistic so I'd start with something technically simpler than the pieces on your list in order to familiarise yourself with his style.

Ok thanks. I wish I could. Unfortunatly I don't think I have time to do so. But I will try.

[orangesodaking]

I'd personally go with the Liszt Dante, if I were you. Not that I have anything against those Schumann pieces at all, but I don't know anything about them and I DO know something about Dante.

I'm learning it right now, and it fits the hands very nicely, and is never really that awkward. It's probably not up there in difficulty with Liszt's etudes or B minor sonata; think other large selections from Years of Pilgrimage (such as the Tarantella from Venezia e Napoli, or Vallee d'Obermann).

That is, if you don't just barrel through it like too many pianists do... You can make fast tempos work, but "pianism" should not get in the way of the music.

But, if I had to guess at those Schumann pieces, I'd say go for Kriesleriana. I don't know too much about it, but it's probably my favorite out of those, and I can't imagine there being any passages more staggering than some in the Fantasy or F# minor sonata... I don't know too much about Schumann's piano music in general.

[j_menz]

I don't know too much about Schumann's piano music in general.

You didn't need to prove it, we'd have taken your word for it. 

[orangesodaking]

You didn't need to prove it, we'd have taken your word for it. 

Yeah? And what do you take issue with? I'm not as familiar with Schumann's piano music, because I'm honestly just more interested in other composers' piano music (though he is my favorite composer of songs). It's taken much longer for me to warm up to him, but I am.

[j_menz]

Yeah? And what do you take issue with? I'm not as familiar with Schumann's piano music, because I'm honestly just more interested in other composers' piano music (though he is my favorite composer of songs). It's taken much longer for me to warm up to him, but I am.

My only issue is that your answer to the OP's question "Which of these Schumann pieces should I play" was "Something by Liszt cause I don't know anything about the choices you are asking about".

I'm pleased that you are warming to Bobby. 

[redbaron]

My only issue is that your answer to the OP's question "Which of these Schumann pieces should I play" was "Something by Liszt cause I don't know anything about the choices you are asking about".

And why not? Liszt was a much better composer than Schumann anyway and certainly understood the capabilities of the instruments much more.

[orangesodaking]

My only issue is that your answer to the OP's question "Which of these Schumann pieces should I play" was "Something by Liszt cause I don't know anything about the choices you are asking about".

I'm pleased that you are warming to Bobby.  

I see.. Well, now that I think of it, that wasn't the best answer I could have given. I probably should have said "let me tell you what I know about one of your other choices."

However, I did not mean to suggest the Dante only because I know it better. From what I do know, all those Schumann works look massive in scale, and all have great difficulties (including awkward piano writing). I feel like the Liszt Dante is a smaller scale work and probably a bit more manageable than some of these other works that are 30 or so minutes long. And the piano writing is not very awkward, as long as you can do some octaves and wade through some chords (that's an oversimplification, but there aren't any spots like the ending of Schumann Fantasy 2nd movement, for example, and it's not as relentless as the Toccata the OP mentioned). And the Symphonic Etudes seem to have some scary variations in them..

Also, Dante compared to the other Schumann options: Liszt B minor? Either Chopin Sonatas? All have staggering difficulties, and in ways, seem (to me) like they pose some greater challenges than the Dante. I'm pretty comfortable with rapid chords and octaves, and the finger work in arpeggio patterns and broken chord patterns are not too terribly awkward or terrifying.

But the OP, good luck with whatever you choose!

[orangesodaking]

And why not? Liszt was a much better composer than Schumann anyway and certainly understood the capabilities of the instruments much more.

Now, I don't want to jump into this argument. To each, his/her own. You can argue Liszt's superiority with understanding pianistic capabilities, but ask yourself: did Liszt write greater songs or chamber music than Schumann? I like Liszt, but absolutely not!

Likewise, who was better with an orchestra? Schumann favored the established styles and forms, whereas Liszt wrote tone poems and things like that. Liszt was very much a progressive, forward thinking composer (along with other figures like Mahler) while Schumann embraced the influence and sticking to more aspects of the past, along with Mendelssohn, and later, Brahms. In short, both wrote for orchestra well, but in different ways. It's the same with their piano writing.

In the end, it comes down to your preferences. Both were titans of the Romantic era, just in different ways.

[redbaron]

I meant to say 'instrument' as in piano and not 'instruments'. Buy my point still stands.

[orangesodaking]

I meant to say 'instrument' as in piano and not 'instruments'. Buy my point still stands.

I guess in the end, I do prefer a lot of Liszt's piano music over Schumann, but I HAVE to at least have the Toccata. One of my favorite virtuoso pieces!

I've just tried stepping back more and looking at the bigger picture, and not trying to compare which composer is better or not, but just see what all they did in their music. Personally, I prefer Brahms and Chopin even more than Liszt.

Sorry if I derailed the thread too much! I'll try to stay on track. 

[aaronpetit]

I'd personally go with the Liszt Dante, if I were you.
I'm learning it right now, and it fits the hands very nicely, and is never really that awkward. It's probably not up there in difficulty with Liszt's etudes or B minor sonata; think other large selections from Years of Pilgrimage (such as the Tarantella from Venezia e Napoli, or Vallee d'Obermann).

Thanks! Good to know this! I have learned the Tarantella so I will probably do Dante. I was afraid it was going to be unplayable so I was kinda shying away at first but I am more familliar with it than most of the Schumann choices. "The K" Op. 16 (as I like to call it) was going to be my top choice for the Robert pieces. It seems we have very simmilar taste in piano music.