Anyone working on some Kapustin?

[nanabush]

Hey I just wanted to start a(nother) thread about Kapustin.  There are a few kicking around, but tend to come and go.

So... is anyone working on some stuff by him?  I just spent the better part of the last week (rather than studying for midterms) working on his Etude Op 40 #1.  It's an excellent study in rhythm, jazz chords, and just complete freedom and insanity at the piano.  It's such a cool piece because the 'solo' part comes in, but it's completely written out so it helps a ton (I don't play much jazz, and improv in this genre is very limited for me).

So ya, if anyone hasn't checked out his stuff, I URGE you to.  His Op. 40 etudes, his first two Sonatas (check out the last movements of both...they are really good).

Beyond this Etude, I haven't played any of his stuff (I've tried Pastorale and Raillery, but found them absurd at the time... may go back and give them another whirl).

So ya, any Kapustin fans/players out there?

[visitor]

Love, nope, obsessed with Kapustin. Nothing of his on my plate at the moment. I am actually in the process of choosing my next jazz infused work. I posed in the contemporary thread about him, but he can go here too, if you like Kapustin, take a look at this other modern Russian ( https://www.misha-artist.de/en/rosenblatt-biography ). I am doing score discovery right now and strongly considering his work (has been on the watch list for quite some time).

Paganini Variations  

Chopin Variations (based on C minor prelude)  

Liszt Fantasy (based on Hung. Rhap. no 2, and some other favorites)  

Tango

...but back to your point, yes the Kapustin Op. 40 No 1 is generally considered the most straightforward and easiest of the etudes, good place to start if you will go into this set.  His preludes and fugues are one of the most important large volumes of collected works written in recent history. They are genius and are I believe among his best work. Monumental contribution to our instrument's literature.

[j_menz]

Rosenblatt

Good to see you've read this.



@nanabush - I dip into his preludes and fugues from time to time. I find Kapustin a bit above my sight-reading pay grade as a rule, and haven't found a good "intro" piece yet to really get the feel for him.  The P&Fs are rather fun though.

[visitor]

Good to see you've read this.

Just bought this bad boy!


I love Chopin. What's his hardest piece? Can you rank the notes he uses in order of difficulty of which note is the easiest to most hard? I just played middle C, am I advanced enough for f double sharp 6? Pick my next piece. Learn the piano for me. Do you like Chopin. Chopin is very neat.

[j_menz]

am I advanced enough for f double sharp 6? Pick my next piece.

Get back to me when the question is about F triple sharp.