Youngest pianist to play the Transcendentals

[cuberdrift]

It is often claimed that Mr. Arrau could play the set at 11 years old.

 

Is this true?

If it is, has there been anyone who ever lived, who has played those at that age (or younger)? Or at least, pieces of comparable technical difficulty to that.

And BTW, why didn't Horowitz play them?

Thanks!

[dima_76557]

@ cuberdrift

More children than you would expect of that age or younger already play ALL Chopin etudes reasonably well, a feat I find far more impressive.

[cuberdrift]

@ cuberdrift

More children than you would expect of that age or younger already play ALL Chopin etudes reasonably well, a feat I find far more impressive.

Really? I don't know about this. Care to name a few?

Also, aren't the Transcendental Studies generally harder?

[flashyfingers]

Really? I don't know about this. Care to name a few?

Also, aren't the Transcendental Studies generally harder?

They really are not much more difficult (quite lengthy etudes, though). Rather, I find them very grandiose and ALL about virtuosity. Liszt is great music, though.  

[dima_76557]

Really? I don't know about this. Care to name a few?

I think that would hardly add anything to the topic - names of children you don't know and who are not (yet) exposed on YouTube. Not all children who can do it are also allowed to give public performances with that kind of repertoire.

One exception, though, to show that it really can be done quite well:
11-Year-Old Haochen Zhang - Chopin op 10 part I
11-Year-Old Haochen Zhang - Chopin op 10 part II

Also, aren't the Transcendental Studies generally harder?

In terms of "difficulty" in ascending order, I find Chopin etudes far more tricky than etudes by Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Maybe not to sightread, of course, but to get the ultimate artistic result.

[throwawaynotreally]

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[cuberdrift]

In terms of "difficulty" in ascending order, I find Chopin etudes far more tricky than etudes by Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Maybe not to sightread, of course, but to get the ultimate artistic result.

Come now. Here in my conservatory I know a lot of people who are taking up Chopin etudes, but only the best of us could do the Wilde Jagd, and even that performance was not that clean.

And everyone says Feux Follets, Chassie-Neige, or Mazeppa, are some of the hardest works ever.   

I was in the music shop near the China Conservatory of Music (or was it the Central?) in Beijing a couple of years back, and bought a CD of the Transcendental Etudes recorded by some 14 year-old Chinese kid. The CD booklet-thingy said that he learnt and memorised all 12 in 2 months, and had already recorded the Chopin etudes (if I remember correctly)...fuarq.

There are so many of these Chinese prodigies that I have to remember that it's actually futile to be measuring myself with the world.

And always, my reaction would be: "Well then, with talent like this, we hope he bests Arrau or Horowitz in the long run." 

[throwawaynotreally]

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[maxy]

It is often claimed that Mr. Arrau could play the set at 11 years old.

 

Is this true?

Not quite! According to the "legend", Arrau was given TE 4 (Mazeppa), 5 (Feux-follets) and some other piece to be learned in one week, at age 12. He failed... But he did know the 48 Preludes and Fugues (Bach) by the age of 12!

In terms of "difficulty" in ascending order, I find Chopin etudes far more tricky than etudes by Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Maybe not to sightread, of course, but to get the ultimate artistic result.

I agree with dima_ogorodnikov. I've played TE 4-7-8-10-11-12, yet I am scared shitless by most Chopets!

[olivewasabi]

On a side note, when I hear these little kids playing impressively difficult pieces, I just want to cry and wonder why I bother sweating my fingers off trying to play the same thing! Haha! Anyone else?!!