Why does everyone like the Fantaisie Impromptu?

[cuberdrift]

I understand why Fur Elise, for instance, is popular...it's not 'unreachable' for most amateurs, has a melancholic melody, etc. Flight of the Bumblebee is fast, as is of course full of sixteenth notes, so it is a convenient example of 'virtuosity' (at least for the layperson).

But what of the Fantaisie Impromptu makes it so popular among the mainstream? After I play some piano piece, sooner or later someone in the crowd asks me if I know it.

What about it makes people so interested in it?

[stevensk]

It is fast, it is dramatic, it sounds very difficult

[dogperson]

Many of you will disagree, but I love the cantible section.

[mjames]

It sounds good.

[visitor]

It's the fancy name.  Definitely the name of the piece.  I think it's a conspiracy by the publishers to keep on reprinting the blasted thing

[mjames]

It's the fancy name.  Definitely the name of the piece.  I think it's a conspiracy by the publishers to keep on reprinting the blasted thing

It's amazing, isn't? I mean i think it's a great piece, I think that popularity doesn't really diminish the quality of a work, but the fact that people are still dishing out new editions of Chopin's stuff is ridiculous. With over a dozen versions for the same works, do we really need anymore lol?

How about you guys edit some Liadov and Janis Medins?!?!? Damn man. World is unfair.

[visitor]

It's amazing, isn't? I mean i think it's a great piece, I think that popularity doesn't really diminish the quality of a work, but the fact that people are still dishing out new editions of Chopin's stuff is ridiculous. With over a dozen versions for the same works, do we really need anymore lol?

How about you guys edit some Liadov and Janis Medins?!?!? Damn man. World is unfair.

precisely.

I am wishing for a Medins reprint, preferably ala schott, or other fine urtext, etc.
my hopes are not completely dashed,
There is/was some chatter of Lassman working to get a new edition of Eller.  But it's been a couple years since I heard anything on that. I hope they are still working on it

**he's been releasing the entire piano works on Toccatta so perhaps after all the recording is done?
*crosses fingers

[rubinsteinmad]

I understand why Fur Elise, for instance, is popular...it's not 'unreachable' for most amateurs, has a melancholic melody, etc. Flight of the Bumblebee is fast, as is of course full of sixteenth notes, so it is a convenient example of 'virtuosity' (at least for the layperson).

But what of the Fantaisie Impromptu makes it so popular among the mainstream? After I play some piano piece, sooner or later someone in the crowd asks me if I know it.

What about it makes people so interested in it?

You know "Over the Rainbow"?  Now this is "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows"

[mudloop]

because it is an amazing piece of composition?

[chopinlover01]

Because it has all the qualities needed to market a composition to most beginning piano students- it's in a minor key, it has a dramatic melody, fast, double forte runs, a nice section in the middle.
People often take it and try to make it their first "big Chopin piece", when they often aren't ready for it, to their utter disappointment and frustration.

[robatsch]

Although I would hesitate to call it a very deep work; for me, the transition from the opening theme to the middle section, a transition from chaos to inner peace is quite powerful and cathartic.

[dcstudio]

really? people request the FI?   wow---not once has anyone--except the people who already know I can play it--ever asked me to play that.   Clair De Lune, Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata--sure...  and people think they are sooooo cool by asking you to play that...it's funny really.   Like you've been waiting all night for someone to ask you to play Fur Elise...   but they will stuff $20 in the jar if you smile and play it for them...so I do.   

Usually I will at the same time spin a sad tale of how I once longed to be a concert pianist...but sadly...I quit music school....now...this is the only time I get to play Beethoven.

it's good for at least $20 every single time. 

Hey! we all gotta make a living...

[vansh]

It has an exciting, dramatic "fast" section and a melancholy, pleasant "slow" section. It sounds more difficult than it is to play (yet is difficult to play well). The texture is very good, even in the fast section; sometimes I like to play the fast section slowly (i.e. quarter note = 45 or so) just to hear the different color in the different passages.

The difficulty is just right where it's relatively approachable to the budding pianist, not so easy where it feels like there's not too much musically you can do with it (i.e. Fur Elise), yet not so hard where your lack of pianistic abilities quickly become evident (i.e. La Campanella). It's somewhat of a marker of sorts -- just like how most pianists probably learned to play Fur Elise early on, most (classical) pianists probably learned how to play Fantaisie-Impromptu when they reached a certain level of playing ability.

It's amazing, isn't? I mean i think it's a great piece, I think that popularity doesn't really diminish the quality of a work, but the fact that people are still dishing out new editions of Chopin's stuff is ridiculous. With over a dozen versions for the same works, do we really need anymore lol?

How about you guys edit some Liadov and Janis Medins?!?!? Damn man. World is unfair.

The version of Fantaisie-Impromptu that I posted on the boards is my own version, which is a mix of the common Fontana version as well as the rarer Rubinstein version. Even over a hundred years later people can still put their own touch on this work. That's indicative of the attractiveness and quality of the work.