Piano Forum

Topic: Relative difficulty of these Rachmaninoff preludes?  (Read 2008 times)

Offline azbroolah

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 32
Relative difficulty of these Rachmaninoff preludes?
on: August 29, 2015, 02:44:45 AM
Having only seriously played the c# minor and sort-of played the D major, I'm interested in learning more of the preludes. I like listening to Op 23 no 2 (B flat major), Op 23 no 6 (E flat major), Op 23 no 9 (E flat minor), Op 32 no 3 (E major), and Op 32 no 13 (D flat major, my absolute favorite). Would I be correct in my intuition that the Db major, Bb major, and Eb minor are more difficult than the others? I know none of them is easy besides perhaps the c# minor, so.

I'm particularly interested in the Db major and the E major.

Offline chopinlover01

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2118
Re: Relative difficulty of these Rachmaninoff preludes?
Reply #1 on: August 29, 2015, 03:10:55 AM
C# minor and D major are IMO the easiest of the preludes that I've played through (which is not all of them but a few of them, so take what I'm saying with a grain of salt).
The e flat major isn't too bad. Definitely not something to underestimate though.
E flat minor is quite difficult. Even if you take it at a fairly moderate presto.
Don't have experience with the other two.

Offline diomedes

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 477
Re: Relative difficulty of these Rachmaninoff preludes?
Reply #2 on: August 29, 2015, 11:40:43 AM
If you want to learn them, possibly the E flat and E major might be ok given your experience. If you're looking to perform them, maybe the E flat. Unfortunately, the Rachmaninov preludes require very mature pianism. The e flat minor is quite a bit of a terror.
Beethoven-Alkan, concerto 3
Faure barcarolle 10
Mozart-Stradal, symphony 40
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert