Piano Forum

I've played all of Chopin etudes, but since I don't really enjoy playing them, I have to polish a lot of them up again. I can tell you this: it depends very much on which etude you're talking about. If you take, for example, the easier etudes (Op. 10: 3, 6; Op. 25: 1, 2), I would say the Emperor Concerto or Grieg's A minor Concerto might be a little bit too hard.

But assuming you've perfected those harder etudes too (Op. 10: 1, 12; Op. 25: 12) I'd say you're up for the task. But always keep in mind that different style periods in classical music, will present different sorts of problems. In Beethoven, you will find more complexity instead of sheer technical difficulties. I think Beethoven's Emperor should be avoided right now, except, of course, if you can already play some more advanced sonatas. I'd recommend Beethoven's Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major to take a look into, it was written a little time after the 5th Concerto but will give you a general idea about the difficulties the key of E-flat major alone will present (because it is a tricky key to play in).

I myself have played the concerto once last year and think that the last movement is actually easier than the first movement. It might take a while though to gain fluency in the "bouncing" left hand in the last movement.

I wish you good luck.

BW,
Marijn