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Topic: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major? (Read 11359 times)

moodicrus

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Posts: 13

Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

on: September 05, 2016, 05:24:00 PM

If you could compare it to other romantic era pieces then that would be most helpful

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piulento

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Posts: 224

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #1 on: September 05, 2016, 07:40:43 PM

Technically it's not as difficult as most of the others, but it's so hard to wrap your head around the rhythmic games. Read it and you'll see. If you have a good teacher to guide you through it (or you're really good with polyrhythm) it should be possible (though I don't know your level).

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moodicrus

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Posts: 13

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #2 on: September 05, 2016, 10:39:28 PM

Quote from: piulento on September 05, 2016, 07:40:43 PM

...

Unfortunately I haven't had a teacher for about a year now! AS Levels are ust taking up a lot of my time. But I am playing in a school concert next week and ill be playing:
Liszt-La Chapelle de Guillaume Tell,Hungarian rhapsody no5, lieb no3, La Campanella, Sursum Corda
Brahms- Rhapsody in G minor (Op.79 No.2)
Beethoven - tempest (3rd mvt)
Rach - C# minor
Prokofiev - Sonata No.7 (2nd mvt)

I read over the music and the rhythms did strike me as a little strange, it sort of reminded me of Au Lac de Wallenstadt by Liszt?

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mjames

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Posts: 2557

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #3 on: September 06, 2016, 12:04:37 AM

Either you're lying about your repertoire or you're being way too overly cautious. This is leagues below La Campanella. Weird rhythms or not, with what you currently have under your belt you shouldn't have too much trouble learning this.

Your typical Chopin nocturne pretty much demands similar things [delicate tone, fast and light passage work, and good cantabile playing]. I'll pick op. 27 no. 2 since I just finished polishing it, the nocturne's a bit harder for obvious reasons like length and amount of content.

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moodicrus

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Posts: 13

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #4 on: September 06, 2016, 10:09:41 AM

Quote from: mjames on September 06, 2016, 12:04:37 AM

Either you're lying about your repertoire or you're being way too overly cautious. This is leagues below La Campanella. Weird rhythms or not, with what you currently have under your belt you shouldn't have too much trouble learning this.

Your typical Chopin nocturne pretty much demands similar things [delicate tone, fast and light passage work, and good cantabile playing]. I'll pick op. 27 no. 2 since I just finished polishing it, the nocturne's a bit harder for obvious reasons like length and amount of content.

I do play La Campanella but let's exclude that cos it's an exception and I don't think I'd be able to play pieces of similar difficulty.But I guess the best way to find out if I can play the Rachmaninoff it is to try.

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mrcreosote

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Posts: 229

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #5 on: September 06, 2016, 08:33:37 PM

I see a disconnect here. The G minor is a fundamental piece that you (OP) should already be familiar with given your what you are playing for your concert. Further, you should be able to tell rather quickly what is involved by glancing over the sheet music or simply listening to it.

But there is a very difficult challenge with this piece: how to play it.

Since everyone plays it, each performer tries too hard to make it their own. Exaggeration is common and not cool. Again, many are off to the races and "lets see how fast we can play this." Almost every single person pounds out the delicate "hidden" duet melody buried in the arpeggios.

I think the G minor should be grander, larger, and therefore slower - Rach's Ampico recording seems light and hurried to me. But I do succumb to an exaggeration which I've never heard done: the G minor has an iconic "three notes" just like the C# - in fact, at the end of the G, you find the C# melody that I like to bring out so everyone can recognize it.

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moodicrus

Newbie
Posts: 13

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #6 on: September 07, 2016, 06:40:55 PM

Quote from: mrcreosote on September 06, 2016, 08:33:37 PM

...

While I am currently working on the G Minor prelude as well( and have been for about a year), I was asking about the G MAJOR prelude, but its a very easy mistake to make, thanks for the advice for that piece anyway

And yes while the G major prelude doesn't look too challenging at first glance I've often started pieces that I thought would be straigtfoward only to find it takes a long time till my interpretation is good enough IMO. But thank you for noticing the disconnect in my pieces! Most people just assume that I can't play La Campanella and just disregard me

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mrcreosote

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Posts: 229

Re: Comparative difficulty of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Major?

Reply #7 on: September 09, 2016, 07:39:30 AM

OOPS!

Op 32 #5?

"nasty piece of business" (sarcasm - Monty Python)

VERY difficult. Supreme levels of speed and you better be able to burn out those trills. And then it has to be sublime and delicate. At least speed AND volume are not a requirement.

And then there is your interpretation.

Lots of work, me Bucco.

Again, I just love watching Lisitsa's keyboard ballet and the result too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu8ZHE_Is7A

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