Most difficult pieces in your repertoire

[Dikai]

I would like to know and compare the most difficult pieces in everybody's repertoire.
I've gone through quite a few difficult pieces, and learning some more right now.
Difficult pieces in my repertoire:
all liszt's first 15 out of 19 hungarian raposidies (if you don't count the spanish raposidy)
liszt's paganini etudes #3, #5, 3 concert etudes #3, 2 concert etudes #2
liszt's transendental etudes #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11
liszt's sonata in b,
liszt's mephisto waltz
rachmaninoff concerto #2 mov 1 (can this be considered very difficult??)
rachmaninoff concerto #3 mov1, 2 (3rd mov in progress, can't polish up the octaves  quite yet; can't really count the 2nd mov. because it needs the 3rd)
rachmaninoff sonata #2 (1931, when i first bought the music, i got that one, after getting used to it, can't really migrate to the 1913 version)
-----
pieces that i terribly want to learn, which i don't think will be possible:
brahms variations on a theme by paganini (both books, can only terribly get thru)
rachmaninoff sonata #1 (not quite famous, but certainly very difficult, haven't heard anyone mention this one for a long time)
ravel's scarbo (can't even play at the slowest speed)

[oliver]

Well, the list is very-very-very long. Except Brahms-paganini there is Chopin-Godowsky (the Etudes), for instance Nr.47 (here are 2 Chopin-etudes put together), some left-hand etudes (C sharp minor, for ex.), lots of rarely-played Liszt-transcriptions (Beethoven -symphonies, and esp. the Scherzo-movement of the ninth...just terrible- in real speed). Scarbo I actually do play now. Balakirev-Islamey (also i doubt the artistic value of that piece), Liszt- transcription of Tarantella by Auber (Cziffra plays it), the transcription of the famous Strauss- waltz (Blue Danube) by Evler-Schultz, the 2nd version of Liszt Transcendental's, and so on and on and on... But are U talking about technical difficulties alone? Because if NOT, then... well, it changes the whole picture. Try to play a Mozart-Sonatina (yes, not even Sonata) with the pure elegancy, taste, and still be original and convincing, or a Bach Prelude & Fugue - and u'll find real difficulties there..

Good Luck!

[Pianostudy]

Yes, I agree.. after playing all that totally bombastic, technically difficult music, I find, and I think you will also find, that learning and playing a Bach prelude and fugue can be extremely challenging.  It's a different kind of playing-getting all the voices to sing just so, and mastering the evenness..it's a lot different than conquering the Rachmaninoff 3rd, chock full of blazing fast runs and thick chords.

[klavierkonzerte]

there's a pieces i play i don't think anyone recorded.
most pianists are skeptical of this amazing pieces
it's not very demanding technically BUT it's very very hard musically and it's very hard to intrept.






















































it's twinkle twinkle littile star

[xvimbi]

there's a pieces i play i don't think anyone recorded.
most pianists are skeptical of this amazing pieces
it's not very demanding technically BUT it's very very hard musically and it's very hard to intrept.


it's twinkle twinkle littile star

Oh my no! Mozart wrote a whole set of variations on it (K. 265/K. 300e). It's origin is French, therefore the title "Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman". It's not at all easy to play.

[SteinwayTony]

I seriously hope this thread dies soon.  It's completely pointless. 

[guven]

Liszt..Mephisto Waltz

[e60m5]

I seriously hope this thread dies soon.  It's completely pointless. 

Agreed.

[pianiststrongbad]

I gotta agree with this thread being pointless aswell.  It seems the initial purpose of it is simply to show off what one can play vs. others on the board and to build an ego- in my opinion.

[Troldhaugen]

Fur Elise......with my eyes closed and hands switched....  

[bernhard]

Oh my no! Mozart wrote a whole set of variations on it (K. 265/K. 300e). It's origin is French, therefore the title "Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman". It's not at all easy to play.

Add to that:

James Hewitt (1792 - 1827) – Variations on Twinkle twinkle little star
J. C. F. Bach  - Variations on “Ah je vous dirais Maman”
Dohnanyi – Variations on a nursery song for piano and orchestra.
(And I think Mussorgsky also did something in those lines).

Incidentally these are the original lyrics:

Ah! Vous dirai-je, Maman,
Ce qui cause mon tournment?
Papa veut que je raisonne,
Comme une grande personne;
Moi, je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.

Ah! Let me tell you, Mother,
What's the cause of my torment?
Papa wants me to reason
Like a grown-up.
Me, I say that candy has
Greater value than reason.

Somehow this reminded me of many a debate in the forum.

Best wishes,
Bernhard

[hodi]

I gotta agree with this thread being pointless aswell.  It seems the initial purpose of it is simply to show off what one can play vs. others on the board and to build an ego- in my opinion.

u took the words out of my mouth..
pointless thread!

[Brian Healey]

The most difficult piece in my repertoire?

Without a doubt, it's 4'33" by John Cage




Yadda yadda yadda,
Bri

[pianowelsh]

For me having played the piano for 12 years now the most difficult interpretively is still 'Jelly on a plate' from Chester bk1!!

[jacobspauly]

This post reminds me of when I was a kid.

"Hey Mom, Hey Mom, LOOK AT ME JUMP OFF THE HIGH DIVE!!!!!! WATCH THIS!!!LOOK AT ME!!!!

[Dikai]

i'm terribly sorry if i offended you people, but to be quite frank, it does feel rather satisfying being able to play pieces that are of my childhood dreams.  i just want to motivate myself, and push myself a little further.  if there's nothing rewarding, it's hard to keep on going.  so please don't discourage me so much, i do consider myself still a kid (i'm 23).  ain't so bad to let me dream a bit longer eh??

[Dikai]

i'm still doing my last year in school, not even graduated yet, so please be forgiving...

[op.109]

I don't see what the big deal is against people feeling proud of their technical accomplishments.  Some pianists, in what may be an effort to seem more musical and sophisticated, will often downplay the technical aspects of music.  A beginner should not be ashamed of playing what may be a challenging piece for him, for it's a sign of progress and growth.  Even for the experienced pianist, to successfully play extremely difficult music is something to be proud of.

Anyway, to answer your question, I would say the most difficult piece I have ever properly played is probably Ligeti's etude #1 (although this is far from being the most difficult piece of music ever written!).

[steinwayguy]

Yeah, I mean, Kissin plays the Four Ballades, but does he play any of them well? No. Ashkenazy plays the complete works of Chopin, but are those all good recordings? Definitely not.

[jlh]

Ashkenazy plays the complete works of Chopin, but are those all good recordings? Definitely not.

True, some are better than others, but personally I enjoy Ashkenazy's interpretation of most of them.

To answer your question, one of the most difficult solo works I currently know is Prokofiev's Toccata, among numerous others of comparable difficulty.  I also play Rach's 2nd concerto and 2nd Suite for 2 pianos (piano 1).

[pskim]

Yeah, I mean, Kissin plays the Four Ballades, but does he play any of them well? No.

Why do you say that?  Can you play better?  I like his ballades.  Actually, I'm a big fan of his and like most of his recordings.  I have been to several of his recitals here in Japan and I thought that they were fantastic.

[bernhard]

The most difficult piece in my repertoire?

Without a doubt, it's 4'33" by John Cage




Yadda yadda yadda,
Bri

Fur Alina by Arvo Part. It definitely beats 4'33''

[pianonut]

what do you think of barber's nocturne (dedicated to John Field).  I am still "sightreading it."  yesterday went well, today went horribly.  will i ever learn it, or am i destined to be one of those people that can only play "classical" in the sense of very harmonious, and nothing too avant-gard.  which, i realize barber is not, these days.  i must play this to finish off my recital.  i really wanted to play mussorsky's pictures at an exhibition.  that will be for my doctorate  ahahahahahahahahahahaha when i'm 100  all from memory.   (barry douglas is my hero)

[theodopolis]

With reference to 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.'

It also makes a brief appearance in 'Fossiles' from Saint-Saens Carnivale des Animaux.

[SteinwayTony]

I don't see what the big deal is against people feeling proud of their technical accomplishments.  Some pianists, in what may be an effort to seem more musical and sophisticated, will often downplay the technical aspects of music.  A beginner should not be ashamed of playing what may be a challenging piece for him, for it's a sign of progress and growth.  Even for the experienced pianist, to successfully play extremely difficult music is something to be proud of.

Anyway, to answer your question, I would say the most difficult piece I have ever properly played is probably Ligeti's etude #1 (although this is far from being the most difficult piece of music ever written!).

One should show off his technical accomplishments in no other way than actually playing.  If you're proud of your "extremely difficult" music, that's great, despite the fact that it doesn't affect my (or any other forum reader's) life in the slightest way.  So, instead of talking the talk, just record your "extremely difficult" music already if you're that proud of it.

[jlh]

I agree... if there is no proof, you can say all you want and no one will care.  "The proof is in the pudding", as the saying goes.

I'm putting on a recital in April, and hiring someone to record it.  I'll post some links once it's all said and done.

I also have some other recordings from a few years ago on tape.  If I ever get around to digitizing them, I'll post some of them, too.

[Dikai]

please visit my ftp server at ftp://64.229.112.249
01.mp3 - Liszt Hungarian Rapsody No. 2
02.mp3 - Liszt Hungarian Rapsody No. 10
03.mp3 - Liszt Hungarian Rapsody No. 12
09.mp3 - Ravel Jeux d'eau
10.mp3 - Beethoven 32 Variations

please listen to them and give me some feedback,
i'm not a professional pianist (i'm 4th year in electrical engineering at U of Toronto), but being able to play like these makes me quite happy already...
so be forgiving in the little technical details..