How many pieces to learn at one time?

[aquariuswb]

I don't have a teacher, and haven't had one for a long time, and I was wondering: how many pieces of music would you recommend trying to learn at one time? I suppose it will surely depend on the student, practice efficiency/time, and the piece itself. So to be more specific, I'm currently working on the 1st movement of Waldstein (I'm about half-way through), and I've been practicing 3-4 hours a day for the past couple months (I'm making a comeback, inspired by my discovery of the Beethoven sonatas). I've really fallen in love with his 24th sonata as well (Op. 78), and I'd really like to start cracking on it. Would you recommend I jump right in and work on both at the same time? Would it be reasonable to even learn more than that at one time? I mean, when I used to take lessons way back when (before I was any good) I'd work on 2 or 3 pieces at a time, but those pieces were elementary in comparison to the LvB sonatas.
Thanks in advance

[dinosaurtales]

Well, I have been working with a teacher for a couple of years now, and she has had me working on 2 or 3 pieces at one time, with one of them as sort of a major piece.  The pieces are in different periods - which makes it more interesting and so far it seems to work.  It's also good if one piece is just getting started, while another is in progress - like memorizing or metronome work, and another polishing up.  It's a bummer, but I am in the beginning progress of mine right now.  I'ts only disappointing because there's nothing I can just "play" of the pieces I am working on - they are still too new.  I am actually working on 4 right now, which my teacher would think is "too much" .  - my current set of pieces, as an example, is: Chopin Ballade #1, Mozart Sonata K576, and Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique.  I just finished Beethoven's Appassionata and a Chopin Nocturne, for example. 

[johnnypiano]

How about three pieces, as a very, very basic rule: one that you have just begun, another that you have done some work on but on which there is much to explore, and the third almost known, but which needs revising and needs also various interpretations settling in your mind.

Another way is to simultaneously work on three very simple pieces and one difficult one.

There are other premutations and much depends on the time available and how good you are at concentrating.

The principle behind these permutations is that you always have something else to do if your concentrationn or your interest lags.  Good luck.   

[Tash]

yeah i wouldn't recommend more than 4 at one time- i had like 10 pieces my teacher had set me to learn these hols, not all at the one time, but i found that whilst in the early learning stages of all of them at the same time, 4 was my maximum before my brain overloaded and couldn't cope with any more. and this is Amus level, so for me that's bach's prelude from the english quite in g minor, chopin berceuse, beethoven sonata op27 no1 and debussy passepied.
so if you're feeling like you're going crazy with too many pieces then cut it down, because i find there's nothing worse than trying to practice when you are going insane trying to learn 50 things at once!

[puma]

4 pieces and you're at Amus level - that's somewhat of a relief to me.  I'm considering switching majors and for some reason I thought to be a music major you had to learn, say, 10 pieces a semester...for the higher levels mind you.  But if 4 is the norm, then how the *** do concert pianists amass such large repertoire??

[puma]

Also this to consider - my piano tuner was talking to me about playing popular pieces, what to play for parties, etc. since we are both popular piece buffs.  He told me he knows something to the effect of about 1,000 pieces.  Now, mind you, these are probably arrangements he improvised from a fake book, but still - he said he KNOWS 1,000 pieces and can play them.  He's about 40 years old.  Let's say he started at 4.  That equates to roughly 110 pieces a year.  So how many pieces does he learn at once?  Or was he just being egotistical a bit?  Does this even seem realistic?  Does anyone else out there learn copious amounts of music without a problem?  Just wondering.  Peace

[vivacelife]

Focus on no more than 3 is good for learning.
By doing that u can also finish them up faster and move on...

[Tash]

4 pieces and you're at Amus level - that's somewhat of a relief to me. I'm considering switching majors and for some reason I thought to be a music major you had to learn, say, 10 pieces a semester...for the higher levels mind you. But if 4 is the norm, then how the *** do concert pianists amass such large repertoire??

well you only need 4 pieces for Amus, and i don't need to even really know how to play the piano being a music major at uni cos i don't do any practical classes (this is only BA music) and i'll probably end up learning more later, but i'm just saying for now, when just being given the pieces, it's hard to handle, once i learn them to some satisfactory degree i might add the 4 chopin etudes in there too, if i have the time and stamina...

[steinwayguy]

Currently I'm working on three Chopin etudes, two that I already know very well, and one that I'm learning. I'm also working on the Fourth Ballade, which I know very well, and the Mephisto Waltz, which I know very well. I am learning (over a span of two weeks) Beethoven's Opus 7 sonata, and over the next six months Rachmaninoff's Second Concerto.

I usually have things overlapping like that, I will always be working on three Chopin etudes, learning one, perfecting two...

[johnnypiano]

Hi! Steinway Guy.  Looks like you have your practice worked out really well.  I agree fully with how you are doing it.  You should soon have a repertoire of things that are part of you and not just superficially learned.  Cheers  John   

[jlh]

4 pieces and you're at Amus level - that's somewhat of a relief to me.  I'm considering switching majors and for some reason I thought to be a music major you had to learn, say, 10 pieces a semester...for the higher levels mind you.  But if 4 is the norm, then how the *** do concert pianists amass such large repertoire??

Being a piano major myself, maybe I can shed a little light here.  Usually, the juries at the end of the semester are no longer than say, 20 minutes at most universities.  There's only so many pieces at that level that you can play in that amount of time.  Usually, I prepare 3-4 solo pieces for these juries.

Now, being a piano major also means that you'd probably be taking chamber music lessons, accompanying lessons, accompanying for other students and/or playing in ensembles.  If you count all these, the count easily surpasses 10 pieces per semester.