Trying to decide what to work on next! Input is appreciated!

[smuffs]

     Hello! I am new to this forum so excuse me if I am posting in the wrong board. Please let me know if one of the other ones fits my post better. I recently finished up some repertoire I had been working on for the last 8 months or so. To give you a bit of my taste, this included Berceuse, The Appasionata, and a transcription of Hiromi Uehara's "Tom and Jerry Show". It's been a ton of fun but I'm looking to tackle something different.

     I recently decided on La Campanella because it just seemed like a ton of fun. My question is I'm looking for what to work on along side it. At first I was dead set on Chopin op. 10 No. 4  but at a second glance this thing is an absolute monster and seems pretty scary. I will probably work on it after this set. This leads me to decide between His First and Fourth Ballades. I don't really plan on performing these publicly so thinking of it as a set isn't at all important. I had originally leaned towards the first one but the fourth ones seems more...Complete? I am asking for your experiences with either and the things that you learned or appreciated more after playing them. Thank you so much!

[joe_mama]

Honestly, it's really up to you. Both are great pieces, and you're obviously a very skilled pianist.

Play whatever one you enjoy listening to more.

[ttortaro]

1st Ballade is surely most virtuosistic and technically harder than 4th. In the other side, 4th has a lote of counterpoint and it's very complex. I'm studying 1st, and believe that coda it's extremely hard, but very pleasant when you play it well. You could try also barcarolle, or some rondo.

P.S. If you do really like the étude, go on and get focused on it! You will certainly can play it.

[smuffs]

Is the 1st Ballade really more technical? The 4th one seems pretty hard. I also haven't found a recording of the 1st ballade coda section that I found to be pleasing. So far my favorite has been Zimmerman but the end always feels off. Do you have any recommendations?

[ttortaro]

When I said pleasant is in the way that you feel like you've done a good job.