Piano solo or piano+orchestra ?

[stormx]

Hi !!

When it comes to classical music involving piano (as a matter of fact, the classical music i enjoy the most), i really prefer PIANO SOLO rather than PIANO WITH ORCHESTRA.

What are your preferences on this subject?

[SDL]

Acutally my main passion is concertos!

[lostinidlewonder]

Piano solo all the way.

I guess im just really picky. I love the sound of the piano, there are very few piano concertos i like. I find orchestra is boring.

Also if you are doing solo perfomance yourself, u have more control over what happens what is presented, you need no organised rehersals (you can just practice at home). And in the end, more cash in pocket at end of night.

[dj]

i prefer both 

[Tash]

well it depends on what i feel like. overall i love listening to orchestras and thus find concertos wonderful to listen to, i love having all the different parts and the different tone colours etc. but sometimes just solo piano is just what i need

[brewtality]

concerti, as long as the orchestration is decent.

[steinwaymodeld]

Actually both.

As long as there is decent piano solo part.

I found pure orchestral boring and nothing impressive about it, it's like piano it takes a huge talent from 1 person. And Orchestra is like u need the same amount of talent, but divided throughout 50 people.

[klavierkonzerte]

i LOVE the concerto form not only for the piano.

i rarly listen to solo piano works.

[timothy42b]

I have listened to many instruments play concertos both with orchestral accompaniment and piano accompaniment. 

The piano accompanied soloists sound boring and academic by comparison with the richness of an orchestral accompanied work. 

There really is no comparison.  Picture a Beatles song with no strings, no percussion, no guitars, just piano.  Doesn't work at all.  I feel the same thing about solo piano some of the time.  It can work, but usually orchestra is better. 

The biggest defect, of course, is that to play with an orchestra you must learn to count.  Many otherwise talented soloists never succeed in this and are forced to play only solo works. 

[steinwaymodeld]

I have listened to many instruments play concertos both with orchestral accompaniment and piano accompaniment. 

The piano accompanied soloists sound boring and academic by comparison with the richness of an orchestral accompanied work. 

There really is no comparison.  Picture a Beatles song with no strings, no percussion, no guitars, just piano.  Doesn't work at all.  I feel the same thing about solo piano some of the time.  It can work, but usually orchestra is better. 

The biggest defect, of course, is that to play with an orchestra you must learn to count.  Many otherwise talented soloists never succeed in this and are forced to play only solo works. 

huh?
 

[anda]

Piano solo AND piano+orchestra

[anda]

The biggest defect, of course, is that to play with an orchestra you must learn to count.  Many otherwise talented soloists never succeed in this and are forced to play only solo works. 

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[pianowelsh]

Play Chopins Andante spianato et grand polonaise then you can do both with the one piece and it'll give your fingers a good work out!!!!

[timothy42b]

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The rest of the post was serious, that one liner was meant to be humorous. 

Of course it's only funny when there is some truth to it.  Pianists most often play alone and do not have to accomodate their sense of time to others.  In a situation where they have to follow somebody else's beat, some of them will have trouble.  Others will simply not notice and the other frustrated musicians do their best to adjust to them, grumbling all the while.  I have been in the chair of those frustrated musicians more than a few times.  Playing with others is a skill that takes some work, but there aren't too many piano ensembles around. 

[anda]

Pianists most often play alone and do not have to accomodate their sense of time to others.  In a situation where they have to follow somebody else's beat, some of them will have trouble.  Others will simply not notice and the other frustrated musicians do their best to adjust to them, grumbling all the while.  I have been in the chair of those frustrated musicians more than a few times.  Playing with others is a skill that takes some work, but there aren't too many piano ensembles around. 

i think any pianist should also do some accompanying and chamber music as well - and that starting as early as possible. that way, s/he will have no trouble playing with an orchestra.

nobody prepared me for my first experience with an orchestra, i prepared myself (and, despite the fact that i had no business teaching anyone, and esp myself) things worked out quite ok.