Which piece is more difficult...

[clair_de_lune]

In your opinion:

Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu (Op. 66) , or

the Revolutionary Etude (Op. 10 nr. 12)?

[abe]

I've heard someone say that the F-impromptu was easier; but having played the revolutionary, the F-Impromptu certainly sounds harder to play, and the sheetmusic looks harder (though I've never really tried playing it). I'm sure several people here have played both and can give you a more definitive answer.
--Abe

[fnork]

I've played the revolutionary, but only sightread F-impromptu. The revolutionary seems to be way more difficult.

[ted]

I play both. The study might be a tad harder physically, I suppose, but not much.

[pianobabe56]

I've studied both, and found Fantasie to be much harder. Go ahead, flame me, but that's my opinion.

[SteinwayTony]

I've studied both, and found Fantasie to be much harder. Go ahead, flame me, but that's my opinion.

Flame you?  That's so 1994... 

The Fantasie is easier by far.  Once you have the 6-against-4 rhythm down (which is not as difficult as it seems the closer you get to actual tempo), there's nothing to it.  Meanwhile the Etude is a deliberately tough left hand study.

[JP]

If your LH is noticeably weaker than your RH, then I guess the etude will make you sweat.  In case I wasn’t clear, fantaisie is harder.

[chopinisque]

Definitely the f-impromptu.  The etude's only really big difficulty is the LH runs.  The right hand just plays chords (well, big chords).  The musical expression required for the impromptu is really... mind-boggling... not to mention the timing difficulty...

[clair_de_lune]

Well it judging from the answers so far, it looks like this is definitely a YMMV thing... 

The reason why I ask is that I've been learning the Revolutionary (half-heartedly for a while, but now I've gotten serious).  I was always under the assumption that the Fantasie was harder, but the other day I took a crack at playing some of the first page and found it seemed to fit under my hands much easier, which surprised me.  And I don't think for me, anyway, the 8 against 6 would be too difficult. 

Well, anyway, the Fantaisie will probably be a future project. Right now I have other  pieces I want to learn  - So many pieces, so little time 

[SteinwayTony]

Definitely the f-impromptu.  The etude's only really big difficulty is the LH runs.  The right hand just plays chords (well, big chords).  The musical expression required for the impromptu is really... mind-boggling... not to mention the timing difficulty...

Chopin's etudes generally focus on one aspect of technical improvement.  Therefore, of course the Revolutionary's "only really big difficulty" is the left hand sixteenth notes. 

But the Fantasie-Impromptu is still easier.  It is one of those pieces that is extremely easier than it sounds, and the notes "fit" into your hand (and are played a bit slower), while the etude's notes are deliberately awkward.  Finally, the Fantasie-Impromptu has a slow section in the middle, while the etude does not.  Overall, it is much easier to give a convincing performance of the Impromptu than the etude, which is sixteenth notes at "allegro molto con fuoco" from beginning to end, non-stop.

[lenny]

of course the etude is alot more difficult

and to ply it like cziffra...well lets say you have to be a 1 in a million to achieve that