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Topic: What piece should I learn next? (Read 4490 times)

thepianolad

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Posts: 8

What piece should I learn next?

on: July 26, 2021, 10:49:43 AM

Hi, I am wondering if anyone has any piece recommendations for me to learn next. I have learnt so far:
Fantaisie Impromptu, Clair de Lune, Rondo Alla Turca, Nocturne in Eb Major, Etude in E major (Tristesse), Pathetique second movement to name a few of my most recent studies.
I am particularly interested in the works of Ravel, Chopin, Rachmaninow and Liszt.

Thanks.

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brogers70

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Posts: 1695

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #1 on: July 26, 2021, 11:14:47 AM

Ravel's Pavane pour une enfante defunte.

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dogperson

Sr. Member
Posts: 1559

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #2 on: July 26, 2021, 11:50:52 AM

Rachmaninov Elegie

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fy4kSo7Xx8

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liszt123

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Posts: 15

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #3 on: July 27, 2021, 05:26:09 AM

Chopin Nocturne 62/2 is IMO one of Chopin's greatest works.

Rachmaninoff Etude-tableau 33/3 ends with a beautiful melody that Rachmaninoff later reused in his 4th Piano Concerto.

Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody 11 might be a challenge, but it's well worth it.

Maybe even a Beethoven or Mozart piano concerto

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visitor

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Posts: 5294

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #4 on: July 28, 2021, 04:16:15 PM

https://petruccimusiclibrary.ca/files/imglnks/caimg/4/49/IMSLP21721-PMLP03667-Ravel_-_Bolero_(trans._Branga_-_Piano).pdf

bolero solo transcription :-]

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nightwindsonata

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Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #5 on: July 28, 2021, 05:23:35 PM

Might I recommend this piece?

A gorgeous transcription of a song by Beethoven that isn't played very often. I performed it in my teacher's Liszt festival at the University of Oregon last fall.

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1st-year Master's Program:
- Ravel Piano Concerto
- Liszt Ricordanza
- Liszt 3 Liebestraums
- Liszt 3 Sonnets

- Rhapsody in Blue
- Dante Sonata
- Schubert Sonata D.780
- Mozart Piano Quartet in Gm

nightwindsonata

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Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #6 on: August 05, 2021, 09:40:54 PM

Not gonna lie it took me awhile to warm up to Bach. Now I feel like every program I play needs to have something by him in it. Someday I'll get around to playing the Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue!

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1st-year Master's Program:
- Ravel Piano Concerto
- Liszt Ricordanza
- Liszt 3 Liebestraums
- Liszt 3 Sonnets

- Rhapsody in Blue
- Dante Sonata
- Schubert Sonata D.780
- Mozart Piano Quartet in Gm

anacrusis

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 814

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #7 on: August 05, 2021, 10:40:52 PM

Quote from: nightwindsonata on August 05, 2021, 09:40:54 PM

Not gonna lie it took me awhile to warm up to Bach. Now I feel like every program I play needs to have something by him in it. Someday I'll get around to playing the Chromatic Fantasie and Fugue!

Do it! It's a fun piece to play

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brogers70

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Posts: 1695

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #8 on: August 06, 2021, 11:01:31 AM

This sort of post does seem odd to me. There are so many pieces I want to learn that I certainly won't get to them all in my lifetime, so it's hard for me to imagine not having any idea what to play next.

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j_tour

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Posts: 4001

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #9 on: August 08, 2021, 01:54:15 AM

Yeah.

Now you're talking some sense.

BWV 903 is indeed a challenging piece, full of many subtleties, but it's not the kind of piece that you can't read through. The Hans Bischoff edition published by Alfred is OK: that's the one I have, mainly because it was cheap and I'm familiar with Bischoff's "style" as an editor, so I knew what to watch for should I go on to master the piece (or make an honest attempt!).

Maybe not sight-read at full tempo, of course, nor even complete accuracy, especially the fugue, but also the fantasia is kind of difficult to make sense of, all of the semi-strange filagreed runs shared between both hands (I know I can't! Haven't put in the hours with it!), but I'd have to think anyone who loves music and the keyboard instruments would get quite a bit out of familiarity with some of Bach's "tricks" in this one.

If I were in your place, would I spend a million hours trying to master it? Probably not, but only you can say for sure. Maybe you're a Wunderkind and it's easy for you. I wouldn't know. It will certainly lead you to discover other similarly "odd" chromatic moments in late baroque music, and elsewhere, which would be a good topic for conversation as well.

And, if you disapprove of some of the "tricks" of this kind of rambling toccata/fantasy style, then you'll know for the future what you dislike or like when it comes to selecting repertoire.

You should read it at the keyboard at least once, though: what have you got to lose?

Read everything at the keyboard. You don't "lose" anything except a few minutes here and there, and you refine your tastes and your reading ability. In this age of tablets and IMSLP, you don't even waste printer toner or paper, necessarily.

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dogperson

Sr. Member
Posts: 1559

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #10 on: August 09, 2021, 01:16:50 AM

What has worked for me to identify new pieces: I committed to listening to three new to me’ pieces every day, mainly from music found on the internet: music on forums such as this one, music found by listening to s pianist I enjoy snd poking around to see what else they have played, searching for music by genre, composer or musical period,

Just exploring a little has netted over 200 pieces on my ‘need to learn’ list. More than enough for a lifetime- snd my list still grows. Because I chose the pieces, it is not someone else’s opinion of what I might like to play. .. but all mine.

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nightwindsonata

PS Silver Member
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Posts: 157

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #11 on: August 09, 2021, 04:06:42 AM

Quote from: dogperson on August 09, 2021, 01:16:50 AM

What has worked for me to identify new pieces: I committed to listening to three new to me’ pieces every day, mainly from music found on the internet: music on forums such as this one, music found by listening to s pianist I enjoy snd poking around to see what else they have played, searching for music by genre, composer or musical period,

Just exploring a little has netted over 200 pieces on my ‘need to learn’ list. More than enough for a lifetime- snd my list still grows. Because I chose the pieces, it is not someone else’s opinion of what I might like to play. .. but all mine.

This is a wonderful exercise and I myself do something similar (perhaps not as organized, though I likely should). Rachmaninoff, who lived in a time when a very substantial repertoire of music (both piano and otherwise) had already been built up and accepted, once said something along the lines of "music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" (I'm sure most people on this forum have already heard this statement, but it never hurts to return to it). In addition, there are many times when my teacher has suggested I pay some attention to a piece and decide whether I learn it. I may or may not know of it, but either way it wasn't on my radar at the time. That said, my teacher also knows my strengths and weaknesses as a pianist (even better than I do), and he is much more equipped to suggest new pieces than a stranger on a piano forum.

Either way, learning a new piece of music to perform is a profound, difficult, and rewarding experience, and even if I don't know the OP's playing intimately (or at all), I will suggest something that was a good experience for me and taught me a lot, because I wish that on someone whose mind is open to new things. I would never suggest a piece to someone that I haven't played myself, unless I know their playing well.

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1st-year Master's Program:
- Ravel Piano Concerto
- Liszt Ricordanza
- Liszt 3 Liebestraums
- Liszt 3 Sonnets

- Rhapsody in Blue
- Dante Sonata
- Schubert Sonata D.780
- Mozart Piano Quartet in Gm

ivorycherry

PS Silver Member
Full Member
Posts: 170

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #12 on: August 09, 2021, 08:26:39 AM

Quote from: dogperson on August 09, 2021, 01:16:50 AM

What has worked for me to identify new pieces: I committed to listening to three new to me’ pieces every day, mainly from music found on the internet: music on forums such as this one, music found by listening to s pianist I enjoy snd poking around to see what else they have played, searching for music by genre, composer or musical period,

Just exploring a little has netted over 200 pieces on my ‘need to learn’ list. More than enough for a lifetime- snd my list still grows. Because I chose the pieces, it is not someone else’s opinion of what I might like to play. .. but all mine.

I agree with nightwindsonata, this is a very useful exercise. I do this myself. IMO YouTube recommends helps a lot with discovering new composers. I’ve found so many mid 20th century gems through yt. I have a “wishlist” google doc with pieces I NEED to learn at some point. I also have a “exceptional and favorite recordings” google doc with my favorite recordings of my “wishlist” pieces or pieces I just really like. Whenever I’m learning a piece, I like to listen to a lot of different pianists play it with interpretations on the complete opposite of the spectrum of recordings and I feel that really helps with creating my own interpretation and developing my creativity.

I think thepianolad would definitely benefit from dogperson’s advice.

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dogperson

Sr. Member
Posts: 1559

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #13 on: August 09, 2021, 09:52:04 AM

I’m glad others found my post regarding finding new pieces useful, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out a wonderful resource for new music— the posts of music by Visitor here on Piano Street. Do yourself a favor and listen to the music he has suggested ( you can use the forum member search function to see all of his posts). I have found a number of pieces for my lists based on his posts.

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visitor

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 5294

Re: What piece should I learn next?

Reply #14 on: August 30, 2021, 01:24:20 PM

Quote from: dogperson on August 09, 2021, 09:52:04 AM

I’m glad others found my post regarding finding new pieces useful, I would be remiss if I didn’t point out a wonderful resource for new music— the posts of music by Visitor here on Piano Street. Do yourself a favor and listen to the music he has suggested ( you can use the forum member search function to see all of his posts). I have found a number of pieces for my lists based on his posts.

we aim to please ! Lol
Here's a neat one
Tatyana Stankivich (born 1975, Italy based but Ukrainian )

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