Complex 20th century works reccomendations

[deceased_virtuoso]

So recently I've been getting deeper and deeper into 20th century music. Some of my favorite pieces are Feinberg's 3rd sonata, Godowsky's passacaglia, and Rzewski's variations on the theme of "The People United Will Never Be Defeated." I would like some recommendations for pieces similar to these, complex difficult variation master works, preferably from the 20th century.

[pessimisticpianist]

oh, good question. I've been having the same question for a bit now.

[klavieronin]

Rachmaninoff wrote a couple of nice sets of variations, one on a theme of Chopin's and the other on a theme by Corelli.

[ahinton]

There's no shortage of such works by Sorabji!

[lelle]

Not a variation work but Alban Berg - Piano Sonata, Op. 1 is great.

[visitor]

Jacob Druckman Seven Deadly Sins (variations for piano )

[visitor]

The Passacaglia in g minor , etude no 10 , from Kosenko's 11 etudes in the form of old dances op 19 (c 1927 ish...).
Really needs a both big and higher tier type piano To really make those low register parts of the melody and later variations sonorities pop (ie  model b/c, d, sk7+, sf10 +, etc, a bosey imperial, here tue Forester really does its job exceedingly well)

[visitor]

Ellis Kohs variations on l'homme arme

[visitor]

Victor Babin variations on a theme of Beethoven(1908 to 1972) studied w Schnabel, director of Cleveland institute of music, has brilliant idiomatic writing, var 5 is an homage to Milhaud, closing is a door fugue and coda

[nightwindsonata]

Part meme, part serious piece. A fun and modernist take on the Paganini theme.

[visitor]

Part meme, part serious piece. A fun and modernist take on the Paganini theme.

great pic in the same space Muczynski Desperate Measures  would be a great one too

[ahinton]

An attractive work in a kind of Lutosławski meets jazz meets Rachmaninoff kind of way and the uncredited pianist is Haram Choi (there are other recordings of this out there). Hardly complex, though!

[visitor]

An attractive work in a kind of Lutosławski meets jazz meets Rachmaninoff kind of way and the uncredited pianist is Haram Choi (there are other recordings of this out there). Hardly complex, though!

fair enough and thanks for your impression of them! Always loved Robert's set, yes that pianist is super great and I should have credited
On the topic , again maybe not terribly complex , Ivan Jirko, he did a great set , essentially a set of variations on one of the Brahms Paganini var, I've never found a recording and I want to play them someday , they are featured in Hinsons guide

[kenbakermn]

Alexander Vladigerov's Toccata:

[anacrusis]

Poulenc has a pretty neat set of variations that almost nobody seems to have heard of or play. It's a shame because it's great music:

[thorn]

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, people used to love Kapustin on this forum!

[visitor]

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet, people used to love Kapustin on this forum!

it was my obvious first choice to mention but I felt people were sick of my praising and suggestions if his works given the relative frequencies for which I have done overall lately
It's a great set and I love that's the theme from Stravinskys Bassoon solo from solo from Rite of Spring
Ie

It's possibly my bigger piece after I move on from the etudes of op 40 (currently on 1 2 3 and 8 )

[ahinton]

I have to say that I've yet to see any posts about the topic in this thread...

Best,

Alistair

[visitor]

I have to say that I've yet to see any posts about the topic in this thread...

Best,

Alistair

Ooh snap ☺️
Ok maybe a brave soul can write a set based on this gem
A Hinton op. 49
Off topic but sir this is music is stunning

[ahinton]

Ooh snap ☺️
Ok maybe a brave soul can write a set based on this gem
A Hinton op. 49
Off topic but sir this is music is stunning

You are very kind! Nothing especially complex here, though, methinks...

Best,

Alistair

[fftransform]

The Vingt Regards can also be conceptualized as a set of variations on a few motifs, rather than a theme.  A rec to spotlight:

[kenbakermn]

Copland's "Piano Variations"

[ahinton]

I still await some examples of the topic and have yet to see any, Vingt Regards perhaps being the closest...

Best,

Alistair

[klavieronin]

I still await some examples of the topic and have yet to see any, Vingt Regards perhaps being the closest...

Best,

Alistair

Fine, I say it… Sorabji's Symphonic Variations KSS59
https://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk/compositions/piece.php?pieceid=59

[ahinton]

Fine, I say it… Sorabji's Symphonic Variations KSS59
https://www.sorabji-archive.co.uk/compositions/piece.php?pieceid=59

Well, that one certainly fits the bill! It's currently being typeset and its edition is anticipated for some time next year.

Best,

Alistair

[musicus15]

Ever try one of Ives' Sonatas?

[drvaughn]

I've recently discovered Erwin Schulhoff's Cinq etudes de jazz. The last one is a toccata based on Confrey's "Kitten on the keys." They're not terribly difficult or complicated, but I really like them. Also, Schulhoff is a neglected composer. Tragically, he died in a Nazi prison when he was 48 (1942). I'd love to know what others think of these pieces and Schulhoff in general.

[klavierking]

Ronald Stevenson's "DSCH" comes to mind.