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Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

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Topic: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions (Read 2559 times)

virtuoso_pianist

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Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

on: June 23, 2022, 08:14:23 AM

Hello there! I have a piano competition in August and I have to learn a Chopin major work for one of the sections I am competing in. I was thinking of learning maybe the F-sharp minor polonaise or the Scherzo no. 1. Or if any of you have any other suggestions, than please let me know😀 Thanks so much!

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adariation

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Posts: 21

Re: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

Reply #1 on: June 25, 2022, 05:17:16 PM

Could you give some context on your current repertoire so I can recommend something

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hmoll53

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Posts: 52

Re: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

Reply #2 on: June 27, 2022, 05:19:47 PM

With Chopin who despite all the technical difficulties is terribly overplayed, it's best to choose a large work or an Etude.
Chopin is great and all, but it's difficult to stand out because everyone plays Chopin in competitions, making the standard bar very high. Though if you can handle him very well, then go right ahead.
Any large Chopin work is practically impressive enough IF PLAYED WELL, any of the Ballades (4th is very impressive if played well, though in my experience the texture sometimes is very dense), Scherzi (The 3rd and 4th are the more difficult ones), Polonaise (The Big 3 Op.44, Op.53, Op.61 are all difficult, Op.40 is not recommended), and Sonatas (No.3 is the most difficult thing Chopin wrote imo) will work very fine. Though all of the works mentioned above are very overplayed. For less often played large works, there is the F Minor Fantasy, F-Sharp Major Barcarolle, Allegro de Concert and the 3rd Impromptu. Any Etude except for Trois Nouvelles and Op.10 No.3, 6, 9 and Op.25 No.2 should work fine as well.

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Some Current Repertoire:
Scriabin: Sonatas 2,4 and 5
Chopin: Ballade 1,4, Scherzo 1
Rachmaninoff: Concerto 3
Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit
Barber: Sonata
Beethoven: Appassionata

virtuoso_pianist

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 8

Re: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

Reply #3 on: October 25, 2022, 12:24:19 AM

Hello there, thanks for all the great suggestions! I should have said what rep I am already learning (whoops) - Beethoven Waldstein sonata, rach etude op. 39 no. 9), Schumann sonata no. 1

Anyways, I ended up going with the Scherzo no. 4 for the competition - and it helped me place 2nd! Many thanks for the help!
Oscar

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adariation

PS Silver Member
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Posts: 21

Re: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

Reply #4 on: October 26, 2022, 07:05:49 AM

Congrats

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krncandi

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Posts: 27

Re: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

Reply #5 on: October 28, 2022, 04:19:02 AM

The Scherzo is a great piece to perform. The Ballade no. 4 is a fantastic work to learn and perform too... but it's very very technically difficult. I don't recommend the 1st Ballade as that is very overplayed and it'll be forgettable. His 3 piano sonatas are fantastic criminally underplayed works that are all difficult.

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symphonicdance

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Posts: 336

Re: Which Chopin piano piece to learn for competitions

Reply #6 on: October 30, 2022, 02:11:03 PM

Quote from: virtuoso_pianist on October 25, 2022, 12:24:19 AM

Hello there, thanks for all the great suggestions! I should have said what rep I am already learning (whoops) - Beethoven Waldstein sonata, rach etude op. 39 no. 9), Schumann sonata no. 1

Anyways, I ended up going with the Scherzo no. 4 for the competition - and it helped me place 2nd! Many thanks for the help!
Oscar

Congratulations!

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