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Topic: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ? (Read 3040 times)

franks66

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Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

on: April 12, 2023, 02:03:47 PM

Hello everyone

I'm a piano teacher from Germany and new to the forum

I'm looking for passionate or ferocious piano pieces, that are not too long.
Just a few examples:

Chopin Etudes op 10,4 op 10,12 op 25,12
Rachmaninoff Prelude op 23,7
Scriabin op 8,12
Liszt Etude transcendentale Nr 10 f-moll (not sure how far i can get with this one...)

These pieces represent my technical level also pretty well.
During my time at univercity i played stuff like 1. Tchaikovsky concerto, 3. Beethoven concerto,
4. Scriabin sonata at public performance level.
Then i neglected my classical piano playing for decades due to teaching and performing Musicals.

Recently i started over again, but my technique is a bit rusted...
Something like Scriabin op 42,5 or Rachmaninoff Etudes tableaux 39 (5+6) is out of my reach.
I might try Chopin op 25,11 but that would give me quiet a challenge.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance, Frank

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danesi

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Re: Suggestions for passionate piano pieces

Reply #1 on: April 12, 2023, 05:47:51 PM

A good Liebestraum no. 3 can be better than a sloppy Winter Wind. Rachmaninoff generally has passionate works, so you could search around his catalogue for a while, I guess. If you are looking for a concerto, Grieg and Schumann are good for an easy but passionate playing, and if you want a challenge, maybe try the Brahms Piano Concerto.
Cheers, Danesi

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franks66

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #2 on: April 12, 2023, 07:14:14 PM

Thanks.
Liebestraum 3 could be an option.

Concertos...i don't think so.
The Liszt Etude i mentioned would be the maximum length.

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thorn

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #3 on: April 13, 2023, 05:44:28 PM

Lyapunov's Transcendental Etude 10 isn't quite as demanding as Liszt's (in my view anyway) but the same character- it's after the same folk dance Balakirev uses in Islamey. It's a little longer though (c.7 mins), I don't know how much of a deal breaker that would be.

If you like Scriabin maybe look at some Preludes like op.11/14. Or the first movement of Sonata 3 if you're not necessarily after a complete work.

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franks66

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #4 on: April 14, 2023, 06:31:06 AM

Thanks for the interesting input.
But...are you sure that the Lyapunov thingy is less difficult than the Liszt Etude ?
To me it seems even harder. But maybe that's just me, Liszt suits me quite well.

Scriabin 3rd sonata...oh man how i love that piece.
I think i can't do the 1st movement without feeling urged to do the rest.
But i see no way to master the left hand of the 4th movement.

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lelle

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #5 on: April 14, 2023, 08:20:25 AM

Chopin Preludes Op. 28 - various, look through the opus and see what fits the bill and your technical level
Have a look at the Chopin Polonaises as well, the 1st, 5th or 6th might fit.

Moonlight sonata is longer than your requirements, but third movement is passionate and should be within your technical level.

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thorn

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #6 on: April 14, 2023, 11:28:16 AM

Quote from: franks66 on April 14, 2023, 06:31:06 AM

Thanks for the interesting input.
But...are you sure that the Lyapunov thingy is less difficult than the Liszt Etude ?
To me it seems even harder. But maybe that's just me, Liszt suits me quite well.

Scriabin 3rd sonata...oh man how i love that piece.
I think i can't do the 1st movement without feeling urged to do the rest.
But i see no way to master the left hand of the 4th movement.

If the Liszt suits you better then stick with that one. I haven't personally played Liszt's 10th so maybe I overestimated it!

I also love Scriabin's 3rd (I don't play it yet). I think most pianists play the simplified version of the 4th movement left hand.

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franks66

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #7 on: April 15, 2023, 06:30:29 AM

Quote from: lelle on April 14, 2023, 08:20:25 AM

Chopin Preludes Op. 28 - various, look through the opus and see what fits the bill and your technical level
Have a look at the Chopin Polonaises as well, the 1st, 5th or 6th might fit.

Moonlight sonata is longer than your requirements, but third movement is passionate and should be within your technical level.

Thanks for the ideas.
Will check the preludes. I know there are some that will fit.

Moonlight 3rd (perfect match) and 1st Chopin Polonaise are already in my fingers.
3rd movement of Beethovens Tempest could be an option too.
But other than those two (and op 57 and op 13) there a not too much options concerning Beethoven
for really passionate pieces. I expected more.

The Chopin Polonaises 5 and 6 don't reallly match the style i'm looking for.

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lelle

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #8 on: April 16, 2023, 09:18:41 PM

Quote from: franks66 on April 15, 2023, 06:30:29 AM

Thanks for the ideas.
Will check the preludes. I know there are some that will fit.

Moonlight 3rd (perfect match) and 1st Chopin Polonaise are already in my fingers.
3rd movement of Beethovens Tempest could be an option too.
But other than those two (and op 57 and op 13) there a not too much options concerning Beethoven
for really passionate pieces. I expected more.

The Chopin Polonaises 5 and 6 don't reallly match the style i'm looking for.

Then I agree with Tempest third movement, and the first movement is quite passionate too, check it out. Another suggestion could be the final movement of Op. 2 no 1.

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rubens99

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #9 on: April 16, 2023, 09:35:45 PM

What about Rachmaninoff Moment Musicaux, no.4?

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franks66

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #10 on: April 17, 2023, 06:29:19 AM

Quote from: rubens99 on April 16, 2023, 09:35:45 PM

What about Rachmaninoff Moment Musicaux, no.4?

Cool, thanks. Perfect match stylewise.
Will need some workout though, especially my left hand.
Then again...i still have the knowledge how to tackle the technical aspects, just lacking endurance...a lot...

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franks66

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #11 on: April 17, 2023, 10:15:02 AM

Quote from: lelle on April 16, 2023, 09:18:41 PM

Another suggestion could be the final movement of Op. 2 no 1.

That's a great movement. Played it in my teens. Somehow i forgot about it.
Thanks

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anacrusis

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #12 on: April 20, 2023, 01:04:25 PM

What about the famous Rachmaninoff Prelude in c sharp minor? It's not very difficult but sounds very passionate and impressive.

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franks66

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #13 on: April 20, 2023, 04:23:40 PM

Quote from: anacrusis on April 20, 2023, 01:04:25 PM

What about the famous Rachmaninoff Prelude in c sharp minor? It's not very difficult but sounds very passionate and impressive.

Good match. And already in my repertoire. Along with the g-minor op 23,5
Thanks anyway

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etudediabolo

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #14 on: June 16, 2023, 09:31:50 AM

Hallo
Rachmaninoff prelude in b minor (not sure about the op.) conveys a sense of absolute turmoil in the middle. It starts with a sad theme in the beginning, and reaches its stormy climax, only to fall back to its tragic first melody. At the end it retains vestiges of jazz. I've never played it, but I'd say earlier advanced if you are good it interpreting Rachmaninow. (If not different story..)

Pete

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lelle

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #15 on: June 16, 2023, 12:11:53 PM

Quote from: etudediabolo on June 16, 2023, 09:31:50 AM

Hallo
Rachmaninoff prelude in b minor (not sure about the op.) conveys a sense of absolute turmoil in the middle. It starts with a sad theme in the beginning, and reaches its stormy climax, only to fall back to its tragic first melody. At the end it retains vestiges of jazz. I've never played it, but I'd say earlier advanced if you are good it interpreting Rachmaninow. (If not different story..)

Pete

Good suggestion. Rachmaninoff often goes for these kinds of grand, passionate compositions, so he is a good composer to turn to in general if you are looking for something like that.

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sempre_piano

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #16 on: June 16, 2023, 05:14:00 PM

Schumann
- Allegro op. 8
- Kreisleriana
Debussy
- Etudes
Chopin
- Rondo A la Mazur
Amy Beach
- Fireflies
Brahms
- Hungarian Dances (for Solo Piano)

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bwl_13

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #17 on: June 16, 2023, 09:46:52 PM

The Rachmaninoff Op. 16 No. 4 is quite doable! Rachmaninoff's pianism is very nice and the piece is quite forgiving in live performance so long as you hit the melody notes, a few slips in the innards will go unnoticed (and those innards are written very intuitively if you do hit the melody notes, so it reinforces itself). You probably won't play it at the notated 104, but even at 96 or 92 it's a very rewarding piece.

Beethoven has a lot of passionate music I think. It's just a matter of what you would play coming right back to the piano. The late Op. 110 or 109 are quite passionate, although maybe they're not present enough to be described as such. They seem to be observing rather than indulging in emotion.

Another great pick is Suk's Op. 22a No. 5. Gorgeous piece and not too ridiculous in terms of technique. It reminds me of what I wish Liszt was sometimes (in the pieces where a beautiful melody is blown a little too large out of proportion... sometimes less is more).

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Second Year Undergrad:
Bach BWV 914
Beethoven Op. 58
Reger Op. 24 No. 5
Rachmaninoff Op. 39 No. 3 & No. 5

piabanoch

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #18 on: November 12, 2023, 08:34:42 PM

rach moment musicaux n 4

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pianistavt

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Re: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ?

Reply #19 on: November 13, 2023, 05:58:30 PM

Quote from: franks66 on April 12, 2023, 02:03:47 PM

Something like Scriabin op 42,5 or Rachmaninoff Etudes tableaux 39 (5+6) is out of my reach.
I might try Chopin op 25,11 but that would give me quiet a challenge.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance, Frank

Having been at conservatory at an advanced level, and from your comments, you're clearly familiar with all the Chopin preludes and etudes (and I'm sure you can handle 25/11), Scriabin preludes and etudes, Rachmaninoff preludes and etudes... and much more of the repertoire ... If you're looking for new ideas, perhaps consider other composers...
Here's a new idea: why don't you tackle Prokofiev's Suggestion Diabolique? Passionate beyond passionate.

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The great early 20th-century composer Alexander Scriabin left us 74 published opuses, and several unpublished manuscripts, mainly from his teenage years – when he would never go to bed without first putting a copy of Chopin’s music under his pillow. All of these scores (220 pieces in total) can now be found on Piano Street’s Scriabin page. Read more

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Topic: Any suggestions for passionate piano pieces ? (Read 3040 times)

Piano Street Magazine:Poems of Ecstasy – Scriabin’s Complete Piano Works Now on Piano Street

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Poems of Ecstasy – Scriabin’s Complete Piano Works Now on Piano Street