What are your favorite piano pieces 1895-1945?

[pianistavt]

After 1895 we get into a very creative era of composition, interested to hear your favorite solo piano pieces from then until about 1945, when a new era begins.  We're officially excluding Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Ravel because these composers would dominate the list and certain pieces would be very repetitious.  Scriabin is being included - a few of his pieces are recorded/performed frequently but there are many that are not...

[lelle]

Hard to rank but,

Scriabin sonata 2
Scriabin sonata 5
Prokofiev sonata 4
Prokofiev sonata 7

[transitional]

Unfortunately this excludes some of my favorite Prokofiev sonatas.

1. Shostakovich Sonata 2
2. Prokofiev Sonata 5 (1st version because the 1947 version is 2 years too late)
3. Scriabin Valse Op. 38
4. Schnabel Piano Sonata

I haven't listened to much from this period, so it's subject to change a lot.

[klavikord]

Well, Scriabin is amazing.  From the op 11 Preludes(published a little after 1895 I think), to the op 74 preludes, you have lots to love. 

I also am a bit of Medtnerian.  Forgotten Melodies Book 1 and 2 as sets are indispensable for me.  I also dearly love the G minor sonata and many Skazki. 

Hindemith's Ludus Tonalis was composed at just the end of this allotted time period and for me is also an important work.  The Shostakovich Prelude and Fugues I like even more, but they come just after.  However young Shostakovich wrote those 3 fantastic dances which I like. 

As for Schoenberg, I really like his op 19 set of miniatures.  Op 25 I also find interesting, but with most of his music I feel like I'd want to play it myself to understand it.

Faure actually lived quite long and wrote some beautiful haunting and strange late Barcarolles and Nocturnes in the first two decades of the 20th century.  Barcarolle 9 and Nocturne 13 are particular favorites of mine.

I have liked a lot of Poulenc I've heard but can't listen specific pieces. 

[flyusx]

Top 3: Prokofiev sonatas 1, 4, 6.
Top 5: Add Schoenberg Op25 and Prokofiev Toccata.
I love it when Horowitz slams into those bass notes in the Toccata (1950s recording).

[thorn]

It's Russian composers that will dominate the list, as we are seeing, moreso than Debussy and Ravel. It would have been more interesting to exclude those (as much as I love Scriabin and Prokofiev in particular!)

It's hard to pick individual pieces, let alone rank them, because this is my favourite musical period. In no particular order:
- Szymanowski's Masques (plenty of people have picked multi-movement Sonatas so I'm picking the whole work!)
- Albeniz El Albaicin and Jerez from Iberia
- Granados Los Requiebros from Goyescas
- Bartok Out of Doors (again picking the whole work)
- Messiaen L'Esprit de joie and Le baiser de l'Enfant-Jésus from Vingt Regards (1944, just about fits!)

I guess Szymanowski is top because he's my favourite of all those composers. I love Iberia but less so other Albeniz works so a fair 2nd. The other 3 change all the time because I listen to music from this period more than any other eras so discover new pieces all the time!

[brogers70]

I like Janacek quite a bit. On an Overgrown Path, In the Mists, and his Piano Sonata were all written in the period you mention.

[pianistavt]

Unfortunately this excludes some of my favorite Prokofiev sonatas - sonata 5 - because the 1947 version is 2 years too late.

Notice it says "... about 1945" in the text - - no harm in stretching that a few years, I would think.
Prokofiev 5th sonata is one of my favorites for over a long period of time, I've finally started working on it.  I listened to the 1st version once maybe, many years ago, it seems the later version is the one that's always performed.

[transitional]

Notice it says "... about 1945" in the text - - no harm in stretching that a few years, I would think.
Prokofiev 5th sonata is one of my favorites for over a long period of time, I've finally started working on it.  I listened to the 1st version once maybe, many years ago, it seems the later version is the one that's always performed.

Well there's not too much difference between both versions, but it was worth mentioning. The other Prokofiev sonata I wanted to mention was #9.

[pianistavt]

4. Schnabel Piano Sonata

I didn't realize Schnabel composed.  I see this sonata is 28 minutes!  What do you like about it?  Any particular favorite movements?  I'm starting to listen to it but has a very dense texture.

[transitional]

I didn't realize Schnabel composed.  I see this sonata is 28 minutes!  What do you like about it?  Any particular favorite movements?  I'm starting to listen to it but has a very dense texture.

He's my favorite pianist and this piece really exemplifies his ideas of music - don't create too much interest, just hold things back a little bit and let the music speak. And what a great job it really does - feels like held back serialism, which makes it all the more astonishing to listen to.

[camir1979]

It's refreshing to explore lesser-known pieces and composers beyond the commonly celebrated ones like Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Ravel.

[pianistavt]

I also am a bit of Medtnerian.  Forgotten Melodies Book 1 and 2 as sets are indispensable for me.  I also dearly love the G minor sonata and many Skazki. 

Not sure I comprehend the Forgotten Melodies books - each one includes a sonata and some dances?
How do they work as a set?  What was Medtner's intention?
Agreed, Medtner, wrote some beautiful music, not as quickly accessible as Rachmaninoff, and tbh his handling of form could have been more carefully thought through.. he tends to meander.  I think Rachmaninoff was more successful because he communicates a dramatic narrative more clearly and succinctly.
... we could create a post about comparing the two..

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Petrushka mvt. 1
Petrushka mvt. 2
Petrushka mvt. 3
 

[yoshi0813]

Some variety, but I have a particular liking for ravel:
1. Ravel miroirs, LH concerto, probably ondine from gaspard de la nuit (I've never been very interested in scarbo)
2. Medtner Sonata Reminiscenza and Tragica (Forgotten melodies)
3. Scriabin fantasy, sonatas 2/4/5 (can't choose!)
4. Prokofiev Sonata 6

I should probably listen to some more Scriabin sonatas- anyone have any recommendations other than nos. 2,4,5?

[thorn]

I should probably listen to some more Scriabin sonatas- anyone have any recommendations other than nos. 2,4,5?

If you prefer the early Scriabin sonatas have you not listened to 3?

For late ones no.6 is a similar sound world to Gaspard (the fear theme is like one of Scarbo's and the recap of the second subject wouldn't be out of place in Ondine). 7 and 8 are his best but the most complex/experimental, 9 and 10 are the most famous of the late ones so definitely give those a listen.

[pianistavt]

If you prefer the early Scriabin sonatas have you not listened to 3?

For late ones no.6 is a similar sound world to Gaspard (the fear theme is like one of Scarbo's and the recap of the second subject wouldn't be out of place in Ondine). 7 and 8 are his best but the most complex/experimental, 9 and 10 are the most famous of the late ones so definitely give those a listen.

So listen to all the others except #1? 
 

[pianistavt]

1. Ravel miroirs, LH concerto, probably ondine from gaspard de la nuit (I've never been very interested in scarbo)

You didn't ready the first post - -
 

[thorn]

So listen to all the others except #1? 
 

Lol I'm not much of an early Scriabin person, like everything he was trying to do Rachmaninoff did better. He really came into his own from Sonata 5/Poem of Ecstasy onwards imo.

(No disrespect intended, Scriabin is one of my favourite composers. I say the same about Debussy who is my #1 top composer- he blossomed in orchestral writing (afternoon of a faun) a few years before his piano music got interesting (Estampes/Images 1)