Chopin - Ballades vs. Etudes vs. Polonaises vs. Scherzos vs. Impromptus vs...

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Between Chopin's Ballades, Etudes, Polonaises, Nocturnes, Impromptus, Mazurkas, Preludes, Waltzes, and Scherzi, which ones generally sound the best? Which ones are generally hardest?
I'm curious to hear what everyone thinks.

[transitional]

Add Impromptus, Mazurkas, Preludes, and Nocturnes to the list and I'm happy to answer. I've only played several of the easier preludes, the Op. 27 nocturnes, and a couple other easier nocturnes and waltzes, so I don't know if I'm qualified to answer, but I'll try.

Ballades - favorite: No. 3, easiest: No. 3, hardest: No. 4

Etudes - favorite: Op. 25 No. 5 "Wrong Note", easiest: Nouvelles Etudes No. 2, hardest: Op. 10 No. 2 "Chromatic"

Polonaises - favorite: No. 53 "Heroic", easiest: there's many easy posthumous ones, but my guess is B-flat major KK IVa/1 B.3, hardest: Op. 61 looks to be lots of repetition and interpretation, so probably Op. 22 Grande Polonaise Brillante

Scherzi - favorite: No. 4, easiest: No. 1, hardest: No. 4

Impromptus - favorite: No. 3, easiest: No. 2, hardest: people are going to hate me for saying this, but No. 4 Fantaisie Impromptu

Mazurkas - favorite: Op. 56 No. 1, easiest: can't decide from any of the posthumous ones, hardest: Op. 56 No. 3

Preludes - favorite: Op. 28 No. 17, easiest: Op. 28 No. 7, hardest: Op. 28 No. 24

Nocturnes - favorite: Op. 37 No. 2, easiest: Op. 15 No. 3, hardest: Op. 15 No. 2

[liszt-and-the-galops]

Personally...
Ballades
Favorite: #1
Easiest: #3
Hardest: #4

Etudes
Favorite: tie between 10/1, 25/3, 25/6, 25/9, and 25/10
Easiest: One of the Trois Nouvelles; haven't heard #3 so can't say here
Hardest: 25/6

Polonaises
Favorite: Heroic
Easiest: Haven't heard all of them
Hardest: I believe Traum when he says the Military Polonaise

Scherzi
Favorite: #2
Easiest: #1
Hardest: #4

Nocturnes
Favorite: 27/2
Easiest: Don't know
Hardest: 48/1 imo

Impromptus
Favorite: Fantaisie
Easiest: #2
Hardest: I don't hate you for this, because I also think Fantaisie-Impromptu

Haven't heard a single Mazurka
Heard only 2 of the Preludes and didn't like either.
Haven't heard enough of the Waltzes to form an opinion

[transitional]

Oh yeah, I forgot the piano sonatas and waltzes.

Waltzes - favorite: Op. 42, easiest: A Minor Sostenuto waltz, hardest: Op. 42

Piano Sonatas - favorite: No. 3 (but really hard to decide), easiest: No. 2, hardest: No. 3

If you haven't heard a mazurka, I'd listen to Op. 56, Op. 59, and Op. 63. In my opinion those three opera are far more well-developed and mature than the previous mazurkas, and represent the genre well.

[lelle]

Hardest: easy, the Etudes

Sound the best: well this is subjective, my favorites are the Ballades and the Preludes.

I might try to do a more detailed breakdown like you guys later!

[liszt-and-the-galops]

If we're going for general stuff, then I'd say the Ballades are the hardest, then the Etudes.
In terms of how good they are, Etudes overall and Nocturnes on average.

[transitional]

I would say the Ballades are the best, and then the Mazurkas.

[dizzyfingers]

I think many of Chopin's pieces are extraordinary works of art.  No point in making a hierarchy but some thoughts:
The Scherzos (first 3) are great leaps of imagination, conceiving of a brand new sound and an extremely athletic approach to the keyboard.  The etudes of opus 10 are the same - jaw dropping musical/technical concepts for the 1830's.  I think the opus 25 etudes show, comparatively, a bit more of a methodical approach - thirds, sixths, octaves, arpeggios, but nonetheless great music.  I think the Ballades show Chopin at his most serious - painting beautiful and profound landscapes, touching the soul.  With the Polonaises Chopin was adhering to a form, more so than the above, they sound a bit formal and more restrained to me.  Can't omit the Fantasy in f minor, nor the Barcarolle when discussing Chopin's greatest achievements.