Piano repertoire suggestions

[jasyk13]

Hi everyone,

I'm a moderately advanced pianist looking for new pieces to add to my repertoire. From more advanced works, I can play Chopin's Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 No. 1 and Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1, Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, and Sibelius' Étude in A minor, Op. 76 No. 2. I perform these pieces at a good level—at least that’s what I hear from those around me. However, I personally feel there’s still a lot of work to be done on them, as I focus a lot on interpretation rather than just playing the notes.

I'm now searching for new pieces to work on. I really love works like Chopin’s Sonata No. 2 and Piano Concerto in E minor, as well as Scriabin’s Fantasie in B minor and Sonata No. 2, but they seem quite challenging for my current level. Do you think it's worth trying to work on them, or should I build up my skills with something else first?

Do you have any recommendations for similar pieces that might be more accessible but still emotionally deep and expressive?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[brogers70]

I'd say that any of the late Brahms short piano pieces any where in Opus 116-119 would fit the bill. Not easy, but not super virtuosic either, and very emotionally deep. Opus 119 #1, the b minor Intermezzo, for example, feels like it holds a whole lifetime of love, loss, nostalgia, and resignation in just about 3 minutes of music. And almost all of the others are similarly deep.

[dizzyfingers]

In addition to the Brahms, you might look at the Schubert Impromptus.  There are two sets of 4 each.

You can browse them easily here, and this site assigns a difficulty rating.

https://www.pianolibrary.org/composers/schubert/impromptus-899/

https://www.pianolibrary.org/composers/schubert/impromptus-935/

[essence]

Scriabin's Fantasy is very advanced. First movement of Sonata 2 you would enjoy, but the last movement makes my LH drop off. Soon after my RH drops off.