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Topic: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions (Read 7772 times)

bach-busoni chaconne

PS Silver Member
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Posts: 23

Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

on: November 22, 2025, 11:01:05 AM

Hi everyone,
My piano teacher told me that pieces like Ballade No. 1 and most of Chopin's mazurkas aren't good choices for competitions due to varying interpretations. However, he told me I can use pieces like Scherzo No. 4 in comps.
I wonder which Chopin pieces are good/suitable for competitions? For example, for the following list, which are good competition pieces and why/why not? Comments on all Chopin pieces are of course welcome as well. Thanks for letting me know!

List:
-Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60
-Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 38
-Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
-Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54
-Berceuse in D-flat major, Op. 57

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2026 Goal:
Bach-Busoni: Chaconne in D Minor, BWV 1004
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55
Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53
Stravinsky: Trois Mouvements de "Pétrouchka" / Stravinsky-Agosti: Firebird

thorn

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 978

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #1 on: November 22, 2025, 12:25:49 PM

It depends on the competition. I played the Berceuse in a district competition many years ago (and won) but wouldn't have thought it suitable for a larger competition (not technically/musically substantial enough).

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lelle

PS Gold Member
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Posts: 2678

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #2 on: November 22, 2025, 01:49:01 PM

I think the first ballade is a bit of a special case because many pianists have such strong and differing opinions on how to interpret that piece.

But it depends on the competition. I can think of many smaller / more local competitions where you could play the first ballade no problem.

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bach-busoni chaconne

PS Silver Member
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Posts: 23

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #3 on: November 22, 2025, 02:06:12 PM

Any thoughts on the barcarolle?

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2026 Goal:
Bach-Busoni: Chaconne in D Minor, BWV 1004
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55
Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 53
Stravinsky: Trois Mouvements de "Pétrouchka" / Stravinsky-Agosti: Firebird

lelle

PS Gold Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2678

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #4 on: November 24, 2025, 11:23:05 AM

It's certainly an option.

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lambosoa

PS Silver Member
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Posts: 8

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #5 on: February 16, 2026, 03:47:37 PM

Fantaisie in F minor?

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liszt-and-the-galops

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2633

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #6 on: February 16, 2026, 04:04:02 PM

Op. 2 Variations
Op. 4 Sonata no. 1
Op. 10 Etudes
Op. 10 no. 1
Op. 10 no. 2
Op. 10 no. 4
Op. 10 no. 7
Possibly Op. 10 no. 8 and Op. 10 no. 10
Op. 22 Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante
Op. 23 Ballade no. 1
Op. 25 Etudes
Op. 25 no. 4
Op. 25 no. 6
Op. 25 no. 8
Possibly Op. 25 no. 10
Op. 25 no. 11
Possibly Op. 25 no. 12
Some of the Op. 28 Preludes (e.g. no. 16)
Op. 35 Sonata no. 2
Op. 38 Ballade no. 2
Op. 46 Allegro de Concert
Op. 52 Ballade no. 4
Op. 58 Sonata no. 3
Op. 61 Polonaise-Fantaisie

The bolded ones would probably be the best competition pieces among these.

Hope this helps! :)

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Amateur pianist, beginning composer, creator of the Musical Madness tournament (2024-26).
https://www.youtube.com/@Liszt-and-the-Galops
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rachmaninoff_forever

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 5152

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #7 on: February 17, 2026, 03:51:12 PM

[/quote]

You find out who’s on the jury and try to sound like them lol

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Live large, die large. Leave a giant coffin.

quantum

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 6303

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #8 on: February 17, 2026, 11:13:56 PM

Quote from: rachmaninoff_forever on February 17, 2026, 03:51:12 PM

You find out who’s on the jury and try to sound like them lol

Do this.

In all seriousness, juries are subjective in their opinions. If you use a competition to make an individual artistic statement, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. There is a time to share ones personal musical ideas, competition is not that time.

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Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

anacrusis

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Sr. Member
Posts: 843

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #9 on: February 19, 2026, 12:34:21 PM

Quote from: lambosoa on February 16, 2026, 03:47:37 PM

Fantaisie in F minor?

It's a very difficult piece to play well. If you can pull it off, sure.

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lambosoa

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 8

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #10 on: February 25, 2026, 03:44:14 PM

Quote from: anacrusis on February 19, 2026, 12:34:21 PM

It's a very difficult piece to play well. If you can pull it off, sure.

Quite long too. Perhaps not a very wise choice when I think about it.

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dizzyfingers

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 599

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #11 on: February 25, 2026, 05:25:57 PM

Quote from: bach-busoni chaconne on November 22, 2025, 11:01:05 AM

List:
-Barcarolle in F-sharp major, Op. 60
-Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 38
-Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
-Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54
-Berceuse in D-flat major, Op. 57

Not sure you're still following this post, or if the decision has already been made, but here's my two cents:

I don't see why the other 3 scherzi are not on here. They're all difficult and contrast virtuosic technique with lyrical passages.
Berceuse is too short / easy a piece.
I would include the Fantasy in f. Don't worry about too long. If you can master it, list it.
Polonaise in f# could be a candidate.

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the_franzliszt

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 94

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #12 on: February 27, 2026, 02:41:55 AM

I'm usually against competitions in general as Piano is an Art form and should be studied and preserved as one, not really a sport. But if you're doing maybe a state or national competition, I do think judges are very subjective to their own interpretations or opinions on how the composition should be played. This happened to me at Solo and Ensemble unfortunately my sophomore year of high school and haven't been part of anything like since.

Here's my reccomendations in terms of Chopin,

Anyone his Scherzo (1st is overplayed though)
Ballade 4 (If you're at that level)
Bolero (Extremely underrated and underplayed)
Nocturne in C minor Op. 48 No. 1 (Classic and manageable)
Fantasie in F minor (longer but rewarding)
Also some of his tougher comp. worthy Etudes Op.10/25

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dnak441

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 21

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #13 on: March 01, 2026, 12:44:59 AM

Depends on the competition. One Chopin piece that would work at any competition is the Op. 2 Variations. Some competitions would not accept a Ballade or Scherzo as a single major work. The second or third sonata would be appropriate. The harder etudes are very commonly seen at preliminary rounds, and some brave pianists play entire opuses of etudes in second rounds.

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Currently working on:
Beethoven Waldstein Sonata
Beethoven Concerto No. 3
Bach French Suite No. 3
Chopin Etudes Op. 10
Chopin Ballade No. 4
Mozart Concerto No. 23

liszt-and-the-galops

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2633

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #14 on: March 01, 2026, 12:55:23 AM

Why has no one mentioned the Allegro de Concert? IMO it's one of Chopin's 3-6 most difficult pieces, on par with Ballade no. 4 on Op. 2.

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Amateur pianist, beginning composer, creator of the Musical Madness tournament (2024-26).
https://www.youtube.com/@Liszt-and-the-Galops
https://sites.google.com/view/musicalmadness-ps/home (Site OoD)

russmpiano

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 23

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #15 on: March 01, 2026, 02:34:52 AM

What about all of Op. 28 Preludes?

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Current Repertoire
BACH - French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817, I. Allemande
GRIEG - March of the Dwarfs, Op. 54, No. 4
HAYDN - Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:37, I. Allegro con brio

the_franzliszt

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 94

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #16 on: March 01, 2026, 02:49:49 AM

Quote from: russmpiano on March 01, 2026, 02:34:52 AM

What about all of Op. 28 Preludes?

I mean, you could, but I don't think I've seen somebody play all 24 as a single set. Chopin Competition only requires a select number of them which you can choose in blocks.
I personally wouldn't, even though I do love them.

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russmpiano

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 23

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #17 on: March 01, 2026, 04:10:55 AM

The Chopin Competition offers the full set and I believe it was performed by Yulianna Avdeeva the year she won. Depending on the size of the competition, it may not be viable though. Still an awesome set of pieces.

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Current Repertoire
BACH - French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817, I. Allemande
GRIEG - March of the Dwarfs, Op. 54, No. 4
HAYDN - Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:37, I. Allegro con brio

dnak441

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 21

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #18 on: March 01, 2026, 07:14:22 PM

Quote from: the_franzliszt on March 01, 2026, 02:49:49 AM

I mean, you could, but I don't think I've seen somebody play all 24 as a single set. Chopin Competition only requires a select number of them which you can choose in blocks.
I personally wouldn't, even though I do love them.

Funny, a pianist just played them as a complete set yesterday for the Lubljana international competition.

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Currently working on:
Beethoven Waldstein Sonata
Beethoven Concerto No. 3
Bach French Suite No. 3
Chopin Etudes Op. 10
Chopin Ballade No. 4
Mozart Concerto No. 23

the_franzliszt

PS Silver Member
Jr. Member
Posts: 94

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #19 on: March 01, 2026, 07:27:17 PM

Quote from: dnak441 on March 01, 2026, 07:14:22 PM

Funny, a pianist just played them as a complete set yesterday for the Lubljana international competition.

As I said, I've never seen somebody do it, and I personally wouldn't. But I know pianist have done it.

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koseii

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 1

Re: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions

Reply #20 on: March 02, 2026, 06:59:15 AM

Even when it feels like failure is imminent, do not dwell on it. Fear is the precursor to courage. Embrace the fear within you, for it is through fear that we uncover our true bravery. Remember, "Don’t think, become."

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Piano Street Magazine:Watch the Chopin Competition 2025 with us!

Topic: Chopin pieces suitable for competitions (Read 7772 times)

Piano Street Magazine:World of Piano Competitions – issue 2 2024

Piano Street Magazine:
Watch the Chopin Competition 2025 with us!

Piano Street Magazine:
World of Piano Competitions – issue 2 2024