Which is better? (solo piano or ensembles)

[Celeste]

Which do you think is better; piano played by itself, or piano with an orchestral accompaniment, like a concerto? Personally, I believe that piece just for piano sounds more pleasing. I'm not sure why, it just sounds more pure, or something.

[amee]

I guess it depends on what piece is being played.  An orchestra can certainly make a piece sound much more powerful; but a piano by itself sounds natural and pure as well, like Celeste said.

However in slow, mysterious pieces the orchestra can add a lot of effect with the strings and woodwinds, which really awes me

[chopinetta]

yeah, i agree with amee. although i like trios, quartets, and quintets  too. they sound complete, because sometimes when i play the piano it sounds so dry

(i know there's no connection)

but it doesn't really matter because it depends on the piece. if the piece goes for many instruments and if only the piano is played it would be too dry.

but if the piece is for the piano only then it's up to the pianist, if he'd play beautifully or play like he's experiencing a drought or something...

[amee]

Yes, I totally agree with Chopinetta.  I just love the sound a violin, cello, and piano can make together... trios, quartets, and quintets are lovely.  You get a variety of instruments but not nearly as many of each as you would in a full orchestra.  Hearing trios and quartets always gives me a sense of closeness that I don't feel as much when I listen to an orchestra.

[rachfan]

Celeste, I think a big difference is that when a person is playing a solo piano piece, there is room for things like rubato, gentle nuances, and even a "liberty" or two in interpretation.  In a concerto, not during a piano cadenza but where piano and orchestra are playing together, things are more governed by the conductor's baton, the need to keep things synchronized, and the the struggle sometimes for the piano to be heard.  I think it was Horowitz who used to joke that playing a concerto was simply having to play in time.  But in a way, I don't think he was joking.  He knew all too well that integrating with the orchestra meant sacrificing some of the individuality of the performance, where the purity of sound, as you put it, becomes a concerted sound and, by necessity, strictly in time too.

[Chiyo]

I prefer solo on CD, and concerton as live.

[chopinetta]

i like piano and concerto both live.

it just sounds different when i watch someone play, it seems more beautiful. you can feel all the emotions the artist expresses.

[amee]

I like watching them both live as well.  I feel when I am sitting in the audience, I can feel more of what the pianist is playing then when I'm listening to a CD.

[chopinetta]

there is always a huge gap betwen the recorded and the live. you know how much the artist puts into the piece when it's live.

[BuyBuy]

I think that for a pianist, both experiences are necessary.

I'm preparing the Brahms sonata in F minor for viola and piano with a friend, and sharing the music this way, the dialogue between both instruments is wonderful.

All pianists should try getting opportunities to perform in ensembles.

[amee]

Playing in ensembles is an important skill to have, and can be very different from playing solo.  When playing with another player, you have to communicate much more than if you were playing by yourself.

[dj]

i love listening 2 concertos because there is a ton of dramatic potential.....however, i think that the piano is the one instrument that does sound excellent by itself and i have heard some awesome piano solos, which bye the way u do get some piano solo parts in most ensembles and concertos.