Left handed piano music

[melissa]

 I have been playing piano for 11 years now and i am currently in college. Just recently, I fell on my thumb (right hand, and i am right handed) and I sprained/broke something. Drs don't know yet. Anyway, I hava a jury in the middle of may and I was wondering if anyone knew of any left handed pieces or any suggestions as to what i should do. I need all the advice i can get for a piece. Thanks!

[ETH77]

A suggestion would be Liszt's left handed version of the piece Ungarns Gott from his late years - S543bis (listed at https://www.lisztworks.com/catalogue/pianolist-old.shtml along with other piano works by "old liszt").

[Lance Morrison]

Skryabin has his two pieces for left hand alone

[apion]

Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand.

[iumonito]

You cannot do better than learn a few of the Godowsky Studies on Chopin Etudes.  The score is available from your college library, or from Carl Fischer.  Very profitable.

[Awakening]

You cannot do better than learn a few of the Godowsky Studies on Chopin Etudes.  The score is available from your college library, or from Carl Fischer.  Very profitable.

I agree.  Try his left-handed transcription of Op.25/12, that'll really get your left hand working.  It's quite unfortunate that you broke/sprained your wrist, but it's also a great opportunity for you to increase dexterity, strength and endurance in your left hand, which is most likely still not as coordinated as your right (assuming you are right-handed).  Good luck with finding left-handed repertoire, and take this as an opportunity to really increase your proficiency with the left hand--you'll be glad for it later.  If you haven't already learned the revolutionary etude, you could focus on learning all the left hand parts for it and then later, when your wrist is better, adding in the right. 

[musicsdarkangel]

Godowsky?

......ehemm...when it comes to MUSIC, nothing will beat Scriabin's Nocturne.....check it out, beats the heck out of the prelude, and really, pretty much anything else for the left hand.

I hurt my right hand earlier this year, and that piece was my savior.  It is beautiful, and sounds like two hands.

[iumonito]

 

Nothing?

Brahms has a lovely transcription of Bach's Chaconne for left hand alone as well.  I love Scriabin, but if we are looking for higher aesthetic ground, Bach and Brahms get to places where Scriabin has no ticket to get to.

 

[pianowelsh]

Theres a prokofiev concerto too i think no5. The scriabin pieces are really good rep!

[dmk]

Nothing?

Brahms has a lovely transcription of Bach's Chaconne for left hand alone as well.  I love Scriabin, but if we are looking for higher aesthetic ground, Bach and Brahms get to places where Scriabin has no ticket to get to.

 

I agree with you, the Brahms is absolutely beautiful BUT to be learnt for a jury performance by May is a big call, its very long!!!  If you where to learn something by May I would definately go for the Scriabin Prelude and Nocture op 9 I think Alfred's publishes an Edition of this.  The Nocturne is a little harder than the Prelude but its definately worth it. 

You cannot do better than learn a few of the Godowsky Studies on Chopin Etudes. The score is available from your college library, or from Carl Fischer. Very profitable.

I think the same goes for the Godowsky's a big call to be learnt by May, particularly if you have not learnt any LH repertoire before.  Definately something to look forward to!

If you want a big list and description of the LH repertoire you might like to try Piano music for one hand by Theodore Edel, published Bloomington : Indiana University Press c.1994. 

Other nice pieces are the Saint Saens Six Studies for Left Hand Alone op 135 oublished by Masters.  There are some good selections for a jury performance in here.  There is also a lovely Bartok Study for LH published by Kalmus.  It was one of his early compositions, but is also very long.

I have a friend who is heavily into this stuff.....I will take a look at her collection and get back to you!!!!

Good Luck!!

dmk

[iumonito]

I had missed the mid May part, thanks.

I will narrow it down for you a lot.  Two of the Godowsky Studies are entirely within your reach.  The first one is the version for left hand alone of the Moschelles-Fetis etude in F Minor.  It lasts less than two minutes and it's beautifual and easy to play.  You can learn it in a week.

A little harder but also doable is the version for left hand alone of the etude op. 10 #3.  The version is in D Flat major, it is not too fast and it only has about 20 measures that you will need to practice separately.  Lots of rolled chords and a few jumps, but well worth it.

Prokofiev 4th and Ravel concerti are too hard.  No need to look at that.  Good call on the Saint-Saens.  Some are harder than others, but they are worth taking a look.  There is a recording by Leon Fleisher of a few of them.

Another idea.  Learn Bach's solfeggietto with just one hand.  It is easier than anything else that has been suggested here and it flow very nicely.

Finally, there is a slow Aria by Frank Martin, originally for guitar, that is also very nice.

By all means look at the Scriabin.  For what you suggest maybe play just the prelude.  The nocturne may be a little too hard for the time you have.  These two get played separately all the time, no shame in breaking them up.

Good luck and godspeed recovery for your other hand.

[fnork]

Someone mentioned the Bartok study for LH - it's a very good piece I think. Probably quite hard to play in tempo, though. It's very different from Bartoks later music (it's an early composition) I think.

You could also learn chopin op 25/4, and add the right hand later. The right hand is really easy, and in the meantime you could get the left hand up to full speed. It's not a hard etude, but it's very useful.
You could also work on some other chopin etudes that are tricky for the left hand - like the revolutionary, or op 10/9.

And you could learn Godowskys left-hand version of chopins op 10/6 (in Eb minor), a beautiful version of a great piece.


Good luck!

[Skeptopotamus]

Alkan Trois Grandes Etudes No. 1 is for left hand.  or is it number 2?  anyways.... that is a really good and pretty piece.  Probably right at about your level.

[Jake]

Alkan's etude is wonderful, but very difficult.

Blumenfeld's Etude op 36 for Left hand is also great.