First Liszt Etude?!

[robo1001]

I am thinking of being brave and attempting to learn a Liszt Etude but I'm not sure which is best to learn first, as they all seem extremely hard.  Which of Liszt's etudes would you say is the 'easiest' to start off with (even though none of them are what one would call 'easy') ?

[maxy]

Sospiro

[robo1001]

Which set of Liszt's etudes is that from?

[maxy]

Trois études de concert

[pseudopianist]

No 1 and 3 from the TE
or Un Sospiro

[mikeyg]

Really, sospiro?  Pag. Et. no. 5 seems easier than that.

[thierry13]

You feal brave ? Learn La Campanella 

[donjuan]

I also vote for Un sospiro because Liszt was just so brilliant when he dreamed it up.  It fits the hands so comfortably.  This was my first Liszt piece I ever touched. 

good luck with whatever you do.
donjuan

[sharon_f]

Paganini #5 "La Chasse" is definitely the least difficult technically.

[steinwayguy]

You could always go with the age-old "one you like the most". Seriously, why should you care about difficulty?

[robo1001]

You could always go with the age-old "one you like the most". Seriously, why should you care about difficulty?

I'd love to learn 'La Campanella', but i dotn think I've quite got the technical ability to handel it yet.

I really love Un Sospiro as well, but I was reading over the score and the left-hand part looks pretty tricky

[pseudopianist]

I also vote for Un sospiro because Liszt was just so brilliant when he dreamed it up.  It fits the hands so comfortably.   This was my first Liszt piece I ever touched. 

good luck with whatever you do.
donjuan

The first bars that is...  but the rest???

[earthward]

How about Harmonies du soir?

[maxy]

How about Harmonies du soir?

   no...

[mikeyg]

You could always go with the age-old "one you like the most". Seriously, why should you care about difficulty?

You say this now, but whenever someone wants to learn the fantasie impromptue(a much easier piece), everyone has a nervous breakdown.  My personal favorite, in regards to how it sounds, is Chasse-Niege.  However, I wouldn't just pick this up.  I may even learn the Pag Et 1 to prepare me for it.

[jcromp78]

If you want easy to play, Paysage from Transcendental Etudes is the "easiest. If you are talking about a Liszt Etude to play for a challenge then try "Vision" also from the Transcendental Etudes number 6. This is manageable if your technique is pretty well developed and is musically a great piece also.

[anda]

you forgot mazeppa and feux-follets  - next logical step after all i read here...

[robo1001]

  no...

why not?

[anda]

liszt-paganini no. 4 or no 5 - definitely easiest liszt etudes (hmmm, something feels  wrong about the words "easy" and "liszt" in the same sentence...   )

[maxy]

why not?

I find it requires maturity. Not a typical good starting point.  The equilavent could be to start op 109 as a first Beethoven sonata.  Possible but kinda weird.

[maxy]

you forgot mazeppa and feux-follets  - next logical step after all i read here...

true 

[robo1001]

ok, thanks for the help guys, I've started looking at Sospiro now, but find the left hand part a bit tricky, any advice on how to handel the left-hand part?

[musicsdarkangel]

I am thinking of being brave and attempting to learn a Liszt Etude but I'm not sure which is best to learn first, as they all seem extremely hard.  Which of Liszt's etudes would you say is the 'easiest' to start off with (even though none of them are what one would call 'easy') ?

What have you played in the past (not by Liszt)??

I am mastering my first Liszt etude, La Campanella, which IMO is easily one of the hardest.

I enjoy huge challenges though.

[thierry13]

I am mastering my first Liszt etude, La Campanella, which IMO is easily one of the hardest.

One of the hardest, but definitly not THE hardest. I would say Feux-follet is THE hardest etude by liszt. I think everyone agree on this one 

[robo1001]

What have you played in the past (not by Liszt)??

I am mastering my first Liszt etude, La Campanella, which IMO is easily one of the hardest.

I enjoy huge challenges though.

I am curretnly working on Chopin Scherzo no.2, Ballade no.3 and Etudes no.4 & 5, Schubert Impromptu d.899 no.2, Haydn Sonata no.59 in Eb.  The only Liszt I have really done is Liebestraum no.3.

[musicsdarkangel]

One of the hardest, but definitly not THE hardest. I would say Feux-follet is THE hardest etude by liszt. I think everyone agree on this one 

Agreed, which is why I worded it that way.  If I thought that it was the hardest, I would say so.

[musicsdarkangel]

I am curretnly working on Chopin Scherzo no.2, Ballade no.3 and Etudes no.4 & 5, Schubert Impromptu d.899 no.2, Haydn Sonata no.59 in Eb.  The only Liszt I have really done is Liebestraum no.3.

Go for La Campanella.

I think that it would be great for you.

[thierry13]

Go for La Campanella.

I think that it would be great for you.

I agree... definitly learn La Campanella. It is a great piece of music, good competition repertoire and it will definitly increase your skills at piano!

[stefano]

Im doing paganini no.6 and 2. those are......not easy at all.

[robo1001]

Cheers for the advice guys, I've decided to start looking at La Campanella now.  It's such a great piece to play. 

[musicsdarkangel]

I'm glad you like it

remember, the key is to be light pretty much the whole time (even the heavy octaves become loud with pedal).

Be relaxed!  If you aren't, you're not practicing correctly.

It shall do you well.