Rachmaninov Preludes: Difficulty

[tabris]

Hi, I'm new to the forum.  I've been reading a lot of different posts about repertoire and I was just wondering about the difficulty of the Rachmaninov preludes.  I'd like some different opinions the ranking of preludes op. 23 and 32 in terms of difficulty.  Also feel free to comment on which ones are your favorites, and not-so-favorites.

Thanks

[porilo]

Personally I find them very mixed.  Some are easier than others.  My favourites, which I can comfortably manage, are Op23/4, 23/5, 23/6, 32/5 and 32/12.  I would say that they are the easier ones from both sets. There are others which I've been working on, for example 23/2 (one of the most dramatic of all) and 32/13 at the moment, and most of the rest I've never attempted, though I hope to do so one day 

Regards,

Gregory

[shasta]

I'm not a "ranker" so I can't help you there.  It miffs me why some people are so concerned/obsessed with ranks...      Play thru a piece and either learn it or don't.

Fav:  Op.23 No.7  <--- absolutely incredible

[musicsdarkangel]

Fav:  Op.23 No.7  <--- absolutely incredible

Yep.

By far, my favorite prelude, by my favorite composer, possibly my favorite piece (next to his 2nd sonata, 3rd concerto, etc.). 


That's how good it is.

[shasta]

Yep.
By far, my favorite prelude, by my favorite composer, possibly my favorite piece (next to his 2nd sonata, 3rd concerto, etc.). 
That's how good it is.

Hey musicsdarkangel, good taste!  I have yet to perform it - - - have you done it?

[Craig]

Hey musicsdarkangel did you get my green chopin book from the practice room?  Thanks a million.

[tabris]

Thanks for the replies.  I was just curious to see what other people thought.  I've worked on a couple but all from op. 23.  I've been learning the second prelude in b-flat major recently.  I haven't done any from op. 32 but I'm interested in some of them.  Hopefully I'll pick them up in the future.

Thanks

[theodopolis]

The 'Return' prelude is the way to go...
Op.32, No.10 in Bm

Greatest Rach prelude of them all.
(and not just in my opinion... )

[thracozaag]

Hi, I'm new to the forum.  I've been reading a lot of different posts about repertoire and I was just wondering about the difficulty of the Rachmaninov preludes.  I'd like some different opinions the ranking of preludes op. 23 and 32 in terms of difficulty.  Also feel free to comment on which ones are your favorites, and not-so-favorites.

Thanks

 Op. 23 #9 is one of the nastiest double-note pieces ever written; almost no one can  really play it.

koji (STSD)

[Dazzer]

I'm not a "ranker" so I can't help you there.  It miffs me why some people are so concerned/obsessed with ranks...       Play thru a piece and either learn it or don't.

Fav:  Op.23 No.7  <--- absolutely incredible

is that CMinor? if it is i've played it. ugh, the right hand kills by the end of it.

i also like the prelude which supposedly involves a parrot (or so i heard, but i suspect he was kidding). Aflat min.

couple of others, but i can't remember them... meh. i play his etudes more than preludes.

oh well.

[nomis]

The 'Return' prelude is the way to go...
Op.32, No.10 in Bm

Greatest Rach prelude of them all.
(and not just in my opinion... )

Rachmaninoff's favourite and Benno Moiseiwitsch's favourite too. Apparently, the both came up with the same name for this piece.

Op. 23 #9 is one of the nastiest double-note pieces ever written; almost no one can really play it.

koji (STSD)

If Koji's saying this (who has fabulous technique) and Mei-Ting Sun said it was pretty difficult (he also has fabulous technique too) then it's probably the hardest.

There are a couple of preludes that have quintuplets (can't remember which) and they do my head in - I can't seem to count to 5 then back to 1 again.

[Bacfokievrahms]

The ones that I've had a look at and tried from easiest to hardest IMO:

Op. 32 no. 5 (learned half of it then decided to leave it for a later time)
Op. 23 no. 5 (finished)
Op. 23 no. 4 (learned all of it except the second section whose fingering i'm too lazy to figure)
Op. 23 no. 2 (learned first two pages, but not at tempo but it wouldn't be too hard for me to get to tempo)
Op. 23 no. 7 (learned first page, solo RH parts are easy but the other parts are annoying).

[jamie0168]

I just started the "Return" Prelude in B minor. It's absolutely beautiful and moving. However, in the middle, it starts to become a challenge. I haven't even begun to work past the first page yet, but I know it will be magnificent once I've completed it. I'd definately recommend this prelude.

[Nightscape]

For the op.23 set, I would rate them like this (from easiest to hardest):

1. Gb Major (no10)
2. f# minor (no1)
3. Eb Major (no6)
4. d minor (no3)
5. D Major (no4)
6. g minor (no5)
7. Ab Major (no8)
8. c minor (no7)
9. Bb Major (no2)
10. eb minor (no9)

Note that this is completely based on technical issues in the pieces for ME, so for you it may be different. The no2 and no9 preludes come close in difficulty.... basically the Bb one is harder to learn and requires a great many more pianistic techniques, whereas the eb minor one is simpler, yet the double note technique required is extraordinary, not to mention treacherous to play.   I can't say much about the op32 set, as I haven't looked through those that much.  But I'm pretty sure they are generally easier than op23 no2 and no9.

Also some of the easiest preludes (like no1 and 10) are also among the hardest to pull off convincingly in performance.  Others, like the popular g minor one, don't require as much musical insight to play convincingly.