I was just wondering about something. Right now I'm playing a piece that I think was too difficult for me when I first started it...I was just wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences. I'm curious to know more about them.
Ah yes...I probably spent a good (actually bad) year playing pieces that were too difficult for me - and I regret it. Just before entering University my teacher gave me pieces that were about what was expected at the auditions for the music school.
I could never play the pieces note perfect, and never did I feel fully comfortable with the physical side of my playing, e.g. I would get sore forearms from playing etc. I did not have the co-ordination to play these pieces and tried to kind of muscle my way through them. (I was unaware of any other approach at the time, and was encouraged to play lots of Hanon, scales etc.) I definitely wouldn't recommend playing too many pieces that you are not comfortable with.
Despite lots of practice (of the hard, not smart kind) my playing barely improved. I was frustrated because I could not play any of my pieces well and I didn't feel good sitting down and playing the piano. It was not until some time later when I took a break from playing and got a different teacher that things turned around. I played simpler pieces, and this helped me to rid myself of bad habits acquired through playing pieces beyond my level. My level of playing rose steadily to a point beyond what I had reached before and my physical comfort while playing was way better than what is was previously.