Show off piece

[sharon_f]

Debussy's Danse. It has a wonderful rhythmic drive, it is not terribly difficult to learn and it is quite effective in performance. It is also very musical. AND it is not performed very often, unlike some of the other suggestions. It is one of my favorite pieces.

[trunks]

My two pence (if not cents) on "show-pieces":

BEETHOVEN
Finale from the following sonatas:
Op.27 No.1, 2 (quasi una fantaisa); Op.54;
Op.57 (appassionata); Op.78; Op.81a (les adieux)

CHOPIN
1. Waltzes 4, 5, 6, 11 and 14 are quite effective, if not too difficult.
2. Scherzos 1, 3
3. Prelude Op.28 No.24 in D minor. Not easy by any standards.
4. Polonaise 6
5. Finale from Sonata Op.58 in B minor
6. Andante Spianato & Grand Polonaise Brillante Op.22 in Eb
7. Etudes Op.10 No.4, 5 (black-keys), 8; Op.25 No.8 (sixths), 11 (winter wind), 12 (ocean)

LISZT
1. Apres un lecture du dante ("Dante Sonata" - I know it's long and hard, but VERY effective)
2. Orage, Vallee d'Obermann (ending section)
3. Transcendental Studies 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 (6 is one of my war-horses)
4. Hungarian Rhapsodies 2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (Rakoczy March)
(mind you - 2 and 14 are formidable, as are 10 and 12, but Liszt's works need frequent sharpening up to stay in shape)
5. Although the "3 Concert Studies" are difficult (especially 1 and 2) they are more musical and poetic than they are show-pieces in general, although each has some sections that are highly showy, such as the wide, climatic alternating leaps between both hands immediately before the slow ending of "Il lamento", and the chromatic running passages in "La leggeriezza".

[comme_le_vent]

Finale is OK..

i have been wracking my brains as to what the hell this means for over 2 months now.

[DarkWind]

hey roman, to test whether you're actually a prospective genius start rachmaninov concerti no 2 and 3, and then lets see how you sail through world's hardest piano thing!

Thats not the world's hardest piece. Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum is, it is 3-6 hours.

For the Khachaturian toccata, that doesn't even require learning. I sightread that piece perfectly . For a really awesome sounding piece, try Ravel's toccata, although you might be up for nights practicing it.

Debussy's Danse. It has a wonderful rhythmic drive, it is not terribly difficult to learn and it is quite effective in performance. It is also very musical. AND it is not performed very often, unlike some of the other suggestions. It is one of my favorite pieces.

It also goes by the name of the Tarantelle Styrienne, its a beautiful piece with a great melody.

[SandyMC]

well, If the show off piece that you mean will result in Great Applause, I suggest Hungarian Rhapsody No 2, by frans Liszt. It is very easy listening, classical or non classical audience will greatly applause at your performance by appreciating your precision, accuration, and how fast you play that piece..

I Think that non-classical audience will like a super fast (presto) piano pieces instead of slow performance(largo), since they motto usually are: the faster, the better.

You can also try La Campanella. However, almost Liszt, Rahmaninoff or thchaikovsky (Miss Spelling) pieces is for show off.

[bachmaninov]

Solo

Chopin: "Heroic" Polonaise***
Chopin: "Revolutionary" Etude***

Liszt- Hungarian Rhapsody #6****
Liszt- Mephisto Waltz #1****
Liszt- La Campanella ****

Mozskowski- Etincelles No. 6*** I think its no. 6...The one horowitz plays in "Horowitz in Moscow" (yes the bad recording)

Mozskowski- Caprice Espagnol *****- This one is an INCREDIBLE show piece, and left me speechless when i heard it for the first time (good luck finding a recording)

Lecuona- Malaguena****
Lecuona- Aragonesa****
Lecuona- Gitenarias***
Lecuona- En tres per cuatro****
Lecuona- Por que te vas?***

DUETS-

Gottschalk- Le Bananier
Gottschalk- Tarentella

DUO-

Lutoslawski- Variations on a Theme by Paganini- (Greatest showpiece ive ever heard)

[Spatula]

Schumann Sonata No 3

[f0bul0us]

Albeniz
Asturias - Leyenda

Ginastera
Piano Sonata No. 1 (2nd Movement)

Xianghai Xian
Yellow River

Eileen Huang
The Moon's reflection over the second spring

[trunks]

Oh yes, and I love Tausig's Ungarische Zigeunerweisen!

[bernhard]

Solo


Mozskowski- Caprice Espagnol *****- This one is an INCREDIBLE show piece, and left me speechless when i heard it for the first time (good luck finding a recording)

Stephen Hough recorded it for Virgin Classics (“The piano album”).  

[ivoryplayer4him]

The Flight of the BumbleBee and

Etude, Op. 25 No.11- "Winter Wind"

This piece is amazing.  and if you play it right, it will dazzle your crowd.  Its just amazing!

[Logar1]

Hey - just though I'd like to join this discussion

Here are some of my favourite show-off pieces:

Liszt : Reminiscences du Don Juan de Mozart, Rhapsody Espagnole, and ofcourse the infamous Rhapsody nr2 (hungarian that is), On the Edge of a spring. Actually almost all of Liszt's music is very show-off.

Gershwin: Actually I love his Prelude nr.1 - has a very jazzy feeling.

Villa-Lobos: Le Polichinelle (Punch) - it's awesome

Beethoven: Moonlight sonate 3rd movement

Mendehlsson: Andante & Rondo Capriciosso

Grieg: Wedding day at Trollhaugen

Chopin: Ballade nr.1, Fantasy Impromptu, Etude Op.25 nr 6, Scherzo nr 3.

Bach: Actually some of his works are great show-off pieces

Some of these pieces may not be technically hard - but people just loves them.

[benbenben9752]

anda wrote:
no, really - khatchaturian toccata isn't difficult at all, it's just a show off that couldn't impress anyone but amateurs. i played it within a week without even touching the piano - i was just practicing it with a student...

you imbecile!!! a song like that cannot be learned by ANYONE in a week i dont care who you are if you actually played that song after a week and thought you were done then i have pity on whoever had to listen to you play it there is to much emotion written into that music that you obviously missed out on, sight-reading and impressing people that dont know jack squat about piano which does nothing but kill a great song for you.  as for only impressing amateurs that is absolutely ridiculous.  i played it for a little recital for some teachers who had been teaching for 30 years and stunned them with it even though it was by far not my best performance (crappy piano) its 2 in the morning and im getting up at 8 so ill go to bed now...

[trunks]

you imbecile!!! a song like that cannot be learned by ANYONE in a week i dont care who you are if you actually played that song after a week and thought you were done then i have pity on whoever had to listen to you play it there is to much emotion written into that music that you obviously missed out on, sight-reading and impressing people that dont know jack squat about piano which does nothing but kill a great song for you.  as for only impressing amateurs that is absolutely ridiculous.  i played it for a little recital for some teachers who had been teaching for 30 years and stunned them with it even though it was by far not my best performance (crappy piano) its 2 in the morning and im getting up at 8 so ill go to bed now...

First of all, for you information, the Katchaturian Toccata is not a "song". It is a piece. There is no lyrics attached, and it is not meant for singing.

Second, I do believe anybody can learn it within a week, provided that he/she is determined to do so. There is music in it for sure, and sounds difficult, but in fact it is not difficult.

[Hmoll]

First of all, for you information, the Katchaturian Toccata is not a "song". It is a piece. There is no lyrics attached, and it is not meant for singing.

Second, I do believe anybody can learn it within a week, provided that he/she is determined to do so. There is music in it for sure, and sounds difficult, but in fact it is not difficult.

^^^^

Yep. I second that. I learned it in about a week when I was 17, and I started playing piano when I was 15. Took me a couple more days to memorize. It's full of tricks, and is pretty much a paper tiger.

I'm not saying this to brag, btw. My memory is so bad, I can hide my own Easter Eggs.

Unfortunately, it took me a lot longer to forget it.

[Anton]

Yep I agree the Katchaturian toccata is'nt that hard to learn I also learnt it quite quick, Its a very cool piece to play,and people can be very easely be impressed by it.

If you Want to learn a very stunning piece then play the Toccata by Jeno Tacaks it is a bit tricky but very much a show off piece

[ahmedito]

I have a 9 year old who does a very good job with the toccata.

Im sorry, but technicaly I can sight read through it with no problem and it can be learnt easily in a couple of days (the hardest part is actually the middle section).

[steinway88]

Scriabin's Nocturne for the left hand

[Yanni]

If you want a crowd pleaser, I have had tons of success using works from Yanni. They are very easy to learn, they sound difficult, but really are not and they are easy to listen to, that why people love them.  For show offs you could try:

In the Mirror and my Fav - Enchantment

[bernhard]

If you want a crowd pleaser, I have had tons of success using works from Yanni. They are very easy to learn, they sound difficult, but really are not and they are easy to listen to, that why people love them.  For show offs you could try:

In the Mirror and my Fav - Enchantment

Are the scores available commercially (publisher?) or in the net?

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[namui]

Are the scores available commercially (publisher?) or in the net?

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

I have a piano solo book of Yanni, published by Hal- Leonard. I have seen a few others in a music store.

Regards,

namui

[bernhard]

I have a piano solo book of Yanni, published by Hal- Leonard. I have seen a few others in a music store.

Regards,

namui

Thanks, Namui.

What are the scores like? In my experience a lot of such sores (that have a popular appeal even when not necessarily pop music) are actually simplified arrangements of the original pieces, and very disappointing arrangements at that. :-/

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[namui]

Thanks, Namui.

What are the scores like? In my experience a lot of such sores (that have a popular appeal even when not necessarily pop music) are actually simplified arrangements of the original pieces, and very disappointing arrangements at that. :-/

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

Well, most of Yanni's original compositions are arranged for (synthesized) orchestra, so the piano solo version will be "reduced" in a certain sense. However, the scores in the book I mentioned seem to be a set of arrangements intended for piano solo, attempting to reflect most parts of the original orchestration.

I tried a few of them, and they really have the taste of "performing" pieces.

regards,

namui

[mh88]

My personal favorite show off piece that usually gets every one their feet....Islamey (Oriental Fantasy) by Mili Balakirev.

One of the best Liszt transcriptions, very difficult...is the Fantay on Don Giovanni (aka: Reminiscences du Don Juan de Mozart)

[eugene_oneg]

nobody mentionned the once so popular and really
easy to learn Paderewski Minuet. It will appeal to any audience. Even Rachmaninoff played it.
 
Now here are pieces that will humble the best of pianists and are also delightfull to listen to:
Sorabji's  first Pastiche and the one on Bizet Carmen La Habbanera.

For the advanced pianist a piece which is absolutely stunning is Bach-Busoni Chaconne. Tremendous sound huge chord progressions and bravoura passages and a middle inner voice soft passage that will melt your heart.
This piece works best in a big hall, not a parlor.

Liszt mephistoles waltz n1.

[xvimbi]

For the advanced pianist a piece which is absolutely stunning is Bach-Busoni Chaconne. Tremendous sound huge chord progressions and bravoura passages and a middle inner voice soft passage that will melt your heart.
This piece works best in a big hall, not a parlor.

In this respect, you must definitely check out the version played on the Klavins 370 piano:

Go to: https://www.klavins-pianos.com

Click on "Model 370", scroll to the bottom and download the sample. This is one amazing piano!!!

[bernhard]

In this respect, you must definitely check out the version played on the Klavins 370 piano:

Go to: https://www.klavins-pianos.com

Click on "Model 370", scroll to the bottom and download the sample. This is one amazing piano!!!

Interesting piano! I wonder how they set it up on stage.

The model 408 is not bad either. I wouldn't mind having one in my living room! Do you know how much they cost?

[shaun_bowman]

I have been trying to combine the parts of both pianos featured in the incredible piano duets at ICHINGMUSIC.COM. Composed using a Formal System, these pieces have the unusual characteristic of never having both pianos use the same note at the same time. So if you have technique to spare, it is physically possible to play both parts simultaneously! If what you are looking for is a vehicle to blow people's minds, then playing both parts of a duet should be right up your street - if you are up to it, of course. Good luck.

SB

[julie391]

ive noticed that this is the most viewed of all threads on this forum, it just goes to show what people are really interested in

the ultimate showpiece has to be alkan's op39 nos 8-10

flabberghasting stuff!

[etudes]

A great crowd piece is the Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no.2.


Rachmaninov's Prelude Op.23 no.5 is also a great crowd-pleaser. It did the trick when Richter performed it to the Russian soldiers.
Happy playing!

do you mean gilels in DVD ?
Showy piece
i would go with Un sospiro with crossing over hand and beautiful piece
or feux follets but this is horrible difficult
chopin etudes that mentioned before also great with a running passage the whole like op.10 no.4 5 8 and beautiful show off piece op.10 no.11 or some from op.25
islamey also great
or else play cziffra transcription and blown them away

[Skeptopotamus]

debussy preludes book 1 no 7   is pretty hard but VERY showoff-ish.


for easier ones...... rach flight of the bumblebee... erf..... some chopin etudes like winter wind.

[trunks]

debussy preludes book 1 no 7   is pretty hard but VERY showoff-ish.

for easier ones...... rach flight of the bumblebee... erf..... some chopin etudes like winter wind.

Whoa . . . you must be a virtuoso yourself, calling the Chopin Winter Wind easy!

[rebel1ns]

are these "Show-off" pieces supposed to be easy? a lot of these songs listed are real hard...but IMO most technically difficult pieces are all show off pieces...

[ralessi]

Weird that tonight i come across this post...i was just watching Kissin play at Royal Albert Hall, which lasted for over 2.5 hours ith 5 encores...and after watching it...i realized that his encores were nothing crazily difficult or huge....but charming yet impressive pieces...chopin mazurka, valse in E- op. posth., Rage over a lost penny, Schubert moment musicau arr. godowsky, and La Campanella....although La Campanella is pretty tricky little piece, everything else really wasnt huge..which has driven me to want to learn some smaller stuff for that purpose.  i really dont think that playing a HUUGEEEEEEEEEE encore with 35,000 notes and 300 bpm is necessary.  i also realized that La Campanella is a friggin GREAT encore piece..I think encores should be kept short.  keep it under 6 or so minutes..i have the video of Lang Lang playing Don Juan as an encore..and as much as i love that piece..only he could pull that off as an encore..just like horowitz..one of the reasons horowitz got away with the crazy encores he did, was because when he played them, he did it with ease (as well as everything else he played).  I think that wathcing someone else play them would definately not have the same effect, although it would still be impressive!  Might i suggest Gnomenreign?

Cheers!
  Ricky

[beethoartok]

Some showy pieces...

Chaminade- Automne Etude (slow then showy)
Chopin- Winterwind Etude
Bartok- Roumanian Dances, 8a (all over the keyboard)
Liszt- Transcendental Etudes 8, 10
Ravel- Tocatta
Balirikev- Islamey

[pianowelsh]

It might be hackneyed but Chopin Ballade no1 is very showy and with blistering little coda and fast scales at end couldnt really get much more dramatic. Moskowsky Capriccio Espangnole is very very glittery but it IS hard circ 6-8mins but it depends where your technical strenght lies. Etincelles by the same composer is easier and shorter but still showy. Granados Allegro de concierto is very showy but again it may take at least 11 months learning for some. These is Chopin Tarentella not so often played but very effective and of course the Liszt tarentella. I like spoziliso (my spelling is getting worse) from the italian book of annes de pelerinage (Liszt) that has some nice showy 8ves but is generally a very beautiful and lyrical piece. Theres tons of material.

[brokenagraffe]

I heard this on the radio some nights ago: Lang Lang's version of Stars and Stripes Forever - disgustingly pyrotechnical and also knocks the knickers off anyone.

[Galician]

-Khachaturian Toccata is very very easy and effective, try it.

-The prelude in D flat major in the 24 preludes and fugues composed by D. Schostakovich is very brilliant, not too difficult, -I´m not talking about the fugue!!!-, you can find it at www.abrahamespinosa.com.

Wich is the style are you looking for?


Un saludo!

[nanabush]

Here's a bunch of miscillanious pieces that are sure to make people's jaws drop:

CHOPIN:

Winterwind etude, Op 10: 4 G# minor, Black key etude, Scherzo in Bb minor, ballade in G minor, Some Waltzes

LISZT:

Feux follet (if you dare), Wild Jagd, Mazeppa (incredible), Campanella from paganini etudes, most opera transcription, his famous sonata in B minor, Gnomenreigen, Un sospiro, Petrarch Sonnet 104,

DEBUSSY:

Feux d'artifice, Cathedrale Englouti (not as impressive but still I find near perfect), Poissons d'Or, Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest, Reflets dans l'eau, Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum from children's corner (also quite easy, but effective)

RAVEL:

Toccata from Tombeau de Couperin (devilishly difficult if you don't have yourlast three fingers on right hand developped), Jeux d'Eau, Le Gibet (I like better than Scarbo) from Gaspard, and also Ondine from Gaspard

MOSZKOWSKY (spellt wrong I know):

Etincelles, and some etudes

KHATCHATAURIAN:

Toccata (Probably the easiest so far from which I have mentioned),

BEETHOVEN:

Final movement from Moonlight Sonata, Waldstein sonata, Hammerklavier (impressive but personally I find it sounds pug fugly), Appassionata Sonata, I love final movement from Pathetique

BACH:

Check out some prelude/fugues (I love the one in C# major from Bk 1),

BALAKIREV:

Islamey (I do not like, but it is still very impressive)

These peices should last anyone nearly a lifetime to master, so go ahead and try these out although they have all probably been mentioned earlier...

[BuyBuy]

I am puzzled how I started a topic a long time ago, thinking it wasn't all that interesting, and it has been resurrected several times, reaching now the 138 posts...  which departed more or less from the original question...

Well, that's the beauty of the forum. 

[Glyptodont]

How about the "adagio" movement from Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata?

[Chrysalis]

beautiful piece, brilliant but not at all show-offy

[Dazzer]

ligeti!!!!!!

okay maybe not all that impressive.. and painful on the brain abit too.

[musicsdarkangel]

If you guys are suggesting a Rach prelude for show off, it's got to be op 23 no 7 in c minor, beautiful as well.


Those notes never stop......and it's quite learnable.


I'm surprised no one has mentioned La Campanella, IMO one of the most showwy pieces for the piano.

YES it's overplayed, but it is a great piece.

[chromatickler]

chopin op10#2

[etudes]

Hamelin La Campanella (after Liszt)
Triple Etudes (after Chopin)
Thanks joel for nice recording
btw that 2 pieces need life time to learn and practise

try Bartok Etudes op.18

[musik_man]

I think it's funny that most of the people have just listed ridiculously difficult pieces.  Obviously, Ligeti etudes and Alkan are good for showing off.  If you go back and read the first post, it'll state that the pieces shouldn't be overly difficult, but still should be impressive.

That being said, I think that Chopin's Military Polonaise and Mozart's Twinkle Twinkle variations are manageable show off pieces.  The Polonaise is much easier than it looks.

[pbr2005]

Liszt's pieces are great show off pieces.  I'd recommend the transcription of Rigaletto (spelling miss) of Verdi

Ditto - great idea for a piece which is not too difficult (but not easy) - yet sounds more difficult than it really is

[trunks]

Liszt-Busoni: La Campanella
Chopin: Waltzes 6 ("Minute") and 14 (E minor)
Villa-Lobos: O Polichinelo (no.7) and Wooden Doll (no.5) from A Prole do Bebe Book 1
Rachmaninoff: Polichinelle from Five Pieces, Op.3

[RoyalJoyal89]

I would say that Rach 3, or the Tempest Sonata; L. Van Beethoven, are both very good peices to play. ( all three movements of the tempest or just the 1)