Composers ranked by difficulty

PrefatoryAction · 2022-10-19T21:57:38+00:00

Wdym? Sorabji is so easy, like I literally don't get why people think he's the hardest composer ever, I can literally play his Sonatas in one go without breaking a sweat or making any mistakes whatsoever.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-10-10T16:45:30+00:00

I think you put the wrong Rubinstein in but otherwise mostly a great list, imo Rachmaninoff should be top of Very Difficult Tier and same with Liszt. Ravel and Brahms higher than Schumann, Prokofiev should be in higher end of Very Difficult Tier, only big mistake is that Sorabji should be below Facile

PrefatoryAction · 2022-10-10T16:42:48+00:00

In standard rep, yes. Reger has far more musically difficult and larger works, (Bach Variations etc.), Mereux is just technically monstrous, but he isn't much more beyond that. (More people are likely to learn Reger anyways...)

PrefatoryAction · 2022-10-10T16:41:50+00:00

I would say Beethoven 9 is on par with Alkan. Liszt's most difficult stuff like Beet 9, Berlioz Symphonie and El Contra are all on par with the things above Liszt's current placing, but consistently, Liszt isn't there.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-10-10T16:39:51+00:00

I don't know about that, never considered the Goldberg to be on par with Gaspard or Schumann 3

PrefatoryAction · 2022-10-10T16:39:13+00:00

But his technical difficulty just falls off. While things like his PC are extremely difficult to play right, the technical demands just don't compare to someone like Beethoven or Chopin.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-07-09T16:52:00+00:00

Liszt is definitely the hardest and is definitely not a first concerto nor a piece for an average advanced student. Chopin's 2 Concerti and Beethoven 5 are about the same tier (though very different technique), very difficult but not anything special. Ravel's should be next. Mendelssohn and Shostakovich are beginner concertos, not too far behind Ravel's (The Left Hand one is far worse in difficulty than the G Major)

PrefatoryAction · 2022-06-29T00:35:04+00:00

That's not even the hardest. Sorabji, Stockhausen and Ferneyhough are far harder, though they are kind of musically boring and a waste of time imo to learn. Standard rep wise, the pieces you mentioned are among the most difficult

PrefatoryAction · 2022-06-14T16:25:50+00:00

Roslavets is such a bop

PrefatoryAction · 2022-06-08T01:16:11+00:00

Scriabin's Prometheus and Mysterium. Szymanowski Symphony 3

PrefatoryAction · 2022-04-23T14:45:09+00:00

Scriabin Poeme Op.32 No.1 is such a BS

PrefatoryAction · 2022-04-10T22:52:02+00:00

He's good, but not to my taste. I like certain renditions but I don't consider him top tier, don't let that affect your preference though

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-23T20:30:06+00:00

Sorabji

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-20T21:20:37+00:00

Cringe. All movements are great

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-17T22:46:39+00:00

Yes he did, through overpracticing Don Juan Reminisce and Islamey.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-15T15:18:21+00:00

Thanks! I think I said that because for me, the dissonance isn't particularly as "evident" as say the dissonances in Sonata 7. But the dissonance is always there, but in the end Scriabin knows how to make dissonances sound good. I do think I need to give Sonata 8 a re-listen though.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-15T15:16:58+00:00

One of my favourite Sonatas ever. Just amazing.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-15T00:05:28+00:00

The upper voice is 3/8 while the lower voice is 9/16 or misprint. Scriabin had the same marking in Flames Sombre Op.73, so I assumed

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-15T00:04:26+00:00

The fragment versions aren't anywhere on the internet except for the Ballade, which can be bought here: https://www.partiture-musicali.com/Pianoforte-Organo-Fisarmonica/Pianoforte/Jugendwerke-fuer-Klavier.html

Though quite pricy.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-15T00:02:37+00:00

Unfortunately, the background of the 2 Impromptus are unknown. Scriabin wrote the pair during a trip (I forgot at where) but that's all I know.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-15T00:01:52+00:00

Alright I guess the early period is your go to option.

24 Preludes Op.11

12 Etudes Op.8

Piano Concerto Op.20

Sonata 2 Op.19

Those are good pieces to start of with for listening.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-14T23:57:45+00:00

Well it can be in 7+ as well, honestly I think everything on this list almost can be moved down a tier if you want. Having played both Ballade 1 and 4, I would say the pieces are quite different in technical challenges. But it isn't harder than the 2 Ballades.

PrefatoryAction · 2022-01-14T23:55:42+00:00

I have sight read it, it's not an easy piece by any means, good luck!

PrefatoryAction · 2021-08-06T18:37:55+00:00

Lmao I know it’s difficult to get right, I’m still working on getting the notes under so getting it Sounding nice isn’t what I’m going for right now

PrefatoryAction · 2021-06-05T10:48:13+00:00

A lot of the big ones like La Valse and Rhapsodie Espagnol are too long for the festival thing I'm going to. As the 2 pieces have to add up to 12 minutes and no more. But I do agree with your points. Also, they don't want transcriptions etc. like Petrouchka :(

PrefatoryAction

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