Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner what's the hardest piece you've played?

hmm, since recently there's a thread going around of how old the junior members are, and the replies showed that there are LOTS of people under the age of 20 -_-, im just wondering..what is the hardest piece you guys think that you've played?

wait..sorry if it was a bit confusing...anyone can feel free to reply.

For me, it was probably the Ab Polonaise by Chopin. Others may not think it was too hard, but it took me a while to get a hang of it and perform it to the degree I wanted to.

Bartók sonata.

La Campanella--the second version, which everyone knows.
wldrumstcs: the Heroic Polonaise IS difficult until you get the proper octave technique down. Otherwise, forget it. It takes a lot of stamina!

Alkan's Etudes Op. 39 and etudes for left/right hand.

Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum and Complete Etudes

Ligeti's Complete Etudes and Piano Concerto


Meh, they were easy. I learned them all on a piano in a showroom in a week, with both of my hands broken.

tie between prok's toccata in d minor and chopin's etude op.25 no.6

Goldberg: Surprisingly, I thought that part was easy. I understand that part gives most people a headache, but for some reason it didn't give me too much difficulty. I just used 1&5-1&4-1&4-1&5 on the left hand. I love that part as it gives me an excited feeling!

The Ab Polonaise is definitely one of the most difficult. Right up there with the f# minor, Polonaise-Fantasy, and Andante Spinato and Grand Polonaise.

I've dabbled in a lot of pieces (trying La Campanella now) but of the ones I've performed, probably Rhapsody in Blue.

Oh yea, Rhapsody in Blue is up there too I think. Play the unabridged, 31 page version is more than just a little tricky.

Same goes for me. That's the fun part.
And Prokofiev's Toccata was insane.

Heh this is gunna sound easy but I just turned 13...

Performed Rach Gm 23/5...

Learning Waldstein 1...

Attempting to learn the Rach 3 measure-by-measure... I know the first 5 pages after a couple of weeks !!

for me it's 4th ballade by Chopin.
Is 4th ballade by Chopin supposed to be hard?
if it is, then how hard is it?

Ok, I'm sorry, but what is the point? There is no way that's going to sound good.

Try some of the hard parts first, if you can't do those you're justing wasting valuable practice time.

Besides, it's overplayed and overrated.

I think, because of its length and the way it demands more of you as it goes along, that the Wanderer Fantasy is about the toughest thing I ever performed. It surprises me that some people on this board think it is easy- I found it exhausting.

O_O

For me, either Chopin Ballade 2, or L'isle Joyeuse (just about!). But I see no point to this question (I found Ballade 2 easy, and L'isle Joyeuse close to impossible until a few days ago)

Hey, I'm just turning 14 too so this might sound easy but: Chopins "Revolutionary" Etude, and Rhapsody in Blue

Hello? none of the etudes are easy. All of them needs time and hard work to master. RIB would be, if you;re playing big notes book. If not, they arent easy.
:rolleyes:

I think Richter said that(at least for him) it was the hardest piece.

Rachmaninoff's Moment Musical Op.16 No.4

That's definately the hardest piece I can actually play right now. But I'm learning the Prokofiev Toccata which is definately harder. I can't say I can play it just yet (it's going quite slow).