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How difficult would you say the Rachmaninoff prelude in G sharp minor is compared to the prelude in C sharp minor? I have to play a post 1900 piece in april next year, and I really want to play a rachmaninoff piece, seeing as he is really the only compose that would fit the criterea that I like and know a lot about. I had learned most of the C sharp minor prelude, but recently found out it is pre 1900. The G sharp minor one is nice, and looks simple enough, unless anyone can suggest another rachmaninoff piece for piano that isnt any more difficult than the C# minor piece and was written after 1900.

Sorry for rambling.

32/12 is nice, those are actually the only two Rach preludes I know.
3/2 is easier by some extent. I think people underestimate 32/12some of the passages are tough other than that it's pretty straight foward.

There both manageable.

Neither prelude is terribly difficult, but I regard the g sharp minor prelude as the more difficult of the two.

I just wrapped up the C sharp minor and I just started work on g minor. So far the g minor has been a little easier, but I haven't finished it yet so I can really speak for the rest of the piece. I prefer the g minor though.

I would say g# minor is somewhat harder. Interestingly, this piece was performed more than any other work by Richter.

There's a brilliant Humoreske, which is fantastic to play - but be sure to get the simpler version; there's a version which a lot of people recorded which was enhanced - ie, made more difficult! I played it for my BA recital (the 'easy' version!) and it sounds impressive. Well, it IS impressive! ;)It's not as well known as the preludes, though, so you might have an advantage over the audience!

If I were to rank them on overall difficulty, I'd have to say that the 3/2 is about a 3 and the 32/12 is about a 4 (Out of 10). Neither is terribly diffcult, but I'd have to say that the 3/2 has a bit more 'room to breathe'.

Just my 2 cents.

I would go for the 3/2 if i could but it has to be post 1900. 3/2 is 1880 something i think.

Take a look at 23-4. It's my favorite of all the preludes.

Or 32-10, Rachmaninoff's favorite of all the preludes.

It has big chords somewhat similar to 3-2.

But 23-4 is much harder too make music of. I've played lot's of Rachmaninoff.. but this one has frustrated me most. So fragile piece of music... long long melodies and phrases.. and hard pedaling.

Did you separate the notes by hand instead of playing it as written? (It'll make your life a heck of a lot easier...)

One of my favorite preludes is Op. 23 No. 3.

No I played as written. (left hand cross over)
It was a few years ago.. but the music still visits me at night, strangles me slowly in my sleep..

32/3 is one of my favourites, it's very chordal, quite a challenge (I thought so anyway) but worth it.

I agree. 32/3 in E major is among the best.. if not the best prelude. The more you play it the more you love it. The simple theme stucks in your head. And at the end it's truly church-bell inspired.. pling plong
But it's a very bad beginner Rachmaninoff.. as you said: quite a challange! Must be among the top 5 of the hardest preludes he wrote. have you played and record it max? I'd love to listen..
regards //David

I've played it, but not recorded it...it's on my to-do list, along with the op.32 preludes #1 and #2, and the op.33 #4 etude!

Yeah, you've got to untangle it or it's just a pain in the ***. If I can get my scanner working, I'll send you an untangled version.

Is it possible to play 16th notes and a triplet on the same hand evenly?

I don't see why not...but it'd be pretty tough. And certainly it would get harder with speed. You're really adjusting and playing 9 variably-spaced notes with a particular fingering that is not necessarily linear. (In fact, it is almost certainly not linear.)