Chopin and Liszt piano music

OK, so I'm working for GCSE coursework (yes, I'm British) and I have to choose three related pieces of music, which will form a theme, compare them and produce a composition based on them (which will find its way here for feedback, I am sure.) I also have to perform one of them.

I am performing Rachmaninov's prelude in C# minor, and was thinking of my theme being 'Romantic music for solo piano' (is that good English?). I was thinking of my other two scores being from each of Chopin and Liszt (although they don't have to be), any suggestions of which ones? And how to get hold of them?

Thanks.

anything by chopin, liszt or rachmaninov for GSCE is sure to impress your examiner

I always enjoyed one of Chopin's preludes which I think is nicknamed "The Winter Wind". It's not easy (I never mastered it myself) but I'm sure you could play it if you can handle Rachmaninov. Some of Chopin's other preludes are also good but this one is my favourite - sorry can't remember the number, but I think it's in A minor. How to get hold of them? Well, I am quite sure you are capable of ordering from a music store. Or otherwise there are online stores too and some free download sites.

I assume that's the etude op. 25 no. 11. It's called something like that.

And it is very difficult. My advice is don't even try. Unless we're talking about different pieces.

Winter Wind is the op 25 no 11 etude in a minor, and if a GCSE student can play that proplerly, then well what can you say...

Harmonies of Night by Liszt is about as Romantic as it gets in my opinion. The French title is Harmonies du Soir. It is part of the "Etudes d'Execution Transcendante" from 1851. A pretty difficult work (makes the Rach. C# seem not so bad), but well worth the effort. I have only ever found one recording of it that was decent on the "Liszt for Lovers" CD. (Cheesy, I know.)

OOOOOOHH! Harmonies du Soir. A better translation might be "Evening Harmony". It's so gorgeous. I highly recommend that one. Liszt at his best for sure.

i always liszt to be rather...hmm how to put it - hismusic wasn't as much romantic, but as it was the current style he conformed, and his natural showmanship and phenominal technique added to his fame, can't say i like liszt very much, or bach for that matter, it all seems to 'mathematical' for me

Harmonies du Soir is a special Liszt piece. It's very moving. There's a a few conflagrations here and there but for the most part it's a gem.

To say that Harmonies du Soir isn't a romantic piece is to say that cheddar isn't cheese. (There's a food ref. Tumababa!)

To say that Bach is mathematical is not how Bach would look at his own music. You are listening to bad recordings. CPE Bach tells us that JS "...was never a friend of that dry mathematical stuff." (The Bach Reader pg. 25) Granted he was refering to temprament etc. but it stands to reason that JS didn't care for anything dry and mathematical. This is off subject.

Harmonies du Soir is about as romantic as it gets.

I'm not sure what level you're at, but Liszt can be very difficult especially if you have small hands. Normally I don't like Liszt - his music is just effects, no substance. I don't think you've totally grasped the situation - in my experience technical ability hasn't always impressed the judges - some Chopin is very difficult, other pieces just sound difficult (Fantasi-Impromptu). A Brahms Rhapsody op.74 (either one in b minor or g minor) might do the job as their musically difficult and as far as chopin goes maybe you should learn one of the etudes - Winter Wind is difficult, as is the Ocean. The Op. 10 is slightly easier No.4 in c sharp minor is tough, no. 5 in G flat is pretty famous. I'm not sure what length they want - playing one of his ballades is always an option. How much time do you have to learn?

Well, if you're looking for something stunning, go for one of the Hungarian Rhapsodies (2 and 6 are the best I think) or Ballades 1-4.

1 is famous, 4 is the best one.

The Brahms op. 74 Rhapsodies are good, I dabbled in G minor and B minor. The intermezzi are also nice.

If you've REALLY got time, go for Chopin's Polonaise #6. No. 3 is good also, but a bit repetitive if you play all of the repeats.

For Liszt, as far as beauty goes, Consolation no. 3 is pretty. But for showmanship you could play... just about anything else. :P

Though as he got older he stopped caring about dazzling with technique and focused on the musicality.

Most of Chopin's preludes are nice, but I despise many of them. G major, F major, Bb minor, and C major are total pet peeves. My favorite prelude is Db. "Raindrops."

They used the cool part in one of the Halo 3 trailers. :D

For etudes, the Revolutionary etude is nice if you have good scales and you need something quick. C major is good, as well as opus 10 no. 5.

The fantaisie-impromtu is ridiculous. I'm the worst polyrhythmic interpreter in the world. I'll end up playing it backwards or something.

For Liszt, as far as beauty goes, Consolation no. 3 is pretty. But for showmanship you could play... just about anything else. :P

Though as he got older he stopped caring about dazzling with technique and focused on the musicality.

Yep I love the consolation No. 3!! But for technicality it is not the most challenging Listz piece as far as I know.

Most of Chopin's preludes are nice, but I despise many of them. G major, F major, Bb minor, and C major are total pet peeves. My favorite prelude is Db. "Raindrops."

They used the cool part in one of the Halo 3 trailers. :D

For etudes, the Revolutionary etude is nice if you have good scales and you need something quick. C major is good, as well as opus 10 no. 5.

Hmmmm, I sense a discrepancy here :O

This sounds fun, why can't Standard Grade (Scottish equivalent of GCSE) Music be as interesting?

:(

This sounds fun, why can't Standard Grade (Scottish equivalent of GCSE) Music be as interesting?

:(

becuase standard grade students aren't expected to be able to play chopin and liszt with any decent accuracy or decent interpretation

To say that Harmonies du Soir isn't a romantic piece is to say that cheddar isn't cheese. (There's a food ref. Tumababa!)

Uh yeah.. Did I say it wasn't a romantic piece?

What I wrote probably wasn't clear. When I said it was "special" and a "gem" I was trying to say that I thought it was one of Liszt's most romantic pieces. It's actually one of my most favorite in the genre. When I was talking about conflagrations, I meant that sure it has some of Liszt's running around the piano but unlike some of his other pieces, it's never for show.

hmm, i don't consider liszts music romantic at all; its shallow, superficial, obesessed with aesthetics and cheap tricks, hes the man hoe of the romantic world

he is, however a genius technician, or rather, was

I am performing Rachmaninov's prelude in C# minor, and was thinking of my theme being 'Romantic music for solo piano' (is that good English?).

How about "Solo Piano Music from the Romantic Era"?

hmm, i don't consider liszts music romantic at all; its shallow, superficial, obesessed with aesthetics and cheap tricks, hes the man hoe of the romantic world

he is, however a genius technician, or rather, was

Turning water into wine is pretty incredible I guess.

I could actually agree with you that he was a hoe. But he was only a hoe because he had so much to offer. Liszt is pure emotion and inspiration in of a composer, with the utmost romantic voice I have heard in music. Calling hoe is right on the money. But so many of the greatest composers were hoes. They gave their music away like nothing, because there was more and more coming and going. For them it was brain rush after brain rush. Incorporating the newest, the latest, the most affective thing was natural. Having to advance, pleasing the audience so one can advance. It was one grand adventure for these so called hoes.

I define them as composers who have gotten the most out of music. Yes, as you say Ljoekelsoey, genius. Liszt was a scientist, a constructor. Theory after theory, his notes seem cheap to someone who has already heard how his music had affected the best of musicians.

Turning water into wine is pretty incredible I guess.

I could actually agree with you that he was a hoe. But he was only a hoe because he had so much to offer. Liszt is pure emotion and inspiration in of a composer, with the utmost romantic voice I have heard in music. Calling hoe is right on the money. But so many of the greatest composers were hoes. They gave their music away like nothing, because there was more and more coming and going. For them it was brain rush after brain rush. Incorporating the newest, the latest, the most affective thing was natural. Having to advance, pleasing the audience so one can advance. It was one grand adventure for these so called hoes.

I define them as composers who have gotten the most out of music. Yes, as you say Ljoekelsoey, genius. Liszt was a scientist, a constructor. Theory after theory, his notes seem cheap to someone who has already heard how his music had affected the best of musicians.

Hmmmm, hoe and scientist? Have you ever heard any of Listz's later works such as Nuages Gris? Hardly scientific, and pretty original too.

Hmmmm, hoe and scientist? Have you ever heard any of Listz's later works such as Nuages Gris? Hardly scientific, and pretty original too.

Most of Liszt's output is pretty "bad". It is amazing what he can do on the piano, but there's no depth, no thinking, no structure and only "cheap showmanship" (I'm not even a big fan of the Sonata). Later on, as he started to forget about showmanship, his music got better by leaps and bounds, but he's still nothing compared to Brahms, Scriabin, some Rachmaninoff, Ravel and others.

Uh yeah.. Did I say it wasn't a romantic piece?

No, Tum. You didn't say that it wasn't a romantic piece. Someone else did but I threw in the food ref. for you. :D

If you're in a particularly challenging mood, you may look at Liszt's Sonata in B minor. But beware! It is very difficult and very long! :stoicjedi: