Chopin Etudes

[Beyond Within]

If you were to rate these in terms of difficulty, how would you do so?

As a frame of reference, I will ask for non-chopin works which are fairly common:

Of the Etude set Op. 10:

1st etude
4nd etude
12th etude (revolutionary)

and for a frame of reference rate:

Pathetique sonata
Mozart 545 and also C minor (just for fun)

I have been working on these last two (and looked over the score of the c minor) for some time. I am just curious how hard in comparison those etudes are. To make it easier - just rank the first movements of those sonatas, since I am only almost done that much of each.

[Beyond Within]

on a scale of 1-10 I guess

[Peter]

An impossible task! Each of these studies have their own specific difficulties, but obviously the technical demands of the Chopin etudes put them out of reach from all but advanced players.

But if you insist on a rating then how about 4 for the 2 classical sonatas, 8 for the Chopin etudes, compared to 10 for the Brahms Paganini variations and Liszt transcendental etudes.

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'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

What do you consider "advanced" in this context Peter? I remember playing Chopin's "Revolutionary" Etude many years ago, and I wouldn't have considered myself "advanced" at the time. And I certainly found it easier than the Pathetique.

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 07-07-2004).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by Chris:
What do you consider "advanced" in this context Peter? I remember playing Chopin's "Revolutionary" Etude many years ago, and I wouldn't have considered myself "advanced" at the time. And I certainly found it easier than the Pathetique.

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 07-07-2004).]

The etudes are advanced (obviously some are more difficult than others, though the revolutionary is not easy as it is a left hand study). The pathetique is actually one of the easier Beethoven sonatas technically and certainly easier than the revolutionary etude in my opinion! The only real technical difficulty in the Pathetique is the broken octaves (1st mov)in the left hand which are easily mastered if you practice your rotary technique!


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'Man know thyself'

[Beyond Within]

hahaha Peter, what you said in your first post is funny because look at what you two are arguing about now!

Personally the broken octaves arent what seem hard (maybe its all the guitar that made my fingers strong at it) its getting 'cross hands' section sounding smooth. Because I am not used to that technique at all.

[Beyond Within]

for added fun: rank the Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement amongst the two sonatas I mentioned before and the etudes.