To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

I really need a recommendation for the next classical piano song I should learn to play.

Brief background: I started fiddling on the piano around age 10. I had no formal instruction-just read the level 1 books. Kept playing recreationally until H.S. freshman year where I took lessons. Dropped them as a junior due to financial reasons. Since then (about 5 years), I haven't really learned anything new and only play once a month. I'd like to get back into it minimally.

The song obviously needs to be awesome. As for difficulty, it can range between fuer elise/moonlight sonata to book level 6 difficulty (Bach - Solfeggio).

thanks

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata in C Minor

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

From your experience I'm guessing you've already learned Pachelbel's Canon, but if not always a classic. I'm a big fan of Maple leaf rag if you're into the old time saloon feel.

Also if you're a FF geek this page is awesome, Final Fantasy sheet music, not exactly stuff you can play for an audience or anything but if you're just learning for personal enjoyment I really like playing some of those. Suteki Da Ne and Aerith's theme are two I particularly enjoy.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

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Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata in C Minor

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That's a good one. How about Debussy's Clair de Lune.

Edit: Now I see someone mentioned ragtime music. How about the Gladiolus Rag? One of my favorite rags.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

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How about Debussy's Clair de Lune.

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Oh ya, that's an awesome song. I'm not sure if it's easy enough though so that I don't take 2 whole years getting it down pat though

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
From your experience I'm guessing you've already learned Pachelbel's Canon, but if not always a classic. I'm a big fan of Maple leaf rag if you're into the old time saloon feel.

Also if you're a FF geek this page is awesome, Final Fantasy sheet music, not exactly stuff you can play for an audience or anything but if you're just learning for personal enjoyment I really like playing some of those. Suteki Da Ne and Aerith's theme are two I particularly enjoy.

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ya, I know pachelbel's canon and Canon in D already. I haven't played FF before.

Rag is ok, not my first preference

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Silhouette by Opeth.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Are you trying to imply that Moonlight Sonata is easy to play? I'd love to see you try the 3rd movement.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are you trying to imply that Moonlight Sonata is easy to play? I'd love to see you try the 3rd movement.

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Haha, I was thinking the same thing. I'm pretty sure it's safe to not include the 3rd movement though. Good recommendation for Reef to look at if he wants to actually give it a shot. PM me if you want a copy of it to look at =P

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata in C Minor

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For your skill level I'd go with this one, and do the full opus not just the Adagio cantabile. If you fully master it (or not) and end up finding it was maybe a bit too easy and want more of a challenge, go with the complete Claire de Lune or Ravel's Pavane pour une infante defunte. All very pretty pieces for ~your skill level. The latter two maybe a bit higher, but that's a good thing. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

GoT

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

If you want something that's not too long, you could try a couple of the easier Chopin preludes. I don't remember which offhand are which, but maybe Gm if that's the one I'm thinking of.

Just a thought.

If you want something that just sounds pretty to play in front of people, check out Big My Secret or The Heart Asks Pleasure First by Michael Nyman (from the movie Piano).

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Chopin's minute waltz

Chopin's fantasy impromptu

Beethoven's Appasionata

3rd movement of moonlight

various Chopin Waltzes

if you want baroque, go scarlatti

various mozart sonatas.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata in C Minor

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Liszt's Paganini Study No. 3 "La Campanella". I'm not sure how hard it would be for you, as I haven't seen the sheet music and can barely play anything myself. It sounds like a difficult piece to play smoothly. It's also one of the most unique pieces I've heard.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Don't be a pussy. Just learn Rachmaninoff's third concerto, start to finish.

Swede

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
Are you trying to imply that Moonlight Sonata is easy to play? I'd love to see you try the 3rd movement.

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oh ya, my bad. I heard the 3rd movement was a b*tch to play

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart.

Edit: Actually hard to say without more criteria other than difficulty level and song being awesome. But the above is my favorite.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Are you trying to imply that Moonlight Sonata is easy to play? I'd love to see you try the 3rd movement.

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oh ya, my bad. I heard the 3rd movement was a b*tch to play

[/ QUOTE ]

its just a lot of arpeggios.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
Liszt's Paganini Study No. 3 "La Campanella". I'm not sure how hard it would be for you, as I haven't seen the sheet music and can barely play anything myself. It sounds like a difficult piece to play smoothly. It's also one of the most unique pieces I've heard.

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most original Lizst is too hard at this point. He's like the Stevie Ray of piano.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Debussy is by far the most fun music that I have ever played on piano. Liszt and Chopin are real fun too, but Claire de Lune and I think it is called Golliwog's Cakewalk are real fun Debussy tunes, and it will take a long time to play as fast as they are supposed to go. My two cents at least.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

ive been dying to learn how to play the piano forever now. how do you reocmmend i start out?

should i take lessons somewhere? buy a keyboard and a book and learn on my own?

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

The Hammerklavier Sonata...



or you could just take everyone's reasonable suggestion and learn the Pathetique. It's fun to play, as there are a lot of very different styles blended together. The 2nd movement is also one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

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Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart.



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is this in any way related to Mozart's turkish march?

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart.



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is this in any way related to Mozart's turkish march?

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They're the same piece.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart.



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is this in any way related to Mozart's turkish march?

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They're the same piece.

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oh. then ya, I know this piece

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

I was definitely going to suggest Prokofiev No.2 when I opened this thread. Check it out, even if you might not play it for a bit [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]


Everyone is recommending Beethoven's Pathetique. That;s pretty solid. I would also look into the Hammerklavier which has also been mentioned, and Waldstein, which hasn't. The first movement is really cool. I don't play piano, so i couldn't say how hard it is.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Hungarian Rhapsody #2 [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

But seriously, how about Chopin's Revolutionary Etude if you can do it?

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

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Hungarian Rhapsody #2 [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]



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omg so good. #6 is also incredible. Listen to Argerich's performace on her debut recital. [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

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But seriously, how about Chopin's Revolutionary Etude if you can do it?

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Another amazing piece, but I think some of his nocturnes are more difficult.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
ive been dying to learn how to play the piano forever now. how do you reocmmend i start out?

should i take lessons somewhere? buy a keyboard and a book and learn on my own?

[/ QUOTE ]

anyone?

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
ive been dying to learn how to play the piano forever now. how do you reocmmend i start out?

should i take lessons somewhere? buy a keyboard and a book and learn on my own?

[/ QUOTE ]

anyone?

[/ QUOTE ]

Getting someone to teach you is best, of course, but not really necessary IMO. You can learn proper fingering, scales, and how to read sheet music on your own. The hardest thing about playing piano is having the patience and discipline to practice. You need a lot of practice. It's [censored] HARD.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

thanks. if i were to try to get a start on my own, what is your opinion on using keyboards? a lot of people i know say that they arent nearly the same..

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]

most original Lizst is too hard at this point. He's like the Stevie Ray of piano.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

[ QUOTE ]
thanks. if i were to try to get a start on my own, what is your opinion on using keyboards? a lot of people i know say that they arent nearly the same..

[/ QUOTE ]

I just started about a year ago. For financial and spacial purposes, I bought a keyboard. But if you buy a keyboard, make sure to get one with weighted keys. Otherwise, the transition to a real piano will be more difficult.

For the first 6 months I was teaching myself (as a background - I've played other instruments for nearly 20 years so I didn't need to teach myself theory, etc.). I was doing pretty well, but my wife got me lessons as a gift.

I highly recommend them - not only does it keep you committed, I find that the teacher points out things that I would have taken a long time to figure out on my own. Additionally, when teaching yourself you can develop bad habits that will take longer to right.

They also give new/different musical ideas that speed development, which is very valuable (although this may depend on the style - I am learning blues/jazz).

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

Get lessons and get a keyboard with weighted keys. I have a Yamaha P120S and it's the most wonderful thing in the world. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] Sounds amazing and plays very similarly to a real piano.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

I'm in school for music right now and heard 2 really cool pieces at a student recital, it was kinda weird, as a lot of new music is, but I liked it.

Nightfall
The night winds

-Both by Charles Griffes

Asturias/Leyenda by Isaac Albeniz is pretty sweet too, I play it on guitar but it is origionally for piano.

Re: To all Piano/Classical music enthusiasts
 

one more question:

can anyone recommend a first book to learn from?