I was asked this the other day. What a hard question! My tentative answer (in decreasing order of awesomeness):
(Mozart) piano concerto no. 23 in A, K.488
(Bach) Brandenburg concerto no. 4 in G, BWV 1049
(Beethoven) piano concerto no. 4 in G, Op. 58
(Beethoven) piano sonata no. 26 in Eb, Op. 81a
(Mozart) piano sonata no. 12 in F, K. 332
(Schumann) piano concerto in a, Op. 54
(Haydn) cello concerto no. 2 in D, Hob. VIIb
(Mozart) fantasia in c, K. 475
(Chopin) piano concerto no. 1 in e, Op. 11
(Rachmaninov) piano concerto no. 2 in c, Op. 18
I also reallyreallyreally really like (in no particular order):
(Mozart) piano concerto no. 9 in Eb, K. 271
(Chopin) Étude no. 6 in g#, Op. 25
(Bach) violin partita no. 2 in d, BWV 1004
(Mozart) piano concerto no. 19 in F, K. 459
(Bach) concerto no. 2 in E, BWV1053
(Haydn) piano sonata no. 52 in Eb, Hob. 16
(Bach) piano partita no. 2 in c, BWV826
(Mozart) piano concerto no. 21 in C, K. 467
(Mozart) piano quartet no. 2 in Eb, K. 493
(Mozart) piano quartet no. 1 in g, K. 478
(Beethoven) piano sonata no. 21 in C, Op. 53
(Beethoven) piano sonata no. 23 in f, Op. 57
(Beethoven) triple concerto in C, Op. 56
(Bach) Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
(Mozart) Requiem in d, K. 626
(Bach) English, French, Cello suites
(Schubert) violin sonatas
This would be a good time to mention my favourite keys: Eb and d. And you people (pieces and keys)?
Also, a random musing: when learning a movement of a piece, to what degree is one obliged to also learn the other movements? I should think, obviously it's preferable, because it helps you put what you're playing in context: the movements were meant to be read, played, heard, however you experience it, together. I'm pretty sure most people listen to all the movements of a piece together, but learning two or more other movements is no mean feat. Hmm?
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Ahh! I'm so happy Chopin and Rachmaninoff made your list :D And I love your choices for Bach.
ReplyDeletehmm... my teacher always gave me single movements from pieces (for example, I've played many Sarabandes from Bach's suites, without learning the other dances). But more and more I've been trying to listen to pieces as a whole, because I think you're right, you have to hear all movements to really understand the meaning of the piece... the second movement of Moonlight Sonata is actually really light and cheerful!
Hmm... I will write a list of the pieces most important to me as it might stand now (very tentative):
ReplyDelete1. (Scriabin) Piano Sonata No. 8 (I should include Nos. 5 and 7 as well)
2. (Scriabin) Symphony No. 5 (Poem of Fire)
3. (Debussy) La Mer - "Jeux de Vagues"
4. (Ravel) La Valse (Transcription for two pianos)
5. (Kapustin) Sonata No. 2
6. (Rachmaninoff) Concerto No. 4 (Manuscript edition)
7. (Roslavets) Sonata No. 1
8. (Ornstein) Poems of 1917
9. (Vine) Sonata No. 1
10. (Liszt) Nuages gris
11. (Medtner) Piano Concerto No. 1 (also his Sonata Tragica Op. 39 No. 5 and Fairy Tale Op. 51 No. 3)
12. (Protopopov) Sonata No. 2
I hope this is at least somewhat accurate...
Gosh, Arthur, I haven't heard a single one of those, except for the Debussy and the Ravel. I really need to broaden my tastes...
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