Suggestions for an advanced piano piece

Hi everyone, I am a high school Junior and currently in need of a new intermediate-advanced level piano piece to study on (I've been playing for 6 years). I am only interested in pieces with the following characteristics though (I'll just put down some keywords):

Strong, manly, macho, lots of fortes, massive chords, very STRONG rhythm and pulse, deep left-hand octave bases (jumping bases), and preferably with an explosive ending.

I was going to try Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G minor, Op.23, No5., but someone in the piano department of my school has already taken the piece. The G minor prelude is almost perfect for me, since it's macho, with a lot of fortes and massive chords (and left hand octaves). The speed of the piece I'm looking for, does not have to be necessarily fast (Presto, Allegro Vivace, etc.), but 'moderate' or the normal speed of Rachmaninoff's G minor prelude would be fine. Another example of a piece similar to what I'm looking for is Chopin's Heroic Polonaise. My note-reading level is at the level of Rachmaninoff's G minor prelude or Brahm's Intermezzos, so as you can see it isn't very high at all (that's why I can't do Chopin's Heroic Polonaise). I need the piece to be preferably about 5 to 6 minutes long. Any suggestions for a piece similar to the charterists and pieces I've described above, would be much

Brahms Rhapsody Op.79-2

I didn't know you could use up a musical composition.

OK, if you like Rachmaninoff, how about his Polichinelle? (Op 3 # 4) I think it has the characteristics you mention.

George Gershwin's _Rhapsody In Blue_, or Scott Joplin's _The Cascades_. You'd love the 3rd movement in the latter. Nice forearm workout.

There is a Chopin Prelude that sounds just like what you are looking for, although it is short. Don't know the number offhand, but it's in g minor, very rhythmic, left hand octaves, big chords in right hand, big ending. Sounds more difficult than it really is to learn. Should be able to find it easily in any book of Chopin Preludes. Also check out the Brahms, I believe it's his Intermezzos. There is one that starts out with a broken d minor chord and I don't remember what key it's in. It's a little longer than the Chopin.

Off the top of my head: Rachmaninov: Etude-Tableau op.33 #6 (E flat major) [about 2 minutes] Shostakovich: the Fugue from the Prelude & Fugue op.87 #24 (d minor) [ 5-6 minutes] Prokofiev: Et Shostakovich: the Fugue from the Prelude & Fugue op.87 #24 (d minor) [ 5-6 minutes] Prokofiev: Etude op.4 #4 (on broken octaves) [about 2 minutes]

cheerio cocco bill

The Polonaise isn't THAT much more difficult than the Rachmaninoff or Brahms, is it? It's what sprang to my mind when I read your criteria.

'Malaguena' is an impressive and powerful performance piece that you might want to consider; it meets all your criteria, including the explosive ending...

You beat me to it, Mike. Also one that fits the bill, is not well known but the composer good: Benjamin Godard's 'Le Cavalier Fantastique' (excuse mis-spelling). Lots of octaves.

op.2 #4 of course - my mind has been temporarily distracted by a Diabolical Suggestion.

cocco bill

Perhaps Schumann's Carnaval op. 9 (the Preamble, or the final 'Davidsbundler' piece).

Best regards,

You might try the Perpetuum Mobile Rondo from Weber's Sonata Op. 24 - if it's macho enough!