Whats the most difficult piece to master?

Hi all,

What's a good selection to use as a challenge for someone (teenager) who considers himself a 'prodigy'? Is there a particular piece you can think of that's particularly difficult or complex, and why is it so?

Of all the great composers, whose works are generally considered to be the most challenging (to play, that is)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

Sally Plinkton, 8th grade.

Shut them up with Mozart or a JS Bach Toccata (The C minor one is particularly nasty).

For the widdly note fast playing loud fans - Prokofiev Tocatta Op 11, Rachmaninov Moments-Musicaux Op 16, Ligeti Etudes, Lizst Etudes-Transcendentale, Schumann Carnaval, Godowsky-Chopin Etudes, Gaspard De La Nuit, Volodos Transcriptions, Rach 3..... etc.. etc..

How about Wolverine by Jelly Roll Morton.

Chopin Ballade no.1, Beethoven 'Tempest' Sonata, Mozart C minor Fantasia, Bach G minor Toccata, Scarlatti K. 460. Any one of those should shut the kid up.

You mean the 'Night Wind' Op. 25, No. 2? (Which is actually Sonata No. 7, not counting sonatas without opus numbers)

Not No. 6? Or do you mean Concerto No. 5?

How about the Etude Op. 65 No. 1 in chromatic ninths? After that exercise in extreme discomfort, the White Mass is positively tame.

This question comes up again and again. You can get a lot of answers to this in the archives at groups.google.com I suggest pulling out a piece of sheet paper, put 1000 random notes on it, write vivace above and put in some freaking dynamcis. Try to play it. If it's not hard enough, put in 10 more notes. Repeat until unplayable.

Bye, Christof

Rimskij-Korsakow # Flight of the Bumble Bee

There's a solo piano transcription available at http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/downloads/Korsakov/ BumbleePf.html

And if this should prove to be too simple there's also a jazzy version by a pianist from Hamburg called Joja Wendt, though I don't know whether you'll be able to find sheet music for this one... But if your student considers himself so bright, he might be able to play it by ear *g*.

: Chopin Ballade no.1, Beethoven 'Tempest' Sonata, Mozart C minor Fantasia, : Bach G minor Toccata, Scarlatti K. 460. Any one of those should shut : the kid up.

None of those pieces would be the least bit difficult for a 'prodigy.' Tell him to try something really tough like Islamey or Gaspard de la Nuit.

Stringing notes together like this is often thought of as virtuosity and, as Christof implies, is fairly pointless. On the other hand there are no performances of even the simplest of pieces that cannot be improved on. So I would suggest a more interesting challenge: play a recording of, say, Michelangeli playing Debussy's Childrens Corner and then say 'OK - now play it like that'.

This is a family forum, read by many teenager prodigies. Keep it clean and tidy !

Thank you,

Mobutu Mbwawe