I'd like to know what all your absolute favorite pieces of music are, so i can listen to them and maybe even learn them! My personal favorite is Chopin's 4th ballade in F minor.

Good luck learning this one - my absolute favorite piece of all time is the solo piano version of Ravel's La Valse. I know I'm probably the only person who thinks this, but it's very pretty in many places.

Chopin Ballade No. 1

Medtner Sonata-Reminiscenza (this should not surprise anyone anymore)

Liszt.....anything by him except a few pieces which are too popular and too cliche (i.e. HR #2 and La Campanella-however you spell it..yuck!)

Chopin Ballade no.1 or Beethoven Appassionata Sonata.

Anything is good .. as long as it is played well. There are too many occasions where the pianist just plays and does not take the music to heart....

I concur. As of lately, I've also started to love Chopin's Barcarolle Opus 60.

One of my favorites is Chopin's prelude No. 15. I think it's really beautiful!

These and the 4th Ballade are definitely near the top of my list. If general keyboard stuff counts, Bach's E Minor Partita is way up there, too.

Well, Liszt of course does it for me.

I think the "apres une lecture de Dante" from the Italian Pilgrimage is my current obsession. I can listen to it over and over and over. It has everything in it ... including the kitchen sink! *sigh* I just wish I could play it over and over and over.

As for favorite pieces, I have lately been enjoying lesser known composers, such as Granados. I love playing his Oriental and Valses Poeticos. They are easy to learn and rely totally on expression. Because they are not so well known in concert performance, except for Alicia de la Rocha, I feel more freedom in interpreting something fresh to the standard repetoire.

Mozartiana

Hi Mozartiana,
Have you ever played Granados' Cuentos de la Juventud set or the Bocetos set? I like them better than the Valses Poeticos and some of them are even easier too.

Hi Pianolady,
Yes, I have that set of Cuentos de la Juventude and I have enjoyed playing Cancion de Mayo and the Dedicatoria to his son. Do you know the history of Granados, how he died trying to save his wife when their ship was hit by a German submarine? Quite a tragic end to such a talented and wonderful composer. I believe he was traveling back home from a New York tour.

As for the other set you mentioned, I will have to look into it. You have inspired me to get to know more of his works.

Another performance favorite of mine is Brahms' A Major Intermezzo, Op. 118. (Andante Teneramente). It has such a subtle, controlled yearning.

What are your favorite pieces?

Mozartiana

The first time I heard that piece was while sitting in an airplane and listening to the airplane radio station through that arm rest thingy where you plug in earplugs. I remember thinking that I just had to learn what this piece was, and as it turns out, a member right here told me. So I enjoyed learning it, and then played it twice in recitals. Unfortunately, both times I made pretty big mistakes.

Just thought of another set of Granados set you may want to try. It is the Escenas Poeticas. They are only three pieces but also not so difficult.



Where do I begin? Most of Chopin's nocturnes, his mazurkas, all ballades, most preludes. Granados, Beethoven sonatas (Tempest), Grieg - too many to say, Mozart - too many to pick out, and lately, Samuel Barber - his nocturne, the Excursions set (really great!). Sorry I can't be very specific, but I've got a million things going on right now and can't think clearly.