What's your favourite Chopin prelude? Mine would have to be no. 17 in A flat, but I also adore no. 24 in D minor. (I love them all, to be honest, but these are my favourites).

hmm that's a good question. It has been a while since I listened to the preuldes. Maybe I should dig up my Rubinstein CD and listen to them. Thanks.


I'll give you my favorite after I am done.

I like no.16, 19,the one in f sharp major, and the one in G minor... I play all of these but no.16 i think needs a little bit of work... The preludes are awesome from a wide point of view... I don't really consider them preludes but rather short masterpieces...

I think the one in Bb minor....I think just about every pianist has had nightmares about playing this beast. Plus it's so cool to listen to someone who actually can play it!

My favorite Chopin Prelude is actually his Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 45, not included in the original set of 24. Other than that, these are my favorites, in order of composition:

1/C major
3/G major (I've never heard another piece like this, it's truly unique)
4/E minor
6/B minor
7/A major (simple and beautiful)
8/F sharp minor
10/C sharp minor
13/F sharp major
15/D flat major ("raindrop")
16/B flat minor (a favorite of many virtuosos)
17/A flat major
18/F minor
19/E flat major
21/B flat major
23/F major
24/D minor

Of these, I'd say that the A flat and D flat major preludes are near the top of the list. I play the C sharp minor prelude often. Really, so many of them are good pieces that it's hard to pin down a favorite.

I am still tired with them after my recording session of op.28 and have not played any of the preuldes since then. My favourite to listen to is probably a good version of no.8 but it kills my RH wrist to play it. For playing, it will be no.24 or no.21.

Hard to name favourites as they are all special (though I do not care so much for that played-into-the-ground raindrop). IMO 17 and 23 are the two most beautiful and serene. That harmonic twist at the end of 23 is just pure genious.
From a pure pianistical point it has to be no.16 though. Easy to see where Rachmaninov could have taken his cue from.

number 16 is my fav.

Esp. to people who don't read music, don't thethe #8 and #17 preludes look insane?

One that drives me crazy to play is #19 in E-flat. My favorite to play and listen to is the #15 in D-flat, it was the first "real" piece I played, much to my piano teacher's consternation. Number 16 is a lot of fun to hear played by the virtuosi.
No. 24, (I think I like them as much as the Mazurkas)

P

My first choice is No. 21. Followed by No. 18 (those giant chords are fun) and then No. 26, then 23, then 3, then....

f# minor

Yes they do and even to me the first time.

While it is lovely to listen to, I hated learning this. For me, it was the absolutely most difficult prelude of them all as you have to jump all the time with both hands. Also, you very easily mix up the bars with each other. After trying various method, I saw only one solution to learn it and it was to just feed your hands with it daily. Small dozes at the time (about 4 bars) slowly, until you have played the entire piece 10 times. Then just repeat this procedure every day for like 2-3 months and you have probably fed your muscle memory enough to play it in your sleep. Unfortunately, it felt like I shut off the brain when I played it and when I finally created a decent recording of it, I never played it again.

The #17 prelude definitely looks insane! After a few lines you get lost in a swamp of accidentals and leger lines...

My favourite is no.7 and no.8.
They are all beautiful pieces though.