Recommendations of Piano Suites/Sonatas/Works: Philosophy Forums

Recommendations of Piano Suites/Sonatas/Works

Vinni
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Posted 02/19/09 - 10:35 AM: Subject: Recommendations of Piano Suites/Sonatas/Works	#1
I've been wracking brain for the past few hours attempting to find gems of classical music, specifically solo piano suites (if that's the right term). Maybe my lack of knowledge concerning classical music - generally I listen to folk and indie music - is making this search much more difficult than it needs to be, so any help is appreciated, but I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I'm a huge fan of Debussy's Suite Bergamasque, being able to listen to it through an EMI Classics album that compiles it and some other works, all piano driven. And after realizing this fact, that I love solo piano, especially Debussy and likewise Chopin - though my only introduction to Chopin is the "The Pianist" soundtrack, which is actually quite good - I want to find more. In the past few hours I've looked over Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20, apparently a prolific piece, because I really don't like such pieces - with the assistance of an orchestra. I'm dying to hear Brahms' Solo Piano works so I'll probably end up buying the 5 disc set from Amazon, but money is tight. Regardless of how I acquire the albums, any recommendations of great solo piano CDs is highly appreciated. Thanks in advance and be healthy.

easyjacksn
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Posted 02/19/09 - 11:21 AM:	#2
Looking through my iTunes: Beethoven's Piano Sonatas Brahms - Piano Concerto no.1 Brahms - Intermezzo in E-flat, Op. 117 Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto no.1 Bach - Goldberg Variations Bach - Italian Concerto Liszt - Mephisto Waltz no.1 Liszt - Liebestraum no.3 Grieg - Piano Concerto in A minor Shostakovich - 24 Preludes & Fugues

Schlitz
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Posted 02/19/09 - 11:29 AM:	#3
All of Beethoven's piano sonatas are good, and Shostakovich's preludes and fugues are classics. Some highlights are the fugue in C major and the prelude in D. And if your taste is more contemporary, (and even if it isn't), I have one recommendation to make more strongly than any other: Ligeti. Piano. Etudes. Ligeti's piano etudes are mind-blowing. Also check out John Adams's Phrygian Gates for a representative piece of American minimalism. A recording of Bartok's Mikrokosmos is a must for a good collection of solo piano music. And, if you like Chopin, then you should buy his piano etudes. They're great.

Schlitz
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Posted 02/19/09 - 11:32 AM:	#4
Oh yeah, if you want serialist german expressionism, then you should get Schoenberg's suite, opus 25.

easyjacksn
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Posted 02/19/09 - 11:40 AM:	#5
You're recommending Schoenberg to a beginner? Seriously? Are you trying to scare him off forever?

Schlitz
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Posted 02/19/09 - 12:01 PM:	#6
Right. I prefer to jump in the pool rather than to ease in, I suppose. Not everyone feels the same way. Coulda been worse: coulda been Babbitt, but I won't recommend him in good faith to anyone.

Partisan189
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Posted 02/19/09 - 12:51 PM:	#7
I just got into classical music so my repertoire is mainly relegated to the Romantic period, but I'll give it a try anyway. Beethoven: anything Chopin: "Revoluctionary" Study Chopin: Nocturne #2 In E Flat Chopin: Raindrop - Prelude Op 28 No 15 in D Flat Minor Chopin: Scherzo #2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31, CT 198 Chopin: Waltz in C Minor Brahms: Waltz Op. 20 No. 2 Liszt: La Campenella (Paganini Studies No. 3) Mendelssohn: Capriccio Brilliant for Piano & Orchestra Op 22 Rachmaninoff: Italian Polka Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C Minor Tchaikovsky: Les Saisons, Op. 37B - Barcarole (June) Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

swstephe
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Posted 02/19/09 - 05:16 PM:	#8
I was really into Chopin for a while. Raindrop Prelude is always on my playlist and I can never get tired of it, but I tried learning to play a few of the hundreds of Etudes and Mazurkas he wrote. Very intellectually stimulating. At one point, I was into the suite: "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini". No. 18 has been played to death as movie soundtracks. I had an idea of arranging for piano, flute and violin, (my daughters' instruments). These days, I'm exploring some very modern pieces. You should probably try out Philip Glass' Etudes for Piano -- if you don't mind the modernism and repetitiveness of themes, or "Einstein on the Beach".
Ethics is the measuring of morality. Morality is the measuring of good. Good is the measuring of benefit. Benefit is the measure of values.

Vinni
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Posted 02/19/09 - 07:55 PM:	#9
Everything so far has truly been helpful, as I'll be looking up nearly all of these suggestions (I'll stray away from Glass as I never liked him); however, does anyone have any good CD suggestions? I've found a great collection of Ligeti's works (Ligeti Edition 3: Works for Piano) and would love to see more compilations as such. Specifically, I've heard lots of good things about the Rubinstein collections, and EMI classics. Thanks again, everyone. Edited by Vinni on 02/19/09 - 08:03 PM

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