What is the hardest classical piece to play?

These are the definitively the hardest pieces of music to play Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji - Opus clavicembalisticum. ... Alexander Scriabin - Mysterium. ... Franz Liszt - La Campanella. ... Giovanni Bottesini - Double Bass Concerto No. ... J.S. Bach - Chaconne in D. ... Luciano Berio - Sequenzas. ... Conlon Nancarrow - Studies for Player Piano. More items... •

classicfm.com - These are the definitively the hardest pieces of music to play - Classic FM

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These are the definitively the hardest pieces of music to play

We’ve asked musicians, we’ve scoured the internet and our music library - these are the hardest pieces of classical music out there.

Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji - Opus clavicembalisticum

Why not kick off with an impossible-to-pronounce piece? Here’s a blistering performance of this utterly bonkers piano piece - not for the faint-hearted:

Alexander Scriabin - Mysterium

So yeah, it’s an orchestral evocation of the end of the world that could potentially last for up to a week, and was intended to be performed in the foothills of the Himalayas. Here’s what Scriabin himself said about it: “There will not be a single spectator. All will be participants. The work requires special people, special artists and a completely new culture. The cast of performers includes an orchestra, a large mixed choir, an instrument with visual effects, dancers, a procession, incense, and rhythmic textural articulation. The cathedral in which it will take place will not be of one single type of stone but will continually change with the atmosphere and motion of the Mysterium. This will be done with the aid of mists and lights, which will modify the architectural contours.”

Sure.

Franz Liszt - La Campanella

It sounds innocent enough at the beginning, but give it a minute… This piece has been haunting encores for centuries.

Giovanni Bottesini - Double Bass Concerto No. 2

There was a reason Bottesini was known as the Paganini of the double bass. For extra difficulty points, be true to the period and play it on three strings.

J.S. Bach - Chaconne in D

The absolute daddy of violin showpieces. SO exposed.

Luciano Berio - Sequenzas

OK, it’s hard to narrow these down to just one - but Berio’s experimental Sequenzas were actually designed to push the boundaries of what might be possible with any given instrument. Try the soprano one for size:

Conlon Nancarrow - Studies for Player Piano

Imagine writing a piano piece so insanely tricky that you know a human wouldn’t be able to handle it. That’s what Conlon Nancarrow did, much to everyone’s consternation, and enlisted the help of a trusty player piano to make sure it was finally heard:

Heinrich Ernst - Variations on The Last Rose of Summer

This transcription of Thomas Moore’s poem is utterly bewildering - the techniques required are not only at the very extremes of the violinist’s capabilities, but also required at the same time as one another. See Hilary Hahn nail it:

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How much time does it take to learn Clair de lune?

A better plan would be to obtain an arrangement of this piece, so you can play an easier version. There are many on the market and you will find one which is satisfying to play. You will then be able to play to the end of the piece without taking six months to learn it.

pianistmagazine.com - How much time do I need to prepare Debussy's Clair de lune? - Pianist

Welcome to Q&A Tuesday with Melanie Spanswick! This is a brand-new series in which pianist, author, teacher and composer Melanie will tackle all your burning questions every Tuesday.

Do you think that six months is a lot of time to prepare only 25 bars of Debussy’s Clair de Lune?

If this piece is above your current level of playing, it will take this time to master, and there will probably still be many issues. It's only a good idea to play pieces beyond your level when you are aiming to develop a particular area of your technique, and then you must do it carefully with the help of a teacher otherwise you may injure yourself by creating tension in your hands, wrists and arms. A better plan would be to obtain an arrangement of this piece, so you can play an easier version. There are many on the market and you will find one which is satisfying to play. You will then be able to play to the end of the piece without taking six months to learn it. In the meantime, if you are serious about your playing, why not find a good teacher who can help to build the foundations of a solid technique? It takes time to do this, but eventually, you will be able to master the original version of Clair De lune with relative ease.

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