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Music Minus One (mentioned above by dogperson) come with a two piano score. You can follow the orchestral parts quite easily reading the piano reduction.
You could learn the J. Christian Bach sonatas that Mozart adapted into concertos. Then if you find a couple of violinists and a cellist or bass, you could play them as concertos. Schott publishes the score and parts.
Hakki - thank you so much for the suggestions dogperson - thank you, that is a GREAT idea.
To be honnest, unless you can get an orchestra backing tape or at a minimum get a second pianist to play the orchestra, I dont see what would be the purpose of learning the piano part only ?
In addition you do need to know what is the full orchestra score to understand how the piano part will fit in, the piano reduction being an approximation. For certain concerto, like Bach, the piano is playing along the orchestra as well as in true solo.
To be honnest, unless you can get an orchestra backing tape or at a minimum get a second pianist to play the orchestra, I dont see what would be the purpose of learning the piano part only ?
With Mozart and Haydn concertos, you can play both piano and orchestral parts (in tuttis), switching from one to the other as the occasion demands, adding important lines from the orchestral part if there is a hand or several fingers free in the solo part.
I learnt several Mozart concertos thus, and had a great time playing them. I've never played with orchestra.
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In addition you do need to know what is the full orchestra score to understand how the piano part will fit in, the piano reduction being an approximation.
No, you don't need to study the full orchestral score, if that's what you're saying. I don't own any full scores of the concertos I've learnt.
You just need to know what the orchestral part sounds like, and when instrumental lines are dovetailing with the piano part (incorporating them if possible). You would write down "oboe", "clarinet" etc above the second piano (= orchestra) part depending on which instrument was playing those lines, if necessary, so you have some idea of which instrument you are accompanying on piano. Many pianists playing concertos for the first time with orchestra have never seen the full score: they just rehearsed with their teacher playing on second piano (having listened of course to recordings), then straight to orchestral rehearsal, adapting their dynamics, voicing, pedalling etc as required.
bennevis ----- BINGO! That is exactly what I do! TY TY TY I am leaning towards the harder Beethoven 5th, since I have heard it dozens and dozens of time, so I know it the best. I have also worked on different sections- probably the easier parts
reading what others have said, I get the impression that Concerto's are for Advanced Players only who are proficient enough to read right thru the score.
All my life I had teachers hold me back, saying "that is too advanced for your ability right now"
When I was young (7yo) It was Over the Rainbow When I was 15yo it was full Broadway Vocal Scores When I was 18yo it was several Classical Pieces
Well I am 65you, retired and I have NO ONE to hold me back I have my Steinway I have my, what I would call, Freedom - to Play, AND Learn - Whatever I wish! and that is what I plan on doing
The Beethoven 5th!
Im going to get the UrText Henle edition and follow along with a YouTube Video of different performers.
thanks to all for advice, comments and samples any more thoughts always appreciated also on my decision?
brdwyguy JDM
1961-1964: Emerson Upright 1969-1992: Westbrook Spinet 1992-2021: Schomacker B (1912) "Schoowie" 2021-Present: Steinway Model A (1912) "Amalia"
To Listen to my Music is to know me. To know me all you need do is listen to my music.
To be honnest, unless you can get an orchestra backing tape or at a minimum get a second pianist to play the orchestra, I dont see what would be the purpose of learning the piano part only ?
With Mozart and Haydn concertos, you can play both piano and orchestral parts (in tuttis), switching from one to the other as the occasion demands, adding important lines from the orchestral part if there is a hand or several fingers free in the solo part.
I learnt several Mozart concertos thus, and had a great time playing them. I've never played with orchestra.
Quote
In addition you do need to know what is the full orchestra score to understand how the piano part will fit in, the piano reduction being an approximation.
No, you don't need to study the full orchestral score, if that's what you're saying. I don't own any full scores of the concertos I've learnt.
You just need to know what the orchestral part sounds like, and when instrumental lines are dovetailing with the piano part (incorporating them if possible). You would write down "oboe", "clarinet" etc above the second piano (= orchestra) part depending on which instrument was playing those lines, if necessary, so you have some idea of which instrument you are accompanying on piano. Many pianists playing concertos for the first time with orchestra have never seen the full score: they just rehearsed with their teacher playing on second piano (having listened of course to recordings), then straight to orchestral rehearsal, adapting their dynamics, voicing, pedalling etc as required.
That would work for certain concerto but not others, typically not possible to do that with Bach, at least not for the whole mouvement. Yes of course you can always approach it by simulating the orchestra, but many times there are more than one instruments playing and the second piano part will not give the exact color unless one us constantly referring to a recorded version. At least for me i prefer to look at the full score so i can precisely relate what the orchestra does and my part. In any case, for an intermediate player, unless he can perform against a tape or with another player in real situation, i dont see what the interest might be. But thats just my point of view.
A lot of students would start with the Bach Italian in F. It's a concerto written for solo keyboard (without orchestral accompaniment). The piece does have a lot of scale runs & some jumps. Unlike later concertos, the octave range is limited because many of the keyboard instruments in his day only had 61 keys.
Performing any of the 3 movements does not require accompaniment. The fast first & last movements start with an exposition section and end with the same. Depending on your tempo the first movement is barely 4 min. long. The last mvt is also short so the piece can be memorized easily.
and I am totally in love with this Musical Prodigy! This is from 2014 - he is a little older now but check out his YouTube videos I couldn't believe my eyes or ears
Alexander Malofeev - jaw-dropping
(Prokofiev - 2014) and (Grieg - 2014)
and also on the more pop side I am also in love with this guy and his arrangements watch the EMOTION on his face while he is playing.
Francesco Parrino - youtube sensation (Moon River)
(The Swan)
Last edited by brdwyguy; 01/29/2208:44 AM.
1961-1964: Emerson Upright 1969-1992: Westbrook Spinet 1992-2021: Schomacker B (1912) "Schoowie" 2021-Present: Steinway Model A (1912) "Amalia"
To Listen to my Music is to know me. To know me all you need do is listen to my music.
I have two Questions I would like to ask about Piano Concerto's
#1 What would be a good full Piano Concerto to learn as an Intermediate Pianist's 1st attempt? Not for performance but just as a personal learning experience.
thank you Brdwyguy
I can give you my opinion on the first one.
The best concerti for pianists who have never touched a concerto before, vary on what a pianist is comfortable with.
I would suggest one of these:
Grieg in A minor Kabalevsky #3 in D major Beethoven #2 in B-flat major Mozart #12 in A major
Stay away from these, because of the musical difficulty:
Mozart #15 in B-flat Mozart #20 in D minor Beethoven #4 in G major Beethoven #5 in E-flat major Beethoven #1 in C major Saint-Saëns #4 in C minor Schumann in A minor
Stay away from these, because of the technical difficulty:
Rachmaninoff #3 in D minor Rachmaninoff #2 in C minor Liszt #2 in A major Tchaikovsky #1 in B-flat minor Weber #2 in E-flat major
Last edited by FarazIsLivingLife; 01/30/2210:27 PM.
Faraz What a nice list! However, he’s already made the decision to choose Beethoven 5
I’m sure this question will come up again, and your list will be very useful 😊
The OP has already decided but for other people this is actually a very useful list.
I was thinking about that and I think a better starting point for someone like me who only ever played solo piano is to work on simpler collaborative pieces like duets, trios, and mabe some chamber music rather than those "easy" concertos. I'll see what I can find on Tomplay.
