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Musician's Challenges

Down further I started list of challenging musical compositions that test the quality of the musician.
Please add and continue!

Guitar:
1. Recuerdos De La Alhambra by Francisco Tarrega best played by Pepe Romero IMHO
2. Le Catedral by Augusin Barrios best played by Ana Vidovic
3. Las Abejas by Augustin Barrios best played by Jason Vieaux

Piano:
Obviously it's Rachmaninoff#3 played by Ashkenazy... anyone better?
There are also great sophisticated set of Chopin ethudes that I'm lost which one is more challenging than the other so there's room to share.
czarivey

Showing 3 responses by kijanki

kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,448 posts
 
Segovia wasn't the best technician. You can hear string buzzing, unintended delays etc. Whole new generation of guitar players including David Russell play without single buzz (poorly pressed string). Two links below show not only Sharon Isbin being much more advanced but also playing with much stronger dynamics appropriate to Spanish music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCeebWgjrrU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIjfkYKKW54

Segovia was a great teacher and ambassador for guitar music.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,448 posts
 
From the purely technical viewpoint the most difficult music to play might be the one not designed to be played by human. Conlon Nacarrow music written for pianola was impossible to play because of speed and impossible fingering. I've heard that today few pianists can play it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFz2lCEkjFk
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,448 posts
 
Mapman, Conlon Nancarrow was originally composing music for piano but when his music got very complex he couldn't find pianists to play it (especially in Mexico where he lived). He switched then to pianola and discovered completely new instrument. It is still music, but concept of a his music "Concert" is strange when you sit in the audience and the only thing on the stage is pianola. Why would anybody pay for that?! On the other hand his music played very loud in my room is beyond believe.
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