Top 10 Most Difficult Piano Pieces | Pianist Reacts

There are a lot of very difficult pieces to play on the piano, and Rousseau made a video listing the top 10 most difficult piano pieces, so I reacted to it. I have played some of the pieces before but for others I haven't ventured near them, but they are all great choices and great pieces!
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[@matticawood]

I focussed a lot on the technicalities of playing in this video because most people think (and potentially why these pieces were chosen) that the hardest pieces to play are difficult because of how difficult they are to physically play. The most important part and the real challenge with playing any music is how you play it and what a piece of music is trying to convey emotionally. There are a lot of pieces that are technically less challenging but much more difficult to play due to interpretation and conveying that interpretation 😊

[@yongyong8497]

Many people have their own opinions on these pieces

[@yongyong8497]

Some you might think it not really difficult but sometimes to other it might be hard

[@yongyong8497]

It depends on our level

[@Mxnh]

moonlight sonata 1st movement moment

[@michaelsims1160]

True. None of these pieces are close to be being the “hardest” in the piano pedagogy. Bach fugues from the Well Tempered Clavier might not sound that hard but the voicing (distinguishing the different themes of the fugue ) takes work to do well. Try some of the Ligeti etudes like 13 “The devils staircase”. That’s virtuoso.

[@dekka4433]

Rousseau actually had a pinned comment on this video as it was meant to be a joke. Obviously, these pieces are just what sounds ‘the most difficult’ to the uneducated audience. There are so many other more underestimated pieces and composers - be Islamey or Gaspard de la nuit. You should react to Twoset Violin’s B2TSM Music Video next :)

[@matticawood]

Definitely! I can see why 😊 these are difficult pieces, but there are a lot of under-appreciated pieces that are super difficult! Il check it out! 😊

[@notmusictheory74]

If you can, you should definitely make a video about these pieces. There are real good stuff in that list

[@hat_cbw6972]

B^2TSM is best MV

[@maimelody5027]

True fact

[@luisenriquezapataarellano7591]

They are popular. As well as the Scriabin sonatas

[@RetroPianist]

Something else to bear in mind: There is a lot more that goes into mastering a classical piece than simply playing the notes. I think some people manage to play the right notes of a concert piece and then declare they've learned it without taking into account voicing, phrasing, dynamics, managing multiple lines of melody, tone, smoothness of technique, evenness, appropriate rubato, etc. The reality is that properly learning an advanced piece can take many months. Playing a piece is one thing; playing it WELL is another. A lot of the challenge of performing classical repertoire is the musical side of things, not just the technical side.

[@matticawood]

I definitely agree!! Most of the work and the most important work is musicality and caring about why and how we want it to sound. 😊

[@redfishplayz4476]

Thats what im trying with Fantasie Impromptu, I dont Just want the "fast notes", But a beautiful MUSIC. U cant Imagine how deep and beautiful Fantasie Impromptu actually is.

[@redfishplayz4476]

And also those Points are why some Performances get famous and some dont

[@manuelcardoso7595]

@@matticawood yeah. Technique is the minimum. I'm a classical guitarist

[@matmagix3845]

As Lang Lang would say, let the music breathe. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWi0YoiOrLinb7M

[@charliegold3227]

The hardest piece I have played is by far Liszts transcription of the 4th movement of Beethovens ninth. Then I would go with Rach 3, Goldberg Variations, Douze Grande Etude No.5 and Alkan Concerto for Solo Piano.

[@matticawood]

That’s quite the selection of hard pieces! Nice choices! 😊

[@joshuaslater7858]

hardest pieces pieces i’ve played is prokofiev 6th sonata, beethoven 3rd concerto, liszt mazeppa/chasse neige, and some rachmaninoff etude tableaux. feel like i need more practice to get to your level! learning liszt hungarian rhapsody 12 and saint saens no 2. (rachmaninoff 1st concerto for next year) 😎

[@joshuaslater7858]

oh plus most of the chopin etudes. im 16 btw :)

[@notmusictheory74]

You are actually so good

[@Gahhihs]

@@matticawood hardest piece is definitely etude 6 of liszt

[@dmwalker24]

Very interesting insights for those of us who aren't pianists. Chopin has always seemed to me like it must be quite daunting to play. The rubato, the emotional expression, and the way it flows. It's not improvisation, but it almost feels like it sometimes when listening. Like there are more things you'd have to be mindful of than if you were playing something more structured like Beethoven, or Bach.

[@matticawood]

Chopin is a very expressive player and writer, which can be difficult to express. Where to use rubato and bring out certain parts can be easier though if you are a naturally expressive player and can understand what he’s trying to do theoretically. Bach is very technically difficult, especially with pieces like the preludes and fugues, because there are multiple interwoven melodies that are hard to distinguish between etc. so it’s more technically challenging. Composers like Mozart or Beethoven are kind of between the two, where there is a lot of expression needed, but because of the period they were still more constrained by theoretical norms and playing them accurately to how they would have been played is the challenge..more so than those a bit later in the romantic period!

[@claryyy]

actually chopin is easier to play for me! chopin gives you a nice and expressive melody, and as long as you play the appropriate dynamics and rubato it will sound nice. and that's easy since there are dynamic markings + most of it is pretty straightforward. as a pianist however, bach is my worst enemy. he mostly wrote for harpsichord which has no dynamics, so you have to kind of invent them to make the piece musical (even though it wasn't written to be that way) while taking into account the counterpoint. and you also can't do rubato because of the strict tempo. another thing is that if you fudge a few chords in chopin's pieces, no one will notice, but if you even accent the wrong note in bach or beethoven's pieces, it's glaringly obvious.

[@Lucmercurius]

@@claryyy well Bach is obviously difficult, but you’re talking about Chopin like all his pieces are nocturnes. Try to play the 4th ballade or one of his sonatas and you will see how difficult it is.

[@claryyy]

@@Lucmercurius true, i haven't had much experience with his sonatas but i think my previous comment applies to most baroque/romantic music. it's just the fact that most baroque music wasn't composed for the pianoforte :/

[@hida7962]

@@Lucmercurius I do think that on average, it is harder to get a Bach piece ready for performance than a Chopin piece. But it really depends on what piece of course. What I will say is that Bach requires a certain attention to the score and precision of interpretation that Chopin doesn't normally demand.

[@justajk4749]

As someone who is able to play fantaisie impromptu I have to be honest with you it's really not too difficult you just have to be a little patient with the polyrhythms but then it's very manageable

[@aadamlucas]

But to make it sound like actual music with dynamics, prhasing and all of that is hard

[@zoteck9177]

So, it’s difficult !

[@trebleclef9844]

Its not easy but not the most difficult

[@ajbrewer1777]

Same, I can play Fantasie Impromptu at a reasonable level and I am a good, but truthfully average (at best) pianist. I wouldn’t even consider learning the vast majority of Chopins etudes. I don’t think F.I. Is a top ten hardest piece, even when played properly.

[@negativeharmoney]

@@ajbrewer1777 fantasies impromptu isn't even top 30

[@jamshidbekqodirov4520]

The hardest pieces Iʼve played were Chopinʼs Op. 64 No.2 and Ballade no. 1. Yeah, they may not be difficult for professional pianists, but learning to play them perfectly was quite a challenge for me)

[@matticawood]

They are both challenging! I’ve done these as well and I would say that the Ballade is probably harder than a few of the ones on this list 😊

[@lossen1984]

@@matticawood I agree.

[@tanotic5364]

I'm currently learning Ballade no. 1 and it's a pain in certain sections (especially the coda) but it's so much fun to play as well :)

[@harunotter9905]

I think they‘re also hard for pianists

[@ifmondayhadaface9490]

I don't see how op. 64 no.2 and Ballade no.1. are even in the same ballpark...Anyone who can learn Ballade no.1 shouldn't take more than few days to learn the former.

[@JosStudiosPiggy]

"That's not difficult". My good man, i would break my fingers if i play the first piece.

[@OnlyPlaysGg]

I woudnt

[@OnlyPlaysGg]

But it does look difficult

[@slendydie1267]

La Campanella is my favorite piano piece and nothing will ever top that for me. Such an amazingly well composed piece

[@shimuelo1269]

Maybe try listening to classical music

[@andrew0527douya]

That is classical

[@Deviousahhz]

I used to be impressed with it for how crazy it was, then I really just kind of listen it and really lost all thought and listened to it..

[@evanno_w]

​@@andrew0527douya classic is not all abt la campanella smh💀🙏

[@DrXtoph]

You make this look so simple it's crazy!

[@cowzilla8]

There's a piece that Cziffra transcribed based on his performance, that he titled "Fantasy on William Tell". The piece that he transcribed to is a bit different from his performance, since he added more notes to the transcription, making it more difficult than it already was, to the point of it being very close to virtually impossible. There's a synthesia video on KZbin that plays what was transcribed, and you'll see just how insane the piece is.

[@matticawood]

Il definitely check it out! When it’s tough, the best thing to do is add notes! 😂

[@zique8198]

Hey man, stumbled onto your video randomly. Awesome content. I’ve always loved Chopin’s pieces, and I appreciate the knowledge. Insightful

[@matticawood]

Thank you! I’m glad you liked it! 😊

[@Ichi.Xiong2009]

The Moonlight Sonata thrid movement you said break it into chords so you can play and that's what I started to doing and it's going well and i'm getting there, you gave me a good big hope and confidence so thanks!

[@fanofsomethingiguess8428]

I’d say the hardest piece I’ve tried is either 1. Étude No. 4 in E major (Liszt Arpeggio 1838) from Études d'exécution transcendante d'après Paganini 2. Feux follets from Douze grandes études Both are relatively short, but the first is just really difficult to play at 60bpm, with the technical difficulties, lightness, dynamics, (the intended speed, though there’s debate). The second one just has a painful amount of fingering, and takes ages to learn. Both are definitely not the hardest, (some pieces are hours long, which is probably why they’re what I consider hardest). But they are definitely not pieces you can just play and say your done with, You may be able to do that with most other pieces (Reminiscence De Juan, hope I spelt that correctly). But some pieces are harder than others to different people, what may seem hard to another (Mazeppa) may not be to you

[@yashiimelodies4506]

definitely agree feux follets in 20x harder than mazeppa lol

[@JustAnAverageRBLXYT]

maybe Circus Galop

[@dreadnautilus253]

@@JustAnAverageRBLXYT Impossible, doesnt count

[@ryzikx]

@@yashiimelodies4506 it's preference, mazeppa requires forearm strength while feux follets requires chromatic work

[@ifmondayhadaface9490]

@@ryzikx Is it really a prefernce though? The only thing that really separates Mazeppa from the other Transcendental Etudes(which are obviously all difficult) is the diversity of required techniques and jumps. Meanwhile with Feux Follets it's very hard to find double note passages that rival it.

[@FabioGeometryDash]

This video was so fun and easy to understand even though I'm just getting into piano right now. Amazing video!

[@kookoo9235]

As a non pianist i would guess stuff like Ravel's piano pieces would be some of the most difficult with all the craziness and dynamics. All that stuff is amazing to listen to, majorly hypnotic, you just get lost in this blank state while listening to his piano works.

[@Yrotsh]

i love the content i cant understand how ppl dont watch you keep up the good work

[@mr.trollincidents3588]

you are actually so talented at piano wtf. im assuming you have perfect pitch but rousseau is crazy and you're able to break down his hardest pieces (there are harder ones, he just made that video since everyone knew those songs) but yeah man you earned my subscription

[@matticawood]

Thank you! I appreciate that and I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊 I don’t have perfect pitch, but I do have pretty good relative pitch! I did make a video not that long ago where I tried to learn perfect pitch in 24 hours 😂

[@chadbroski9438]

Perfect pitch probably not but he is really good at playing by ear. Like really good. Also tHEYRE PIECES NOT SONGS AHHHHHHH

[@zenosama-tm3bs]

Ik no one's asking but Rousseau is actually a girl, not a guy

[@mr.trollincidents3588]

@@zenosama-tm3bsreally?? lmao i had no idea

[@zenosama-tm3bs]

@@mr.trollincidents3588 yea, I recall learning that years ago when her la campanella vid originally came out and I saw people mentioning it

[@PixlyPenguin]

Personnally I think it's more important to play a beautiful piece, rather then a hard one

[@enricozincani2384]

You explained exactly what I thought the first time I listened to op 10 n 1. Since the previous year I performed the 3rd movement of moonlight sonata I thought that op 10 n 1 would have been the same thing. I realized I was wrong when I first attempted the waterfall etude

[@matticawood]

When it sounds like an arpeggio it sounds like it should be easy…and then…it’s really not 😂

[@enricozincani2384]

Yes exactly 😅

[@Jemima889]

Im also a pianist and I know how scales and arpeggios are not just there for love and charity its there to help us play difficult pieces

[@_otroll5393]

In Vivaldi summer, I think you forgot to mention the difficulty in ascending thirds. Although the octaves, scales and arpeggios are easy (with extensive practice of course), there is that passage with ascending thirds that could tend to be very difficult to play, especially evenly with musicality. I also think that moonlight sonata 3rd movement isn't given enough credit here either. Being a sonata as a whole, you have 2 previous movements that are very demanding in terms of phrasing and musicality. By the time the performer has reached the 3rd movement, the hands are tired, having played 2 previous movements. I also think that the 3rd movement has some tremendous difficulties throughout the midsections of the piece like the rapid Alberti bass which has to be played piano with a melody in the right hand that should also be brought out without the left hand overtaking it. Not to mention, the piece is a whole 7 MINUTES with a continuous stream of difficulties. Other than that, I love that you're bringing attention to video's like these and giving your professional opinions. I love what you do and I can't wait to see your channel grow.

[@matticawood]

Thank you, I appreciate that! I definitely missed the thirds, I should have mentioned those! The moonlight has a lot of varied demands if including the other movements 😊 although when compared to some of the other Beethoven Sonatas (particularly the later ones), I would say the time investment is a little less because the technical difficulty is already there if you are able to play scales/arpeggios really well 😊 I agree that to play it well, there is a lot of challenges with musicality (and that’s the most important part) and fatigue over the course of the movements, I suppose it depends on strengths and weaknesses…phrasing, shaping and musicality is probably a strength of mine 😊

[@_otroll5393]

​@@matticawood Thank you for your input :) In this context, I agree that the other Beethoven sonatas propose a much greater difficulty. Each of his various virtuosic compositions have their respective difficulties and challenges. So when you put this sonata into perspective with his other repertoire, your point makes 100% sense. Thank your for your time and understanding, keep up the amazing work!

[@blackhole3407]

Couple of things i would like to point out: *ascending thirds are a bit tricky but the section with them is really short *1st and 2nd movements of moonlight sonata are very easy and wont tire you *3rd movement is not _that_ difficult and repeats a lot *"7 minutes of difficulties" is not impressive when you are comparing it to like 40 minutes long monsters *moonlight sonata should be nowhere near such a list, as it is dwarfed in difficulty by most other sonatas. Even hammerklavier (Beethovens hardest sonata) is never listed as one of hardest pieces

[@ifmondayhadaface9490]

Yeah I can play Fatanse Impromptu but the Moonlight looks kinda scary.

[@ifmondayhadaface9490]

@@blackhole3407 Note that the Rousseau himself states that those were not REALLY the most difficult pieces ever; they were just the most difficult pieces on his channel. Though I'm kinda lost on why Flight of the Bumblebee was included there but Ballade no1 was not....

[@dathyr1]

Maybe in my next lifetime I will be able to play these kind of pieces. Thanks for the breakdown of some of them.

[@blaede69]

this guy deserves more respect

[@matticawood]

Thanks! 😊

[@cgonzt5636]

I love that Chopin piece Fantaisie.. always hearing it in keyboard demo song 😂 Flight of bumblebee I guess is always amongst the top ten. Oh boy, look at that left hand for the Little red riding hood piece, a killer!

[@ifmondayhadaface9490]

Yeah that Little Red Riding Hood piece is a 9 in Henle.

[@imakevid]

Thanks for this vid pls make more! 😁

[@ItsManu001]

*Rush E and Rush E 2:* Look what they need to mimic a fraction of our power...

[@matticawood]

Years of training to be schooled by a computer 😔 😂

[@guin4356]

If you bring down Rush E's level from synth computer impossible for humans to play to a playble one, 90% of Liszt's pieces are so much harder. Edit: Rush E even if bringed to a playble level is still going to be very difficult to play. SMB actually did playble Rush E and it's still very hard.

[@notmusictheory74]

So tired of these rush e comments. Anyone who knows enough about difficulty discussions knows that you never compare pieces for many players to solo pieces. One or two of these jokes are fine but, really?

[@KissyfaceJenkins]

I definitely agree with you, I can't say from first hand experience if I could play these pieces or not, I never tried any of them (I'm about a level 4 or 5 pianist, I took some lessons as a child for a few years, but although I've continued playing and practicing, I haven't had lessons for years). However, I do know some that are surprisingly challenging, such as Bach's "Prelude in C minor". It's not all that impressive for the non-pianist but it's quite deceptive.

[@doris76v]

Fun to hear you play them without thinking’s

[@basbergman600]

Idk how but you make it look so easy!

[@zah_old]

To be honest, Erlkönig, Feux Follets, Etüde Op.25 No.6, Prelude Op.28 No.16 in B flat minor *and finally* Moment Musicaus No.4 should have definitely been up there too

[@matticawood]

All legendary pieces! 😊

[@zah_old]

@@matticawood Loved the video btw :D I'm new to the channel and subbed haha

[@gumbie1711]

Matt Is A Wizard Of Wisdom!!

[@mr.dirtydan3338]

Something I've noticed is that just because a piece is extremely difficult doesn't mean its worth the difficulty. Very rarely do these extremely complex pieces sound very good to me.

[@matticawood]

I agree…difficulty and enjoyability are two very different things, and I think it’s best to learn pieces that are most fulfilling rather than just hard for the sake of it 😊

[@exiledkenkaneki701]

I ve been watching rousseau since about 440 subs I think and this guy's singlehandedly made me love this instrument and now i don't even think of any others instrument that's this fun and exciting to hear now i have a dgx230 and i do Anime music covers, it gets the job done, wish i could afford a p45 to start my journey already , to an uneducated audience these pieces looks difficult and they're are definitely, to play with emotions, and expressions

[@theodoreplayspiano3029]

Definitely agree with you about moonlight sonata

[@benedyktziokowski5745]

Fryderyk Chopin is a Polish pianist born in the iron will. In addition, he is known in the world as well as in Japan itself, where he is adored

[@CristianRodriguez-tz3iz]

16 year old pianist getting ready to play moonlight sonata movement 3 for a competition. I’d say that the difficulty in the piece lies in endurance. You really have to have good technique to play that piece well, especially since in many recordings the song goes for 7+ minutes. Well not the most difficult piece of all time, it definitely is a great goal for any aspiring pianist. My personal choice for most difficult is scarbo from Gaspard de nuit

[@hehheheheehe4336]

I'm not a pianist, but here are the most complicated pieces for me (I am a clarinetist): 1. The Bees: Antonino Pasculli; 2.Mozart Concerto for Clarinet; 3. and Paganini's arrangement.

[@anthonydjackson6553]

Matt is a wizard of wisdom!!

[@matticawood]

He is! 😂

[@J4ve]

Torrent etude defo my favorite. I always play it for a warmup lol

[@Yubin_Lee_Doramelin]

A lot of M.-A. Hamelin's compositions are extremely difficult, but I would like to choose "Étude No. 9: after Rossini (1987)", "Étude No. 12: Prelude and Fugue (1986)", "Barcarolle (2013)", "Pavane Variée (2014)" and "Two Short Studies (1979/1980)" as Top 5 of Hamelin's hardest compositions...

[@Whatismusic123]

Too bad the compositions are garbage. Non-music random noise.

[@RadicaLxIce]

man im learning fantasie impromptu after a 4 year break from piano in college. The last difficult piece I played was that Rachmaninoff Prelude in C# minor. I think Fantasie is definitely harder but its going well so far

[@lordmisanthrope1949]

For me I would say the most insane pieces for piano are Alkan's Etude de concert Le Preux, Alkan Concerto for Solo Piano, Alkan Op 39 Etude No. 1 "Comme Le Vent", Liszt Totentanz for Solo Piano, Liszt Transcendental Etude No.5 "Feux Follets", Mereaux's Grande Etudes Op.65 particularly No.45 "Scherzo Alla Napolitana", No.60, No.24 and No.15.

[@matticawood]

Nice! I’m familiar with many of these…but not all of them! I shall expand my listening repertoire! 😊

[@EntelSidious_gamzeylmz]

oh hello alkan enjoyer

[@pianisissimo4459]

Mereaux deserves more attention!

[@LisztGOAT]

Alkan's pieces are just insane!

[@Anonymous-ji7ws]

I feel like most things by Animenz could rival jus about this entire list sure they’re hard but the list is more that I’d just classical concerto pieces which as I say are hard and have stood the test of time but aren’t still in top today as people are lead to or like to believe

[@specialperson335]

Bartok 2, prokofiev 2, gaspard de la nuit is very difficult even if it is a little overplayed.

[@Luke-nm6rb]

Very informative!

[@matticawood]

I’m glad you think so 😊 who would have thought you would be in the comments alongside your mouse 😂

[@Luke-nm6rb]

@@matticawood 🤣

[@user-zm4xs1ft2t]

Me sorprende como da corazones y responde todavía en este video, por cierto definitivamente estás no son las piezas más difíciles, de hecho Rousseau lo hizo a forma de meme y dejó las que el considera las piezas más difíciles (de verdad) en la descripción

[@gidster192]

Honestly, I don’t think that there actually is a “hardest piano piece” or even a top 10 list that one could make, because they all get so difficult that it eventually just comes down to each person’s opinion on which is harder, and there’s no real way to accurately measure that since it’s different for everybody. If there was an actual hardest piece, I’m guessing it would be something by Liszt, whether it’s his Beethoven transcriptions or his original Paganini Etudes, he wrote stuff that was borderline impossible while still making it sound good and musical.

[@VicJang]

The uploaded of the original video (Rousseau) said in his comment that the title was actually a joke. These are popular pieces and sounded difficult for non-pianists, but they’re far from being the most difficult ones.

[@gidster192]

@@VicJang ya I obviously know that, I’m just saying in general

[@tommyli526]

very nice reacting

[@jeffwatkins352]

Excellent video, and I'm glad you at last got to Liszt. But how could you not include Alkan (Quasi-Faust, Festin d'Aesop, etc.)? And what about Ravel, especially Ondine. Well...there's only so much time and you have your own tastes. Anyway, thanks for the video, especially the tasty graphics and your impressive piano technique.

[@matticawood]

I’m glad you enjoyed the video, and the original video! 😊 there’s many many pieces that would be great in this list! 😊

[@thefirstharry]

Nice video… I was going to call out the Vivaldi as it’s not a piano piece… but then tHen you went on to ALL the pieces I am trying to master, as a 53 year old who’s been playing for 49 years. Obviously LOADS of things are harder (Prokofiev,Stravinsky. Scriabin, 50% of Liszt’s output, Cziffra’s arrangements), but these are a really good representation of the quite mainstream, tuneful, really genius compositions. My own personal favourite is Chopin Op.10 No.4 - so glad you included that. It is true genius, both approachable and impossible, and very cleverly pulls together the techniques he had introduced in. Is 1 to 3. I am not as good as you as I have smaller hands, so I find the middle bit of La Tristessa really difficult. Also Op.10 No.1. I wouldn’t put Fantasie Impromptu in here, though. I don’t think it’s that difficult and personally I really hate it - it’s very repetitive. I would swap Chopin Study in Bb Minor - No 16, in the vein of Op. 10 No4…. Although it’s a Prelude it’s a perfect Study, that has such musicality that you can play it again and again forever, and unless you really are a superhero, you will NEVER fully master it, because even if you get the notes, you can always play it faster. They talk about the minute waltz, but can you play Op28 No16 in one minute….? Now there’s a challenge….

[@thefirstharry]

Sorry, I meant PRELUDE no 16

[@RandomGuyofc]

This thing is hard: Sergei Rachmanioff Études-Tableaux, Op. 39, No. 6 in A Minor. Surprised that it didn't make it to this list.

[@jeremyoren2206]

These are the most difficult songs that people have heard somewhere. Yuja Wang’s performance of the adaptation of Flight of the Bumblebee is the most technically difficult piano piece I have ever seen played. There are many songs like that, but people want the hits. Enjoy this channel very much. Keep up the great work👍

[@martitoto9715]

never have i thought that someone will react to Rousseau's videos lol

[@matticawood]

Well…I’m breaking the mould 😂

[@ArtenixBlack]

I look forward to a react on the Concerto pour piano seul, Allegro con brio, op39 no8, composed by Alkan in 1857. To play it both technically and in a romantic way, it may be the most difficult piece ever.

[@_mr_1brah1m]

In my opinion, I think its either feux fellits “if im saying that correctly” etude no,5 by Franz liszt or Bela Bàrtok’s 2nd concerto, They both are pretty difficult.

[@therealransu]

Imo, its Le Preux, Le Chemin de Fer, Mereaux etude 24 and 45. Very difficult indeed.

[@jonathanlee5364]

Not sure if these would be "top 10 most difficult", but they certainly exceed my capabilities!. . . Liszt (Reminiscences de Norma), Weber/Godowsky (Invitation to the Dance), Schumann (Coda from Fantasie in C), Strauss/Godowsky (Wine, Women, Song), Wagner/Liszt (Tannhauser)

[@hannahhester8376]

Even if they aren't actually "hard" from like a full time player, they're SUPER pretty!

[@Mar20133]

I am a pianist for years and honestly, more than half of these pieces just sound hard, but are really not that hard. La campanella and flight of the bumblebee are harder but not the hardest that i’ve played. Also i think chopin waterfall is hard

[@nourabdelhamedmoustafa1556]

hungarian rhapsody no 2 "Friska" is super difficult.

[@LisztAddict]

You should listen to Liszt’s transcription of Beethoven 9th symphony, and Liszt grandes etudes no. 4 (1838 FIRST VERSION)

[@Oliverj-ne6iw]

Ahh the great Rousseau glad to see him being appreciated more

[@ZKLofiTone]

Wwell for the Flight of the Bumblebee, check out the Cziffra transcription😂

[@matticawood]

That looks…..intense 😂

[@ZKLofiTone]

@@matticawood hahahaha you bet!!

[@VVlktor]

7:16 Your Lie In April hits there

[@MasterRancisis]

Hi Mathew! fancy seeing you here!

[@matticawood]

Well well well…😉

[@theodoreplayspiano3029]

For me the difficulty of a piece is putting the right and left hands together . ❤

[@matticawood]

I always recommend trying to think vertically if you find this the most difficult. So either left hand for a note, right hand for a note, or both hands for a note…that helps cooordinate so things happen at the right time and then when it’s comfortable you can think about musicality 😊

[@theodoreplayspiano3029]

@@matticawood thanks I’ll try this

[@nobodywilleverknow8371]

Nah, the hardest part about moonlight sonata is endurance. You play really advanced stuff for 6-8 minutes straight with barely any pause. And you get some nasty parts where the 16ths are in the left hand, which is technically not more difficult than in the right but a lot of newer pianists struggle with it. I myself did when I learned that piece, it was actually one of the main factors in developing my left hand. xD

[@stickbre4ker685]

0:47 to be fair, thats the most difficult part

[@giovannimarchetto1967]

Alternative title: most famous piano pieces

[@matticawood]

That would be a good retitle! 😊

[@Dylonely42]

*most famous hard pieces

[@maptrking]

LOL!!! "It's very pianistic because he's a pianist!" - sounds like something John Madden would say.

[@YOLO22272]

Who else went from loving piano tiles 2 to loving piano and these types of videos?

[@EvanG44]

what's that piano? sounds so beautiful! I want a new piano. that's why I'm asking. Your videos are absolutley great!

[@matticawood]

It’s a Yamaha P45, but I used midi so the piano sound is from Keyscape 😊

[@EvanG44]

@@matticawood Ive been looking at the p45. looks and sounds great. I might get one! Thanks for the answer!

[@moshefeldman4521]

This literally helped me learn the star spangled banner in 15 minutes

[@Tenebrius1963]

Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Part 5 (mov 4) is a killer.

[@bjornviir3333]

i spent maybe 6 months trying Liszt HR6 rhand descending runs LH octaves near end, its just brutal to get up to speed as sloppiness just creeps in and you gotta slow it down to a boring tempo again...rest is doable.

[@KickingMusician]

I can confirm. Chopin etude Op 10 no 1 is hard af.

[@JramLisztfan]

If flight of the bumblebee looks hard, listen to the Cziffra arrangement

[@kennethwood88]

Reading it is the difficult part on the 3rd movement on Moonlight Sonata. I can't do runs very well. 😢 I'm self taught

[@johnb6723]

No mention of Feux Follets by Liszt (Transcendental Etude Nr. 5), regarded by Henle to be the hardest piece of music for pianoforte ever written.

[@adamcarmichael2249]

Im comvinced rousseau is a machine

[@jtoland2333]

I would love to play piano, but was given tiny hands and a form of dyslexia thar prevents me from being able to read music. But I will happily play vicariously through you!

[@aditsu]

0:40 explains how scales are easy then immediately completely ignores fast scales of thirds and sixths, which are like 1000 times harder, right there in the video 😝

[@aditsu]

Also called double thirds and double sixths

[@matticawood]

I mentioned in a few other comments that I missed them by accident 😊 I may do a short on them just so I’ve covered it and can refer to that 😂

[@troll707]

I'm able to play Fantaisie Impromptu and it's actually not that difficult. Perfecting it is very hard but that's with pretty much every piece on here. The polyrhythms are difficult for most but once you get it down it gets way easier. I def can't play it like Rousseau tho lol

[@beyondwaveforms3059]

The one piece which broke my soul just while listening was American Berserk, let alone practice it

[@deanpappas8388]

Try Ives first piano Sonata on for size ... Really! Other than that try Ravel's Gaspard de le Nuit Ondine.

[@jermainebrother3066]

“PERFECTLY REPLICATES IT “So difficult 😮” 😂

[@jonsmith7718]

the chord at 4:03 is exquisite

[@Stormanet1]

ah yes very splendid🧐

[@juleonf6490]

fantasie-impromptu sounds difficult, it's easy after a bit of studying. I mean the middle part is like 3 times the same. The only hard thing is the end.

[@user-gp3mx4oi2w]

He makes it sound so easy while I can barely play Sonate 16 in C major by Mozart

[@zipare2495]

I may be only 15 and im trying to learn moonlight sonata 3rd movement and its pretty hard but I know that there are harder ones. But the 3rd movement isnt only abt chords, it has many hard things like fast jumps between lov and high notes (if My english triggers or smth pls notice that i'm from finland and My english is pretty bad)

[@matticawood]

Your English is great 😊 it’s definitely not an easy piece so you are doing great if you are learning it and all Beethoven sonatas require skill to learn! There are many more pieces that are less predictable and trickier though, depending on how far along in your playing career you are; there are many techniques that are learnt for this in many other pieces along the way, whereas some pieces have unique techniques and challenges that you don’t often come across 😊

[@zipare2495]

@@matticawood Ay thanks mate 😁I have played for abt 9 years, and now that I think, it aint even that hard. it may sound hard and hard to learn, but when you learn the basics of the song it aint even that hard.

[@dragunyt2727]

@@zipare2495 based, mvt 3 is literally easier than Mozarts turkish march

[@catpoisonlover]

Moi

[@abelf.chandy7943]

good reaction. i subed

[@harshbhatnagar127]

It’s all going over my head

[@danispling3025]

"Fantaisie - Impromptu is actually known for being quite difficult for pianists" no shot he just said that-

[@LeafBush]

As someone who just started learning piano I can say these are all hard

[@truBador2]

Astonishing instrument, the modern piano.

[@alexandercarroll9707]

On the Vivaldi you ignored the double thirds because it’s really difficult 💀

[@matticawood]

I ignored the thirds because I didn’t see them 😊

[@markomitrovic3667]

Trueeeeeee

[@GAMLAPATTE]

@@matticawood The part AFTER the thirds/sixths re about 0,0001% as difficult as the thirds/sixths and you were like "hey this is peanuts, no problem" 😄

[@Sergei_Rachmanninof]

The way Chopin plays music cause it’s like a pianist cause he is a pianist💀

[@Piano_improvisations]

Putting all those pieces at a hardest piano piece list is like putting moonlight sonata 2nd movement on a most famous piano pieces list

[@most_sane_piano_enthusiast]

Ives, Sorabji, Alkan, Ravel, Liszt, Scriabin: **laughter**

[@spooky4704]

The hardest part of Moonlight Sonata 3rd Mov is not the part shown, which I feel is the easiest part of the whole song 😭😭, the techniques used later and endurance based song is what makes it difficult. This snippet does not show the magnitude of the song af all. (100% Bias because I can play it)