Piano Repertoire For Intermediate Pianists (Play These Pieces To Improve!)

[@Ben-kh2rh]

I'm learning Chopin's ballade no1 based on pure motivation and my love for that talented piece of work. I probably won't have the best form of basics by pianist standards. But hey, after 4months of hard work and daily hourly practices, I'm at the part just before the coda. I am extremely proud of myself. Gonna take a break for now and tackle the coda in Jan 2023. I think the coda alone will take me 2 months to get to smooth. Cheers!!! And keep practicing!!!

[@iliyashapirov7720]

Do you have a teacher? If not, I recommend getting at least a few lessons since you don't want any bad habits forming if you make a jump in difficulty

[@PianoTechSupport]

Very well said Iliya! And good luck Ben with your piano journey!

[@Ben-kh2rh]

@@PianoTechSupport thank you kind sir :) your chopin ballade no1 guidance videos have helped me tremendously!!!

[@Ben-kh2rh]

@@iliyashapirov7720 I understand where you are coming from, thank you kind stranger of the Internet

[@mariosvourliotakis]

@@Ben-kh2rh Yeah dude you dont wanna have crazy technical problems and even physical pain, so think about it.

[@gidster192]

You forgot to put “Gaspard De La Nuit, movement 3: Scarbo” on this list. Very easy piece, would recommend for all beginners and intermediates to play!

[@icecream8510]

Couldn’t agree more 😉

[@sarahsteinhardt1697]

😂

[@MariaMaltseva]

Don't overestimate Ondine. That one's a cinch.

[@DatsMac]

Nice one 😊 as well as Scriabin's Black Mass 😄

[@Nathannn4306]

Rach 3 too

[@brysoncheng7574]

The piece that made me grow the most (both technically and musically) was Schumann's Arabeske op. 18. It really helped me learn circular motion of the wrists/arms and obv the musical challenges of the piece are huge as well.

[@Davi.K]

Bach: 01:07 Scarlatti: 02:27 Haydn: 02:49 Mozart: 03:08 Beethoven: 03:31 Schubert: 03:48 Chopin: 04:25 Schumman: 05:25 Brahms 05:47 Liszt: 06:29 Rachmaninoff: 06:41 Tchaikovsky: 06:58 Scriabin: 07:15 Debussy: 07:41

[@ulysse__]

A video on some early advanced pieces would be really awesome ! Something on the likes of Henle 7-8

[@mrk131324]

That’s a pretty advanced list of intermediate pieces! I guess the intention here is not to recommend pieces that can be played at performance level.

[@richardgroff9631]

I very much hope you'll continue this series. I would be very interested in your thoughts about the level directly below and directly above this level, i.e., moving from Henle 3/4 to 5/6 and how to break the 5/6 barrier. Thank you very much for your great videos!

[@MariaMaltseva]

You break that barrier by playing more. For some scales and exercises help. For others, etudes. And you develop musicality by listening to music -- A LOT.

[@MiScusi69]

2:27 A little detail, but you were talking about Domenico Scarlatti and you put the painting of Alessandro Scarlatti (his father) instead.

[@PianoTechSupport]

I will have to delete the whole video now 😂

[@SergieRachmaninoff]

Fantastic presentation and ideas. I would love it if you presented a very short clip of each piece, so we can get a taste for the work's we're unfamiliar with as we watch. Look forward to more from you!

[@PianoTechSupport]

Thank you! Will do!

[@desireechua7312]

Thank you for the repertoire recommendations - will definitely check out some of them!

[@PianoTechSupport]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@meimeizizi]

You made my day. I am just trying to make the decision which piece I should pick to learn, and your this video gave me the answer. When I have more time to learn, I’ll be one of your students. 🙏🙏🙏

[@miguele.colonp1567]

I’d like a part 2. Great video!!

[@jasonmanley7815]

This video is a HOME RUN!! I'm an adult looking to get back into playing. I was heartbroken when my teacher moved to the other side of the country to Seattle a few years ago and stopped playing. I'm now trying to find a teacher again. I was starting to starting to approach an intermediate level and it's gratifying to see so many wonderful pieces I love that might be within grasp in the not too distant future. I especially love the Rach Prelude Op 23 No 4❤️. Where does Claire De Lune fall within the spectrum. My Mom just turned a young 80 and I'd love to gift her with a performance while she's still with us. It's her all time favorite piece.

[@PianoTechSupport]

Thank you so much !! I think Claire De Lune is kind of a story on its own - very doable for even a beginner, and can still be a challenge for an expert (sound balance, colours and all that). But you know, details, details. It definitely falls into the beginner-intermediate spectrum!

[@jasonmanley7815]

@@PianoTechSupport Excellent! There is a lot of beauty to unpack in even what seems to be the most simple piece. My classically trained brother thought this piece would be doable for someone who has taken lessons for around 2 years when I asked him about it.

[@martinlee5604]

Thank you for your interesting comments. I am currently playing Debussy's Arabesque No.1, which Henle rates at Level 4, and Chopin's Mazurka in B minor, Op.33 No.4. I note the omission of, for example, Prokofiev, Handel, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn.

[@user-es9ui3cc3x]

I strongly recommend rach op3 no2 It sounds brilliant and hard but it's shockingly easy compared to first impression. And that really helped my confidence a lot. Another piece that I recommend is liszt sonnet 104. Beautiful piece and it's kind of manageable.(harder than rach preludes) Could be quite hard but definitely worth it.

[@PianoTechSupport]

I definitely agree with the Rach 3/2 but sonetto 104 del petrarca is a bit underrated in difficulty I feel

[@archsys307]

Ive been dabbling in piano all my life and haphazardly got to basically an early intermediate level, henle 5s and 4s. But jazz piano lol. So see I figured if progressive overload is good enough in the gym its probably good enough for piano too. So I set about actually trying to get better seriously for the first time in my pianistic career and well a couple months later im almost done with a decent sounding nocturne 55/1 and bach 2 part invention 13. The bach is only a henle 4 but honestly no joke over the month I learned it I think it literally leveled up my technique, powerful piece. Now im pushing into henle 6 territory and beyond

[@shraddhamanish6107]

Thanks for your guidance

[@diogobooz7211]

You're a KZbin treasure, man!

[@jasonmanley7815]

1000% agree!!

[@FelipeCostaPiano]

It is interesting to see your view on what constitutes "intermediate" repertoire. But to me, most of the pieces that you listed are either early advanced or advanced. Hell, you had full Beethoven sonatas and some Chopin Etudes on the list. Maybe that is intermediate for aspiring concert pianists. I wonder how a beginner's repertoire list would be for you. I guess you would put Bach's 2 and 3-part inventions, Mozart's K545 and 282 sonatas, Schumann's Op.15 and 82, and Grieg's Lyric Pieces. For me, those are actual intermediate pieces 😅

[@gerardvila4685]

That looks a bit more like my own level ☺. Thanks!

[@thearm95]

If you consider the full spectrum of pianistic ability, these pieces probably sit at intermediate. Possibly like what is considered in some martial arts - once you have done all your belts and reached black belt, you're finally out of the 'beginner' stage. The ABRSM/AMEB grades etc to grade 8 could be thought of as similar.

[@FelipeCostaPiano]

@@thearm95 Yeah, I agree and understand why these can be viewed as intermediate repertoire. It really depends on the perspective, as these stages of skill level are highly subjective. For a serious piano student and aspiring concert pianist, that might be intermediate. But for casual players, these pieces are quite advanced. The fact that these are at the end of the RCM, ABRSM, etc., grades, some being diploma level, is a statement on the difficulty of these pieces. Casual players rarely reach a diploma skill level. But I guess that is the entry-level for any serious pianist. I still think calling it early-advanced makes more sense, but that is a useless semantic discussion haha.

[@CodyHazelleMusic]

@@FelipeCostaPiano I agree with you about calling it early advanced, and I don't think it's just semantics. I kind of think calling this sort of stuff "intermediate" to be a little bit condescending. Just like Mozart's "easy" sonata is really not all that easy as it requires years of study to play properly. I'm currently finishing up learning Liebestraum No. 3 and I believe RCM has it as a grade 10 or 11 piece. I agree with their ranking, as that piece starts to slip into advanced territory for a number of reasons. I know it's not some crazy Rach concerto or Ravel's mirroir or anything, but it's definitely not "intermediate" imo.

[@marco119w7]

For intermediate Scriabin, I'd recommend op.32 no.1, and the mazurkas op.3 and 25. They are short enough to be manageable for anyone first getting into Scriabin, but are still developed enough to understand his extremely nuanced (early/mid-period) style.

[@nilskroehl]

What about op 8/5 or some of his op 11 preludes?

[@marco119w7]

@@nilskroehl those are great too, although some of op.11 I would consider as more "beginner" Scriabin.

[@niklaspetersen4066]

For Mozart I will throw in K475 Fantasie in Cminor which is very demanding rhythmically and melodically but also dynamically. Lots of different sections with very different skillsets required. I am growing a ton playing this at the moment.

[@PianoTechSupport]

Oh thats a very hard piece in my opinion! But just subjective opinion :D Its probably also in this range, henle 6 or 7 I would think...

[@niklaspetersen4066]

Man, I was ranting about this piece on reddit already :D when my teacher gave me the sheets I was like, ah well looks long but not to crazy. Boy was I wrong. The runs with triplets and sextuplets sprinkled in killed me. Took me two weeks to get it right. Thanks for the insightful videos :)

[@flounder6800]

One of Scriabin's easy pieces is also "Nuances" op. 56, No.3!

[@PianoTechSupport]

Good one! Thanks for adding to the list ;)

[@perman17]

Thank you so much for this video! I'm at around this level, and it's good to be reassured that I'm playing the right sorts of pieces right now (I've just picked up the Beethoven Op 14 sonatas), and there's some really great suggestions for moving forward. Particularly regarding the Chopin Etudes, which I've been a bit intimidated by, but I know I'll need to put the time into them to progress.

[@shawnwilker2755]

This is a well thought out and balanced list

[@hippophile]

The Rachmaninov selected can all be played with smaller hands (like mine), with slight adjustments (and a couple of dropped notes in the Op23#4). But all tricky for really small hands I would guess... you need to be able to stretch at least a major 9th, I suppose.

[@yellow92959]

Can you make another video like this but for more early intermediate players? I'm unfamiliar with the Henle scale but I'm talking about pieces around level 5-7 on ABRSM. Thanks for the video, it gave me a lot of recommendations!

[@Bozzigmupp]

I think I am jumping into too difficult pieces since I don't have a teacher, but it is quite fun and also a challenge. Have learnt one etude so far and I am workong on the first concert etude by Liszt

[@PianoTechSupport]

I see a lot of people jumping into too difficult pieces (not saying you are!) It seems like everyone wants to get to the goal quickly 😜

[@XxwitchardxX]

Sua voz é tão agradável de ouvir❤

[@feni2934]

they are more between intermediate and advanced still a good list thought

[@PianoTechSupport]

Ahh well, that always depends on the definition! :D but thanks !! and glad you enjoyed it

[@quadricode]

As usual, there are so many definitions of "beginner", "intermediate", and so on. I'd consider these pieces at or beyond the highest echelon of typical graded programs, like ABRSM 8/DipABRSM or RCM 10/ARCT-which means ~8-12 years of solid classical piano education.

[@MariaMaltseva]

Many of these pieces are played by small children in their second or third year of piano. It's all relative. These are relatively easy pieces in the repertoire, though no complete Beethoven sonata is easy. But the ones he names you can't use in most serious auditions or competitions.

[@quadricode]

@@MariaMaltseva Which of these pieces do you consider to be typically played by a second or third year student?

[@MariaMaltseva]

​@@quadricode French Suite can be. Either of the easy Beethoven soatas can be (individual movements). A number of Haydn sonatas can be. More than what's listed here. Alla Turca is easy (just the third movement). The musical moment by Schubert (3) is very easy. These have to be talented kids, of course, but it's done constantly. On the other hand, the Chopin etudes and the Polonaises cannot, at least not well. And I think October by Tchaikovsky is really easy for a musical child. May is another season that works well for little kids. April, too.

[@T3hMarz]

@@MariaMaltseva A child playing this by their second or third year would not be understanding the music, and their fingers much further trained than their other related musical skills. This sort of expectation is what causes children to hate piano and gives it a bad reputation. Only the rare exceptional, supported, passionate children would be able to achieve this.

[@quadricode]

@@MariaMaltseva Well, you said it yourself, they have to be pretty talented kids. I'm not claiming the works presented are at the top end of piano repertoire-of course not-but neither ABRSM 3, nor RCM 3, nor Trinity 3, nor AMEB 3, nor CM 3, etc. would recommend any of these pieces at a third-year-equivalent student. As I said in my initial comment, maybe all of this is disagreement on definitions. I myself don't consider somebody who has passed ABRSM 8 or DipABRSM to be merely "intermediate". To a professional pianist, though, they likely would be.

[@xevivr]

You can also include Chopin nocturne in c sharp technically!

[@aml-071thecosmicenderman3]

Hell naw, it's close to Ballade diffuculty

[@bucciflash]

I have no talent at all. Bad memory. But 30 years ago I learnt to play Chopin Ballade 4 f-minor and my teacher was happy about the result. I say this to encourage everybody with a PASSION to pianoplaying to practise on whatever you want.

[@vince4975]

Very good video, I appreciate the recommendations. Where would you place Greig’s Holberg Suite in terms of difficulty?

[@S1st3]

Would you Moskzowski etude op 72 no 2 also recommend as About henle 6?

[@pianoman1857]

I would also add Chopin Impromptu No.1,2 and 3, Grieg Sonata, Mendelssohn preludes and fugues, all Brahms Klavierstücken, some Schubert sonati (not the last ones obviously), Schubert 3 Klavierstücken, Schumann op.26, Bortnansky Preludes… But in the i still think the best school is Bach + Beethoven sonati

[@MegaOreally]

Interesting 😂 You should add the whole DipABRSM/ARSM whole syllabus into your list University year 1 level should suit your intermediate level🎉

[@casheweater698]

I think scriabins 24 preludes op. 11 are good too, most of them are around henle 6

[@Lisztsom]

Thanks for the video ! I have a question. Is Beethoven's Tempest as hard as people says ? I think most of Mozart sonatas seem harder to play well. Maybe the first mov of the tempest is a bit hard because of the tremolos but i have never seen someone who plays is accuratly.

[@davidsimmons654]

Thank you!!!! Please make more of these videos!

[@PianoTechSupport]

You got it!

[@jacoaction]

Thank you for this very helpful advice. What level would Bach's Italian Concerto be in the "Henle rating scale"? Intermediate?

[@mariosvourliotakis]

For Tchaikovksy, I'd like to add June. Idk where it ranks in Henle ratings, but Ive learnt both January and June and they'rw about the same, and equally beautiful.

[@PianoTechSupport]

Yes, June too. Henle thinks thats way harder though (if i remember correctly) but okay.. I mean I dont really fully believe in their ratings anyways.. might make a video about it some time.

[@mariosvourliotakis]

@@PianoTechSupport Judging from their Beethoven Concerti rankings, they're to be taken with a grain of salt...

[@santiagolara992]

tbh i think, this is medium/advanced pieces, i think medium Chopin may be his slowest preludes, mozart, as you said, always difficult, in my experience, chooin waltz in e major it's very approachable, Rameau Les Cyclopes, Rach moment musicaux 3, bach french suite no.4 its nice, i like that one :) i dont remember if its in the video, rach lilacs too

[@PianoTechSupport]

that's fair, thanks for commenting and watching:)

[@АдольфГитлер-т8е]

Hey! you also forgot to put "Paganini Etude No.4b" Very easy and simple for beginners and indermediate

[@GamesandMusic1100]

i cant the "bačæħ" LOL

[@jackisinforthewin]

Could you make an even lighter version

[@santiagobalbi3798]

Mendelssohn? Prokofiev? Saint Saens? Albeniz? Chopin 25 n7 very easy for intermediate pianist

[@fczyn8612]

Chopin's Op 10 no 3 is not for intermediate pianists. It's very hard piece not only due to technique but also melody. This piece is kind of piano poetry to which pianists maybe should gain experiences or mature at first. Especially this etude is not easy due to slow tempo

[@fczyn8612]

The same thing with Mr. Rachamninoff's prelude. It is requiring, sophisticated and needs maturity

[@PianoTechSupport]

If we look at it like that, then every piece is "hard". Schumann Kinderszenen is easy to play the notes but very very hard to play the interpretation and musical aspects. But we don't regard this aspect because an intermediate pianist will play things different than a professional pianist. An intermediate can play Op 10 No. 3 and do a fine job, but of course it won't sound at the level of a pro. But it's not at their level to think about deep poetry, each level plays however well they can play. So both those pieces are good choices.

[@MegaOreally]

Con brave appears in the piece, which means with brave to play that passage… by Chopin

[@aml-071thecosmicenderman3]

This is good list, but its not for just Indermediate, they are for late indermediate. Though preludes and liebs are great. But i wouldnt include sonatas from beet

[@apoorva_i]

Wouldn’t Brahms Op 117 No.1 also be a good piece to be included here?

[@PianoTechSupport]

Brahms Op 117, Op 118, 119 are a weird mix of not being too difficult in terms of technique but incredibly difficult in terms of interpretation, so I could technically (pun) put them into the intermediate category but musically, theyre a 10/10

[@eddiehuss5707]

Another work that is not difficult is the A Minor Schubert Sonata.

[@briansebastianrusso3933]

💛

[@benharmonics]

Would you say that the Chopin Fantaisie-Impromptu also fits into this difficulty level?

[@PianoTechSupport]

I would say so, yes! Maybe its a little bit harder, though, but around this kind of level. Henle 6, 7

[@benharmonics]

@@PianoTechSupport Okay, thanks!

[@pablobear4241]

Scriabin preludes are definitely fine for intermediate. Op 8 isn’t even his easiest etude either. Still a nice list. For Chopin too why not mazurka?😊

[@aml-071thecosmicenderman3]

By that Logic La Campanella is High Intermediate

[@johanssoncisneros1489]

How come Rachmaninoff 3rd piano concerto ain't intermediate level? 🤔 That kinda explains lots of things 🤣🤣

[@marksmith3947]

I don't think the military polonaise is easy at all! It's easy to play the notes , but getting the range of dynamics is hard, and also the sheer grandeur of the piece

[@Lipton_tea21]

Agree with you. Liebestraum too.

[@konstantin1943]

Prelude op.23 no.5 is also not very hard

[@kazeno1332]

bach more like bahhhckcchhckc

[@PianoTechSupport]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@youresomodest]

That Scriabin etude is absolutely not “intermediate” level.

[@mattporter1692]

Since when has Henle 6 rated music been intermediate? 🤨.

[@a.t.7780]

I'm learning Chopin's etude op. 10 no. 1 almost 9 months (weird is, that is easier than op. 25 no 1. for me, wich I play a bit longer). It is almost done on 90%, and I'm playing piano only 4 years. I don't wanna flex, just to motivate you that everything can be done regardless of how long you play the piano. You must have passion for it, correct mindset and feeling that it's easy.

[@OctoPlaysPiano]

Third

[@p.g.wallychopin]

I disagree with Chopin's Etude Op 10 N°3 It's a very difficult piece, I wouldn't reccommend it to a intermediate pianist

[@pianistz8205]

Second to not say first or second or third to anything

[@robbiepadilla]

None of this music is intermediate level. Pieces at a Henle 6 rating are very advanced.

[@PianoTechSupport]

Interesting opinion! :)

[@robbiepadilla]

@@PianoTechSupport I'm going to safely assume you don't teach students.

[@lucasplaysthefreakingpiano]

First

[@vincent-ataramaniko]

Bach is a bit misunderstood. I agree with the suites but some Fugues are way above lvl 6 despite what Henle says. The Fugue no 4 has 5 voices in it and although it's not incredibly hard to play, I would give it level 7 at least because the interpretation is very hard. You need to find the themes, decide which voice to put forward etc.

[@vincent-ataramaniko]

I disagree with the Impromptus. At least with half of them. The 8th is incredibly hard.

[@PianoTechSupport]

Schubert D. 899 has 4 Impromptus. Which 8th impromptu are you talking about?

[@vincent-ataramaniko]

@@PianoTechSupport Oh my bad I thought you were talking about both sets of impromtus