Top 10 Most Difficult Piano Pieces | Pianist Reacts

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ส.ค. 2022
  • 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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ความคิดเห็น • 720

  • @matticawood
    @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +496

    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
      @yongyong8497 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Many people have their own opinions on these pieces

    • @yongyong8497
      @yongyong8497 ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @yongyong8497
      @yongyong8497 ปีที่แล้ว

      It depends on our level

    • @Mxnh
      @Mxnh ปีที่แล้ว +1

      moonlight sonata 1st movement moment

    • @michaelsims1160
      @michaelsims1160 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
    @dekka4433 ปีที่แล้ว +2787

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +430

      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
      @notmusictheory74 ปีที่แล้ว +24

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

    • @hat_cbw6972
      @hat_cbw6972 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      B^2TSM is best MV

    • @maimelody5027
      @maimelody5027 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      True fact

    • @luisenriquezapataarellano7591
      @luisenriquezapataarellano7591 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      They are popular. As well as the Scriabin sonatas

  • @RetroPianist
    @RetroPianist ปีที่แล้ว +634

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +47

      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
      @redfishplayz4476 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      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
      @redfishplayz4476 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

    • @manuelcardoso7595
      @manuelcardoso7595 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

    • @matmagix3845
      @matmagix3845 ปีที่แล้ว

      As Lang Lang would say, let the music breathe. th-cam.com/video/77Q1UXwSt9Q/w-d-xo.html

  • @charliegold3227
    @charliegold3227 ปีที่แล้ว +162

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +33

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

    • @joshuaslater7858
      @joshuaslater7858 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      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
      @joshuaslater7858 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @notmusictheory74
      @notmusictheory74 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      You are actually so good

    • @Gahhihs
      @Gahhihs ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@matticawood hardest piece is definitely etude 6 of liszt

  • @dmwalker24
    @dmwalker24 ปีที่แล้ว +252

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +25

      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
      @claryyy ปีที่แล้ว +10

      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.

    • @luciano9500
      @luciano9500 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@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
      @claryyy ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@luciano9500 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
      @hida7962 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@luciano9500 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
    @justajk4749 ปีที่แล้ว +87

    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
      @aadamlucas ปีที่แล้ว +6

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

    • @zoteck9177
      @zoteck9177 ปีที่แล้ว

      So, it’s difficult !

    • @trebleclef9844
      @trebleclef9844 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Its not easy but not the most difficult

    • @ajbrewer1777
      @ajbrewer1777 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
      @negativeharmoney ปีที่แล้ว

      @@ajbrewer1777 fantasies impromptu isn't even top 30

  • @jamshidbekqodirov4520
    @jamshidbekqodirov4520 ปีที่แล้ว +130

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +28

      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 😊

    • @lauritslolck
      @lauritslolck ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@matticawood I agree.

    • @tanotic5364
      @tanotic5364 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      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
      @harunotter9905 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I think they‘re also hard for pianists

    • @ifmondayhadaface9490
      @ifmondayhadaface9490 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      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.

  • @zique8198
    @zique8198 ปีที่แล้ว +13

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you! I’m glad you liked it! 😊

  • @cowzilla8
    @cowzilla8 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    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 TH-cam that plays what was transcribed, and you'll see just how insane the piece is.

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @slendydie1267
    @slendydie1267 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

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

    • @shimuelo1269
      @shimuelo1269 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Maybe try listening to classical music

    • @andrew0527douya
      @andrew0527douya 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      That is classical

    • @Deviousahhz
      @Deviousahhz 6 วันที่ผ่านมา

      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..

  • @Ichi.Xiong2009
    @Ichi.Xiong2009 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    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!

  • @enricozincani2384
    @enricozincani2384 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

    • @enricozincani2384
      @enricozincani2384 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yes exactly 😅

  • @Yrotsh
    @Yrotsh ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @kookoo9235
    @kookoo9235 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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.

  • @FabioGeometryDash
    @FabioGeometryDash หลายเดือนก่อน +1

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

  • @mr.trollincidents3588
    @mr.trollincidents3588 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +6

      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
      @chadbroski9438 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @zenosama-tm3bs
      @zenosama-tm3bs ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @mr.trollincidents3588
      @mr.trollincidents3588 ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @zenosama-tm3bs
      @zenosama-tm3bs ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @cgonzt5636
    @cgonzt5636 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    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
      @ifmondayhadaface9490 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @Jemima889
    @Jemima889 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    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

  • @jeffwatkins352
    @jeffwatkins352 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @blaede69
    @blaede69 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    this guy deserves more respect

  • @DrXtoph
    @DrXtoph ปีที่แล้ว

    You make this look so simple it's crazy!

  • @KissyfaceJenkins
    @KissyfaceJenkins ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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.

  • @RadicaLxIce
    @RadicaLxIce 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    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

  • @fanofsomethingiguess8428
    @fanofsomethingiguess8428 ปีที่แล้ว +48

    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
      @yashiimelodies4506 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      definitely agree feux follets in 20x harder than mazeppa lol

    • @JustAnAverageRBLXYT
      @JustAnAverageRBLXYT ปีที่แล้ว

      maybe Circus Galop

    • @dreadnautilus253
      @dreadnautilus253 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@JustAnAverageRBLXYT Impossible, doesnt count

    • @ryzikx
      @ryzikx ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @ifmondayhadaface9490
      @ifmondayhadaface9490 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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.

  • @JosStudiosPiggy
    @JosStudiosPiggy 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

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

  • @exiledkenkaneki701
    @exiledkenkaneki701 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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

  • @J4ve
    @J4ve ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @imakevid
    @imakevid ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for this vid pls make more! 😁

  • @PixlyPenguin
    @PixlyPenguin 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

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

  • @dathyr1
    @dathyr1 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @theodoreplayspiano3029
    @theodoreplayspiano3029 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Definitely agree with you about moonlight sonata

  • @CristianRodriguez-tz3iz
    @CristianRodriguez-tz3iz 18 วันที่ผ่านมา

    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

  • @Yubin_Lee_Doramelin
    @Yubin_Lee_Doramelin ปีที่แล้ว +16

    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
      @Whatismusic123 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

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

  • @_otroll5393
    @_otroll5393 ปีที่แล้ว +51

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +3

      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
      @_otroll5393 ปีที่แล้ว

      ​@@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
      @blackhole3407 ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @ifmondayhadaface9490 ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @ifmondayhadaface9490
      @ifmondayhadaface9490 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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....

  • @Anonymous-ji7ws
    @Anonymous-ji7ws 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    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

  • @basbergman600
    @basbergman600 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Idk how but you make it look so easy!

  • @gumbie1711
    @gumbie1711 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Matt Is A Wizard Of Wisdom!!

  • @mr.dirtydan3338
    @mr.dirtydan3338 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +13

      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 😊

  • @martitoto9715
    @martitoto9715 ปีที่แล้ว +6

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว

      Well…I’m breaking the mould 😂

  • @klidepiano8540
    @klidepiano8540 ปีที่แล้ว

    Really Really great that you talked about this video and gave some examples cool Video. Does anyone have any tips for me to be able to play like this at some point? I only have 3 fingers in my left hand, ranging from the c to the g key, for example

  • @ItsManu001
    @ItsManu001 ปีที่แล้ว +7

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Years of training to be schooled by a computer 😔 😂

    • @guin4356
      @guin4356 ปีที่แล้ว

      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
      @notmusictheory74 ปีที่แล้ว

      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?

  • @zah_old
    @zah_old ปีที่แล้ว +9

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      All legendary pieces! 😊

    • @zah_old
      @zah_old ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @specialperson335
    @specialperson335 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @jeremyoren2206
    @jeremyoren2206 2 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    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👍

  • @hehheheheehe4336
    @hehheheheehe4336 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    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.

  • @_mr_1brah1m
    @_mr_1brah1m ปีที่แล้ว +1

    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
      @therealransu 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

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

  • @anthonydjackson6553
    @anthonydjackson6553 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Matt is a wizard of wisdom!!

  • @benedyktziokowski5745
    @benedyktziokowski5745 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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

  • @EvanG44
    @EvanG44 ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @EvanG44
      @EvanG44 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @doris76v
    @doris76v 23 วันที่ผ่านมา

    Fun to hear you play them without thinking’s

  • @louisweiss6905
    @louisweiss6905 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hey, i'm a pianist , but I haven't actually followed lessons of piano ; yet i can play a lot of relatively "hard" pieces. But these days i'm trying to learn Fantaisie Impromptu by Chopin, and I realize that I miss lessons to do the descents ... Do you know a tutorial to teach me how to be that fast , and with the right finger touches ? I would be very grateful, thanks :))

  • @user-zm4xs1ft2t
    @user-zm4xs1ft2t ปีที่แล้ว

    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

  • @nourabdelhamedmoustafa1556
    @nourabdelhamedmoustafa1556 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    hungarian rhapsody no 2 "Friska" is super difficult.

  • @ArtenixBlack
    @ArtenixBlack ปีที่แล้ว

    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.

  • @Luke-nm6rb
    @Luke-nm6rb ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Very informative!

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @Luke-nm6rb
      @Luke-nm6rb ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@matticawood 🤣

  • @maptrking
    @maptrking 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

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

  • @adamcarmichael2249
    @adamcarmichael2249 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Im comvinced rousseau is a machine

  • @YOLO22272
    @YOLO22272 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @ZKLofiTone
    @ZKLofiTone ปีที่แล้ว +5

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That looks…..intense 😂

    • @ZKLofiTone
      @ZKLofiTone ปีที่แล้ว

      @@matticawood hahahaha you bet!!

  • @VVlktor
    @VVlktor 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    7:16 Your Lie In April hits there

  • @RandomGuyofc
    @RandomGuyofc 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    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.

  • @thefirstharry
    @thefirstharry ปีที่แล้ว

    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
      @thefirstharry ปีที่แล้ว

      Sorry, I meant PRELUDE no 16

  • @kennethwood88
    @kennethwood88 หลายเดือนก่อน

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

  • @giovannimarchetto1967
    @giovannimarchetto1967 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Alternative title: most famous piano pieces

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว

      That would be a good retitle! 😊

    • @Dylonely42
      @Dylonely42 ปีที่แล้ว

      *most famous hard pieces

  • @splam2064
    @splam2064 ปีที่แล้ว

    Waow those are hard songs but like I on moonlight sonato movement 3 and I've been stuck with it not because I don't have the speed or I'm missing notes I'm struggling with the rhythm and how to match the left hand with right I was wondering if you had any types to perfect my rhythm thonks your crazy good at recognition btw

  • @bjornviir3333
    @bjornviir3333 ปีที่แล้ว

    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.

  • @LeafBush
    @LeafBush 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

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

  • @JramLisztfan
    @JramLisztfan ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @zipare2495
    @zipare2495 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
      @zipare2495 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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
      @dragunyt2727 ปีที่แล้ว

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

    • @catpoisonlover
      @catpoisonlover ปีที่แล้ว

      Moi

  • @Zbste
    @Zbste หลายเดือนก่อน

    The ultimate carpel tunnel speedrun.

  • @lordmisanthrope1949
    @lordmisanthrope1949 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    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
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @EntelSidious_gamzeylmz
      @EntelSidious_gamzeylmz ปีที่แล้ว +1

      oh hello alkan enjoyer

    • @pianisissimo4459
      @pianisissimo4459 ปีที่แล้ว

      Mereaux deserves more attention!

    • @LisztGOAT
      @LisztGOAT ปีที่แล้ว

      Alkan's pieces are just insane!

  • @tommyli526
    @tommyli526 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    very nice reacting

  • @moshefeldman4521
    @moshefeldman4521 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @polozuehlke3035
    @polozuehlke3035 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Can you please make a video about "The Lark" by Mikhail Glinka? It is an amazing piano piece! ❤

  • @diamaoro7576
    @diamaoro7576 ปีที่แล้ว

    I don't know if I missed it, but it would be nice if you could leave a link to Rousseau's video in the description or the pinned comment

  • @Oliverj-ne6iw
    @Oliverj-ne6iw ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Ahh the great Rousseau glad to see him being appreciated more

  • @deanpappas8388
    @deanpappas8388 25 วันที่ผ่านมา

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

  • @gidster192
    @gidster192 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    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
      @VicJang ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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
      @gidster192 ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @TheNerd
    @TheNerd 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Rousseou sometimes looks like he's having breakfast when he's playing. 42 hrs a day for 30 years I guess.

  • @jonathanlee5364
    @jonathanlee5364 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    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
    @hannahhester8376 ปีที่แล้ว

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

  • @alexandercarroll9707
    @alexandercarroll9707 ปีที่แล้ว +8

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @markomitrovic3667
      @markomitrovic3667 ปีที่แล้ว

      Trueeeeeee

    • @GAMLAPATTE
      @GAMLAPATTE ปีที่แล้ว

      @@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" 😄

  • @jtoland2333
    @jtoland2333 ปีที่แล้ว

    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!

  • @tibogonia8709
    @tibogonia8709 ปีที่แล้ว

    i started learning fantasie impromptu and its really fucking hard. The hardest thing is that the right and left hand play in different intervals

  • @jermainebrother3066
    @jermainebrother3066 5 วันที่ผ่านมา

    “PERFECTLY REPLICATES IT “So difficult 😮” 😂

  • @KickingMusician
    @KickingMusician ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

  • @nXIIIII
    @nXIIIII ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I used to be able to play Moonlight Sonata MV3,
    My fingers are broken now though..(not literally)

  • @stickbre4ker685
    @stickbre4ker685 ปีที่แล้ว +3

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

  • @LisztAddict
    @LisztAddict ปีที่แล้ว +1

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

  • @user-gp3mx4oi2w
    @user-gp3mx4oi2w 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

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

  • @MasterRancisis
    @MasterRancisis ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi Mathew! fancy seeing you here!

  • @beyondwaveforms3059
    @beyondwaveforms3059 27 วันที่ผ่านมา

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

  • @sirbowman3158
    @sirbowman3158 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I took piano lessons for one summer between sophomore and junior year of college, and I went into it being able to play the Prelude in C Major from the WTC, and came out of it doing a public performance of the Schubert Impromptu no 3 in Gb major. Once school started, I had to basically quit playing piano due to need the practice time for my trombone playing (I'm a trombone performance major). I can still play some of the Schubert, but I'm not sure if I'll ever have the time to actually get back to where I was. I will say that piano lessons did wonders for my musicianship. Piano is such a wonderfully expressive instrument, and playing romantic piano literature was always my dream as a younger musician (even though I was a much better trombonist than pianist, and still am). I learned all about resolving leading tones, rubato, tasteful use of trills, etc. Things that I still use today on trombone.

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว

      Schubert’s impromptu no. 3 is such a beautiful piece, I’ve played it a few times for various things and it’s such a great piece of music! The 2nd one is also great and very contrasting but definitely good for technique if you ever want to get back into piano and give yourself a challenge 😊
      Piano is super useful for understanding the application of theory and musicality, although you can’t quite do glissandos like you can on a trombone 😂

  • @markandoyo2204
    @markandoyo2204 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    For me most of the times with apprehending the Piano Classical Music most comprised from them more on Melodic Randoms than a Rythymic repeatations does mostly no make sense from me,
    as though Those numbers of Rythmic repeatations are mostly found at the non-classical like Jazz or Saloon Music related or even Blues and the Rock N' Roll genre I medicated with complete sense from me

  • @mrcaboosevg6089
    @mrcaboosevg6089 17 วันที่ผ่านมา

    "Liszt is very similar to Chopn in that he's also a pianist" The greatest but of insight in this video 😂

  • @merel3248
    @merel3248 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Him watching the yt video like he sees it for the first time 😂. Good acting

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว

      This was in fact the first time I’d seen it 😂 I’ve spent more time playing and learning piano than watching others decide which pieces are the most difficult 😊

  • @theodoreplayspiano3029
    @theodoreplayspiano3029 ปีที่แล้ว +2

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

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +2

      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
      @theodoreplayspiano3029 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@matticawood thanks I’ll try this

  • @DontTouchMe-BrawlStars
    @DontTouchMe-BrawlStars 22 วันที่ผ่านมา +1

    I played Fantasie Impromptu when i was like 10 years old, but I couldnt reach out to the high notes on the running notes. :((

    • @DontTouchMe-BrawlStars
      @DontTouchMe-BrawlStars 22 วันที่ผ่านมา

      I also play moonlight sonata. I didnt struggle a lo since i played it when i was 11

    • @rqidzERA-xw9gp
      @rqidzERA-xw9gp 22 วันที่ผ่านมา

      @@DontTouchMe-BrawlStars same version?

    • @DontTouchMe-BrawlStars
      @DontTouchMe-BrawlStars 22 วันที่ผ่านมา

      @@rqidzERA-xw9gp yeah

  • @aditsu
    @aditsu ปีที่แล้ว +3

    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
      @aditsu ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Also called double thirds and double sixths

    • @matticawood
      @matticawood  ปีที่แล้ว +1

      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 😂

  • @johnb6723
    @johnb6723 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    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.