Chopin's Great Underrated Works

[Nocturneguy]

In my opinion one of the most underrated is the Barcarolle. It is shadowed by the ballades and in my opinion the Barcarolle is above the ballades, perhaps not the 4th one though (being the most important piece of the romantic period). In the Barcarolle we find Chopin's peak in Lyricism and melody. I do not understand why it is so underrated.

[Max]

Barcerolle is great. But I couldnt compare it to the Ballades because they convey a different style of music really.

[Jeliness2]

I don't think that the preludes get as much praise as the etudes or ballades. They are really paintings of Chopin's full imagination and all...

[PianistSk8er]

The Impromptus, Scherzi (other than the second), Preludes, several Etudes, Ecossaises, the Barcarolle and the Fantasie are all great works that unfortunately don't receive as much recognition as they should.

[Goldberg]

Waltzes, Mazurkas, Rondos, Bolero, and Allegro de Concert. I concede that these--particularly the last three--are not exactly his *greatest* works but they certainly deserve a lot more attention than they receive. There are three or four popular waltzes and mazurkas, but I find them all very enjoyable, and the rondos are just cool! The Allegro de Concert interests me because it has some good melodies and would make a great, somewhat obscure showpiece with historical significance (well, inasmuch as Chopin composed it as a sketch for a concerto movement, but scrapped the project), and the Bolero...same as the rondos.

But, really, I find that most of this stuff really does get plenty of attention, being by Chopin and all. I've always considered the Barcarolle to be one of the more often played ones! But, it's very possible that my assumption is incorrect.

[Helling]

The tarantelle !

[Goldberg]

Hah, funnily enough I originally had "tarantelle" instead of bolero...I always get them mixed up. Bolero IS that wicked little piece in a minor right, and not the other way around? I haven't yet developed an appreciation for that wimpy whatsitmacalled (the one other than the one in a minor...).

[Helling]

The tarantelle is in A flat major, the bolero is in a minor. Both are interesting pieces, and neither is technically easy (nor technically terrible).

So I guess the wimpy whatsitmacalled piece you mean is the tarantelle. However, a lot depends on the performance.

As a sidenote, the tarantelle contains some of the most awkward piano writing found in Chopin. Not as bad as the second sonata, but it certainly does not rank very high in the difficulty / effect ratio. This is actually rather unusual considering it is in fact a tarantelle, which is generally used as a basis for showoff pieces. I heard some people say that it sounds more difficult than it is but I disagree.

[PianistSk8er]

There's the Berceuse from Op. 57 as well.

[Max]

As a sidenote, the tarantelle contains some of the most awkward piano writing found in Chopin. Not as bad as the second sonata, but it certainly does not rank very high in the difficulty / effect ratio. This is actually rather unusual considering it is in fact a tarantelle, which is generally used as a basis for showoff pieces. I heard some people say that it sounds more difficult than it is but I disagree.

Amen, it is ridiculously awkward, for the effect it gives. Its a great piece, I prefer it to the Bolero. I like all of the dances Chopin wrote actually.

[Helling]

The Rondos are rather unknown as well, but maybe rightly so. They are a pain to learn, and some seem like Chopin on a bad Liszt trip. I only played op 5, and while some passages are worth the trouble, the piece as a whole really seemed a bit like a waste of time to learn (not to mention I forgot it a few months after learning it for a concert - all those damn scales). And I do think op 5 is the most succesful of them all.

[Goldberg]

I don't know the op. no's specifically, but I do like to listen to the rondos every now and then, for something a little different (I made a note in the first post I made)...I think my favourite is the one in C minor/Eb major. The one in F major is pretty cool too. The others are "interesting"...haha.

[PianistSk8er]

Now that I think of it, other than the Heroic, Military and Polonaise-Fantasie, the Polonaises are amazing works that rarely get any attention at all.

[sinding]

What about the variations on 'La Ci Darem' ? I find this one of Chopin's most engaging pieces. Talented pianists will probably find 90% of the music technically easy. (If you can play his Etudes well I don't see much of a problem with this piece) There is one variation which is tiring and needs piano fitness to master, but then so do some of the Etudes. I personally find all his output difficult. Yes even the little Prelude in Amaj with its horrendous chord. There is always a passage in his music I find impossible to master.

[Philip Daniel]

As a whole, I'd say that Chopin is a greatly undervalued composer. If I had to say what I feel his most underrated works are, I'd say his Mazurkas and his Barcarolle. These are among his hardest pieces to interpret, due to their being some of Chopin's most personal "expressions".