Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Chopin waltz in E minor (Op. Posth.) or Op.70/1

Which of these two waltzes would you say is the more technically difficult?

Op.70/1 is by far the more straightforward, its main difficulties being the large leaps in RH, which can be hit or miss depending on how fast you take them, and how large your hands are.

The E minor has different kinds of difficulties in different places, not least in the coda.

Thanks bennevis. That is a good analysis of the two pieces.

Which piece do you think is the more "crowd pleaser" of the two?

If you have the chops for it and can bring the conclusion of the E minor to a brilliant conclusion, it's definitely the bigger crowd-pleaser.

The Op.70/1 is more immediately appealing (and you can go to town in the central slower section with sotto voce in the final reprise, as I like to do), but the conclusion doesn't give you a chance to show off, like the E minor does.

And one should always show off one's chops, shouldn't one?

Yes I am working on cleaning up the coda in the E minor. I do love the middle section and the overall feeling of the 70/1. Both are wonderful to play. Thanks for your insight!