If anyone has played Beethoven's Rondo a Capriccio (rage over a lost penny) before, could you please tell me how difficult it is? It sounds very nice and I'm considering attempting to play it but it's 10 pages long and I don't want to learn till page 5 and realise I can't handle page 6 or something like that... so please, any help is very much appreciated...

It's not easy - I will say that. In fact, it's rather difficult. The figures are typical of Beethoven's middle period. Plus the tempo needs to be quick enough to get the "rage" feeling. The tempo requirement is the element that makes it difficult. I equate its difficulties somwhere like the 32 Variations in C minor (though it's not as varied technically as the variations).

I agree that the piece is hard. You almost have to be ticked off to start with before you can sit at the keyboard and play it. I had a hard time too with the mid part but after long practice I made it. If you enjoy the piece, you should face it head first.
Have fun!
Josef H.

[ May 29, 2001: Message edited by: Josef H. ]

I agree with both Alex and Josef. I would rate this piece as an "early advanced to advance". Since I bought the complete Beethoven Piano Works on CD-Sheet Music I had it printed and have been playing with it. Note that I said 'playing with', not 'playing'. One note of caution, one has to be ready to tackle this quite difficult piece. I am having technical challenges with this. I used to have rather accomplished technique but due to the fact that I have stopped practice for over two decades my present command of technique has been reduced to, say, between 'beginner' to 'intermediate'. Since I'm not learning this for recital, etc I am having lots of fun with it. Starting with the G minor arpeggio section it became increasingly demanding. Know your technical readiness and be realistic with your results. Don't rush yourself when you learn something like the 'Rage'. Just a side note to the excellent remarks made by the other two.

Thankz to all for replying! Some very useful advice there! =] Well then, since it is ten pages long (I can't read very fast) and is rather difficult... and all the work doesn't really work out equally to the musical satisfaction... i think i'll skip this one for now... thankz!

djk

I don't know... I had tried it VERY, VERY early. I don't remember exactly, but it was after playing the piano for 2-4 months, and I didn't like it too much because I found it demanding (in particular because of the tempo which I couldn't keep back then), but now I like it somehow and it flows well, although I prefer sadder music...
I would rate it "intermediate".

This is really excellent, although I would prefer it a bit slower in spite of the "rage" aspect...

Probably the best I've heard the piece played. His tempo is perfect. Excellent!

Played at Kissin's tempo (which is where I've always heard it, personally), I rank it with the more difficult of Beethoven's sonata movements. Seriously.


-Jason

This is one of those pieces that I think is much harder than most people say.

Its reputation is mostly, 'not as hard as a lot of other Beethoven.'
I don't agree. I think it's as hard as anything else Beethoven wrote except the Hammerklavier and maybe one or two of his other sonatas. I consider it on the same level as the Waldstein and Appassionata -- maybe even a little harder because IMO the passagework has to be more precise, kind of like Chopin's 4th Scherzo vs. the others.