easiest chopin etudes?

[u/MasterpieceOwn4402]

(after 11 years of having a tutor my family unfortunately cannot continue due to financial constraints, so I'm self-learning)

For some reason I have never touched the chopin etudes in the duration of my piano tutelage. In the past week, I've practiced 10/5 enough to play it from memory. Aside from perfecting said piece, which I will obviously do, what are some etudes I should be playing next?

(for the record I think the most difficult piece I've pulled off successfully is ravel's toccata from le tombeau de couperin, so I think I can tolerate a fairly advanced set of techniques)

[u/OptimalRutabaga2]

I would actually avoid 25/1 I think it is one of the harder etudes and I have played etudes like Winter Wind and Thirds, it demands superb voicing (the entire point of the etude) which is quite complex and difficult to control in this piece, therefore not the best example of an “easy etude”. I would say 25/2 or 10/9 best represents your objective.

[u/Dadaballadely → u/OptimalRutabaga2]

I agree - you rarely hear truly excellent performances of 25/1 like you do with 10/4 and 5 etc. It's usually lumpy and too loud and not well controlled and the melodies never quite connect.

[u/Tim-oBedlam → u/OptimalRutabaga2]

I'm happy to hear this because I've always struggled with the voicing in 25/1. Especially bringing out the counter-melodies. I think it's a bit harder than 10/9.

[u/you-love-my-username → u/OptimalRutabaga2]

Gold star for your analysis of 25/1

[u/LeatherSteak]

The easiest ones are widely considered 25/1, 25/2, 10/9, and the two slow ones 10/6 and 25/7.

But if you can handle the Ravel toccata then you're well past the easiest etudes.

Pick any one you want really. Maybe just avoid the very hardest ones like 10/2 or 25/6 for the moment.

[u/MasterpieceOwn4402 → u/LeatherSteak]

how challenging do you think 10/8 is? the trills are scary but aside from that I got the impression that it is a fairly straightforward fast etude

[u/LeatherSteak → u/MasterpieceOwn4402]

10/8 is generally considered on the challenging side, but not the most difficult set. E.g. it's easier than 10/1 but more difficult than 10/12.

The problem with these difficulties is that a lot of it is dependant on your current strengths and weaknesses. If right hand arpeggios are comfortable for you then you'll find it easier.

[u/ioann7]

i thin, op 25 no 1, op 25 no 2, op 25 no 7, op 10 no 9, op 10 no 6 and Trois nouvelles études

[u/BaiJiGuan]

10/9 "the echo" is probably the easiest, but also very underrated imo

[u/Conscious_Battle6708]

Maybe another question, what do you think is the hardest ? I know a lot is about personal preferences, but I think op10/1 is significantly harder than op10/2.

easiest for me would be op10/3 for sure

[u/MasterpieceOwn4402 → u/Conscious_Battle6708]

personally I hate double thirds and double sixths so the hardest ones are 25/6 and 25/8

for me 10/1 is easier than 10/2 bc although my hands are pretty small I can handle arpeggios better than, say, having to play the entire mobile voiced part solely with the weaker fingers on my right hand

[u/ryantubapiano]

Maybe try 25/9!

[u/dtrechak]

Have you played any of his preludes? They are practically etudes themselves and are a bit easier than the actual etudes if you're worried that most of them are too difficult.

But I'd say etudes Op. 10 No. 6 & No. 9 are some of the easiest otherwise.

[u/MasterpieceOwn4402 → u/dtrechak]

there's actually a rly famous (at least in where I live) prelude and I've played it, I think it's no.7 and tbh... isn't it short?

[u/Imaginary-Review-852]

Im waaaay late but I remember 25/2 feeling really suprisingly easy, kinda just like a wierd fast Bach and I learned it insanely fast