Chopin or Beethoven: Solo Piano Works

[nakulanb]

You can choose both, but whose solo piano works do you prefer and why?

I prefer Chopin because I find him to be more of the lover of the two and that resonates with me.

What about you?

[nakulanb]

Any thoughts?

[Symphonic Addict]

I prefer Beethoven because his piano sonatas represent a supreme achievement in mankind, and that's just one reason among many more.

[nakulanb]

I prefer Beethoven because his piano sonatas represent a supreme achievement in mankind, and that's just one reason among many more.

They are mammoth, certainly. 

[Todd]

Beethoven.  He is the master of the piano sonata form.  Whether youthful and vibrant or older and more searching, with technical flourishes and demands, and with musical satisfaction that no one matches in the format, he can't be beat.  Throw in his Bagatelles and arguably the greatest set of variations ever written, and he remains tops.  His only real peer in solo piano music to my ears is the rather different Debussy.  Chopin, great as he is, doesn't offer quite as much.  Well, maybe in his Mazurkas.

[JBS]

Both because both are different. LvB and FC mostly used different forms. In fact it's in the sonata, the form both used, that I find FC to be at his weakest. But the sonata looms much bigger in LvB than FC.
So I wouldn't want to be without either.

[Symphonic Addict]

I can live without either of Chopin's Piano Concertos. What I can't is living without any LvB's piano concertos, including the Triple Concerto. I put it in those terms. 

[nakulanb]

I can live without either of Chopin's Piano Concertos. What I can't is living without any LvB's piano concertos, including the Triple Concerto. I put it in those terms. 

I can't live without Chopin's Nocturnes.  I can live without Beethoven's piano works period as blasphemous as that may sound.

[JBS]

I can live without either of Chopin's Piano Concertos. What I can't is living without any LvB's piano concertos, including the Triple Concerto. I put it in those terms. 

Agree 100% with that. But what about the *solo* works.

[Florestan]

Chopin any day, night, year and season --- because his solo piano music touches, moves and stirs my soul way more than Beethoven's, a few piano sonatas of the latter notwithstanding. 

I couldn't care less about sonata form -- actually, to hell with it! 

[nakulanb]

Chopin any day, night, year and season --- because his solo piano music touches, moves and stirs my soul way more than Beethoven's, a few piano sonatas of the latter notwithstanding. 

I couldn't care less about sonata form -- actually, to hell with it! 

My man!

[vers la flamme]

Couldn't live without either

[Florestan]

My man!

The more, the merrier! 

[prémont]

The more, the merrier! 

Chopin has made very fine music, but he doesn't compare to Beethoven - very few do indeed.

[Florestan]

Chopin has made very fine music, but he doesn't compare to Beethoven - very few do indeed.

Well, that's exactly the notion that I deeply hate and resent  from the very bottom of my heart --- X is fine but they don't compare to Beethoven.

[prémont]

Well, that's exactly the notion that I deeply hate and resent  from the very bottom of my heart --- X is fine but they don't compare to Beethoven.

But that does not stop me from rejoicing over several of Chopin's compositions.

[Mandryka]

Can we not agree that Chopin was better than Beethoven at writing mazurkas and Beethoven was better than Chopin at writing ginormous sets of variations?

[Florestan]

Can we not agree that Chopin was better than Beethoven at writing mazurkas and Beethoven was better than Chopin at writing ginormous sets of variations?

I'm game, thank you.

Also, mazurkas are better then variations.

[ritter]

...

Also, mazurkas are better then variations.

OTOH, whenever I read the word "mazurka", I run away and never look back....

[Todd]

X is fine but they don't compare to Beethoven.

Denying this fact is like denying anthropogenic climate change.