"appetizer" pieces

[tds]

what pieces do you think are effective to open a recital. best, tds

[lostinidlewonder]

If you mean piano recital I would say Bach. I wouldn't start off with anything wild and impressive with big chords all over the place. It would be like throwing the audience into a tub of hot water. I really find Bach is good to wake up the musical mind, so everything else that follows makes sense.

[steinwayguy]

If you mean piano recital I would say Bach. I wouldn't start off with anything wild and impressive with big chords all over the place. It would be like throwing the audience into a tub of hot water. I really find Bach is good to wake up the musical mind, so everything else that follows makes sense.

Boring, overdone.



Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 1 

[Siberian Husky]

Boring, overdone.



Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 1 

LOL...nice

[lostinidlewonder]

Boring, overdone.

Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 1

Boring, overdone too.

[etudes]

Bach Busoni Chaconne

(also overdone) but great piece

[SDL]

Im starting my Program with Prokofiev Sonata no1 in September - just to wake them up before we start!!

Program:

Prokofiev Sonata 1 (about 7 mins)
Bach/Hess Cantata 147
Cecilia MacDowell 2 piano solo pieces
Rachmaninov Prelude op23 no4

Liszt Legend no.2
Beethoven Op110

[sharon_f]

A group of Scarlatti sonatas.

[AvoidedCadence]

A friend of mine did this, and it's incredible:  Opened with the first ballade of Chopin.  I can also see Polonaise-Fantaisie, Andante Spianato, Fourth Ballade, or something of similar weight.

This only works if you have more Romantic material later on in the program though.  Not such a good idea to open with a Chopin sonata and then play some Scarlatti afterwards.

[dinosaurtales]

Hm.  I don't know about opening with a Chopin ballade, - might be "too much" at first, although I've attended a few recitals where Beethoven's Appassionata was the opener, and it's kind of "big".  Actually, Beethoven and Mozart sonatas make good openers.

[senecalakeguy]

first of all... ignore anyone who immediately criticizes someone's ideas.  the forum is often "over-fed" by pompous, arrogant, full-of-themself people who seem to feed their own egos by tearing down others.  unfortunately, we will always have those in the world, even attending recitals.  in their cases, nothing you do will be pleasing to them.  please remember that they are nothing, and that when they are finally dead, their negative contributions to life and to art will amount to nothing as well. they will be replaced by one just like them who will all too gladly carry on the bastardization of our art forms and the tradition of ripping all others apart in order to make themselves feel good and important.

now, back to the question...

each recital program will have its own personality and, with some thought on your part, will tell you which order to place each piece in the program.  each possible ordering of the pieces in your program will convey a different personality or character of the recital as a whole.

in my opinion, Bach makes an excellent opener.  this is assuming that a selection by Bach, or any other opening selection,  is solid and musical.  this first piece is your introduction to the audience.  it should convey to the audience a sense of welcome, of your musicality, and of your general musicianship.  It should seem to the audience that it is effortless on your part (not always easy with Bach, or many other composers, for that matter.) 

other ideas for opening selections include groups of: Scarlatti sonatas; Mendelssohn Songs Without Words; Schubert Impromptus or Moments Musicaux; Beethoven Bagatelles; Debussy Suite Bergamasque or Children's Corner; any grouping of small-scale pieces by Poulenc, etc.

of course, many recitals are theme-oriented (i.e., 20th Century) and would require your selection based on what the entire "meal" is comprised of.

and your prospective audience will determine to some degree what you will play and how you will open.  if your prospective audience is primarily Ph.D. candidates, you will approach the whole thing differently than if they are a typical public audience.

your opening piece(s) should charm the audience and make them glad that they came and leave them eagerly anticipating what is next.

that's just my opinion, and after all, i ain't no Piano Forum Giant.  be well, and best wishes!

randy

[sonatainfsharp]

I opened my senior undergrad recital with Beethoven's Bagatelle in b minor; it was my favorite opener ever. Short, cute, yet rather heavy and very fun to play (woke me up, too).

[klavierkonzerte]

play any of shumanns short pieces.