A Little Advise For a Big Boy

[dangermouse]

Hello fellow pianists.

I am considering taking my grade 8 abrsm exam (UK),  I have taken grades one - seven in the past however never got round to doing 8.

Here is the repertoire list,  I must play one song from each list, I was wondering whether someone could recommend to me some pieces as I am unfamilliar with most of them.

LIST A
1 J. S. Bach Allemande: 2nd movt from Partita no.4 in D, BWV 828
2 Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue in Eb: no.19 from ‘24 Preludes
and Fugues’, Op.87
3 Scarlatti Sonata in D, Kp.535
4 J. S. Bach Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 889: no.20 from ‘The Well-Tempered Clavier’, Part 2 (Associated
Board)
5 Handel Suite no.8 in F minor (1720 Collection), HWV 433: 1st and 2nd movts, Prelude and Fuga (Allegro). Handel
Eight Great Suites, Book 2 (Associated Board)
6 Hindemith Interludium (pp.27–28) and Fugue no.6 (Fuga sexta) in E b, from ‘Ludus Tonalis’ (Schott ED 3964/M.D.S.)
7 Lekeu Fughetta in B minor (from Sonata for Piano). French Romantic Repertoire, Level 2 (Faber)
8 Scarlatti Sonata in D minor, Kp.444, L.420. No.152 from Scarlatti 200 Sonatas, Vol. 4 (Editio Musica/Boosey &
Hawkes)


LIST B
1 C. P. E. Bach Allegro assai: 1st movt from Sonata in F minor, H.173, Wq.57/6
2 Mozart Allegro moderato: 1st movt from Sonata in C, K.330/300h
3 Beethoven Sonata in E minor, Op.90: 1st movt
4 Beethoven Sonata in G, Op.79: 1st movt, Presto alla tedesca (Associated Board)
5 Clementi Sonata in G, Op.37 no.2: 1st movt, Allegro. No.14 from Clementi Selected Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 (Henle or
Henle–Schott/M.D.S)
6 Haydn Sonata in D, Hob.XVI/24: 1st movt, Allegro. No.39 from Haydn Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2 (Wiener
Urtext/M.D.S.)
7 Haydn Sonata in Eb, Hob.XVI/49: 1st movt, Allegro. No.59 from Haydn Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 3 (Wiener
Urtext/M.D.S.)
8 Schubert Sonata in E, D.459: 1st movt, Allegro moderato. Schubert Complete Pianoforte Sonatas, Vol. 1 (Associated
Board)


LIST C
1 Arensky Impromptu: no.1 from ‘Quatre morceaux pour piano’, Op.25
2 Billy Mayerl Autumn Crocus
3 Schumann Intermezzo: no.4 from ‘Faschingsschwank aus Wien’, Op.26
4 Liszt Dem Andenken Petöfis
5 Rawsthorne Bagatelle no.3
6 Takemitsu Romance
7 Albéniz Castilla (Seguidillas): 7th movt from ‘Suite espagnole’, Op.47 (Schott ED 5068/M.D.S.)
8 Chopin Polonaise in C minor, Op.40 no.2. Chopin Polonaises (Henle or Henle–Schott/M.D.S.)
9 Debussy Arabesque no.1 in E. Debussy Two Arabesques (Wiener Urtext/M.D.S.)
10 Fauré Barcarolle no.4 in Ab, Op.44. Fauré 13 Barcarolles (Piano Works, Vol. 2) (Peters EP 9560b)
11 Edward Gregson No.6 from ‘Six Little Piano Pieces’ (Novello/Music Sales)
12 Benjamin Lees Nos.7 and 9 from ‘Kaleidoscopes’. Boosey & Hawkes 20th-Century Piano Collection: from 1945
(Boosey & Hawkes)
13 Medtner Idylle: no.1 from ‘Three Arabesques’, Op.7 (Benjamin/Boosey & Hawkes)
14 Mendelssohn Scherzo in E minor, Op.16 no.2. No.6 from A Keyboard Anthology, 1st Series, Book 5 (Associated
Board)
15 Poulenc Nocturne no.1 in C, from ‘Nocturnes’ (Heugel/U.M.P.)

PS I know they are pieces not songs lol

[bernhard]

I am not sure how to answer your question.

I would say: Get the CD (the ABRSM sells a CD of all grade pieces), listen to it and choose the one you like the best. Not knowing you, I cannot recommend one, since I don't know your taste.

Maybe you mean how do they compare in technical/musical difficulty. Again, difficult to answer not knowing you.

So my suggestion is to listen to the CD and select the pieces you like, then come back to discuss them specifically.

My own taste in these matters would lead me to go to the Scarlatti/Bach/Handel in list A (I am not really that much into Shosta and Hindemith)

In list B, I would probably go for CPE Bach and Haydn

In list C I would initially consider Debussy and Mendelssohn, but I would definitely investigate Arenski, Mayerl and Poulenc.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[6ft 4]

No way!!  You must go for the Mozart!!!

But yes get the CD.

[BoliverAllmon]

go hindemith

[al]

hi

I just did my grade 8, results soon hopefully.  I played:

List A - Handel Suite no.8 in F minor (1720 Collection), HWV 433: 1st and 2nd movts, Prelude and Fuga (Allegro). Handel Eight Great Suites, Book 2 (Associated Board)

This is probably the best piece on the list.  It's better than the Bach that's on offer, and I found the Scarlatti sonatas a bit easy.  The Shostakovich and Hindemith were a bit too weird for me.

List B - Mozart Allegro moderato: 1st movt from Sonata in C, K.330/300h

It was a close call between the Mozart and the Beethoven E minor, but in the end I picked the Mozart because I found the fast 10ths in the LH of the Beethoven too much for my smallish hands.  You may wish to consider those passages (from bar 57 onwards) when making your choice.  All the pieces on this list are pretty good IMO.

List C - Debussy Arabesque no.1 in E. Debussy Two Arabesques (Wiener Urtext/M.D.S.)

This is a great piece, however if you're looking for something a little less overplayed, try the Arensky impromptu or the Mendelssohn scherzo.  The Mayerl piece is quite good but a lot of people find it a bit 'cheesy'.

The only real way to decide, however, is to hear all the pieces played and make up your own mind so either buy the CD (https://www.abrsmpublishing.com/publications/4828) or get your teacher to play them.

[Skeptopotamus]

6, 8, 6.  Takemitsu is great.  Very Messiaen-esque.

[pianomann1984]

As Bernhard says, not knowing your tastes/technical standard, it is impossible to make a suggestion that is particulary accurate to you, but my own choice would be:

Scarlatti Sonata in D minor, L 420. No.152

Beethoven Sonata in G, Op 79  'Presto alla tedesca'

Albéniz Castilla 'Seguidillas' from ‘Suite espagnole’, Op.47

The Rawsthorne is great also, but too short to finish a recital with - they should ideally put all 4 bagatelles on there - they're not too long and create a fantastic impression.

Hope this is helpful in some way or another!

Besto of luck with your exam,

Chris

[dangermouse]

Thanks for the replys.

Im going to order the CD to find out which pieces take my fancy.

I havent got a piano teacher to discuss which piece to play, as I stopped having lessons three years ago when I went to University.

I will however probably be getting someone to listen over my pieces around 2 weeks before the exam,  to help me improve them, possibly my old teacher.  I might even post them up on this website

As for what type of repertoire I like, im more into classical and romantique composers, staying away from the modern, and baroque periods, however i will have to play a baroque piece for this exam.