Concerto performance

[thierry13]

Okay so, I want to learn a Concerti to perform with my teacher ( she will do orchestral reduction). So I would like to know, of the hard Concerti, wich is the one that has the less synchronisation problems, performance problems etc. ... because i will have like 1 rehearsal with my teacher. So I can't really work on it with my accompanist a lot. Suggestions? I'm ready to tackle anything...

[sergei r]

What exactly do you mean by the "hard' concerti? At the level of Rachmaninov/Prokofiev/Liszt/Tchaikovsky or including stuff like Grieg/Mendelssohn or what? It makes a difference...

[thierry13]

What exactly do you mean by the "hard' concerti? At the level of Rachmaninov/Prokofiev/Liszt/Tchaikovsky or including stuff like Grieg/Mendelssohn or what? It makes a difference...

I said I was ready to tackle anything. So yes RachmaninoFF, Prokofiev, Liszt, etc. are included.

[pianistimo]

something that was suggested to me was the first 3-4 piano concertos of mozart.  the reason being, is that they could be played with a quartet and not necessarily a full orchestra (if i remember right). 

of course, mozart is kind of passe to younger people, and so probably is gershwin's rhapsody in blue (although it IS one that comes to mind for quick rehearsal - and the one you can get away with the most). 

Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini  progresses through a sort of theme and variations idea (which might be easier to learn - yet HARD as you asked).  just an idea.  it's a theme and 24 variations.

[thierry13]

Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini  progresses through a sort of theme and variations idea (which might be easier to learn - yet HARD as you asked).  just an idea.  it's a theme and 24 variations.

You are right, I really would be bored with a Mozart concerto. But the rhapsody on a theme by paganini! Amazing. If it really isn't too much of a problem to perform, I would really go with this one. Anyone second that idea?

[sergei r]

Well, if you were thinking at about the level of Rachmaninov, I think that would be a good idea. It isn't too long and it is in a theme and variations structure as was mentioned, and although it does have its technical challenges you did say you were ready to tackle anything, so I second the idea.

[RealPianist]

how HARD is the concerto like Rachmaninov, Prokofief, Tchaikovsky and something like that?

how about 1st mendelssohn? is it in the same difficult?

maybe it is silly question but i really dunno.

[tompilk]

Rach 3... do what everone else was thinking.. and get a proffesional orchestra... If you are 8 years old, you may become a pro...

[thierry13]

Rach 3... do what everone else was thinking.. and get a proffesional orchestra... If you are 8 years old, you may become a pro...

Sorry, I don't think I can manage to get an orchestra till the end of the year. And I guess rach 3 would be a lot of trouble to synchronise with my teacher too ...

[mikey6]

You'll probably need more than one rehearsal for the Rach Pag, ensemble is rather difficult - so much of it is like chamber music.

[practicingnow]

You are right, I really would be bored with a Mozart concerto. But the rhapsody on a theme by paganini! Amazing. If it really isn't too much of a problem to perform, I would really go with this one. Anyone second that idea?

If you're worried about synchronization problems, then that one is definitely not a good idea, in fact, one of the worst I think - in many places, and I can think of one variation in particular that just falls apart so easily between soloist and accompanist...
How about one of the 2 Liszt?  No synchronization problems there...easy to put together with somebody - one rehearsal should do it.

[pita bread]

Liszt Totentanz, although I'm still waiting for your Mazeppa recording...

[hodi]

what about the schumann concerto?

[viking]

How about one of the 2 Liszt?  No synchronization problems there...easy to put together with somebody - one rehearsal should do it.

Actually the Liszt Concerti are especially difficult to synchronize because of all the tempo markings.  In the 2nd concerto alone the tempo changes 7 or 8 times (maybe more).  The 2nd concerto is a beast to get all the tempo changes down.  I would recomend the Ravel Left Hand Concerto.  It's pretty straight forward in terms of synchronization.
SAM

[thierry13]

what about the schumann concerto?

Arg, no.

[practicingnow]

Actually the Liszt Concerti are especially difficult to synchronize because of all the tempo markings.  In the 2nd concerto alone the tempo changes 7 or 8 times (maybe more).  The 2nd concerto is a beast to get all the tempo changes down.  I would recomend the Ravel Left Hand Concerto.  It's pretty straight forward in terms of synchronization.
SAM

Yes, many tempo changes, but in almost all of the changes, one player precedes the other, in other words, it is always easy for the accompanist to follow the soloist's tempi, and vice-versa, because they don't begin simultaneously.  Of course, there are a couple of places where both change simultaneously, especially in the 2nd, but even those are generally easy to follow.

[arensky]

Yes, many tempo changes, but in almost all of the changes, one player precedes the other, in other words, it is always easy for the accompanist to follow the soloist's tempi, and vice-versa, because they don't begin simultaneously.  Of course, there are a couple of places where both change simultaneously, especially in the 2nd, but even those are generally easy to follow.

I just did the Liszt 1st Concerto, and I found that the 1st movement was rather difficult to synchronize with the orchestra, more than I thought it would be. Particularly the transitional arpeggios in 6th's that go up afte the lyrical 2nd theme; I couldn't listen to the orchestra because I was focusing on my part (I find it very difficult) and they couldn't hear me because they are focusing on the tempo change. The rest of the piece came together fairly easily.

[arensky]

Oh back to the topic..

Thierry, ask your teacher for suggestions, listen to them, pick one and then do what she tells you to. This is SOP for student/teacher relationships...