what are you working on right now?

[crazy for ivan moravec]

what pieces are you working on right now? does that repertoire/program have a deadline like a concert sometime, jury exams? is that a project for the year/month/s?

which of those pieces are you having difficulty with, or don't like, etc.?




no point really in asking this... just a place to freely talk about our current piano assignments.

i'm working on Bach PF in fminor bk.1, beethoven op. 109, liszt TE no.10, Granados' el pelele, and the brahms quintet.

im clueless with the beethoven (actually, not really. but i just feel i am clueless). im excited with the brahms. i need to purify El Pelele coz i've been performing it and i haven't had the chance to go back to basics with that piece again. the liszt kills me but i love playing it. the bach is deep.

do share... im sure we'd all be interested with what keeps us busy on the piano right now.

all the best!

not so crazy now 

[mrdaveux]

Oh goodies... another eternally resurrecting post... I guess this sort of info is forever in need of updates. Well, this is my current work :

Bach : French Suite #6 in E (got the first 5 dances, working on the last 3)
Beethoven : Sonata in A, op,2 #2 (finishing the 1st movement)
Chopin : Impromptu #2 in F-sharp, op.36 (polishing the last part)
Gottschalk : Le bananier, op. 5 (just starting)
Chabrier : Improvisation from Pieces Pittoresques (just starting)
Brahms : Sonata for clarinet & piano in F minor, op. 120 #2 (starting 4th movement)
Debussy : Preludes (Voiles, Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest, La danse de Puck)
Fats Waller : Ain't misbehaving

I usually try to learn 1 recital program per year (1-2 hours of music), with contrasting styles and technical challenges.

[pianogeek_cz]

Yeah, it is... since it's always changing... 

Mainly...

Revolutionary Etude, since it needs to be done in two weeks,
Schubert Impromptu op 90 no. 3, since it needs to be done in just about the same time,
TEs no. 1 & 2, since I'd like to get those for concert sometime still this year  ,
Grieg Piano concerto in a minor, since I just love it.

And then...

Schubert op. 90 no. 3,
TE no. 11,
Military Polonaise,
Raindrop Prelude,
P&F B major, WTC book one.

All in all, more than my schedule would permit while not omitting sleep. 

[lisztisforkids]

Fe Fi Fo Fum...

Beethoven: Piano Concerto 3
Chopin: Ballade 3
Clementi: op. 25 no 5, sonata in f# minor
 
After my meat and potatoes...
Brahms: Intermezzos op.116 no.6, op.118 no.2, op.118 no.6
            : Ballade g minor op.118 no.3
And a couple of other little things that dont really need to be mentioned...

[nanabush]

-Bach P/F C sharp major, I'm finished but I'm just lookin for the smallest little things to fix.
-Brahms Rhapsody in G minor, done and same thing.
-Ravel Sonatine  1st/2nd movement coming really well, 3rd not started yet, looks much more demanding than the first two movements.
-Prokofiev Sonata #3, I'm learning the slower, easier parts first, this piece is gonna take a while.
-I'm reading through the etudes-tableaux op33/39, tryin first few measures of each, I desperately want to play another one (I play the g minor op33)

[bearzinthehood]

i'm working on Bach PF in fminor bk.1, beethoven op. 109, liszt TE no.10, Granados' el pelele, and the brahms quintet.

OMG Op. 109 is my favorite one!!! 

[thalbergmad]

I am attempting the Tchaikovsky-Pabst-Sleeping Beauty.

Anticipated completion date   30.08.2012

[jas]

Just Chopin's G-sharp minor Prelude at the moment. I have so little time for the piano these days that if I don't stick with one thing at a time I'll get nowhere!

[arensky]

Oh goodies... another eternally resurrecting post... I guess this sort of info is forever in need of updates. Well, this is my current work :

Bach : French Suite #6 in E (got the first 5 dances, working on the last 3)
Beethoven : Sonata in A, op,2 #2 (finishing the 1st movement)
Chopin : Impromptu #2 in F-sharp, op.36 (polishing the last part)
Gottschalk : Le bananier, op. 5 (just starting)
Chabrier : Improvisation from Pieces Pittoresques (just starting)
Brahms : Sonata for clarinet & piano in F minor, op. 120 #2 (starting 4th movement)
Debussy : Preludes (Voiles, Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest, La danse de Puck)
Fats Waller : Ain't misbehaving

I usually try to learn 1 recital program per year (1-2 hours of music), with contrasting styles and technical challenges.

I like your repertoire. A lot of it, the Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven and Gottschalk is also mine, I've done the Brahms Sonata a couple of times too. Are you doing it with clarinet or viola? Charbrier is good stuff, I've flirted with the Bouree Fantasque, but have never really learned it. I should read through the Pieces Pittoresques, as I recall they were quite nice. Did some Charbrier songs with a tenor some years ago, they were good pieces and very fun to play

[arensky]

I'm preparing Mozart's  C minor Concerto # 24 K.491 for performances in May. I haven't done too much with it though, because my solo program for March is....

Sonata in Ab K.127             Scarlatti
Sonata in ?  *                          "
Sonata in f# minor K.25           "

*Not sure if I should do K.87 in b minor or K.380 in E major in the 2nd slot; what do y'all think?

Sonata in d minor op.31 #2 "Tempest"    Beethoven

                                            ^Intermission

Three Preludes                                         Gershwin
                                   OR
Danzas Argentinas                                   Ginastera

I will play the Ginastera if the Gershwin Preludes don't come together, they are new for me. Which one fits better with the following, the remainder of the program...? Opinions welcomed!

Arabesque op.18                                       Schumann
Etudes Symphoniques                                     "


This will be my third incarnation of the Symphonic Etudes; some of them ( Etude III, Etude IX, Var.IX) seem easier than in the past, but a couple ( Var. II and Var. VIII) are very difficult where they never were before. Overall they are going quite well, I've always enjoyed playing this work.

This will be my second go at the "Tempest", which is probably my favorite Beethoven Sonata. I'm more comfortable with the 2nd movement now, it doesn't seem so cryptic. I'm having a blast with the Allegretto, I have a different take on it now. Can't explain it though...

I haven't played any Scarlatti in years, and it's great fun! I will not neglect him in the future....

If you look back to a similar thread in August you will see that my program has almost completely changed. I seem to start new pieces but as the deadlines for performance approach, I fall back on old pieces, usally only adding smaller works. I end up adding the incomplete pieces to my rep after a couple of years or so, combined with different older pieces. It's frustrating, someday I will play a recital of entirely new pieces, but for now this staggered system works well; does anyone else experience this?

[pianoperfmajor]

Chopin Ballade #1
Mozart Sonata in A Minor K310
Prokofieff Sonata No. 3 in A Minor
Bach P&F in D# Minor from WTC Bk. 2
Mendelssohn Concerto No. 1 in G Minor

I think some people are full of sh*t when they list a huge list of extremely difficult pieces they claim to be working on right now.  Obviously they aren't working on all those at the moment.. maybe youre kinda reviewing a bunch simultaneously or what have you, but you shouldnt say youre working on like 12 pieces right now. 

[pianistimo]

i like your taste, arensky (sorry i posted this accidentally after the poster above - so it's out of context).  how do YOU choose your programs?  do you follow any kind of order (such as major key - minor key - or related key?)  to each consecutive piece  or do you just sit and listen to recordings and put them in  the order that sounds good - or do you hear them in your head and pair them - or physically start playing them in an order that sounds good and then switch around as necessary?  what i like about your order is the progression of music history (no composer is put out of historical context) - yet i want to know when it is appropriate and tasteful to do so.  can a person split a concert and play composers out of order after intermission? 

what gives a performer a good feeling about splitting up pieces?  can you just perform the etudes that you feel most comfortable with - or do you consider that bad taste and work the two that are difficult very hard until the concert - performing the etudes as a whole?

what performers do you think have a grip on their concert programmes and vary them in an interesting way?  sorry to ask so many questions at times.  i'm just curious. 

and, one last question for anyone - if you have a piece with very large chords (poulenc's troi pieces - hymn) and you can't get to each one fast enough - can you cheat and leave out notes.  will anyone know.  (i have a smaller hand - and want to play the piece but i'm frustrated by not getting to the chords fast enough from memory and want to place them in a closer pattern on the keyboard for me).  what kind of trouble can you get in when you rearrange music.  do you just write on the program that you have done so?

[ramseytheii]

and, one last question for anyone - if you have a piece with very large chords (poulenc's troi pieces - hymn) and you can't get to each one fast enough - can you cheat and leave out notes.  will anyone know.  (i have a smaller hand - and want to play the piece but i'm frustrated by not getting to the chords fast enough from memory and want to place them in a closer pattern on the keyboard for me).  what kind of trouble can you get in when you rearrange music.  do you just write on the program that you have done so?

Some may yell at me for this, but I would advise you to leave out notes with discretion and don't bother telling anybody.  What's the point?  You will just turn people against you, and for no reason.  I believe there is really very little music in this world where every note counts so much, it cannot be disturbed.  If you are wise in your choices, the notes you leave out will not even be evident to those who may know the piece.

I am learning now Boulez, 12 Notations.  The only "hard" one is #6, where both hands play continuous 16th notes the whole way through (marked "Rapide") in canon, two sixteenths apart, and with incredibly wide leaps.  I think the closest notes together in succession are a major third.  Luckily the hands barely overlap, only a couple of brief times.  Anyone here interested in modern music should look at these, because definitely a lot are playable for non-concert-pianists.  Rhythm is tough but what doesn't kill you will make you stronger.

Walter Ramsey

[da jake]

Finishing up Chopin Ballade #1

Polishing Bach P&F c min WTC, book 1 and Chopin E min Posth waltz

The only piece that I am learning new notes of is Bach Contrapunctus IX

[pita bread]

I am learning now Boulez, 12 Notations.  The only "hard" one is #6, where both hands play continuous 16th notes the whole way through (marked "Rapide") in canon, two sixteenths apart, and with incredibly wide leaps.  I think the closest notes together in succession are a major third.  Luckily the hands barely overlap, only a couple of brief times.  Anyone here interested in modern music should look at these, because definitely a lot are playable for non-concert-pianists.  Rhythm is tough but what doesn't kill you will make you stronger.

Haha, I wish my glissandi were as demonic as Aimard's.

[ahmedito]

Yesterday I played mi class concert, so I should start working and choosing a new repertoire (I try to learn about 1 hour of solo piano music every 3 months, more or less, depending on the difficulty of the programme and balance of styles.) Right now I am in limbo because I have some concerts in the next weeks so Im taking in new stuff. So...

Stuff I worked on from september till now:

Bach P and F in Bb major from book II
Haydn Sonata in C major (The one with 2 movements, andante and presto)
First five etudes from Scriabin op. 8
Rachmaninov etude in F# minor from op. 39
Debussy arpeggio etude
Arensky trio in d minor
Beethoven trio in Eb major
Brahms trio in C minor first 2 movements

Old stuff I have to polish again for the concerts this winter

Beethoven Pastorale sonata
Brahms variations op. 21 n. 1
2 Rach etudes in d minor.
Satie enfantillages pittoresques


NEW STUFF (yay!, ill start working on this next week)

Schubert sonata in A major (not the really long one, but the more famous one)
Debussy fourths etude
Gershwin-wild the man I love, embraceable you and fascinating rythm
Shostakovich 3 P and Fs in C major, a minor and G major.
Bach Italian concerto
Brahms trio third and fourth movements
.... the gershwin and bach are not 100% sure to be played, I'm still sthinking about it.

[shasta]

Lecuona’s Preludio en la Noche
Ives’ Study #20
Mompou’s Chopin Variations
Alkan’s Barcarolle
Soler’s Fandango
Heller’s 1st Caprice-Etude on Theme by Mendelssohn - Hebrides  <--Thx Thalbergmad!

[phil13]

Not quite as monumetal as the rest of you.

Chopin Nocturne in F minor, Op.55 No.1 (polishing)
Chopin Nocturne in E minor, Op.72 No.1 (polishing)
Mozart Sonata in C minor, k.457 (1st mvt.)
Bach Sinfonia in Eb major
Bach Italian Concerto (polishing)
A few misc. Scriabin preludes

As you can see, much of it is near the point where I pick new pieces. These (except for the preludes and sinfonias) are for scholarship auditions in January.

Phil

[gruffalo]

im working on

Back prelude and fugues - no.21

Chopin mazurka cant remember which one. but its nice.

Debussy Images Reflet dans l'eau

and Chopin scherzo no.2 in Bb minor.

oh and im going to choose a rachmaninov prelude. i think the Eminor chordy one.

[lava]

I play at least once a week:

Schumann - Kreisleriana nr 1, Romance op 28.1, Intermezzo (fasschungschwank aus wien )
Chopin - some études, nocturnes, the tarantella
Schubert impromptus, sonata
Saint Saens/Godowsky - Le cygne
Kachaturian - toccata
Albeniz - leyenda
Brahms - Capriccio in f sharp minor
Debussy - Jardins sous la pluie
Debussy - Dr Gradus ad Parnassum

Songs with soprano:
Schubert - Erstarrung,
Rossini - La Danza
Verdi, Strauss, Puccini and others

With violin:
Beethoven - sonata nr 9 Kreutzer

[danyal]

Well most of my current repertoire I've posted in the recital program thread... but I just thoug I should mention my concerto list.

I've been working on Saint Saens' "Africa" a fantasy for piano and orch a hell of a lot, but I was given the sheet music today for Liszt's 1st piano concerto, so I've started sifting through that. I have till May 2007 to have it ready. I'm not sure if it is reasdonable... but hey.. I'm not exactly known for my sanity and reason so I'll have it done. I'm gonna start real work on it after I've completed the SS which should be about next year January. And then next week, just as something light, I'm starting on Mozart's 19th. Just the 1st mvt for now. Just for fun.

[Tash]

currently, probably until about june for uni assessments am playing:
bach: prelude and fugue in c# major book I
debussy: toccata
Haydn: sonata in e minor Hobxvi:34

and potentially some slow brahms or schumann apparently, but still need to discuss that with my teacher...
and i want to play the prokofiev sonata no3 but am paranoid i'll kill the poor piece so am postponing it for now

[paris]

i'll be attending masterclass with one armenian pianist in early january so i'm polishing pieces and releraning old ones which i'm going to play for him

[jamie_liszt]

Paris thats awesome, good luck with that hope it goes well. I'm going for a type of "audition", I am playing for a pianist in the conservatorium up here, and i might get lessons from him, he knows alot and i will benefit from it!

I've spent my weak polishing and relearning Heroic polonaise, and La campanella to play for him.

[canucks13]

Starting:
Bach's F minor Keyboard Concerto
Beethoven Rondo in C 51/1
Scriabin Prelude 11/14
Blue Moon arr. Art Tatum
Chopin Polonaise 26/1

Somewhere in the middle of learning:
Bach sinfonia 15
Liszt consolations #3 and 6
Mozart fantasie in d minor

Polishing:
Scarlatti sonatas k9 and k430
re-polishing my fur elise, since its what everyone wants to hear
cpe bach sonata in c minor, 3rd mvt

[iodide]

I know:

Bach Two-part invention #4 and #8
Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 9
Too many sonatinas
And the beginning to every composition known to man.

What I'm learning:

Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 1
Chopin Ballade No. 1 (I didn't want to learn this, but you know piano teachers...)
Rorem Concerto No. 2 (figure that the only way I'll know how it sounds is by playing it myself)

[sauergrandson]

Bach: WTC I, 6.2; II, 15
Beethoven: Sonata op. 2 no. 3
Ligeti: Musica Ricercata
Liszt: Hymne de l'enfant a son reveile
Chopin: Mazurka 25 (polishing)

And then:

Bach: more WTC
Beethoven: Sonata op. 90
Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet op. 75, 1-3
Padre Soler: Some Sonatas

[jamie_liszt]

good luck with ballade no 1, why dont u wanna learn it, its good, especially the presto part towards the end, im still trying to perfect that bit, but its a good piece

[rc]

Well, I'm definitely of more modest abilities than most here...

Right now I'm concerned with a student recital that really snuck up on me. It's tomorrow morn, my how time flies.... Been whippin' up some easier pieces the past 3 days, but am not very well prepared. Gonna be a massacre, then I can sit back and listen to everyone else, can't wait .

After the trauma, business as usual:

- sightreading (Richman book, chorales hands alternating), been seeing some good progress in this area.
- scales/chords/arpeggios.
- finish up lone Haydn sonata movement (XVI:G1, allegro). Not a challenge for me, but I'm delving into deep interpretive detail, drawing some ideas from symphonies, really breathing life into this one.
- Begin courante by Loeillet. Seems like a fun one, only 37 bars. research who Loeillet is.

Somewhat related, I also need to get the piano tuned, it's starting to quack. I also have a neat little crack in the tip of my RH middle finger, from work, that I'm convinced will never heal. Working opens it up, and so does playing... As well, in free time I'm reading through the site paulsylvianenaud recommended: https://www.pianoeu.com/indexje.html#A. Interesting site, not altogether new ideas to me but much more thoroughly explained, in funky english . Gonna be trying this stuff out.

[zheer]

Am going to learn my first Liszt song, its a master piece, its his dflat Consolations.
I have always avoided playing Liszt thinking that i should wait till am older. well now am 25.

[mike_lang]

.

[fiasco]

Finishing up Choin Ballade 1 & Rach prelude C#m

Halfway through Beethoven's Moonlight, 3rd movt.

Just started Chopin Ballade 2, have it down up to the Presto con Fuoco, which is scaring me a little bit. (This one looks more difficult than the first one, no?)

Taking a look at Liszt Polonaise 1, & TE #2, or 8, trying to decide if I'm up to the task.

[brahmsian]

Rzewski- Ballade No. 3
Scriabin- Sonata No. 9
Godowsky- Etude No. 5 (The left handed version of Op.10 No.3)

And the beginning to every composition known to man.

I know the feeling.


Songs that are about to work me:

Rzewski- The People United Will Never Be Defeated

[burstroman]

Handel - Suite in d minor
Clementi - Sonata in B-flat major
Beach - Ballade
Prokofiev - Sonata # 2

[e60m5]

Bach - Preludes and Fugues from the WTK Bk.1: C major, C# minor, Eb minor
Scriabin - Sonata no.3 in F# Minor Op.23
Rachmaninov - Concerto no.3 in D Minor Op.30
Mozart - Sonata in C Major K.545
Alkan - Etude in F# Minor Op.39 no.10

[panic]

Alkan - Etude in F# Minor Op.39 no.10

My life dream is basically to learn the first movement of the Concerto. Whole thing if I'm lucky or on steroids or something.

Currently:
Liszt Vallee d'Obermann
Chopin Etude 10-1
Beethoven Sonata No. 24

[pizno]

I've been working on

Beethoven Opus 10#2, trying to nail the last movement
Bach WTC BK 2 f minor

Just beginning:
Bartok Out of Doors Suite
Bach Partita #5

Most recently played:
Ravel Alborada del gracioso
Chopin Nocturne opus 9 #1

[jamie_liszt]

Im learning La campanella, Chopin Sonata no 3 4th movement ...still.

i started some new stuff including Chopin Etude 25/11 (this i will perform in a competition)
and Golliwogs cakewalk (for fun).

I am messing around with Chopin Etudes 10/2 and 25/6 (not to perform, just to practise the technique n thirds)

[pita bread]

For upcoming auditions:

Bach WTCII #9, E Major
Beethoven Sonata Op. 90
Ravel Jeux d'eau
Wild-Gershwin Etude #6 on "I Got Rhythm"

+ undecided "significant" 19th century romantic piece that I still need to learn and be ready to perform in a month...

[ako]

Working on Beethoven Op. 78
Starting Debussy etudes (XI)
Reworking Schumann/Liszt Widmung

Thinking of many others...

[ada]

Bach inventions (in order of proficiency) 4, 1, 7, 8
Chopin nocturne in E min Op 72 No 1 (thanks violinist)
Chopin valse in B min Op post 69 No 2
Beethoven sonata  Op 14 No 2

toying with assorted other stuff, Clair de Lune on the backburner.

[rachellel]

I am preparing for my second big piano recital Including Bach, Albenic, Liszt, Chopin, Mozart and Scarlatti

These are pieces i started last lesson with my teacher
Fantasy in D minor -Mozart (Just started)
Nocturne Op 51 No 1 -Chopin (Just started)

I started these 3 pieces about 3 months ago (FI 4 months)
Rondo Alla Turca -Mozart (Polishing)
Fantasie Impromtu (Polishing)
Nocturne Op 9 No 2 -Chopin (Polishing)

I began this 1 month ago after i learnt the above 3 pieces
Chopin Sonata Op 58 No 3. 2nd mvt (My teacher wants this perfect in 3 weeks time  )

[sharon_f]

Beethoven, Op. 26 (Polishing the last movement. Seems like I've been working on this forever.)
Chopin, Nocturne in D-flat (I want to bring it up to another level at this point.)
Chopin, Etude Op. 25, No. 1 (Have it up to about 70% tempo.)
Ginastera, Suite Danzas de Criollas,  (Have the first two down, working on the 3rd movement.)
Bach, Prelude & Fugue in C major, WTCII (Just getting the fugue up to tempo.)
Shostakovich, Prelude & Fugue in F minor (Just starting. Prelude done, working out the fingering for the fugue.)

[I Love Xenakis]

Finnissy Solo Concerto No. 4 (VERY long term project)
Beethoven Sonata No. 26
Beethoven Sonata No. 32
Beethoven Eroica Variations

[pianistimo]

chopin etude in F major
barber nocturne
poulenc trois pieces
wilhelm kempff transcriptions of a bunch of js bach chorales
leroy anderson sleigh ride

[invictus]

Finishing and refurbishing Flight of the Bumble Bee arr. Rach
Rach - Prelude C# minor
Going ot start on:

Bartok - Allegro Barbaro
Prok - Suggestion Diabolique (i breezed through it once, played it worse than playing clair the lune rock style)
Scriabin - Sonata 5
Scriabin - Etude op2 no 1


Is the toccata by prok within my reach now?

[tompilk]

rach 3 cadenza... thats all i want to be able to play - the ossia cadenza of course. A solo piece of infinite beauty in itself... i can play all of it at about one chord per 5 seconds!!! LOL!!! It'll take me a year or two probably... 

[pita bread]

Bartok - Allegro Barbaro
Prok - Suggestion Diabolique (i breezed through it once, played it worse than playing clair the lune rock style)
Scriabin - Sonata 5
Scriabin - Etude op2 no 1

RESPECCCC

[musicsdarkangel]

Ravel - Gaspard de la Nuit
Bach - Partita no 2 in C minor
Rachmaninoff - Rhapsody On a Theme by Pagannini
Beethoven - Sonata op 31 no 2 (Tempest)
Debussy - bla bla bla bla etc Claire de Lune


Since the Bach, Rachmaninoff, and Beethoven are long, and since I will be resurrecting many pieces for concerts/competitions, the Ravel is a long term project (probably a year).

[musicsdarkangel]

what pieces are you working on right now? does that repertoire/program have a deadline like a concert sometime, jury exams? is that a project for the year/month/s?

which of those pieces are you having difficulty with, or don't like, etc.?




no point really in asking this... just a place to freely talk about our current piano assignments.

i'm working on Bach PF in fminor bk.1, beethoven op. 109, liszt TE no.10, Granados' el pelele, and the brahms quintet.

im clueless with the beethoven (actually, not really. but i just feel i am clueless). im excited with the brahms. i need to purify El Pelele coz i've been performing it and i haven't had the chance to go back to basics with that piece again. the liszt kills me but i love playing it. the bach is deep.

do share... im sure we'd all be interested with what keeps us busy on the piano right now.

all the best!

not so crazy now 

Ahhh treasure op 109, it's such an epic piece..such a jem.

There's a pianist at my school performing that in the near future, she plays it beautifully.