Help on misc. Concert program

[markov]

Hi there everyone,
I've been asked by my highschool German teacher to program a "musiktag" concert where everyone who plays an instrument can sign up and play a piece by a german composer.  So far, I have these entries, and I would like some advice on how to program this concert.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Canon in D (quartet0-Pachelbel
Fugue from Sonata no. 1 (violin)-Bach
Gavotte in g minor (piano)-Bach
DSinfonia No. 15 BWV 81 (piano)-Bach
Kol Nidrei (Cello and Piano)-Bruch
violin concerto in e minor 1st movement (violin)-Mendelssohn
Praeludium and Allegro (violin)-Kreisler
Tempest Sonata (piano)-Beethoven
Hungarian Rhapsody no.11 (piano)-Liszt
Prelude and Fugue from WTC I in C# Major(piano)-Bach
Aufschway(piano)-Schumann
Traumen-Schumann
La Gratina(violin)-Kreisler
Concerto No. 3 in C minor(violin)-Seitz
La Campanella-Liszt
"On wings of song"(cello trio)-Mendelssohn

Thanks!

[pianistimo]

maybe put the mendelsson, kreisler, and liszt pieces together?  or are you trying to avoid any sort of comparison between students on playing the same composer?  sometimes - in the case of students you are putting them in the order of levels (and who can play at what level).  usually the better pianists end the program - so maybe your order is correct by student ability. 

something i've always enjoyed in recitals is when there is a moderator and they tell the audience what to listen for.  especially if this is for a german class!  what characteristics you hear that are distinctly german (horns or horn like passages, bach's use of letters in his music sometimes, rhythmic patterns in schumann his use of german poetry and program music (both speech patterns and imitation of love ideas, bird calls, etc)., certain hymns and folk tunes that are used (liszt's hungarian rhapsodies) and the great violinists that played back then (paganini).  jewish element (kol nidre) and mendelssohn.  nationalism vs internationalism (as chopin, liszt and others exceeded the boundaries of a nation).  i would end with la campanella.  (of course because it is for piano!)

ps where's brahms?  maybe no one had a piece of his in rep at the time you asked.  anyway - perhaps mention of him with schumann?  the german requiem comes to mind.  seems that he picked up on beethovens idea of the symphony and choir and took it a step further (alternating soloists, choir, symphony all together).  it is unusally effective in describing each of the passages chosen.  it is entirely romantic in nature - and yet programmatic.  brahms paganini variations is awesome, too!

[markov]

Thanks for the help!  We don't exactly have time for alot of commentary, but i'll keep the ending with La Campanella in mind.  Sadly, no one had any Brahms in their repertoire...What pieces should I start with?  Because I cannot go by level (people would get angry) but I would like a well-balanced recital. 

[pianistimo]

you don't have to tell them the reasons why you put the pieces in a certain order.  if you have a rehearsal - you can get a better idea of who should be placed where.  if you do it according to ability, you'll sustain interest better.  i've watched a lot of conductors and they never make it a conversation piece.  they just listen, write down the order, and print out the program.  people usually go where you place them and if you have to make a slight change to accomodate someone (that's ok) but usually people don't argue if you just take charge (especially since you were asked to).

canon in d is pretty well known - so maybe it's a good start already?  wouldn't start with a fugue.  (*you could put some notes in your program if you had time) and a few musical terms in german at the back of the program just for fun?

[markov]

you don't have to tell them the reasons why you put the pieces in a certain order.  if you have a rehearsal - you can get a better idea of who should be placed where.  if you do it according to ability, you'll sustain interest better.  i've watched a lot of conductors and they never make it a conversation piece.  they just listen, write down the order, and print out the program.  people usually go where you place them and if you have to make a slight change to accomodate someone (that's ok) but usually people don't argue if you just take charge (especially since you were asked to).

canon in d is pretty well known - so maybe it's a good start already?  wouldn't start with a fugue.  (*you could put some notes in your program if you had time) and a few musical terms in german at the back of the program just for fun?

Thing is, we don't exactly have the time for auditions, and I have no idea on the players' individual abilities.  Oh and by the way, that list on top wasn't my "order," it was just the order which people signed up.  So I should start with Canon, and end with La Campanella, and go according to level from there?

[pianistimo]

if you don't have time for a rehearsal - maybe a quick call to everyone and ask #1 veryify piece and how long it takes to play (talk about repeats vs. non repeats) #2 any specifics that they know about their piece that would relate to german class  (musical terms - effects that sound german - about the composer -like where he was born in germany)  #3 - how long they've been playing (you don't have to put this in the program but will give you an idea of who should go where).

[markov]

Alright.  Thanks Pianistimo!