choosing pieces for audition

[squir_rel]

Hi

I plan to apply to a music university. I’m not yet sure what pieces to play, maybe some of the ‘more experienced’ teachers or pianists here could help me.
There are some guidelines for the auditions. Concerning the repertoire for the piano part it says:
   
    - one baroque piece
    - one sonata or one of the variations op. 34, 35, 120 by Beethoven
    - one piece by Haydn or Mozart
    - two etudes (at least one by Chopin)
    - one romantic piece

I’m afraid of performing fast pieces because my fingers get wet very easily and I start slipping and missing keys etc. Therefore I thought I pick only two or three ‘speedy’ pieces, one should be an Etude.
As the audition is in approx. 1 year I have enough time to practice, so you can recommend almost anything. Considering that the auditions are said to be very hard and I really want to get in, the pieces should be demanding.

[henrah]

Well you are learning Chopin 10/9 already, so that's your Chopin etude covered. Were you learning a Rach etude aswell? Op.33/9 wasn't it? That's a wonderful piece - and so covers your final etude.

You also already know a few Chopin nocturnes don't you? One of those can be your romantic piece.

I can't really help on the other pieces; other than for the Beethoven, the Moonlight sonata might not be a good choice because they have probably heard it many times, and it isn't the most technically difficult.
Henrah

[squir_rel]

Hi

I considered taking the Chopin etude, but am not yet sure. I'm afraid it might be too simple, being one of the easier etudes.
I'm not learning a Rach etude, maybe i should take a look at op. 33/9 nevertheless, thanx.

No way for my Chopin nocturnes, they're just too simple. If there's really no choice left, I'll choose Liszt nocturne no. 3 for the romantic piece.

As far as I know, the Moonlight Sonata is forbidden or at least 'anti-recommended'  . Guess they've had enough of that.

I really need help with the baroque piece and the Haydn/Mozart. I've never been that much interested in Haydn or Mozart so there's nothing of them in my repertoire   . I have no idea of what's possible there.

Pleeeeaaaase! Help me!

[rohansahai]

Baroque:
Bach: Preludes and fugues ....there are 48 of them...all very good ! Take your pick!
          Toccatas: In particular, the E minor BWV 914, C minor (912)and D minor (913).
          Partitas: I love nos 2 and 3.
          Italian Concerto in F (Would be a very good choice).
Mozart: K 330, K 283, K 533, K 570 are my favourites.
I can't really help you with Haydn as I'm not too familiar with it either.
For the Chopin etude: You should not be scared of 'fast' pieces if you want to play etudes ..and that too, the CHOPIN Etudes ! That is the point of learning them ...to solve your problems. In fact, I would recommend you to pick some aspect of your technique which is not good and you would like to improve and then pick the etude which addresses that aspect.
If speed is your problem: Op. 10 no. 4 is a good choice. Op. 10 no. 8 too (mostly for the right hand though.) Op. 10 no. 12 is one of the good etudes to begin with. I wouldn't advise you to go for the thirds or the sixths or the chromatic etude yet.
Your 2nd etude: There are lots of composers who composed etudes: Liszt, Scriabin, Rachmaninov are the most popular!
Liszt: Paganini etude no. 2, La Campanella, TE no. 4 (difficult one).
Rachmaninov: Op. 33 no. 6 (make sure of the numbering system ..I am pointing to the E flat major one!) is a good choice. I won't go for the op. 39 etudes yet.
Scriabin: Op. 2 no. 1, op. 8 #12
Also, Mozkowsky's etudes are very showy...well worth trying out !

[alwaystheangel]

wow, a whole year to prepare, *sigh* I have amonth to get a grade 9/10 piece by bach ready... I HATE Bach, to me it all soiunds like crud but I have to play it.  The audition is mid-may THIS year.  Any usggestions? I was thinking about playing a few mouvements of his Suite number 5.  Or is that too easy?  oh! If anyone has it, could you possible post  bachs' WTC prelude and fugue? number 1?
Sorry, I can't help you here, hopefully someone's willing to help me...
fingers crossedly yours,
angel

[squir_rel]

Thanx for the suggestions for the baroque part. I'm going to have a look at them. But actually I hoped someone would come up with something besides Bach, Bach is so... popular.

For the Chopin etude: You should not be scared of 'fast' pieces if you want to play etudes ..and that too, the CHOPIN Etudes ! That is the point of learning them ...to solve your problems. In fact, I would recommend you to pick some aspect of your technique which is not good and you would like to improve and then pick the etude which addresses that aspect.
If speed is your problem: Op. 10 no. 4 is a good choice. Op. 10 no. 8 too (mostly for the right hand though.) Op. 10 no. 12 is one of the good etudes to begin with. I wouldn't advise you to go for the thirds or the sixths or the chromatic etude yet.

I never said I WANT to play the etudes  (in fact I do). And I realize they are fast. I was refering to the Mozart/Haydn and romantic when I said I didn't want fast pieces. I'm just trying to eliminate all possible traps.
I thought of picking an aspect of my technique which is not problematic and according to that choose an etude. It's not for me that I play it, it's for the audition. Sad but true   .
What do you think of op. 10 no. 9? Is it too easy? It would come in handy as I'm learning it at the moment.

Maybe two etudes by Chopin would be a good idea. I know not a single Liszt-etude. What if I take La Campanella and they say 'well done ... so, which other Liszt etudes are in your repertoire?'

I realized today that the nocturne by Liszt is way too easy, I need something else for the romantic part. If anybody has a suggestion for that... highly appreciated 

I'm going to go to the music library tomorrow. Hopefully they have some of the music there. Maybe I can make my first decision tomorrow  .

[jean_carlo]

Hey, if your looking for good romantic songs for your audition, why not try some of liszt's easier hungarian rhapsodies like no.4 and 10 they are not too technicaly challenging, and they sound realy nice, or you could try chopin ballade no.1 which is more difficult, but sounds amazing if you can play it right.
 
heres my audtion repetoire

Boroque:      Prelude & Fugue no.2 c minor
Classical:     undecided
Romantic:     Hungarian rhapsodie no.4 or 10
Etude:          Revolutionary Etude
20th century:  Rachmaninov's prelude in G minor op.23 (the russian sounding one)

I still havent found a classical sonata yet, but im looking for something thats relativley short and and fast if anyone has any ideas...

[klm46]

Don't underestimate the Chopin nocturnes - they're not 'too simple' and need a great deal of planning and musicality.  You may also want to consider the Liszt concert etudes - there are five of them to choose from (there are other posts about them somewhere in the forum).  There's also Schumann, who I assume you haven't looked at yet; a couple of pieces from his Phantasiestucke would be good for the Romantic.

The later Haydn sonatas are generally the more interesting ones; Haydn developed as a composer with age.  You may want to check out the ones on the ABRSM Diploma syllabus, particuarly the E-flat (no. 52 i think).  The Adagio movement of that particular sonata is brilliant, and very unique. 

For a fast classical, nearly all of Mozart's first movements are great; in particular, the D major or the C minor (K.457).