Playing Messiaen with music during concert

[shoenberg3]

In a month, I will performing a Liszt piece and no. 10 Espirit de joie from Vingt Regards by Messiaen.

Now, I will surely perform Liszt with music, but I am finding the Messiaen bit hard to memorize. On normal circumstances, I will obviously work on memorizing the Messiaen. However, as a junior in highschool, I simply don't have much time to spend on memorization; practicing it is enough already!

What do you think of this case? Should I go ahead and toil for it, or is having the music not too offensive?

On a sidenote, I have seen many pianists during concerts who do use music on modern/contemporary pieces that are hard to memorize.

Thank you in advance

[quantum]

No. 10 is a pretty big piece.  I'd say given the conditions it would be ok to memorize.  Do what you need to do to make the music sound it's best, if that means reading the score for this particular performance - so be it. 

If you have time afterwards, you can show your audience the Messiaen score.   

By the way, any chance of recording it and posting here 

[pianowelsh]

Yes - you have to be comfortable when you play it if you feel too tense when trying form memory - use the music.  i would put the effort into memorising the Liszt myself - Liszt is rarely performed from the music these days whereas contemporary - you can actually get away with using the scores.

[g_s_223]

I agree with the last poster. Without the music for the Liszt, and with the music for the Messaien.

That'll prove that you can memorize, and also know when not to.

[Kassaa]

I would say without, simply because it looks crap for the audience if you read sheet music while playing.

[mikey6]

I would say without, simply because it looks crap for the audience if you read sheet music while playing.

Richter used music - in his old age though. but still!
I don't think they would mind terribly if you used music for the Messaien.  The Liszt I would memorize (Liszt isn't too dificult to memorize anyway).  I used music fr Schoenberg at a concert once and known seemed to care.  As long as you're not at Carnegie playing in front of 3,000 musos, I don't see it as a problem.

[pita bread]

What's up with people using sheets during concerts lately? Hamelin had the sheets up when I saw him play the Shostakovich Piano Concerto #2.

[kriskicksass]

I could justify music for Shostakovich 2. Contemporary music is difficult enough to memorize as it is, and when you consider that you have to know the orchestra part too, it's only rational to use the music if you're uncertain. Clara Schumann, notorious for being the first to play music from memory, always played concerti with the score as a courtesy to the orchestra. If the soloist messes up, it's easier to fix if the soloist has his score to search. Otherwise s/he could end up at the conductor's stand, looking through the full score to try to find a spot they could agree to restart at. (That actually happened to one of the great pianists, but I can't remember who it is now.)

As for your playing, I agree with memorize Liszt, use music for Messaien.

[mikey6]

(That actually happened to one of the great pianists, but I can't remember who it is now.)

Solomon - got stuck in a loop in the 3rd mov. of the Schumann.