Major romantic work? If yes, then what?

[lagin]

Hi all,

I'm hoping to audition for university in a couple years when I'm done my performer's and teacher's ARCTs, but is it true that I need a major Romantic work to audition with?  Because if I do, I might as well learn it now and use it for my performer's ARCT AND for the auditon, two birds with one stone so to speak.

My ARCT program was going to be:

Bach toccata and fugue in e minor
Schubert sonata in A Major (the short one)
Chopin nocturne in c sharp minor, op. 27, no.1
Rach prelude in g minor op. 23, no. 5
Barber two excursions
Morel, etude no. 2

My program for ARCT has to be varied and the nocturne gave it a "tamer" piece, so if I switch it, I still need a piece that is overall "tame."  I was looking at his Ballades no. 1 and 3 so far, but I think they are too hard.  (You know what parts I mean!)

I haven't started learning the above program yet, but so far the Pathetique is the technical peak of my ability I'm afraid (metronome - 132 is comfortable, but could go faster if I had more time to work on it), and it's still a work in progress, though it's coming together now.  Just a few more wrinkles to iron out and some interpretive ideas to incorporate.  But anyway, you can see that "fury" is not my specialty.  The above program I believe is managable for me, but it is definately my upper limits again, so please keep that in mind.

I was thinking Chopin's Heroic Polonaise?  But that's very chordy like most of my ARCT program and doesn't give the variety in mood I was looking for. 

Help me out here guys!  I would like to stay with Chopin, though other composers are an option if need be.  Liszt is probably a bit insane for me yet.  (I think anyway.)

The syllabus says I can choose any of Chopin's 4 ballades, that above mentioned polonaise or the f# minor polonaise.  It lists a number of scherzos namely, B minor, B flat minor, C# minor, and E major.  Alsto the famous FI.  It also has a barcarolle in f sharpt major, and a berceuse, and a fantaisie in f minor.  But I'm not sure if those are still considered "major romantic works."  Alls I know is that my friend told me that nocturnes were "out" when you auditioned for college. 

[pianowelsh]

You could go for something like Balakirev's the lark(transc of glinka). Its a very beautiful piece - on the 'tame' side with odd runny passage and quite a spectacular although not sustained cadenza - I think it wouldnt be beyond your level and it would be a bit different for your audition as opposed to everyone else who plays the ballades and most difficult nocturnes - it could also showcase your artistry at the same time as giving you a technical challenge.  If it has to be chopin then the berceuse may suit you well - it would definately be a major romatic work it is very important compositionally. I wouldnt touch ballade 1 or 3 or scherzo 2 for a college audition because sOOO many people play them in college as well as for audition therefore juries have very fixed ideas on the interpretation of them. Better to choose the other scherzi and ballades if you must but ballade 4 and scherzo 4 are very big works and might be a bit too much if you are taking an exam soon. Scherzo 3 is more doeable because so much repetition - coda evil though. Scherzo 1 not too bad if your technique is up to scratch it could work well. Ballade 2 is a good one if you are an artist but so many people miss this one musically so consult your teacher and ask what your strengths are. The F# pol is pretty demanding technically and is only worth doing for audition if you can do it very well but it is certainly a major romatic work and would show off your technique and you musical intuition in the middle section - it is tricky for small hands - be warned.

[lagin]

Wow, thank you pianowelsh, that is most helpful!  I'm afraid (since I'm using this piece for my ARCT as well), that I am limited to Brahms, Chopin, Franck, Liszt, Schubert, and Schumann.  Speaking of Schubert, would my sonata by him be considered a "major romantic work" or is it too classical?  It's not in style, but I do believe it was one of his earlier works.  Just a thought.  I would really like to try Chopin though.  I'll check out that Berceuse when I get a moment.  Thanks for the tips!

[lagin]

Ummmmmmmm.......  In the berceuse, the left hand plays the exact same thing EVERY bar???  Wierd    Question, why is it considered a "major romantic work" if the left hand is so cinchy and it's actually shorter than my nocturne (4 minutes and something)? 

[lagin]

Hmmmmmmmm... (again, lol).  I still want my other query answered because I'm strongly thinking of switching to the berceuse, but I just noticed that the university I was thinking of attending just wants 2 contrasting works.  That's all it says.  Oh, and they said that if they are both from different eras that that would be good.  Is this unusually lenient?

[columna]

2nd Balade is my favorite of Chopin's Balades-i suggest that.Rapsodies op.79 by Brahms are other very good alternatives.

[chopinfan_22]

I'd go with a ballade, since Chopin invented the Ballade, they are major works.

[rohansahai]

How about the Barcarolle??
Other than that, you might like to put in Schumann ..say the Papillons.

[jehangircama]

How about chopin's Fantasie in F minor?
or there's a beautiful liszt piece Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude from his Harmonies Poetiques et Religieuses. i heard it in concert once, it was amazing, completely different from the liszt i am used to. i think it would classify as a big romantic work.

[lagin]

Hi all, thank you for the continued suggestions.  I really liked that Fantasy, but it is a bit long being almost 14 minutes, and I would probably play it slower .  But it is definately awesome! 

That Liszt piece is not included in the syllabus, so I didn't listen to it, but when I'm free from the constrains of the "syllabus," it sounds like it would definately be worth checking out.  (Please tell me university syllabi are wider in range!)  But thank you anyway.  I'll check out that papillons as well. 

So far the nocturne sure does sound the easiest!!  (Could be why some colleges/universities rule them out).  Since the university I was interested in doesn't seem to have the usual entry requirements (only 2 contrasting works), I think I might still do the nocturne and use my other pieces to audition with after my ARCT exam, but if I find another romantic work I like, I'm still up to switching it.   Part of the reason I'm still looking is, I always get my highest marks on romantic era stuff, so I would like to use that era to audition with regardless of whether it's required or not, and then we're back to the nocturne being too easy.   

Ah well, off to listen to Papillons now!  Thanks everyone!  Oh, I did listen to the berceuse and baracolle, but I did like the nocturne better.  The Fantasy is the only one so far that I like as much.  It's a shame it's so long.  (ARCT exam has 1 hour limit).

EDIT:  Yuck, I can only find a midi of it!  Wow, it sounds hard, but it does sound like butterflies.  Even with a midi it still sounds nice though.  Whoa!  It's longer than the Fantasy, which rules it out too.  Hmmmm......I still really like that Fantasy, but that would put me right at the hour mark, and I need time between pieces and time to allow for the fact that I may not play as fast as the recordings I have.

Maybe this two birds with one stone isn't going to work very well.  It might be okay since I have some "romantic sounding" pieces I can audition with instead, which means that they should still be right up my alley. 

Is it strange that I only need 2 pieces to audition with to enter for my bachelor's degree? 

[nanabush]

Chopin nocturne op 48 in C minor?

I'm playing the Brahms G minor rhapsody for my AR, but it is quite easy for this level, and I'm not sure what level the university wants you to be at.  The brahms is reasonable, about 6 minutes with repeats, maybe a little longer.

Liszt Petrarch Sonnet 104? 

This sucks because I don't know what criteria make a piece a 'major romantic work'...