Repertoire/technique

[dnephi]

Well, I have played piano since I was six years old, and now I am 16. 
I am at the level of Chopin ètude Op.10 #12 and Mendelssohn & Grieg concertos. 

I want to play Liszt's etude S139 #4 "Mazeppa" and Rachmaninoff's third and second piano concertos along with his sonata and chopin's sonata #2's in b-flat minor, and other pieces, and I was wondering:

A. What repertoire do you recommend?
B. What practicing techniques do you recommend?
C. What technical exercises do you recommend?
D. I can play 10ths and almost stretch 12s.  Do I need to stretch my hand? 

Thanks.  I study with a piano teacher, Dr. Rhoden if its important.

[thalbergmad]

I would be inclined to ask your teacher.

You will get about 10,000 different suggestions on here and could end up confused.

[henrah]

Thal speaks the truth-- ask your teacher. S/he and only s/he can advise you fully on this matter, as none of us on here have ever heard or seen you play, or experienced the way you practice or how you handle technical problems and the like.
Henrah


P.S. I forbid anyone from giving him advice other than seeing his teacher! Heh get me, telling other forum users what to do ehehe

[dnephi]

OK then.  I'm going to ask for this thread to be deleted by admins.  Reposting as a question as to what pieces you enjoy.  My teacher says she can't tell me much about Liszt or Rachmaninoff because her hands are too small, and I'll see what pieces you guys enjoy.

[Mozartian]

My teacher says she can't tell me much about Liszt or Rachmaninoff because her hands are too small

Don't listen to her!!!!

Please, really. I have an octave and trust me, there are ways to play most of both Liszt and Rachmaninoff with an octave reach.

It took me years to get over a former teacher of mine telling me I had really small hands- too small for a lot of repertoire. But it isn't true! If you have an octave you can totally get by.

[henrah]

^^^True, and you have a 10th dnephi so you're prime!

But whatever you do, I really think you should leave off the Rach 3 until a later date, as it really is something monumental. Also you could risk going insane Helfgott styleee

[jlh]

Don't listen to her!!!!

Please, really. I have an octave and trust me, there are ways to play most of both Liszt and Rachmaninoff with an octave reach.

It took me years to get over a former teacher of mine telling me I had really small hands- too small for a lot of repertoire. But it isn't true! If you have an octave you can totally get by.

I completely agree.  I don't have small hands, but I know plenty of people with small hands that can put most people to shame with their playing of Rachmaninoff, Liszt and Scriabin (whose music has a lot of very large reaches).

Speaking of Scriabin... did you know that he himself had very small hands?  That didn't stop him, and it shouldn't stop anyone else.  Maybe your teacher just convinced herself her hands were too small because she simply doesn't like to play that music?  Something to think about.

[Mozartian]

Yeah, I actually read that Scriabin only had an octave himself- and Liszt had a 10th.

Not so hopelessly big.

[henrah]

It's all in the fingers, not the palm...

[rimv2]

Don't listen to her!!!!

Please, really. I have an octave and trust me, there are ways to play most of both Liszt and Rachmaninoff with an octave reach.

It took me years to get over a former teacher of mine telling me I had really small hands- too small for a lot of repertoire. But it isn't true! If you have an octave you can totally get by.

Godovsky

[dnephi]

Godovsky

You quoted the wrong person...  .  How beautiful is Godowski's set of studies on Chopin's Etudes?

[donjuan]

why do you want to lock/delete this thread?

besides, if you really wanted to, you could lock it yourself..

[stevie]

You quoted the wrong person...  .  How beautiful is Godowski's set of studies on Chopin's Etudes?

more than a bit..