progressive repertoire

[petit_prince]

i've been reading the forum for a few months now, and one of the many things i've learnt from it is the idea of listing all the pieces you love and want to learn, putting them in a progressive order of difficulty, and learning them. sounds so simple, but there are some pieces i'm not sure how to place...

i split the list into four sections, not so much for four different styles of music, but because i normally learn four pieces at a time.

just a bit of background information: i'm a grade seven pianist, but i have a very small current repertoire, because i've only really been playing for a year. it basically goes burgmuller op100 studies, a few two part inventions (1, 8, 13), three of this year's grade five pieces, chopin's waltz in c sharp minor (op64 no2), and three pieces from next year's grade seven list (beethoven - allegretto in c minor woo53, chopin - mazurka in b flat major op7 no1, debussy - the little shepherd). 

i have quite high aspirations, but only for my own benefit, and don't want to be a performer; so i'm not bothered about learning whole sonatas or entire sets of variations, if i only like bits of them. also the whole list is very cliche, i know, but i'm hoping will only take me a few years to learn, leaving the rest of my life to explore other things.

without further ado, in the order i think is right:

Counterpoint (all Bach):
(Invention 1, 13,
Sinfonia 11
WTCI 21, 17
Goldberg variations 4, 12, 14
WTCI 16, 24
Goldberg variations – 1, 8, 12, 15, 21.

Romantic (and some modern) (Chopin unless otherwise stated):
(Mazurka in B flat (no 5))
Prelude in D flat major (no 15)
Waltz in D flat major (no 6)
Danzas Argentinas 2 danza de la moza donosa (Ginastera)
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Grieg)
Corelli variations theme and variations 4, 9, 18, 19, 20 (Rachmaninoff)
Etude op 10 no 12 "Revolutionary"
Etude op 25 no 11 "Winter Wind"
Polonaise no 6 "Heroic"
Scherzo no 2
Scherzo no 1
Liebestod (Wagner/Liszt)
La campanella (Liszt)
Corelli variations the rest of them (Rachmaninoff)

Debussy:
(The little shepherd)
La fille aux cheveux de lin
Prelude from suite bergamasque
Clair de lune
Menuet
La serenade interrompue
Arabesque 1
Dr Gradus ad Parnassum
La cathedrale engloutie
Valse romantique
La puerta del vino
Feux d'artifices
Pagodes
Etudes

Classical/sonata (Beethoven unless otherwise stated):
Allegretto in C minor WoO53
K331 alla turca (Mozart)
Rondo a capriccio rage over a lost penny
Sonata 14 presto agitato
Sonata 17?



in particular i don't know how difficult rondo a capriccio is, heroic polonaise compared to the scherzos and liebestod, and i'd really like to add Prokofiev – Montagues and Capulets (op75 no6) to the Romantic/modern list, and have absolutely no idea whereabouts it would fit. and evidently i don't know much classical music, so any recommendations there would also be much appreciated.

thanks in advance for any advice. 

neesh.


PS sorry for such a long first post...

[pianowelsh]

For one years lessons you have a HUGE repertoire!.. However be warned many of the pieces you have listed are considerably higher than gd 8 never mind seven.. I see no reason why you shouldnt study them but be prepared for a hard slog and accept that finished performances may be a few years off. To play All the above pieces you are looking I would think minimum of 5 hard years of work from your current base level. But if you enjoy the act of learning and practising these could be fruitfull and encouraging years. You want to talk over your suggestions with your teacher and ask them to step the repertoire learning according to your strenghts.

[soliloquy]

Only feel comfortable editing these two:


Romantic (and some modern) (Chopin unless otherwise stated):
(Mazurka in B flat (no 5))
Waltz in D flat major (no 6)
Prelude in D flat major (no 15)
Danzas Argentinas 2 danza de la moza donosa (Ginastera)
Corelli variations theme and variations 4, 9, 18, 19, 20 (Rachmaninoff)
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (Grieg)
Etude op 10 no 12 "Revolutionary"
Corelli variations the rest of them (Rachmaninoff)
Scherzo no 1
Polonaise no 6 "Heroic"
Scherzo no 2
Etude op 25 no 11 "Winter Wind"
Liebestod (Wagner/Liszt)
La campanella (Liszt)


Debussy:
(The little shepherd)
La fille aux cheveux de lin
Prelude from suite bergamasque
Clair de lune
Menuet
Dr Gradus ad Parnassum
Valse romantique
Arabesque 1
La cathedrale engloutie
La serenade interrompue
Pagodes
La puerta del vino
Feux d'artifice
Etudes

[petit_prince]

thanks to both of you for your advice.

i practise a few hours a day (hence my "huge" repertoire ), but i do know it will take me years to learn all of these.

i'm currently in between teachers because i just moved to university, so sorry for the late reply. and i'll definitely run the lists by her and get her advice when we meet.

also, any more advice on the repertoire, or suggestions for other classical things i might like that are easier than sonata 14 ("moonlight") presto agitato, i'd be very appreciative.

thanks again,

neesh

[gee]

i'd put in mephisto waltz before la campanella. If you learn it properly, it will teach you many important techniques.

[viviannasiu]

It is impossible to practise so many piece. For the famous piantist, the only practise a few songs a year, because it's need to have a full understanding on the piece, not just sight reading, and roughly to play the sound only. You can listen and read many information about the music, but if you play it, please use a serious manner to respect the composer, not omly yo play the notes.

[mike_lang]

It is impossible to practise so many piece. For the famous piantist, the only practise a few songs a year, because it's need to have a full understanding on the piece, not just sight reading, and roughly to play the sound only. You can listen and read many information about the music, but if you play it, please use a serious manner to respect the composer, not omly yo play the notes.

Like Viviannasiu, I am a bit skeptical, as you have playing for one year only at this point, but this is your business, not mine.

Now, I do not want to lecture, since you merely asked for an order, but I would suggest a little more variety.  While the Bach seems to be a little much, but fine, I believe (and think your teacher will tell you the same) that there is too much Debussy.  At this point, and for a while, it is wise to build a buffet of repertoire.  You should be familiar with a variety of composers, as they all have different keyboard techniques and musical language.  For example, conspicuously absent from your list are Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, Prokofiev, and Haydn.  In my humble opinion, I would consider many Chopin etudes, many Preludes and Fugues of Bach, a concerto or two, Beethoven sonatas, a couple of very difficult pieces, and otherwise, many different composers' work.  I say what I do not to limit you, but because I think that in the long run, it will allow you to play these difficult pieces which your love so much, and with an ease that will make them quite enjoyable.

Best,
Michael

[petit_prince]

thanks gee for the tip, and yes i do plan to spend a fair amount of time on each of these pieces, but i do think at my level only learning four pieces a year would be depressingly slow, considering the length of the pieces. although of course as i get on to the pieces later in the list, they'll naturally take longer to learn.

i see your point about learning pieces by other composers, learning a variety of styles of music, although i do think debussy's music is quite varied. to be honest debussy is the reason i started playing the piano, and i adore a lot of his music, but i would be very happy for suggestions of pieces by brahms, prokofiev, schumann, schubert and haydn.

either way it isn't going to take me a lifetime to learn these pieces, leaving me the rest of my life to explore other composers. i just want a solid repertoire of things i love to play.

i do intend to learn some bach preludes and fugues, some beethoven sonatas, some chopin etudes, as you can see from the lists, but not yet, because i'm not good enough yet. however i don't think i'll ever learn a concerto, because, like i said, i don't intend to be a performer, i just want to play for my own enjoyment.