Recital programme

[Dave_2004_G]

Hi,

I've recently decided upon a (provisional) recital programme for my diploma exam (although if i'm gunna change it it needs to be quick).....

1. Bach prelude and fugue no 21 WTC bk 1 Bb major
2. Pathetique
3. Chopin Etudes op 10 3 and 4

What do you reckon?  Any comments greatly appreciated thanks....

Dave

[liszmaninopin]

You might want to check about the Chopin etude op. 10 #3.  It's a beautiful piece, but sometimes examiners exclude that one, along with op. 10 #6, and op. 25 # 7 (I think it's #7, but it could be #8 that I'm thinking of, I forget)

[Dave_2004_G]

Hi,

Performance is free choice of pieces so nothing is excluded - I suppose the pieces are supposed to be grade 8 type standard, and I'm sure that etude would qualify - especially when paired with 10 no 4, I don't think it should be a problem - but hey that's what advance programme approval is for!

It's just you get 10 marks for 'presentation skills' which includes programming so the how the programme fits together is pretty important

Cheers

Dave

[liszmaninopin]

Well, your recital does fit nicely together, and those pieces really show off a diversity of skills, they're all fine works. (I've read somewhere that Chopin actually intended those two etudes to be played together)
Good luck!

[Chitch]

Hi,

I've recently decided upon a (provisional) recital programme for my diploma exam (although if i'm gunna change it it needs to be quick).....

1. Bach prelude and fugue no 21 WTC bk 1 Bb major
2. Pathetique
3. Chopin Etudes op 10 3 and 4

What do you reckon?  Any comments greatly appreciated thanks....

Dave

Out of all the Bach selections I've played, Prelude and Fugue No. 21 is without question my favorite . Great selections.

[scriabinsmyman]

OK, you have the Bach P&F which every examiner needs to hear, the Beethoven Sonata (one of my favorites, actually) and the Romantic etudes.  Add a twist- some Debussy or Poulenc perhaps?  Just a short and succinct piece that stands out.

[Gambit]

Chopins Op 10-4 its very hard...be careful, one little mistake and you ruin all the piece.

[Dave_2004_G]

I know it is - at sixty (the tempo marked) it's quite playable, but anywhere above that it begins to get more and more sloppy - even though 60 is the marked tempo, most recordings seem to take it slightly higher for some reason, around 66 or even up to 70

Dave

[Beethoven87]

Haha!  My edition (Ediotion Peters) has it at half-note equals 88.  I don't play it that fast...  I play about half note equals seventy.

[Dave_2004_G]

Sorry what's a half note a minim?  If so then 88 is ridiculously fast I wouldn't have thought it was even playable at that tempo!

Dave

[bernhard]

Sorry what's a half note a minim?  If so then 88 is ridiculously fast I wouldn't have thought it was even playable at that tempo!

Dave

I am afraid this is correct: minim= 88 (Chopin's own tempo).

Good luck,
Bernhard.

[Dave_2004_G]

Well I'm certainly not going to play it that fast....in fact I don't think I've ever heard a professional pianist even playing that fast!  I think it'll sound more like a piece of music at a slightly lower tempo, and not necesarily less exciting (I'll keep telling myself that..)....in any case, it's far better to play it in control at a reasonable tempo than go over the edge and play it scrappily at break-neck speed

Dave

[Beethoven87]

You are absolutely correct!  I've never heard any pianist play it at that tempo, and I'm glad because at that speed it's no longer possible to bring out the musical aspects.  I feel I'm definitely pushing it even at half note equals seventy!  I agree- Anyone would rather hear a good musical rendition at a slower speed than a breakneck pounding version at a ridiculous tempo.

[bop...boo]

richter and cziffra both play that piece up to tempo.

[Beethoven87]

Are you sure?  I thought it was slower... closer to eighty or eighty two...

[chromatickler]

And don't forget the outrageous Andrei Gavrilov recording.

[chromatickler]

btw, If you keep to the tempo of 88, the piece should end in precisely 1min52sec. Cziffra/Richter/Gavrilov are all around the 1:40 mark.  

[Rob47]

cziffra op10 no 4 onthe great pianists cd is REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- diculous!! I like how he seems to get even quicker as he moves through the first page. Incredible.

Good program.  Don't need to change anything..unless your short a piece..?...then i guess you would need contemporary or turn of the century era....try Morel -Deux etudes de Sonorities....the second one is very exciting.  Good luck with the recital.

Rob

[dgk88]

ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!, not another person playing the pathetique.  play a less known sonata that hasn't been butchered sooo many times.  not that you would butcher it or anything.  go for No. 7 or No. 32 those are my personal favorites or if You want well known go for the Tempest 17. but the rest sounds good

[Dave_2004_G]

Yes but I think it's cliched for a reason - it's a wonderful sonata!

Dave