Repertoire for Masters (incoming first year)

[crazy for ivan moravec]

Hi all! success with my masters auditions last January-February! I will soon be studying this coming Fall at the University of Minnesota.

I am trying to come up with a repertoire proposal as asked by my future teacher:
And so far, these are the things I think might be good to add to my piano repertoire:

Brahms p. 118
Brahms Handel Variations
Bach English Suite # 6 in d minor
Bach-Busoni Chaccone in d minor
Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin
Barber Sonata
Prokofiev Sonata # 7
Any Mozart Sonata
Beethoven Appasionata (yikes)
Scriabin Sonata, which one from nos. 1-5? I like no. 1 and 5.



No Chopin for now. if you have any more suggestions, pls let me know.

I'm trying to make a good programing. something like half german and half russian... i don't know.. any ideas? or half french? or it doesnt matter.... pls suggest any kind of programing u can think of. i would appreciate any help from u guys.. i can give u a list of my old repertoire if you need to see it for basis...

thanks...


-crazy

[dnephi]

Congratulations!  That's a lot of stuff to do.  I absolutely love Brahms 118- a smashing set.  The Brahms Variations are incredibly complicated (compositionally).  Have you heard his variations on a theme of Schumann, Op. 9?  It's actually exceptional, as are his variations on an original theme (21-1) and his variations on a Hungarian song (21-2). 
Any thoughts about learning a Brahms Sonata?  (and yes, attempting the Appassionata would be very frightening.)
I really like Partita No. 6 in E-flat Minor.  What do you think of that?


I know you sort of wanted only German and russian, but I have some suggestions of other nationalities.
Would you like to learn some Saint-Saens Etudes?  They're extremely well-crafted from both technical and compositional points of view.  (And completely neglected, practically! I really like the preludes and fugues, the "major and minor thirds" etude, the "independence of fingers" etude, and the Toccata (111-6). 

I'm a fan of Liszt's etudes, but they're rather hard (:p) and not everyone agrees. 

I really like some of Rachmaninoff's Etudes-Tableaux. 39-3, 39-9, 39-5, 33-5 are among my favorites.

About programming, I've often thought about a program based around thematic transformation, a la Shoenbergian analysis. 

You could open Baroque with a prelude and fugue (Bach-Liszt in a minor?) which transforms extensively the subject of the fugue.  Following that, Beethoven Op. 110 or Op. 57 would fit.  Brahms Op. 118 or Op. 24 (Handel Variations) would follow, and you could finish off with the Liszt miniature which uses his variation technique (For instance, Mazeppa.).

Best of luck,

Daniel

[mattgreenecomposer]

I would go with the Prokofiev if you can do it justice and the Mozart.  Proffessors like to see a wide range of styles that are played well.  I think this would be an overall best choice.  anything Bach is also good.

[soliloquy]

I'm a bit confused.  Are you asking us for pieces we think you should add to your repertoire, or are you asking us for a programme to use as a concert for your masters, or are you asking us for a programme for auditioning?

[crazy for ivan moravec]

sorry about that.. i'm asking for a repertoire program for my first year in masters. dont mind the old repertoire thing i said.. at least 65 minutes, she said. thanks guys.. i'm reading and thinking of the things you all said.

[soliloquy]

Rzewski North American Ballad No. 4
Scriabin Sonata No. 10
Ravel Valses Nobles et Sentimentales
Barber Sonata Op. 26
Bartok Three Etudes Op. 18
Mozart Sonata K. 533
Wagner-Liszt Overture to "Tannhauser"

[clavicembalisticum]

No particular suggestions, though I noticed that you mentioned Scriabin's 1 and 5 as your favourites. Soliloquy suggested the insect Sonata (10) which is indeed a colourful piece. If you want a chopineqsue Scriabin, 1 - 3 are relatively close (with no1 been the most chopinesque of all). 4 - 7 with a particular mention over the 5th one are of his more inner style, while 9 - 10 are absolute personal masterpieces. There is also Vers La Flamme and the Fantasies. If you have had experience with the scriabinesque style, they are not options to just cast away.

Just my two cents regarding the Scriabin issue. Soliloquy's suggestions are as colorfully wide as usual

[crazy for ivan moravec]

i am now in the midst of choosing between Brahms Op. 118, sonata no. 1 in C Major, or the Handel Variations. I feel that the Sonata no. 1 is right for me.

Also between Prokofiev #7 and Barber Sonata. Wait, the Barber fugue can be scary... Prokofiev would be good for competitions.

I think I will have Mozart for the reason of making a variety in the program, at the same time, it would be great to learn Mozart with the future Teacher (sorry, no names yet until I am surely enrolled and registered as a student). I'm thinking of the C major K. 330 or the a-minor K. 310.

The Bach d minor English Suite seems tempting... I know I will learn a lot from that.

Then maybe some Scriabin Etudes?



Now, some of the combinations would look like:

1) Bach d-minor English Suite
2) Mozart K. 330 in C Major
3) Brahms Handel Variations or Sonata no. 1 in C Major
4) Scriabin Etudes/Preludes (at least 2 or 3?)
5) Prokofiev Sonata No. 7

or...

1) Bach d-minor English Suite
2) Mozart K. 310 in a-minor
3) Brahms Op. 118 or Sonata no. 1 in C Major
4) Scriabin Etudes/Preludes (at least 2 or 3?)
5) Prokofiev Sonata No. 7