competition pieces

[elevateme_returns]

How about, Brahms F minor sonata, 2nd movement. Antii Sirala played it in the semi-final of the Leeds piano competition in 2003, (which he went on to win), and we were all transfixed!

dear all
i've entered a competition in which each round consists of 15 minutes, and you're expected to play a varied programme in that time. does anyone have any suggestions for short pieces that will really really make the judges sit up and take notice? pieces that really make you transfixed when played well.  thanks in advance!

[imbetter]

maybe a bach prelude and fugue or a scarlatti sonata about 3-5 minutes, a larger scale chopin work around 7-8 minutes, and maybe a short contemporary piece like a stravinsky etude or maybe a prokofiev prelude or etude.

Just some thoughts

[pianogeek_cz]

I guess there's quite a number of Scarlatti thingies that could make people go wow for Baroque (like that one with lots of repeated notes Argerich plays on Youtube, can't remember the number)... As imbetter says, spending 3-5 minutes on that could work, as far as I can tell.

If you don't want to go Baroque, then you'll probably want something Classical. (Or, as I suppose you won't be allowed to use first-round selection for the second round - check that - use a Classical piece in the 2nd.) I've recently stumbled upon Beethoven's op. 22 and the first movement is very energic, lively and generaly smiley; it could prepare some nice ground for a more "serious" piece. Omitting the repeats, this would range five minutes.

If you play a lively Scarlatti or two in the first round, try something contrasting for the second piece - possibly one of the slow Chopin etudes, like 25-7. It can get rather hypnotic, if voiced well. Another thing of similar effect is the 2nd movement of the Schubert D960 sonata. We're roughly at ten minutes here.

Third piece - I'd go large-scale extravagant. I guess, knowing that you've done Gaspard, that recommending the first movement from Petroushka won't fall on deaf ears.  I don't know how much time you'll have to prepare, though; this would be a more long-term work. If you don't feel up to it, what about a Ligeti etude or two? Or some Shosty? (I'm not very familiar with his piano works, though...)

Second piece for second round - if you want a wild thing after the relatively composed (no pun intended) Beethoven, what about some Moussorgsky? If you make it short, then you could tranquilize the place a bit by Ravel's Une barque sur l'ocean.

Or, as an alternative round two programme, you could do Bach a minor P&F from Book I and Scriabin Vers la Flamme. 

[elevateme_returns]

wow thank you so much!! those are all brilliant suggestions. petrouchka i really struggle with, i hate octaves lol. but i will have another look at it. thanks very much!

[pianogeek_cz]

You're welcome. 

On a second thought, if I had the ability, I'd really go for Round Two the Bach a minor P&F plus Vers la Flamme option.

[franzliszt2]

Liszt gnomenreigen, short, fast, and fun.

[opus10no2]

Liszt gnomenreigen, short, fast, and fun.

For 15 minutes?

I knew he was slow, but THAT slow??

[elevateme_returns]

For 15 minutes?

I knew he was slow, but THAT slow??

where does it say im gona play it for 15 minutes solid?

[opus10no2]

Sorry, was I being overly optimistic?

[nightingale11]

have a look here

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2339.0.html
(scarlatti sonatas - Bernhard's favourite)

and you may want to try out the lovely piece by mendelssohn caprice op.33 no.1(about 8min though) that almost no one plays.(starts with a slow''adagio, quasi fantasia'' arpeggio section followed by a very fast presto agitato section) Not as difficult as it sounds like. If you are interested I can send you a score later.

[houseofblackleaves]

That would be scarlatti sonata k.141 in d minor.  Awesome peice. 


And it's actually around 4 minutes long, and that's if you play it as lightning fast as Argerich does.

I vote for the Don Juan fantasy. 

[pianogeek_cz]

Anohter quirky little idea, if you're good with theory and have lots of music buzzing through the head without actually knowing where it came from...

Compose something for yourself. A short little piece, just a few bars... 

Depends on how serious the competition is, though.

[ganymed]

A short and nice piece  is also the "Dallmayr theme"  from a coffee commercial in germany. Frankly, I know what you are thinking: a piano theme from a coffee commercial    .
Are you kidding ?

But it sounds very very nice and the melody is a pretty catchy tune. The ending is also a bit virtuosic

https://www.mathematik.uni-marburg.de/~ander/private/dallmayr/dallmayr.mid

https://www.mathematik.uni-marburg.de/~ander/private/dallmayr/prodomo.gif

Here is a crappy video of the theme.

If played correctly, it sounds way cooler. !!

[elevateme_returns]

Anohter quirky little idea, if you're good with theory and have lots of music buzzing through the head without actually knowing where it came from...

Compose something for yourself. A short little piece, just a few bars... 

Depends on how serious the competition is, though.

thanks lol but i cant compose. and the competition is quite serious.

[imbetter]

have a look here

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2339.0.html
(scarlatti sonatas - Bernhard's favourite)

and you may want to try out the lovely piece by mendelssohn caprice op.33 no.1(about 8min though) that almost no one plays.(starts with a slow''adagio, quasi fantasia'' arpeggio section followed by a very fast presto agitato section) Not as difficult as it sounds like. If you are interested I can send you a score later.

nightingale, two things.

1. Could u send me the score for the mendelssohn piece? it sounds like fun
2. Do you know a man named david alpher?

[soliloquy]

Sorry, was I being overly optimistic?

Juztifyably harzh



Ornstein Danse Sauvage
Antheil Jazz Sonata
Nancarrow Tango?
Kurtag Jatekok
Rzewski North American Ballad No. 3
Dusapin Etude No. 6
Scriabin Vers la Flamme
Bartok Etudes Op. 18

Just some short modern pieces you might think about.

[elevateme_returns]

Sorry, was I being overly optimistic?

would you like me to post it in the audition room? maybe not 10-2, ive never learnt it. 10/4 ?

[elevateme_returns]

or even better, seeing as youre such a fan of these duels, a duel for op 10 no2.  seeing as your name is opus10no2 you should be fairly safe, no?

[opus10no2]

Fo Sho, set the date in the duels topic.

[elevateme_returns]

august 1st sound ok? i wont be able to start learning it till july with gcses and these competitions

[soliloquy]

august 1st sound ok? i wont be able to start learning it till july with gcses and these competitions

weak

[elevateme_returns]

weak

i dont give a *** what you think, my gcses are more important than your pathetic opinion

[soliloquy]

i dont give a *** what you think, my gcses are more important than your pathetic opinion

I am from da SDC, where all this duel crap comes from, and I know what happens when you set a date that far away.  Just challenge him on a piece you already play for like... tomorrow.  Then it will actually happen.  Unless you're scared.

[elevateme_returns]

I am from da SDC, where all this duel crap comes from, and I know what happens when you set a date that far away.  Just challenge him on a piece you already play for like... tomorrow.  Then it will actually happen.  Unless you're scared.

how about scarbo?

[soliloquy]

how about scarbo?

I dunno.  It's usually a good idea to go with a piece you know you play well though.


Just tell him Scarbo in three days lol.

[elevateme_returns]

I dunno.  It's usually a good idea to go with a piece you know you play well though.

ok lol so scarbo

[petersiu]

I think Mozart's or Haydn's sonata is quite a good choice becoz it is easy to express but can also catch the judges' attention. After that, this can be followed by a Chopin's Nocturne or even a Polonaise if you are skillful enough. Lastly, I strongly recommend Schumann's Aufschwung!!! It surely can catch the judges attention!!:

[dnephi]

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