(suggestions)Etudes, Bach and Concerto for Competition

[cochotela]

Hello everyone, I am new here and this is my first post. I looked at some posts here in this forum and found a lot of interesting and helpful ideas and advices.

So, I would like to know if anyone can help me with some ideas for a competition, namely Etudes and Bach Preludes and Fugues. (specially the "good" ones to be performed in competitions. And I'm looking for not too difficult but still virtuosistic etudes).

Also, is the Grieg piano concerto suitable for a competition? I only have about 4/5 months to get everything ready. Any other suggestion regarding the same level of difficulty of Grieg's one, would be appreciated.


For the rest of the programe, I already have some ideas from pieces I've played before, such as Schumann Carnaval, Prokofiev 3rd sonata, Beethoven Op110, Rachmaninov's Corelli Variations, Mendelssohn's Serious Variations... I am still thinking.
I could play Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody but the competition does not accept this work and some of the most difficult (Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov..)



I will be waiting for some suggestions!!

thanks in advance,
C.

[mcgillcomposer]

Hello everyone, I am new here and this is my first post. I looked at some posts here in this forum and found a lot of interesting and helpful ideas and advices.

So, I would like to know if anyone can help me with some ideas for a competition, namely Etudes and Bach Preludes and Fugues. (specially the "good" ones to be performed in competitions. And I'm looking for not too difficult but still virtuosistic etudes).

Also, is the Grieg piano concerto suitable for a competition? I only have about 4/5 months to get everything ready. Any other suggestion regarding the same level of difficulty of Grieg's one, would be appreciated.


For the rest of the programe, I already have some ideas from pieces I've played before, such as Schumann Carnaval, Prokofiev 3rd sonata, Beethoven Op110, Rachmaninov's Corelli Variations, Mendelssohn's Serious Variations... I am still thinking.
I could play Rachmaninov's Paganini Rhapsody but the competition does not accept this work and some of the most difficult (Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov..)



I will be waiting for some suggestions!!

thanks in advance,
C.

For a piano concerto, Schumann's is about the same difficulty level as the Grieg.

[teresa_b]

I'm not sure which Bach preludes and fugues are best for a competition, but I personally think the G Major from WTC 1 is a lovely one with a virtuosic-sounding prelude. 

I agree about the Schumann Concerto.  I like it better than Grieg.  How about Mendelssohn no 1? Or even Beethoven 3?

Good luck!
Teresa

[cochotela]

Thanks! Schumann is a lovely concerto, but I found Grieg a little easier to play.

Teresa-b: I will check the bach you suggested!

So, basically I am looking for:
      - Etude (not very difficult but still virtuosistic)
      - Bach (not "boring" [i.e. slow], but still interesting)


Thanks
C.

[mcgillcomposer]

Thanks! Schumann is a lovely concerto, but I found Grieg a little easier to play.

Teresa-b: I will check the bach you suggested!

So, basically I am looking for:
      - Etude (not very difficult but still virtuosistic)
      - Bach (not "boring" [i.e. slow], but still interesting)


Thanks
C.

What about the Op. 25/12 étude by Chopin? It's pretty straight forward harmonically speaking so it's easy to memorize and it's not very difficult for an étude.

[Kassaa]

You can do the first P&F from the first book in C major, with the famous prelude. No one plays it and the fugue is a good four-voice one. As an etude you can maybe try Rachmaninoff Op. 33/8 (in some books it's number 6) in C# minor, it's impressive, virtuosic but not very difficult.

[i heart xenakis]

For the Bach look at WTKII Nos. 16/18/20/22.  Those are my favs, and all pretty suitable for a competition.  For Etudes... well if it's going to be a single etude how bout Liszt's Harmonies du Soir?  Or possibly La Campanella if you think you can work that up in time.


What are the requirements on the concerti?  Judges really like Beethoven 5; if that's allowed that would be a good choice.

[teresa_b]

If you want a concerto on the difficulty level of Grieg, I would steer clear of Beethoven 4 or 5.  Although they can appear at first glance to be not that bad, you find yourself in deep waters, as they are devilishly hard to pull off convincingly. 

Choose what you love!
Teresa

[cochotela]

WOW
So many great suggestions!

I really love the Grieg one. Although I think that Beethoven 1st or 3rd have a more profound musical "message", they are both more difficult to play in a convince way... but do you guys think that Grieg is, still, good for a competition?

Also, I was looking at chopin op.10 no.8. This is not too difficult but maybe can make impression, what do you guys think?

I just to make sure that I choose my programe in the best way I can