That is true ganymed, but I am only learning the third movement of either one, and both movements are equal length. I tried going with the shorter one but, as before mentioned, that didn't work out, You know, I think I might go with Moonlight, because you are definitely right, The Tempest is harder and I don't really have a whole lot of time to learn it. So, thank you! I appreciate you responding,
For my fingers, the third movement of Moonlight is much harder than the third movement of Tempest.Moonlight demands an incredibly light, even, and fast touch for the arpeggios.It also requires much more stamina than Tempest does.As for which is the better show piece, definitely Moonlight.remy
You still have six months, I gather.. Which did you select?There is less variation in musical content in Tempest 3rd (i.e, moonlight has a greater variety of musical ideas, i.e more diverse sections). It would require the better musician to do the Tempest, and the better pianist to do the Moonlight. The latter is the more virtuosic I'd say. I think the Tempest is quite easy technically, but any shortcomings you might have as a musician will be even more obvious than in the Moonlight. 8 minutes of never ending 16th notes will require the utmost of your ability in shaping musical lines.The same could of course be said about the Moonlight...musical masterpieces of the highest order are never easy, not even for a second..
Is your choice only limited to those two movements? As imbetter said, they are overdone and pretty much every interpretation has been exhausted.But if they are your only choice, then I would do Tempest, it is probably marginally less overplayed than the Moonlight.
It's a delicate balance...You need to demonstrate a certain 'awareness', otherwise you could be judged to be a not 100% serious contender.That is, do not pick the sonatas that are never played, i.e Op 54, Op 31:3.On the other hand, the jury will have heard (and played themselves) Op2:1, Op2:3, Pathetique, Moonlight, Appasionata, Waldstein and Op 109 roughly 1 million times already..Familiar, but less 'overplayed' (and good choices) are perhaps:Op 10:1Op 10:3Op 14:2Op 31:1Op 101Op 110I've deliberately excluded some, like Opp 7 & 22 (too 'big'); Opp 14:1, 78 & 90 (reputation for being 'easy', although not true).I still think Tempest third is quite a good choice anyway. Why? Because when played well it can be simultaneously: beautiful, brutal, sensitive, majestic, introspective, uproarish....you will at least have won the jury's heart! But you'll have to play top-notch for that, of course..
31-3 is quite often played by professionals. It is neglected by young students because it's very difficult. It's an excellent sonata and worthy of performanceI also wonder why you'd think to recommend Opp. 101 and 110 to a student who is probably not even advanced enough for Op. 27 No. 2.
I can play Moonlight, just not the third movement, thank you! I know you don't know me and I didn't say anything about my skill level, but it was kind of insulting.
What I'm going to play instead of that is a much more modern piece, Dizzy Fingers by Zez Confrey which I already knew, so that makes it easier.
Why? Also, it doesn't seem classical... ?
Well, no, it's not classical. I had to have a modern piece and I originally picked out a Bartok Sonata to do but, quite frankly, I don't have time to learn it and ragtime is very modern (more modern than the original) and it shows that I can do both classical and ragtime/stride.
Hey, ragtime's acceptable.
Barely ... not really in fact.
You're going to play ragtime in a piano competition ... no comments. Why don't you improvise on a Britney Spears song! I guess that would be even more modern than your ragtime. And it will be much more personnal since it will be improvisation. How about that?
Topic: Moonlight vs. The Tempest 