Suggestions for 45-min Program

[shoenberg3]

Hello,
I'm currently a freshman in highschool. I need to make a 45-min program that I'll play next year for a recital and a competition. Any suggestions about balance, suitability, etc. will be appreciated. Here is what I'm considering right now:

Bach Prelude&Fugue (I'm not decided about which one I'm going to play. Suggestions?)

Beethoven Sonata No.13  (I like this one, not overplayed, but still enriching)

Rach. Preludes (Not decided which ones I'll play. I plan to avoid overplayed ones like 3-2 c# prelude. Suggestions?)

Prokofiev Sonata No.3(Played it succesfully last year)

[ayahav]

I would definitely not go for the Rach prelude in C# minor - it's way too overplayed, so unless you're amazing at it, you'll just fall into the pool of people who can play it.

Bach's P&F in f minor from the second book is really nice. That's the one I'm playing.

The Beethoven sonata quasi una fantasia Op.27/1 (that's the one you're talking about, right?) is quite difficult in the last movement, but if you can get that movement the sonata has an amazing middle movement.

I would play one or two of the Chopin Etudes, just to show off technical skill and musicianship.

Good Luck

[bernhard]

Have you learned the Bach yet? If not, you may have a look here, where I have put them in order of difficulty (you may want to avoid the excruciatingly difficult ones).

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=stud;action=display;num=1082738838

Also consider this: Do you want to open your recital with a slow, reflective piece (which will calm you down and get you used to the piano/environment), or do you want to start with a fast dazzling one (if you are the sort of person who needs to dissipate a bit of the adrenalin first thing). Your choice of prelude-fugue then will follow. I personally love them all but these are my favourites:

Book I – no. 1 in C – no. 2in Cm – no. 3 in C# - no. 5 in D – no. 6 in Dm – no. 9 in E – no. 10 in Em – no. 11 in F – no. 12 in Fm – no. 15 in G – no. 21 in Bb

Book II – no. 15 in G – no. 18 in G#m – no. 23 in B

Alternatively, (or as an addition) you could have a Scarlatti sonata. The same principle above applies: you can start with a slow, reflective one, or a fast, dazzling one (they have the advantage of being easier to learn than Bach’s fugues) .Have a look here for some suggestions.

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=repo;action=display;num=1077145772

I think that this is an interesting program, covering all periods (more or less) and a variety of technical/musical challenges.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[donjuan]

I would like to end a recital with a short piece that makes the audience loves you.  Maybe Liszt's consolation no.2.  I cry almost everytime I hear someone play it.  I thought it would be best to end the recital with people loving you and sad it's over, rather than fatigued and glad to get out of their chairs.  
donjuan  

[shoenberg3]

Thanks for the helpful replies.
I will certainly refer to your interesting list of Bach WTC by difficulty (just to tell you, I played no. 4 in C#m BK 1. I agree with you that this one is very difficult. Five voices! Also nearly impossible to memorize!)
Anyways I also have to play a full-length recital coming up on February 2005. Here is my rough draft (This program is basically my 45-min program with some other pieces added on to it)

Bach Prelude & Fugue (suggestions?)
Beethoven Rondo Op.51, No.22 G-major (Such an exquisite piece!)
Beethoven Sonata No. 13
----------------Intermission-------------------------------
Chopin etudes (suggestions on which ones to play?)
Rach preludes/ etude-tableux (suggestions?)
Albeniz El Corpus en Sevilla (from Iberia)
OR
some Ravel or Debussy that has a reflective, crystalline touch (suggestions?)
Prokofiev Sonata No.3

Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated

[donjuan]

A great chopin etude is Op.25 No.5.  The rich melody contradicts the almost comic beginning motif.  

In Debussy, a great "Crystalline" piece is "The snow is dancing" from Childrens Corner.

[shatteringpulse]

I have a few suggestions.  

I personally think that Bach first WTC Book I prelude and fugue is the ultimate piece with which to begin a recital. To me, it represents the origin of music: it's in the key of C major, it covers a variety of harmonic terrain, and it seems like a wellspring from which further musical ideas can be abstracted--or even all musical ideas. Daresay I, this piece is quite ultimate even in its simplicity, and it will certainly ready the audience for what follows. And at 4-5 minutes in duration with the fugue, it certainly will not tax the initial patience of the audience. The fugue that follows is pleasing and majestic.  

I'd follow this with the darker prelude and fugure in E-flat minor from Book I. At 10-12 minutes, it pushes the listener into a more "complex" melancholy and provides a contrast to the prior set in terms of its harmonies and multitude of flats in the key signature. But the piece itself is a bit of personal taste rather than musical revelation.

Then you could add the Rondo in G and Sonata 13 of Beethoven. The first half of your program, thus, forms a C minor chord in structure (C-Eb-G).

I'd start the second half of the program with another C major piece: Chopin's Op. 10, No. 1. I think this is a great opener and, like Bach's first prelude, is also suggestive of what is to come--but this time, with more virtuosity, since more is to follow in this half of the program. Besides, it will iron out ANY nerves and will pose one of the riskier pieces in the second half, prepping you to dive into Rachmaninoff, my favorite. You might also add the reflection of the first etude, Op. 25, No. 12, and place them back to back--I think they form an entire musical statement in this way, one from the lighter side of life, and one from the darker side--two sides of the same mirror.  

I think some of Rachmaninoff's etudes and preludes are atrociously underplayed. Having just finished those two Chopin etudes, now would be a prime time to display your ability to play chords just as well as arpeggios. I recommend a pairing of the C-sharp minor Op. 3, No. 2 prelude with the D-flat major, Op. 32, No. 13. While everybody knows the former, the latter is terribly under represented in today's recitals. My only hesitation is that your hands may not be sizable enough as a high school freshman to reach some of the spans, and also to handle some of the technical complexities of texture thickness. It's a swamp of notes. But it's grand, joyous, and a fitting alter-ego to the op. 3, no. 2. Just by virtue of playing this one after the famous one, you will redefine the audience understanding of the former and the latter. I think they are best played as a pair--as many other things!

If you don't feel up to the final prelude, I would recommend playing another underplayed etude: Op. 39, No. 7. This is an absolutely arid funeral march, and makes a perfect transition into impressionist pieces, while at the same time showing the chordal as well as melancholic side of Rachmaninoff. And the piece is fresh--it's never played! You have a chance to make it your own. My favorite etude is Op. 39, No. 5--but I have no idea whether you can learn it and play it WELL--doing it justice!--before February of next year. I think No. 7 deserves to see the light of day!

To get further "arid," I would suggest Debussy's sixth prelude from Book I: des pas sur la neige. Footprints in the snow. You might find this a little monotonous having just played the other Rachmaninoff piece, but it is crystalline--and absolutely haunting, incessant, and pure Debussy picture painting. It follows SOME of the emotional fabric of the Rachmaninoff etude before it. At this point, however, I'd inject two Debussy preludes: "the fairies are dancing" to provide comic and graceful relief, coupled with "Ondine" to start the humorous but crystalline vein of pianoforte playing. "Ondine" will prepare the listener well, with it's miniature "water-splash interruptions" to be ready for an abrupt disruption of style in Prokofiev's 3rd sonata.

Ravel's Pavane pour une enfante defunte also has a reflective, crystalline quality about it, as well as Debussy's "Sails." Jeux d'eau and Ondine from Ravel are crystalline but certainly not reflective in an absolute sense.

I hope I haven't been too verbose, and good luck with your recital!

[shoenberg3]

Thanks shatteringpulse for your considerate reply. I'll certainly take your suggestions into consideration
Don't worry! You weren't "verbose."

[Logar]

Try with Bachs Prelude and Fugue nr. 21 - think it's quite cool and the fugue isn't so hard.
And for the Chopin Etudes I would go for nr. 4 or 12

[bernhard]

The first half of your program, thus, forms a C minor chord in structure (C-Eb-G).

This is an excellent principle!

You can now use the theory of affects (that makes a relationship between keys and emotions), and decide on the general mood of your recital and choose the pieces according to the key scheme.

Nice idea.