Need help in assembling basic advanced repertoire

[dreamaurora]

This is the first time I post here. Let me introduce myself. I have been learning piano for 2 years or more and taking ATCL next year. After reading the posts here, it seems that all the posters here are very well knowledgeable in repertoire. I need help in assembling a basic advanced repertoire ( beside my exam pieces, of course ), preferably one that will be suitable for a full blown solo debut recital. I have consulted my teacher for repertoire list, but he doesn't know much except for the obvious ones like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Rachamaninoff, Scriabin, etc. Well, he's educated in China , so its understandable, great techniques and interpretation, but lacking in actual knowledge of repertoire itself.

I need a good list of pieces that cover all eras of music and also I need a concerto that can be managed at my level. Here's the list of pieces that I'm currently studyin now for my ATCL, I hope to expand and improve on this to prepare for my first debut recital.

J.S. Bach - Prelude and Fugue In D Minor, From Well Tempered Clavier Book 1

Beethoven - Sonata C Minor Op 10 No 1

Chopin - Ballad No 3

Prokofiev - Vision Fugitive No 1 - 6

Here's some pieces that I think of learning further, feel free to add little known composers as long their music is nice:

- Bach - Italian Concerto, complete
- Gerhswin - Rhapsody in Blue
- Rachamaninoff - 6 fantasy pieces

[RhiAnne]

Dreamaurora,

 Looking at the rep, I do not think this is a bad selection.  What is the most difficult thing that you have learned well?  The reason I need to know this, is so I can come up with some suggestions.  If you reply, I then will most certainly offer my input.

 Have a great day.

[Diabolos]

Hm, that doesn't look bad at all; but it'd be important to know, as RhiAnne said, how improved your skills are.

And I think your piano teacher good a good enough idea of repertoire, as far as I got it; fact is that a student needs to learn very different techniques, actually one for every epoche, not to speak of modern music, and the wellknown composers actually did the best pieces for that. I don't know if I can help you with that repertoire either...
However, I'll just give it a try.

If you don't wanna go for the Italian Concerto, a very often played piece, have a look at some suites by Bach, maybe French suite nr. 4 and English Suite nr. 3; a lot of memorizing, but technically doable.

Don't put Beethoven aside; he's still one of the most important composers of piano music. But any of his sonatas need a very advanced level since you gotta go for the interpretation, not for the techniques.

Chopin Ballad No. 3 is a good starting piece, not as difficult as the other ones but demanding confidence in romantic technique - good choice.

Prokofief, hm - if you played Bach you shouldn't have problems with the vision fugitive.

Finally, I don't know about the Gershwin; it is used by French Academies to teach different technical problems and how to solve them.

I'd also say Granados would be a nice composer to play, but it's still the two years you learned paino for; most people start playing Chopin Ballads, Gershwin etc. after playing longer, since their music is particularly difficult; Chopin for it's raffinesse, there's importancy in every single note; Gershwin just demands an awesome technique, if one wants to play it right.

So, just tell us what's the most difficult piece you played yet, and we'll be able to make some suggestions, I suppose.

Regards,  

[dreamaurora]

Well, you can call me sort of a product of hothousing. Since I only played the piano for only 2 years, I would say technically I am still rather lacking in many areas. These are the basic repertoire I am learning now, and even then I need to surmount quite a high technical barrier, since I don't have the luxury of years of technical practice. I have passed officialy a Grade 7 in ABRSM this year( I took grade 5 and then 7 ), and even than that is barely pass ( 103/150, phew! ).

Out of all the pieces I'm supposed to learn now, I am still learning the C Minor Beethoven Sonata and D Minor Prelude and Fugue by Bach. The C Minor is okay, I can play it musically well and and at the intended tempo ( except the last presto movement which I have toned down a bit to something like Allegro Moderato ) , the D Minor prelude by Bach is okay, no problem, but the fugue is like hell ( I can't distinguish the different voices well ) , well, this may be due to the fact that I've only played a Bach piece before and that is the 2 Part Invention No 1.

I foresee that the Chopin Ballade will give me the most problem, the score is rather...black.  I have the Vision Fugitive score and have tried to play it, technically no problem, but my teacher said I have a long way to go in learning to interprete modern contemporary music.

Well, so that's a little more background of my capability. A lot of hard work involved , I have a 7 hour a day practice schedule ( 3 hours of technical study and 4 hours of learning pieces  ), so I hope that some technical problems that I encounter now hopefully can be solved months later.

[Colette]

in my opinion, starting a chopin ballade right now is probably not the best idea. although difficult to interpret (like every chopin piece) his waltzes are technically moderate and beautiful. also you might try the chopin nocturns, mazurkas or scherzos. they all make great debut pieces, especially when performed in a set. chopin is integral to forming a baisic repertoire, but should be taken in steps. chopin ballades, etudes and sonatas should be undertaken only after becoming familiarized with more accesible chopin works.
i think the same is true with bach. maybe you should carefully learn a good amount of his inventions along with one substantial bach prelude and fugue. his inventions offer voicing that is easier to hear and produce. most inventions have two part voicing unlike the three and four parts in the well tempered clavier. also, listening to great recordings of bach is really helpful. grab glen gould's WTC book 1 and 2. once your ear is "trained" you will be better able to unravel the different voices in his more complex fugues.
also, have you thought about learning a hayden, scarlatti, or mozart sonata instead of a beethoven? they are not nearly as scary and can usually be learned more quickly and not be as frustrating to interpret and memorize. they are also great for improving technique.
don't shy away from interpreting modern music. sometimes people relate more easily to modern music than to the classics. i'd say for fun if nothing else, take a modern composition and see how it goes. it'll be a welcome change from all the classical pieces you'll be playing. try out excursions by samuel barber. they are fun pieces that are not too difficult to learn. also, you could try some french music, like oiseaux tristes by ravel from miroirs, or some of debussy's shorter pieces like pagodes from estampes.

[88keys]

I agree with Colette.

Chopin's Ballades are quite difficult - way more demanding than the Beethoven and Bach pieces you've chosen. Actually, I'm not sure I can play it myself... Try his waltzs or mazurkas instead.

As for Bach, you might consider the Prelude and Fuge in D MAJOR from Volume I. The fuge is in 4 voices, but their flow is much clearer than the D minor fuge.

Regarding Beethoven's Op. 10/1: It is okay to play a "presto" a little slower if playing it at tempo is to challanging. But if you plan to play the final movement as slow as an "Allegro Moderato" pace in your recital, then you should look for an eaiser piece. Classical pieces which are a little easier than Op. 10/1 include Beethoven's Op. 14/1 as well as most Mozart Sonatas. If you're looking for less known pieces, the Haydn Sonatas are greatly recommended.

Final Tip: Stay away from Chopin's Scherzos. They are among the most challanging pieces in the Chopin repertoire, which is definitely not what you need right now.

[dreamaurora]

Thanks for the feedback, guys, you have been extremely helpful.

Regarding my choice of repertoire, I don't have much choice though, these are what are listed in the diploma regulation, i have to pick two pieces from each list

List A

J.S Bach       Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue BWV 903
Bartok          Suite op.14
Beethoven   32 Variation in C Minor Woo 80
Beethoven   Sonata in C Minor, op.10 no 1
Chopin         Ballade in Ab, op.47 aka Ballade no 3
Clementi      Sonata in Bb, op.12 no 1
Haydn          Sonata in E minor, Hob XVI/34
Mozart         Sonata in C Minor, K. 457
Ravek          Any 2 pieces from Le Tombeau de Couperin
Schubert     Sonata in A minor, op posth 143 / D .784

List B

JS Bach        Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 851
                   from WTC Book 1
Brahms        G Minor Rhapsody Op 79 No 2
Britten         Moderato and Nocturne ( 1940 )
Chopin         Fantasie Impromptu op 66
Debussy      Preulde vol 1 and vol2, any two movements
Faure           Nocturne No 4 In Eb op 36
Howells       Finzi's Rest and Berkeley's Hunt
Poulenc       Trois Novelettes no 1 and no 2
Prokofiev     Vision Fugitive no 1-5
Rachamaninoff    Prelude op 32 no 5 and no 10
Schubert      Impromptu in Gb, op 90 no 3
Sculthorpe   Mountains
Shostakovich   Prelude and Fugue in Db, op 87 no 15

So out of the pieces here, I picked one from each era. I have only exactly half a year to practice more, the exam will be on May, and hopefully I can learn more pieces to feature in my debut recital  

On a side note, I have started the Ballade, and this piece is really difficult  


                     

[88keys]

How about this alternative:

Bach, Prelude and Fuge in D minor
Beethoven, Sonata in C minor, Op. 10/1
Schubert, Impromptu in Gb, Op. 90/3
Ravel, Le Tombe de Couperin

The Schubert Impromptu is much easier than the Chopin Ballade, and it is a beautiful peace.

I'm not sure about the difficulty of the Ravel, though. Perhaps someone else knows whether this might pose a problem.

Anyway, Good Luck with your exams.

[ned]

The Ravel is doable. Try the Forlane and Rigaudon. They are delightful.
Ned

[pianowelsh]

My word you'll gave to work VERY hard to go from grade 7 up to ATCL in a year.  I mean really hard! its not just the level of the pieces but the standard of performance too it all goes up dramatically. Practice your socks off! The choice of repertoire is very acceptable for a 'debut' recital BUT you need to make sure you can play it with real polish!!  Good luck

[abell88]

Pianowelsh, did you notice that this thread is 3 1/2 years old? I wonder how he/she did?

[pianowelsh]

Yes - i wonder too! perhaps he is still here?