Another concerto thread...

[kelly_kelly]

So since I just finished the Dip exam a couple of days ago, my teacher suggested to me that I work on a concerto, since I haven't before. The trouble is that she and I have rather different ideas of what I can actually play... as in, very different. She suggested (I'm not joking):

MacDowell 2
Saint-Saens 4
Ravel G major
Rach 1
Either Chopin

and the (even more) unthinkable... Beethoven 4, which I'm not going to go near for another 500 years or so because I consider it one of the most fabulous pieces of music ever composed.

The only piece on her proposed list which I think I would have a shot at is the Ravel, but I kind of want to stay away from it because my university orchestra played it recently... and though I don't have any serious aspirations of winning the concerto competition... well... I wouldn't want repertoire to stop me from competing, if that makes sense...

I know that if I force the issue she will "let" me play Mozart, so logically this is what I should do... but the truth is that as much as I love Mozart, I secretly want to work on big pieces too, since I don't know what's going to happen to my playing after university and whether I'll ever again be in the position where my teacher would even THINK of concertos like this

So... advice? I'm fine with a concerto being a long-term (2+ year) goal, by the way (along with other repertoire, of course!).

[birba]

The Katchaturian.  It's fun and not hard at all.

[avguste]

Actually, both the Rach 1 (especially the original version) and the MacDowell 2 and great pieces.
Not sure how old you are, nor your level,but if you teacher is suggesting those, then it means you are able to.
Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.

[prongated]

I second Rach 1. Don't know the Macdowell concerti very well yet, but I do like his smaller piano compositions very much.

[perfect_pitch]

How about one of the Liszt Concertos... If your teacher is thinking your confident to do Rachmaninoff's 1st, then Liszt could be very easily achieved.

[pocho]

Goetz 2, Goetz 2

p

[kelly_kelly]

Hmm... I guess I rambled a bit and didn't make the point of this thread clear. Basically, my question is whether its worth it to jump into a concerto that (at the moment), my technical preparation (and maybe musical, but I'm a bit more confident in my musical abilities...) is woefully inadequate for. Even the first page of Rach 1 scares me - my octave technique could barely cope with the relevant section in Schubert D. 664! But then again, since I'm not really hoping to perform a concerto, maybe I could use it sort of as a technique building exercise? And admittedly I have in the past freaked about pieces that ultimately proved relatively manageable to learn...

[orangesodaking]

Saint Saens 4! It is incredible! 

[thalbergmad]

Goetz 2, Goetz 2

Superb idea and Kelly_kelly could not do any worse than Hamish Milne.

Thal

[retrouvailles]

Superb idea and Kelly_kelly could not do any worse than Hamish Milne.

Thal

Volker Banfield did a nice job with that concerto, though. I really don't know why Hamish produces such subpar recordings. Perhaps his age has a lot to do with it, for his technique is obviously below standard in his new Wieniawski/Goetz recording (actually, in a lot of his recordings).

[pocho]

Volker Banfield did a nice job with that concerto, though. I really don't know why Hamish produces such subpar recordings. Perhaps his age has a lot to do with it, for his technique is obviously below standard in his new Wieniawski/Goetz recording (actually, in a lot of his recordings).

The recording I own is, in fact, Banfield's.


Awesome stuff.

[amelialw]

just curious which dip?
ARCT/ABRSM or something else?

go for it...I think your teacher is trying to push you out of your comfort zone! and if that's what your teacher wants to teach you go for it all the more. that's what I've learnt from years of experience with 5 different teachers(at different points) and is this your 1st concerto or have you already learnt one?

after playing 3 concertos: Schumann, Mozart 26 and Beethoven 1st (my teacher wanted to throw beethoven 1st at me right at the beginning and i regretted not taking that chance)...my teacher's next list was: Grieg(I don't have good octave technique, (she scrapped out Mendelssohn Capriccio Brilliant and Chopin Rondo de Concerto...too small according to her) and suggested Chopin 1(short of time) and beethoven 3rd. Ended up deciding that she wanted me to re-learn Schumann and learn both Beethoven 3rd& Rach Rhapsody on the theme of Paganini, i was horrified...still am But she is confident i can do all 3

no one knows what our teachers are thinking haha....i can relate to you now!