Piano Forum

Let me tell you that you don't want to attempt to impress the judge with technical skill. Showing off is the last thing you want to do (unless you're playing Liszt. Then you have to know HOW to show off instead of just banging loudly and trying to play as fast as you can). Really if I were a judge, I would look more favorably on someone who played Debussy La Plus Que Lente incredibly well over someone who played Ravel Toccata like a machine.

And in the end it doesn't matter which piece is harder. This is a MUSICAL competition so a judge (assuming they are competent) should judge by what they hear rather than how difficult a piece is.

With that in mind,
There is an element of the fantastic in playing difficult pieces however. Difficult pieces tend to have either musical subtleties or big fantastic virtuoso sections full of emotion. Debussy has the musical subtleties, Ravel Alborada has the fantastic virtuoso sections.

Having played the Alborada, I found the repeated notes to be the most difficult. Then the coda. Then the more virtuosic sections in the middle section.


In the end, think about what you love about the piece you choose. And then communicate your love for that piece. Get the judge to love what you love about the piece.

Personally, I really like the Toccatas, although they are probably the least musical on that list. They probably won't be as common as Jeux D'eau if it's a competition. Alborada might be pretty common too. I think the Debussy would be strongest of all of them if played incredibly well however.