Excerpt from Pathetique Sonata Mvmt. 1

[musicluvr49]

Hello,

I'm doing a competition on the 29th, and I'm playing the 1st movement of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. I just found out today, that I can only perform 5 minutes... but they say that I can perform an excerpt.   I really don't like the idea of cutting parts out from this beautiful sonata, but it is my best piece that I have perfected, so I really want to perform this one.

Anyone have any ideas which parts I should play that would be under 5 minutes? Playing through the whole thing, takes me about 10 minutes.

Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks.

[ongaku_oniko]

how about playing the 2nd or 3rd movement instead?

I really don't think it's a good idea to just play an excerpt of the first... it's just... not the same.

[perfect_pitch]

Ongaku... the performance is in 2 weeks.

If I were you Musicluvr... I would perform maybe the Development section (where you get the Grave section in g minor) to the end... would that fit??? That way you get to at least play the finishing section which I think is better than playing the beginning and cutting it off half way through.

[musicluvr49]

Thanks Ongaku,  but I'm not quite finished with the 3rd movement, and even if I was it would still be over 5 minutes. And the 2nd movevement is not really the "Wow" type of piece that I want to perform.

perfect_pitch,  I'll try that, it should work out to be under 5 mins. thanks so much !

[noambenhamou]

play the first movement as fast or slow as you want in its entirety. When they yell "stop", just continue. I'd let them escort me out. Don't worry, you have Ludvig there on your side, in spirit I guess hahaa. You can always tell the judges, if Ludvig was here, he'd burn the place to the ground cutting off his sonata at 5 minutes.

Or have a stopwatch right there and then as time runs out play faster and faster and faster in order to at least respect the 1st movement haha. I think they'll understand.

Seriously all that's a joke. If you want to win, play the hardest parts. Play them well. Right now they are buying all the crap about body language so move around alot like you are really "moved" by the piece you have played a million times already, dress nice, have the attitude of a humble winner. Wear a vest or something to set you apart. Take your time when you sit down, just count to 30 just for the hell of it to make them think you are meditating. They'll wait
This is show biz, not technique. That's why player systems are not winning competitions hahah.