Piano Forum

Topic: Solo intermediate/advanced piece that can be learnt quickly?  (Read 3872 times)

Offline schmetterling69

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 5
Hey everyone i'm new to pianostreet and this is my first post...YAY  :D

Anyway, I have a bit of a dilemma. I have been asked to play in a concert at the end of June but I don't really have anything to play  :-\
I know I could just refuse but I don't want to let my teacher down and I'd like to do something (I'm trying to perform as often as possible to overcome stage fright!).
Therefore, I am looking for a piece that can be learnt in a month  :P Nothing too difficult please, I am grade 7-8 level but maybe something around 6 would be a better bet for such a close performance! I am prepared to put a lot of work in (approx an hour a day, maybe longer).
So I am open to pretty much any suggestions. There isn't a single composer I would rule out; I like everyone from Schubert to Bartok  ;) In fact, I started learning Schubert's Impromptu No. 2 in E Flat the other day and it's going pretty well - if I had started it earlier I would have opted to play that. High on the list are Bartok's Six Romanian Folk Dances; I have heard they are not too difficult (though seeing them being played I beg to differ, I have not yet seen the score though!).
My other option is Debussy's La fille avec des cheveux de lin (excuse my french) which isn't perfect at the moment but I reckon I could get it up to speed in time  :)
Oh, and I played Chopin's 'Raindrop' Prelude 15 in the last concert so maybe no Chopin!
Many thanks and apologies for such a long post! xx

Offline pianisten1989

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1515
You probably need more than one hour a day... But here are some suggestions:
Btw, is it a super serious concert, were you have to play full works?
If not:

Bach: Some of the preludes&fugues without the fugues. C major, c minor or whatever you like
Beethoven: First movement from Moonlight sonata
Mozart: Kv 545, maybe some of the slow movements.
Chopin: Preludes e minor, a minor, c minor... Waltzes: Both of the a minor.

I'm not a big fan of playing random pieces and only a few movements, but I know how it's like to not have time to prepare anything major.

Offline aintgotnorhythm

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 58
Also you might consider a Scarlatti sonata, e.g. K198, or Harvey's Rumba Toccata which was a Grade 6 piece from a few years back (good exercise for crossed hands and repeated notes). Both of these are quite short and easy to sight read/learn and can still be played effectively at a slightly slower speed if you don't have enough time.

Offline schmetterling69

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 5
Well I am still at school with a few gcses coming up so not sure I can afford more than an hour a day apart from weekends and upcoming half term  :( i will do my best though!
It isn't a majorly serious concert just a school thing :) so no i don't need to do a full work! Thank heavens! I know some of the suggested pieces and like most of the ones so far, so thank you very much  :D

Any comments on the pieces I mentioned at first? xx
For more information about this topic, click search below!

Piano Street Magazine:
When Practice Stagnates – Breaking the Performance Ceiling: Robotic Training for Pianists

“Practice makes perfect” is a common mantra for any pianist, but we all know it’s an oversimplification. While practice often leads to improvement, true perfection is elusive. But according to recent research, a robotic exoskeleton hand could help pianists improve their speed of performing difficult pianistic patterns, by overcoming the well-known “ceiling effect”. Read more
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert