''Show Pieces''

[chopinlover23]

I wouldn't say I'm a Virtuoso Pianist or anything but I'm preparing for a competition next year.. Can anyone please suggest me some ''Show-Pieces'' or piano pieces that really captivate the audience and the judges..... nothing for virtuoso, but for an advanced student. I'm considering Solfeggietto by C.P.E Bach and Revolutionary Etude by Chopin.... as for the concerto part, something manageable.

Luke

Thanks!! CHECK the quotes for what I'm working on =D

Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum by Debussy and Capriccio from the C minor Partita by J.S. Bach

[gerryjay]

dear luke,
how many time available do you have? how many pieces you want/must play? i ask you that because there are tons of possibilities out there, and i wonder about what will help you most, imho.
best regards,
jay.

[chopinlover23]

For the 1st round a 15 minute performance free choice of repertoire as long as it is a high level piece and from the different era of music
2nd round a 30 minute recital, again same rules apply as for the 1st round
3rd round we'll be playing a complete concerto of our choice or based on the suggested ones with an accompanist.

Luke

[chopinlover23]

dear luke,
how many time available do you have? how many pieces you want/must play? i ask you that because there are tons of possibilities out there, and i wonder about what will help you most, imho.
best regards,
jay.

I've answered your question, please suggest!! Thanks so Much for helping

[gerryjay]

and what do you have decided so far? or are you starting fresh?

for the 3rd round, a mozart concerto could be just fine. another option may be grieg's.

[chopinlover23]

For the 1st Round I'm considering:

Bach- Prelude and Fugue in C no. 1 from WTC
C.P.E. Bach- Solfeggietto
Mozart- Turkish March ''Rondo alla Turca''
Chopin- Revolutionary Etude and the ''Waterfall Etude''
Debussy- Golliwog's Cakewalk

that's all.... just for 1st round and its a mix of fresh and new repertoire and my old ones

[omar_roy]

For some reason, I doubt your ability to handle either of the Chopin etudes you mention, when the rest of your program consists of fairly elementary repertoire.

[chopinlover23]

Ohh OK!! so can you suggest something you know sparkling...?

How bout this I replace the Bach Prelude and Fugue with Capriccio from the C minor Partita
The Mozart Sonata mvt. with Waldstein
Keep the 2 Etudes then Golliwog's Cakewalk? what do you think...

[gerryjay]

luke,
i must agree with omar: there is some problem with your repertory. i mean, waldstein?!?

anyway, there is room for improvement. the solfeggietto is probably a bad idea. then, i think that the cakewalk by itself (without the rest of the suite), and specially after the chopin is not interesting.

if you really are confortable with bach, it is a great choice. if you want to go standard, use it to open your section; if not, in another position.

i'll have a serious doubt about the sense of isolated movements in a situation like this (which applies to the mozart and debussy, but not to chopin). i think the idea is to play complete works: if you want to play a sonata, you may use the second round.

so, notice that i am brainstorming here, a prelude and fugue and a couple of etudes by chopin are great (though very standard) options. i will choose a lengthy, 20th century piece to complete the repertory:
- bach
- 20th century work
- chopin

that would be nice and dandy. for the second round, half an hour means that you are expected to play a complete major work, most likely a sonata, or - as second option - a suite, a theme and variations, or a huge piece. i would go with the sonata, specially if it is your first time around. definitely not the waldstein, neither mozart's 331 for that matter. what entire sonatas do you play?

well, many ideas. what do you think about it?

best regards,
jay.

[chopinlover23]

these are the sonatas I can play with complete movements

Scarlatti- Keyboard Sonata K.141
Beethoven- Moonlight Sonata and Pathetique Sonata
Mozart- Sonata K331 and Piano Sonata K545

that's all I'm working on Liszt's Sonata now.. and a few sonata movements.

What do you think?

[omar_roy]

You suggest playing CPE Bach's Solfegietto in C Minor for a competition, and then state that you're working on Liszt's Sonata?

Sorry, I don't buy it.

[gerryjay]

Well, although Omar have quite a point over here, I'll follow my brainstorm, because I find it amusing...

So, you have Beethoven's opus 13. I'd rather dismiss the others because they don't fit your needs: Scarlatti is not full-classical, Mozart's 545 is "the easiest one" - a label that won't help -, K. 331 don't have a sonata form movement, and Beethoven's opus 27/2 have its first movement, which I can't imagine any jury in the planet eager to listen to.

Opus 13 is highly standard repertory, but could work nonetheless. It can show your personality in a clear, straightforward, sonata environment. You have an allegro first (with a mighty structure that provides lot of room for showing off your skills), a cantabile second, and a rondo third. Timing varies, but you'll probably be around 16-18 minutes, what is very good: it gives weight to your 30 minutes recital, but leaves room for contrast.

What do you think about that?

Best regards,
Jay.

Oh... drop the Liszt. If you have played only this five sonatas, I guess that you need a pile of another works before attempting - with any chance of success - the b minor one.

[chopinlover23]

You suggest playing CPE Bach's Solfegietto in C Minor for a competition, and then state that you're working on Liszt's Sonata?

Sorry, I don't buy it.

I already know Solfegietto, I just thought it would be a show piece to impress the judges, the Liszt Sonata is what I'm currently working on...

[scott13]

Have to agree with Omar here, the Sonatas you currently play are absolutely no-where near the level of Liszt's Sonata. I would suggest waiting to enter competitions until you are able to handle higher-level sonatas. Also at your current level i highly doubt you would pass the 1st round, let-alone attempting any piano concerto.

[chopinlover23]

What's wrong with the repertoire?, I mean, this competition is for people in my age category (13-15. I'm not a virtuoso pianist but I'm at an advanced level. and this competition is not for professionals but outstanding young amateurs.

[pianisten1989]

The thing that is wrong with your repertoire is:

1. Moonlight and Pathetique. Why not pick fur elise and Ballade pour Adelin as encores?
Don't pick the 2 most overplayed sonatas when you have 32 to chose from? The jury has probably heard those two at least a billion times. You have to play them better than Kempff, Gilels and Arrau combined if you want them to even notice you.
2. Solfegietto isn't a piece for outstanding amateurs. I'm not saying that you only should play difficult pieces, but this one is probably a bit too easy - especially for 13-15 y.o And it's not a show piece. If you're playing the Liszt sonata (which you probably should leave for another couple of years) you should know that.
3. Turkish March? I mean, bacially everything you play is so massively overplayed that you actually make a travesty of a concert pianist, which isn't a good thing in competitions.
4. It's too all over the place. If you play revolutionary etude, you shouldn't play Bach C-major and solfegietto. When I saw it I thought like "Is he actually able to play pieces like the revolutionary etude, or is that one of those works he's been practising for 11 years to finish?". And the jury will probably think something like that.

I don't want to make you feel bad, but it's probably a good idea to prepare a program that has a bit more thinking behind it.

[chopinlover23]

Thanks so much, pianisten I learned a lot from you!! You did'nt make me feel bad, you're right my repertoire needs more thinking. The contest isnt due till next year, I'm just preparing early... Thanks

can you suggest good repertoire for me? pianisten I'd love your advice

[pianisten1989]

Well, I don't know what you've played, how you play, and what your strengths and weaknesses are.
In a program, you should show as many as your strengths as you possibly can. It should also be a wide range of pieces, from baroque to, at least, impressionism. You should show that you are capable of handling a major romantic work (at least 10 minutes) but also smaller ones, like a nocturne or waltz.
Try not to pick too well-known works, since you will have to play them in an extraordinary way to get good response, though, you shouldn't play too unfamiliar pieces either.. But that's probably not going to happen.
Try to show both musical and technical strengths.

Hope it helps...

[asiantraveller101]

Drop the CPE Bach and Mozart. Solfeggietto is not competition material. And the Mozart is overplayed and cliche-ish. For Debussy, add a few more from the same set, for contrast; and overall it gives a better conception. Choose a different Mozart sonata, or really brush up on your Beethoven. Why not a Haydn sonata? More unique and less heard, thus gives you an extra edge. If you want to do Scarlatti, again you need you to play at least 2 for contrast, which is a common thing to do. You are not too early to start preparing for the competition. Sometimes it takes years to prepare for a major competition. Hopefully the ones you learn now will also be used in future competitions. Do choose wisely. 
As Geeryjay says, a Mozart concerto would be nice; or a Beethoven, maybe the 2nd or 3rd?
Hope I am of help.
Best of luck!

[chopinlover23]

I'm considering the following pieces to play... what do you think?

1ST ROUND: 15-18 minutes plus pauses

Prelude and Fugue in C minor from Well Tempered Clavier- J.S. Bach
Etude op. 10 no. 2, Chopin
Etude op. 10 no. 5, Chopin * not yet memorized
Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum, Debussy
Golliwog's Cakewalk, Debussy


2ND ROUND: 30 minutes plus pauses

Capriccio from Partita no. 2- J.S. Bach *not yet memorized
Keyboard Sonata K141- Domenico Scarlatti
Mozart Sonata no. 1 in C all movements
Gnomenreigen- Liszt
Prelude no. 1- George Gershwin

3RD ROUND: CONCERTO

Beethoven Piano Concerto no. 1- memorized and mastered

[pianisten1989]

If you play them well, I think it's a good program. Do you play the 10/2 well, or do you think you'll have time to learn it? It's a really difficult one, even if it doesn't look like it.

[andante_con_moto]

Gnomenreigen is also very difficult. Especially compared to the standard of some of the other pieces you have chosen. Have you already played it?

[chopinlover23]

I've already learned The 2 Chopin Etudes and the Liszt but not that very accurate... Still need time to work though Thanks for all the Help!! Appreciate it =D

Cheers,

Luke

[asiantraveller101]

The program looks better already, after your countless revision! 
I am glad that you are willing to modify your program to many of the suggestions. Play impeccably flawless, even if your pieces are not as "difficult" as other contestants. Remember you gotta "wow" in the first round already, if not all the hard work for subsequent rounds are....?
Love Mozart Sonata No. 1, not often played. Best of luck to you!