How does this program look?

[chaos3737]

Chopin: Etude Op. 10 No. 12 "Revolutionary"
Bach: Goldberg Variations, Aria
Ravel: Sonatine, I Modere
Liszt: Consolations, III Lento Placido
Kapustin: Toccatina Op. 40 No. 3

How does this program look for competition?  I'm getting started for next year.  I picked the Chopin and Kapustin for virtuosity, the Bach and Liszt for musicality, and the Ravel to show maturity.

[pianisten1989]

Is it a big competition?

Well, here are my thoughts:

1. Chopin is fine. But since is one of the most played etudes, you have to play it really well.
2. The Aria from Goldberg is on the other hand not fine at all. It's a masterpiece, but it's also the theme of a set of variations. If the ravel shows maturity, picking the theme from a variation piece shows great immaturity, sorry..
3. Ravel. Again, why only 1 movement? Ravel wrote a bunch of single movement pieces, pick one of them. ravel pavane pour une infante defunte is very beautiful.
4. Liszt. Maybe not my favourite of Liszt works, but I guess you could play that..
5. Kapustin. I don't know this work very well, but that's is a good piece.

So everything is good except the Bach and the Ravel.

[chaos3737]

I picked the Ravel because a competition requirement is one movement from a sonata.  Weird, I know 
So why does playing a theme from a set of variations show immaturity?  And instead of the Aria, what would you recommend?  One of the pieces has to be baroque, I need something baroque that's either musically or technically impressive.  I just finished the Bach c minor fantasia, so something like that might be a good choice.

[pianisten1989]

Oh... Well, then I guess they mean any of the classical sonatas.
Go for the fantasia then, it's a great piece.

The aria shows immaturity because it will show that you don't really care about context.

[chaos3737]

Ok, thanks! 

[lostinidlewonder]

Personally I do advocate for performance NOT playing complete movements or variations of a larger work. Some people are very set in their ways that if they perform a piece it must be the entire collection, I think there is no rule stating that you must do this. I had some people critique and ask me personally why I do this and how it is annoying and wrong but I tell them if they want to hear the entire set go listen to a CD. A performance is for the performer first and foremost, you want to present something that you like and you enjoy and feel confident with. I would be annoyed attending a concert where they played the entire Goldberg but wouldn't mind hearing sections of it. Just my 2 cents.

[iratior]

The trouble with doing the Aria from the Goldberg Variations is that a lot of people will expect the variations to be heard after the aria.  My suggestion:  Handel, Gigue from Suite VIII in F-minor.

[pianisten1989]

Personally I do advocate for performance NOT playing complete movements or variations of a larger work. Some people are very set in their ways that if they perform a piece it must be the entire collection, I think there is no rule stating that you must do this. I had some people critique and ask me personally why I do this and how it is annoying and wrong but I tell them if they want to hear the entire set go listen to a CD. A performance is for the performer first and foremost, you want to present something that you like and you enjoy and feel confident with. I would be annoyed attending a concert where they played the entire Goldberg but wouldn't mind hearing sections of it. Just my 2 cents.

I don't really agree with you, but I can accept it. Though, this is a competition, and not the best place to to such a... "bold" statement. The judges will probably think as the people asking you, but he wont have the authority to tell them anything...

[gerryjay]

I don't really agree with you, but I can accept it. Though, this is a competition, and not the best place to to such a... "rough" statement. The judges will probably think as the people asking you, but he wont have the authority to tell them anything...

Pianisten is right. I am very fond of trying anything on stage, because the standard way is...well...standard! Nevertheless, a judge by definition is someone who applies the law. In that case, the law is very clear: complete works are good; not complete works are not.

Best regards,
Jay.

[lostinidlewonder]

I considered performing as a whole not really competitions. However I think it is difficult to judge whether it is better to play isolated parts of a piece like a selection from variations, single movements of a sonata, parts of etudes or other works etc, or to play their complete collection is any better. If a competition requires that you present a variety of playing styles then small selections are often ok. If there is a particular period or composer that is focused on in the competition then you may have to more carefully consider. I guess it is very personal but to be on the safe side for competition you probably may want to avoid playing isolated pieces, although I still wonder why selections of etudes are not frowned upon and often encouraged.

[chaos3737]

Wow, I didn't expect this thread to turn the way it did 
To stay on the safe side, I'll probably choose a different baroque.  Any recommendations?  I tend towards stuff that's either virtuosic (Bach fantasia in c minor) or melancholy (Scarlatti K87).

[iratior]

Another Handel number could be the Gigue from Suite III.  It's in D-minor.  But what time of day is the concert?  That could factor into calculations of what would be a good piece.

[nanabush]

So playing the complete WTK is good, and one prelude and fugue is bad?

What law says that you have to play complete works?  He's only required one movement from a sonata, so right there in the rules it's not asking for the complete work... I think 'complete work' varies massively from person to person. 

Anyways... the 1st movement of the Sonatine is a stretch from 'sonata movement', especially because you don't have a classical piece in your program. 

Kapustin is neat though.  If you are able to play this then you'll get a great reaction!

[mlbbaseball]

Chopin: Etude Op. 10 No. 12 "Revolutionary"
Bach: Goldberg Variations, Aria
Ravel: Sonatine, I Modere
Liszt: Consolations, III Lento Placido
Kapustin: Toccatina Op. 40 No. 3

How does this program look for competition?  I'm getting started for next year.  I picked the Chopin and Kapustin for virtuosity, the Bach and Liszt for musicality, and the Ravel to show maturity.

The Consolation is significantly easier than the rest of the pieces. You might want to pick a piece that combines musicality with virtuosity. Ballade no. 1 by Chopin comes to mind, but having two well-known Chopin pieces is a barrier. How about The Lark by Glinka-Balakirev. It's a little difficult, though.

Also consider a Well-Tempered Clavier prelude and fugue. No. 9 from Book 1 is good because it has a fast fugue showing fingerwork and a beautiful slow prelude. Try to stay away from overplayed ones such as Book 1 no. 2 in c minor, no. 5 in D major, and no. 21 in B flat major.