My CD Debut

[franz_]

I plan to record my first cd within this and 4/5 months.
I need your advice concerning the repertoire, what whould you like to hear/buy more? What is a better choice as a debut CD for a young artist? Please tell me your ideas. The options:

What is sure: 24 preludes of Scriabin and 2 Nocturnes of Scriabin.

This makes totally a good 40 minutes, so I need about 20 minutes more.

Having my learned repertoire in mind and wanting to have a coherent cd, I thought about 3 different ideas:
- or to complete the CD only with Scriabin. But the thing is that I haven't played a big work of him (I did his 4th sonata, but I'm not enough satisfied to put it on a cd yet) , so mainly it will consist of 20 minutes of smaller works (etudes, mazurkas, pieces,..)

- or to complete those 20 minutes with Chopin (may be rondo, may be 1st scherzo, some waltzes)

- or to complete it with Prokofiev's 7th sonata. (which will be a hard job to record but still possible I believe).


Tell me all your ideas honnestly, as it is an important decision to make. Even if you have an other idea to complete those 20 minutes.

I thank you!!

[franz_]

ah comon guys... i want your advice   

[lelle]

I have a CD where Richter plays Chopin and Scriabin, and it works out pretty well. I'd suggest you put Chopin first and Scriabin after. Middle-late Chopin should work with early Scriabin like the preludes

[franz_]

Thank you. I'll consider it, although my Chopin repertoire consists mosty of his earlier opuses.

More opinions are welcome.

[franz_]

1 answer. What kind of forum is this...

[richard black]

It's the kind of forum where people are reluctant to take decisions like that for you! It's quite a hard question to advise on, really. Apart from anything else, what are you going to do with this CD? Most likely, in practice, I imagine you will end up selling most of them yourself, at concerts or maybe off a personal website, in which case you just want a nice attractive programme. CD shops prefer single-composer discs but CD shops are shutting up at an alarming rate in most countries.

Here's my 2-penn'orth - since you're putting in preludes and nocturnes of Scriabin, and you suggest Chopin, why not make the Chopin contribution more preludes and nocturnes? Gives it some sort of theme.

[franz_]

It's the kind of forum where people are reluctant to take decisions like that for you! It's quite a hard question to advise on, really. Apart from anything else, what are you going to do with this CD? Most likely, in practice, I imagine you will end up selling most of them yourself, at concerts or maybe off a personal website, in which case you just want a nice attractive programme. CD shops prefer single-composer discs but CD shops are shutting up at an alarming rate in most countries.

Here's my 2-penn'orth - since you're putting in preludes and nocturnes of Scriabin, and you suggest Chopin, why not make the Chopin contribution more preludes and nocturnes? Gives it some sort of theme.

Thank you for the answer!
Indeed, you're right concerning the selling of the cd. 
About the Chopin adding, I thought about it, but I don't want to add a selection of Chopin preludes. If I play all 24 of Scriabin on a cd, I want to put all 24 preludes of Chopin on the cd as well, or none of them.

Which CD would attract you most to buy? or as a concept?

Thanks.

[richard black]

The thing is that if I'm buying a CD of a young artist, direct from him/her, I would simply want some attractive music on it. I would be buying it basically out of interest in the artist rather than the music, unless the music was something I didn't know and wanted to. Having said that, why not put something on it (maybe something short) that people are unlikely to know? Maybe you have something suitable already?

[soitainly]

 Since this is just a personal preference type of question I will give my personal preference. I prefer albums that either have a large variety, or one composer. I don't like albums with mostly one composer and then a couple of oddball pieces, even if from the same style. It feels like an afterthought to hear those other pieces, just like you are saying, oh I need to fill a few more minutes so I will throw something on there that I know. I think it would be much better to finish out the CD with Scriabin, leave the Chopin for another time.

[1234_life_1234]

Also, to increase sales you should put it on itunes as an album and also allow people to purchase each individual piece. When I buy music, I usually buy the individual pieces that I want rather than go to a store and buy an entire CD. Technology these days makes buying music at home so convenient 

For my personal opinion, I agree with solitainly about doing just one composer. When I DO actually buy CDs, I always look specifically for certain composers rather than a variety of works (that's just me though... I don't know how other people shop for music)

[franz_]

Thanks for the ideas. As for Itunes, a very good suggestion. But I'm not good with all those technologigy. Can anyone who wants put his music for sale on Itunes?

So you think it is no problem to combine the preludes with a variety of smaller works? It won't be too much a 'pot-pouri' of Scriabin?

And what about the Preludes and the Prokofievs 7th sonata, to have some 'Russian' theme?

[1234_life_1234]

I've only known one person who uploaded his music to itunes so I'm not too sure how that works, but I found this article online that you could read through: https://homerecording.about.com/od/duplicatingdistributing/a/Get_On_iTunes.htm
I'm sure if you just search it online, you'll be able to understand how it works.

Personally, I feel like having 24 Scriabin works and then a random Prokofiev sonata would be, well, random. It'd be better to just make it the 24 and 2 nocturnes and keep it at 40 minutes than to add random music just for the time. Not to be harsh, but having a single Prokofiev sonata does not make it a Russian theme... it makes it a Scriabin theme with one Prokofiev sonata. Do you know how many nocturnes Scriabin wrote? Maybe you could play all of them.

Of course, you don't want to just choose random Scriabin works, either. Choose something that will complement the rest of your music and will also feel like it fits. Perhaps choose another "set" of something, like how you have his entire set of preludes and his set of nocturnes.

But this is all my own personal opinion... If you truly want to add other composer's works, then feel free to! It's your CD, and people probably won't decide not to buy it simply because it has a Prokofiev Sonata on it.

[gerryjay]

Dear Frank,
a CD - particularly the debut album - is a business card. And that is the important thing about a recording: to promote your career some way. Of course the way you play have a role, as well as the graphic project, etc. But the fundamental point is: what pianist you are? Perhaps I can phrase it even better: what pianist do you want to promote?

I am telling you that because I think you must decide it now. A full Scriabin album is a direction; a mixed Chopin-Scriabin is another; the Prokofiev-Scriabin is a third one. To be honest, I don't think either is the best idea.

1. First and foremost, I do believe in commitment. If you want to sell your Scriabin, don't do it halfway. Some preludes, some other pieces and another composer just to fill up the album...well, I won't buy it probably. If you are confident enough of your Scriabin playing, put a Sonata (to give your project strength) and find a couple of very seldom played works, and go to it! An all-Scriabin Cd, some all-Scriabin recitals, if you are lucky some Scriabin lectures or masterclasses, perhaps an article or a book.

2. Of course, this assumes you really have something cool to say with his music.

3. Avoid Chopin, please. There are so many pianists that did play and do play Chopin well that your chances to have some spotlight with his music is practically non existent. Notice that I never did listen to you playing Chopin, and perhaps you might have - unlikely, but you might - the most outstanding performance ever. Even so, I would not buy another Chopin CD: I have plenty of them.

4. The Prokofiev is not something to the debut album, unless you have a great producer and don't have any single issue with this work. Assuming that it is probably not the case, save that sonata for your third album. Then, recording will be a nice process.

All that said - my very personal opinion - if you don't want to go with all-Scriabin, then go with a wide selection. A mix of four composers with 20 minutes each is probably the best way to show your work and your recital vein. Then, even Chopin is possible.

Best regards,
Jay.

[asiantraveller101]

Since this is just a personal preference type of question I will give my personal preference. I prefer albums that either have a large variety, or one composer. I don't like albums with mostly one composer and then a couple of oddball pieces, even if from the same style. It feels like an afterthought to hear those other pieces, just like you are saying, oh I need to fill a few more minutes so I will throw something on there that I know. I think it would be much better to finish out the CD with Scriabin, leave the Chopin for another time.

Personally, I tend to gravitate towards what soitainly says. I tend to buy cds with music from one composer. I will only buy the "potpourri style" if it is a recording of a known/famous recital, or from someone that I already know. So, IMHO, stick to Scriabin, even if they are smaller works. 

[mousekowski]

Why not do some Scriabin Mazurkas too? You'd emphasise the influence of Chopin even more than just playing Preludes and Nocturnes. If you like the 4th Sonata, you'll love the Op.40 Mazurkas.