Classical Sonata Movement for Audition?

[chopianista]

Hi! I'm transferring and auditioning for a Music Performance program at a state school in January. I need to play a few pieces and would like some advice - I'm planning on playing:
Prelude and Fugue No. 2 in C Minor and Sibelius's Romance, Op. 24, No. 9.
I also need to play a movement from a classical sonata - any suggestions for a suitably challenging, but manageable piece? I have played pieces like Rachmaninov's Prelude in C# Minor, the Gigue from Bach's French Suite No. 5, and am working on Chopin's Nocturne in C# Minor.
Thanks for your help!

[werq34ac]

Are you sure you only need to play one movement? Most schools I've looked at require the whole thing.. And also don't you need a romantic work? Or if the Sibelius is your romantic work, then a contemporary piece?

Anyway, based purely on your repertoire and the Beethoven sonatas I've read through
Op. 2/1 I hate this sonata, but it's around the level of the Rach prelude.
Op 10/1 slightly harder, but still manageable
Op 31/1 1st movement, fun piece, similar in level to 10/1, perhaps a bit harder?
Op 13 I would rank it slightly above 31/1
Op 49/1 and 2 I would definitely avoid these since most colleges won't accept them for being too easy
Op 79 same thing
And I hear 14/1 and 14/2 are pretty easy.

[fftransform]

Are you sure you only need to play one movement? Most schools I've looked at require the whole thing.

No.  Most conservatories do.  From the repertoire listed above, I think it's safe to say that s/he's not auditioning for a conservatory.


I would suggest the last movement of Mozart's K. 280.

[chopianista]

Yeah, I'm not auditioning for a conservatory - I'm auditioning for a SUNY university. I have to play a piece by Bach - the P&F no. 2, a 19th/20th century piece - the Sibelius Romance, and only one movement of a classical sonata. I actually started working on Beethoven's Sonata no. 27, Op. 90, movement 2, but I'm finding a few parts of it a bit challenging, I think I'll keep working with it and see...but I do want to have a back-up in case it's not polished enough by then.
Btw, do any of you know how demanding public school music departments tend to be? Am I correct in thinking that they're generally pretty lenient?

[bachbrahmsschubert]

You're auditioning this January and still haven't selected all of your repertoire? Egad! I recommend you keep working on the Beethoven you selected and not try to pick up something else. If you do pick up something else, 2 months prior to an audition is not ample time to learn something as complicated as Beethoven or Schubert. Maybe Mozart, but I'm thinking more along the lines of Haydn.

Best of luck.

[49410enrique]

with your timeline, I suggest you go with a slower movement, generally the faster ones take a bit more time for the finger kinetics to gel...

have a listen and read through the 2nd movement of the Mozart Sonata No 2 in F major the 3rd movement was suggested above, the slow one is so pretty and very effective when executed properly, really really lovely, pianist, Uchida.

[werq34ac]

with your timeline, I suggest you go with a slower movement, generally the faster ones take a bit more time for the finger kinetics to gel...

have a listen and read through the 2nd movement of the Mozart Sonata No 2 in F major the 3rd movement was suggested above, the slow one is so pretty and very effective when executed properly, really really lovely, pianist, Uchida.

I find the 2nd movements of sonatas harder to learn than the first movements or the third movements. It's a bit tiring to hear time after time that the 2nd movements are the easiest when really they are more like the hardest. Remember that music is not just notes and just playing the notes won't get you anywhere.

[49410enrique]

I find the 2nd movements of sonatas harder to learn than the first movements or the third movements. It's a bit tiring to hear time after time that the 2nd movements are the easiest when really they are more like the hardest. Remember that music is not just notes and just playing the notes won't get you anywhere.

good points. no one is arguing against them.  i am sorry you read something i didn't type.  i said with the time line given, the 2nd movement gives a better opportunity for success from a mechanical standpoint since generally (i.e. most of the time for many people) getting speed and accuracy tends to take a bit longer.

i actually agree that from a musicality standpoint the slower moveents are more difficult over all (i.e the 2nd movement to Beethoven Op 10 No. 1 is a great example,) (but for different reasons which tend not to be as time limited), which is another reason i suggested it since this 2nd movement from the F major sonata has some very beautiful music and gives the auditioner some wonderful places to showcase interpretive skills since after all we want to impress to the jury that the pianist is ready and capable of advanced study at the school.

again we are all trying to help here with giving our views, but in the future try not to change the meaning of what others type/say.  no one here is trying to be antagonistic so please don't feel my response is aggressive or against you in any way, just trying to clarify my side of it and i apologize if i was not clear enough initially, so i accept 50% of the blame on the miscommunication.

[werq34ac]

Ah I see where you are coming from, according to the timeline a second movement would be easier to get under the fingers. However I disagree that speed and accuracy usually take longer to get under your fingers than musical interpretation. Everyday in the practice room one can find something to refine about their interpretation no matter how long they've had the piece. It's a huge risk playing a piece like that - impressing the judges is based purely on interpretation and musicality and if one is lacking, then it most certainly will not impress the judges. It's sort of an all or nothing with that sort of piece.

However, I do apologize for being antagonistic, it was a stressful day yesterday. You shouldn't accept half the blame, it was my fault for making assumptions. In the future I shall be politer.

[49410enrique]

Ah I see where you are coming from, according to the timeline a second movement would be easier to get under the fingers. However I disagree that speed and accuracy usually take longer to get under your fingers than musical interpretation. Everyday in the practice room one can find something to refine about their interpretation no matter how long they've had the piece. It's a huge risk playing a piece like that - impressing the judges is based purely on interpretation and musicality and if one is lacking, then it most certainly will not impress the judges. It's sort of an all or nothing with that sort of piece.

However, I do apologize for being antagonistic, it was a stressful day yesterday. You shouldn't accept half the blame, it was my fault for making assumptions. In the future I shall be politer.

no worries man. yeah i guess it also depends on where you're strengths lie, with me at least i think "God has a sense of humor" in that I tend to feel, see, and hear the interpretive and expressive side of music well before my hands decide to come along for the ride lol.

again we're cool man.

[chopianista]

Thanks for all the advice! Yeah, I realize I'm a tad bit late on starting (hey, I'm Polish...it's kind of our national trait to do everything last-minute ). I think I'll stick with the Beethoven Sonata I've been working on and also work on that Mozart Sonata, I pretty much have the other pieces down pretty well, so I have I'll have time to work on them. Thanks again!