Example of a moderately difficult grade 8 piece

[jaystorey]

I'm an amateur pianist and an amateur writer, and I'm writing a story about someone entering a grade 8 level piano competition. I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a good grade 8 level piece for my fictional student to play. The piece should be relatively difficult, but not out of line with what a student at that level would play.

Ideally the piece would have one particularly difficult section that the student might get stuck on.

I'd also prefer that the piece was by a composer that the average reader would recognize.

[quantum]

Welcome to Pianostreet!

You may wish to check the forum for threads like: "Am I ready to play [insert piece here]".  There are many of them, and some pieces tend to be asked about frequently in this manner. 

You could also search for threads on repertoire recommendations for exams or competitions. 

What part of the world would this fictional grade 8 student be competing in?  Grade 8 in one locale may not equate to the difficulty of grade 8 in another locale.  At least knowing the country the student is in would help us point you to the commonly used grading system in that place. 

[elfish]

I would recommend "The Mysterious Barricades" by Couperin 

[ajspiano]

beethoven - pastorale sonata Op. 28 - movement 1.

difficulty - getting the melody to sing out above the acompaniment which requires the student to play with different fingers with different volumes in the one hand..  i particularly like the sound of the section bars 90-102 roughly..  though its littered everywhere..

the piece is listed under Grade 8 for the AMEB

[jaystorey]

The story takes place in western Canada -  in Victoria, BC, to be exact.

[oxy60]

How about Pictures at an Exhibition? At least a reader might have heard it or heard of it.

[suniil]

Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune any good?

[timothy42b]

Kitty on the Keys?

[patrickd]

Schubert Impromptu op 90 no 3?

[oxy60]

Schubert Impromptu op 90 no 3?

Groan... Only a piano major would have (memories) of that.

[starstruck5]

   Interesting. Could you post the story when you have finished it.

 I don't think in the UK there are serious competitions  at the grade 8 level - although the Welsh Eisteddfod -has a piano comp I believe -

I would suggest raising  the level to International Piano Competition - that way you can get a lot of information from watching past competitions on YouTube - then if you google master classes and tutorials on various virtuoso pieces -you can become enlightened on some quite subtle technical issues and interpretive challenges different pieces give.

For example - the Liszt La Campanella study is renowned for its demonic leaps and lightness of touch - The Chopin Studies have different technical challenges in each one - the Liszt Sonata is a tour de force in pianistsic athleticism and stamina.

If you decide on this approach you can also ask for specific piece orietated feedback on these forums.