Advice on expanding repertoire

[helios16]

Hi all!

I've been playing on and off for a while now and have (broadly) the following repertoire to a reasonable standard (some pieces clearly more rusty than others!):

Bach:  WTC 2 - Prelude & Fugue 12
Chopin: Etudes Op 10.4 & Op 25. 1
Beethoven: Waldstein & Appassionata sonatas
Mozart: Fantasy in C Minor
Rachmaninov: Prelude Op 32. 12
Schubert: G-major Impromptu & the 3rd Moment Musicaux
Schumann: 1st Fantasiestucke, some of the Kinderscenen

I know it boils down to musical tastes, but in order to improve technique, where would people go next?  Am conscious that am probably a bit light from a Baroque and Impressionist perspective.

Thanks!

[49410enrique]

i think either of the two 'quirky' debussy preludes from vol i and ii present some very nice contrast to what you're working on right now and there's some neat techniques you'll have to develop to get the right sound and character picture to come through effectively,

and/or (honestly i would do both)

[prongated]

Prescriptively;

Liszt
Paganini Etude #6 in a minor
Rigoletto Paraphrase
Dante Fantasy (eventually)

Debussy
Images bk. II

Ravel
Jeux d'Eau
Miroirs (eventually)

[jgallag]

Buy a repertoire guide. The standard one is by Maurice Hinson. Also, go listen to lots of different things and see what you like. I'm sure you know all the standard composers. Many people post their current projects in their signatures, and you have a list below of some great pieces. I'm assuming by the way you talk that playing the piano is not your profession. Therefore, you have no need to play music that you're not interested in (most professionals don't play music they don't like anyways), so as far as actual playing goes I would try to drop the "eat your broccoli" mentality. On the flip side, I believe it sometimes occurs where you find yourself playing a piece you didn't initially love and it grows on you as you learn it. Mostly, though, I would encourage you to listen to as much as you can, and play the pieces that you love. You will acquire the technique you need to play the pieces as you learn them. That said, having a teacher help you put them in some kind of order can keep you from overwhelming yourself with a piece where you need to learn a lot of technique.

As far as recommendations:
Grieg - Lyric Pieces
Macdowell - Woodland Sketches, Sea Pieces
Debussy - everything, but easier ones are Suite Bergamasque, Children's Corner, Pour Le Piano, Deux Arabesques, Reverie
Ravel - Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, A la maniere de Chabrier/Borodin, Menuet sur le Nom de Haydn, Menuet Antique, Le Tombeau de Couperin (the Prelude and Toccata are very advanced, though), Sonatine
Lizst - Valse Oubliee No. 1
Chopin - all
Mozart - Variations on "Ah! Vous dirai-je maman" (I enjoyed playing this so much)
Bach Italian Concerto, Prelude and Fugue in a minor from book II
Beethoven Sonata Op. 14 No. 1, Op. 13
Chabrier - Pieces Pittoresques
Sibelius - Op. 85
Barber - Excursions
Bartok - Six Roumanian Folk Dances, Mikrokosmos
Prokofiev - Visions Fugitives, Romeo and Juliet Suite
Shostakovich - Preludes

Is that enough listening? haha

[quantum]

Tune in to one of the online piano radio stations.  When you hear something you like, make a note of it. 

[prongated]

I know it boils down to musical tastes, but in order to improve technique, where would people go next?

So,

As far as recommendations:
Grieg - Lyric Pieces
Macdowell - Woodland Sketches, Sea Pieces
Debussy - Suite Bergamasque, Children's Corner, Pour Le Piano, Deux Arabesques, Reverie
Ravel - A la maniere de Chabrier/Borodin, Menuet sur le Nom de Haydn, Menuet Antique

Lizst - Valse Oubliee No. 1

Mozart - Variations on "Ah! Vous dirai-je maman" (I enjoyed playing this so much)

Chabrier - Pieces Pittoresques
Sibelius - Op. 85

Bartok - Six Roumanian Folk Dances, Mikrokosmos
Prokofiev - Visions Fugitives, Romeo and Juliet Suite
Shostakovich - Preludes

No.

[helios16]

Thanks all!

I probably wasn't clear in my original post - I have heard (& love) most of the pieces recommended in this thread. My main objective is to improve my technique through specific pieces. I think the general consensus is to focus on some specific pieces by Debussy & Ravel, so I guess I will do that