Suggestions for repertoire?

[jimf]

Hi there! I am thinking of playing a recital with the title "Music through the Ages", which will comprise of pieces throughout time, starting from Renessaince or earlier and ending at the end of the previous century (or classical music of today). Do you have any really famous pieces to suggest? I wouldn't mind even orchestral pieces, for I can find piano arrangements (e.g. Peter and the Wolf). I am thinking of it being at least twenty pieces (I am going to do it in parts!  )
Thanks in advance!

[mussorgsky]

First, something from Bach. Maybe something from The well tempered clavier or Chromatic fantasie and fugue, or Tocatta and fugue in D minor, or a French suite. You may do some Hendel, too.

Second, some Mozart. One sonata or something else. You may do some Haydn, too. He has over 100 keyboard sonatas.

Third, some Beethoven. Sonatas, variations or bagatelles.

Fourth, romantics. Schumman, Schubert, Mendelsohn, Chopin and many others. Schumman's Kinderczenen or Fantasiestucke may be good for concert programe. Schubert's impromptus or scherzos, or musical moments, too. Chopin is very important. Etude, or scherzo, or ballade, or polonaises and mazurkes. Nocturnes, too. You may use Mendelsohn's Songs without words. Liszt's etudes are impressing as well. Some russian composers, too. Thcaikovsky's Seasons are very interesting. Mussorgsky's Pictures from an exhibition, too.

Fifth, impressionism. Debussy is very important with his preludes, etudes and suites. Then, Ravel. Hi has many works for the piano.

Sixth, if you like ragtime, you may include some Scott Joplin. Some real jazz, too. George Gershwin's rhapsody in blue is beautiful. Or his three preludes.

I hope this will be helpfull.
Best whishes from me!!!

[drkilroy]

From Renaissance:
J. P. Sweelinck - Variations on Ballo del Granduca (though his autorship is doubtful - nevertheless, it is an enjoyable, Renaissance-sounding piece).
Something from Fitzwilliam Virginal Book.

Piano is not the instrument best suited to performance of these works, however I think it will do.

From Baroque:
J. S. Bach - a set (or a few) of prelude and fugue from Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Italian Concerto perhaps. You could play a transcription of some non-keyboard piece, like aria from cantata (e.g. Sheep May Safely Graze) or a movement from orchestral suite.

From Classical period:
Mozart - a sonata and possibly another piece like a minuet, a fantasia or a set of variations.
Beethoven - a sonata and some piece like a bagatelle or a set of variations, if you like transcriptions - symphony transcribed by Liszt.

From Romantic period:
Chopin - a waltz, a polonaise, a ballade, an etude, a few of nocturnes, mazurkas and preludes and an intermezzo or scherzo. Possibly also a sonata.
Liszt - an etude and parts of his program pieces like Années de pélerinage or Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses.
Schumann - a suite - Carnaval, Faschingsschwank aus Wien or Waldszenen are my favourites. You might also play the Arabesque or Toccata.
Grieg - suite Aus Holbergs Zeit and some of lyric pieces.
Sibelius - the sonata, transcription of Finlandia and some of his miniatures.
Johann Strauss - a waltz and possibly a polka.
Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition of course, but you may include some less known work by him, too.
You should probably also play something by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Scriabin, Saint-Saens and Rachmaninoff (there are many other romantic composers I did not mention) but I am not very familiar with these guys, so I cannot help you much here.

From 20th century:
Satie - Gymnopedies, Gnossiennes, also some of his less known works.
Debussy - some of his early works (yes, I know they were written mainly in 19th century, but never mind ) a few preludes, an etude, a suite (Pour le Piano, Estampes, Images), L'isle Joyeuse perhaps.
Ravel - a piece from suite or a whole suite (Miroirs, Le Tombeau de Couperin, Valses nobles et sentimentales), a minuet, A la maniere... pieces, Jeux d'eau, La Valse transcription.
Preferably also a piece by Shostakovich or Prokofiev.
Joplin - a few rags.
Gershwin - preludes, song transcription, you may also try solo piano version of Rhapsody in Blue.

There should be also a modern piece by Ornstein, Sorabji etc.

That is all from me, I hope it will be helpful in some way.

Best regards, Dr