Chopin advice

[pianovlad1996]

Well, I will play in The International Chopin Piano Competition and I want an advice on my repertory. This is a very important question for me and I want only the best pianists/teachers around answer. My program is already set and it was being tested by the very good professors of the Moscow Conservatory. I want you to give an advice on what piece fits well in the program. I will give to pieces for every round.
Chopin Etudes Op.10 No.8/Op.10 No.10/Op.10 No.7.
Chopin Etudes Op.25 No.6/Op.25 No.11/Op.25 No.10.
Chopin Barcarolle Op.60
Chopin Polonaise Op.22/44/53/Op.61.
Chopin Scherzo Op.39/54.
Chopin Prelude Op.28 No.8/16/24.
Chopin Valse Op.18/34/42/70/ e minor posth.
Chopin Nocturnes Op.9 no.3/Op.15 No.1,2/Op.27 No.2/Op.48 No.1.
Chopin Ballade No.1 Op.23/No.3 Op.47/No.4 Op.52.
Chopin Fantasy Op.49
Chopin Sonata No.3 Op.58.
Chopin Mazurkas Op.17 No.4/Op.56 No.1 and full set Op.50 and Op.59.
Chopin Concerto Op.11.
This is my repertoire. All the pieces mentioned are known by memory. Please comment and give advices but only those who know.

[beebert]

It seems good except one thing. You seem to only pick the most difficult pieces. For example, the five nocturnes you have chosen are arguably the five hardest(along with perhaps op 62 and op 27 no 1), and you seem to have chosen the hardest(among the hardest at least) of the etudes from each set. Personally I don't find the op 10 ones that you have chosen the most interesting ones, and I am insanely tired of 25/6... Although this is only personal opinions, and not a way for a judge to "judge" so to say

[pianovlad1996]

I know that Op.25 No.6 is a bit tiring but it is needed for the competition program. I wanted to go with Op.25 No.1 for example but the rules interdict playing this etude in the first row. So I chose other etude I've played. And for the nocturnes these are the ones I've played and memorized although I can learn easily Op.27 No.1 or Op.62. And the polonaises I listed are the only admitted. . I also play Op.10 No.1,4,12 and Op.25 No.5,12. It is a bit confusing and as you say, if I choose cliches or rather boring pieces (overplayed) like Op.25 No.6 the result will be desastrous as I will be the youngest competitor and the lack of maturity will be seen. Anyway, the repertoire is a bit hard but let's look at every set: the ballades are hard but the only ones, the scherzos Op.31 and Op.20 are tiring, the nocturnes are the only admitted without Op.27 No.1 and Op.62, the waltzes are probably the most interesting because Op.64 No.1 and 2 are overplayed and many other waltzes are cliches, as for the preludes I cannot choose a short or slow one (not admitted), the mazurkas are not the hardest (in my opinion), the sonata is the hardest but it is the only one I've played and the concerto is comparable with the second concerto so I don't know what should I change. I if you can give me an answer I'll be very grateful.

Timea

[beebert]

First of all, I forgot to say congratulations for entering one of the world's greatest piano competitions and that I am impressed. When is the competition? Is it in the year of 2015? Anyway, I am not an expert on this competition, since I have no clue on what pieces are aloud and which are not. I guess, because of the reputation of the competition, that you cannot play whatever pieces you like by Chopin(as you mentioned). I wonder though, did you mean that the op 62 nocturnes and the op 27 no 1 are admitted? Are you aloud to play them? Anyway, I think you have done good choices overall as I said(a good performance of the op 48 no 1 is always something special for example).
 Looking at the ballades you have chosen, then any ballade would be fine. I am thinking though, that the hardest ballade to impress people on is the first one, as it is so often played. So I ask you, do you feel that you have something special, or should I say "unique" to offer with this ballade? Do you have a strong connection to it? In my own opinion, I find the 2nd ballade the most interesting, as it is, according to me, the one that gives you the biggest opportunity to do a special interpretation... Can you play it?
 About the etudes, I don't know which ones are acceptable.. Are you forced to play op 25/6? Because I personally don't care much for that one, and something really interesting would 25/12, if you feel that you can do a good performance of it.

I think I can help you even more if you gave me some more information on what is aloud and what is not.. You think you can do that?

Once again, congrats, and at this level, a good performance of any piece by Chopin, is always something special!

[johnmar78]

Hey Piano199, according to your saying   "Well, I will play in The International Chopin Piano Competition and I want an advice on my repertory. This is a very important question for me and I want only the best pianists/teachers around answer"

Well, when is your comp , we come and support you. And about the advices...I think your best bet is to go to your consevatory /university ask the profesors and world class concert pianist who may be met your demand.

[werq34ac]

Are you sure this is the place to be looking for advice???

[pianovlad1996]

First of all, thank you for your advices.   The Chopin Competition will be in 2015 and I have a lot of time left. I am only 17 now and I will be one of the youngest (or the youngest) competitor(s). For beebert, thank you and yes, all the nocturnes are allowed excepting No.20 and 21 op. posthumus.  I can play the 2nd ballade and I am quite sure that in 3 years from now, spending most of my time on the repertoire (with some monthly breaks), it will be a little gem. As for the etudes, Op.25 No.12 is accepted and I am thinking of playing it because I have some interesting ideas of colours in it.Thank you all for your advices and hope this will be a good and interesting experience.
Timea

[jeffkonkol]

there should still be links on this site for previous chopin competitions.  video of all performers and all rounds.  I would watch all performances of pieces you are intending on playing to see how you line up in terms of interpretion.

I saw only a few performances of nocturne 13 in last years, but they were all masterful.  25-10 seemed to be common, but I felt at least had a very wide range of interpretations.

Anyways.... you will certainly learn more from analyzing those performances and the pieces selected than from me talking about it

[iratior]

I think that playing the best Chopin is a matter of being in the right frame of mind, as well as doing the right technique.  Context matters.   I've read that some other respondents are tired of Etude Op. 25 no. 6 (the etude in thirds, eh?).   I really go for it.  The thirds can be made to have a wonderful, dreamy, capricious, glistening, magical effect.   And what to play after finisihing it?  The mazurka opus 50, no. 2, in A-flat major.  It will sound as though it's coming in, majestically, on a red carpet.   Another thing to do to prepare for the competition would be to read biographies of Chopin.  To play the nocturne, opus 48, no. 1 with maximal effect, I can't think it would hurt to be familiar with the historical background of how Polish national aspirations were crushed in 19th century Europe.  Opus 48 no. 1 has what amounts, in effect, to an anthem in it;  that gets drowned out by the sound of gunfire.  I wouldn't do Opus 25 no. 12 unless I could do a really, really, REALLY good job bringing out exactly the right amount of accenting to every semiquaver played at exactly the right time.   And as for Opus 10, no.8 -- well, it's no Brandenburg concerto no. 5, or Appassionata Sonata.  Leave it in the book, for posterity to ponder.

[jmanpno]

there should still be links on this site for previous chopin competitions.  video of all performers and all rounds.  I would watch all performances of pieces you are intending on playing to see how you line up in terms of interpretion.

I saw only a few performances of nocturne 13 in last years, but they were all masterful.  25-10 seemed to be common, but I felt at least had a very wide range of interpretations.

Anyways.... you will certainly learn more from analyzing those performances and the pieces selected than from me talking about it

Stupid twat.  With so much to learn from the score you suggest that he listen to pieces?  Idiot.

[j_menz]

Stupid twat.  With so much to learn from the score you suggest that he listen to pieces?  Idiot.

It's a competition. Sizing up the standard, and what is required, is hardly a waste of time.