Grade 8

[paolo]

OK so i'm new to this piano forum. Stumbled acoss it by chance so am slightly nervous of writing my first post!
I have been playing the piano for years & am totally self taught.
Have FINALLY decided to book some lessons & am practicing for my grade 8.
I love Chopin with a passion but his C monor Polonaise doesn't grab me at all.
So have decided to go for the Mayerl piece "Autumn Crocus"
I love the "cheesey" "cocktail lounge" sound of the piece but don't know how to pull it off.
I sense it should have rubato but in moderation.
Am also unsure about the pedalling especially in the middle section.
Would like to use the sostenuto pedal especailly in bars 25 etc. with the descending chromatic harmonies.
Am also conscius that I don't want the piece to climax too early until the fff maestoso.
If anyone else knows this piece & can give some advice, it would be GREATLY appreciated.
Cheers

[jlh]

Sorry, I don't know the piece, but may I suggest you offer these same questions to your new piano teacher?  There's a good chance that the answers to your questions will be too involved to simply mention on here without actually showing you what's going, which lessons would provide.

[rhapsody in orange]

and oh yu might want to grab a few recordings for the piece and compare the different interpretations? just a suggestion