Potential Competition Repertoire Feedback?

[fftransform]

Hi, I am putting together my repertoire list for a competition; I have until October to make any changes, so I am wondering what you guys think.  This is a new format for this particular competition, and only until quite recently the old format was still showing, so it's not quite as well-thought-out as it might have otherwise been.  Basically a reorganization of the rep I originally planned on doing (they also changed the concerto requirements, though, which really pisses me off.  Now requiring either Beethoven or Mozart, whereas before they allowed Saint-Saens).  Format is 45' + 45' first round, 50' second round.  Oh, the Finnissy piece is not offensive at all, in case you're prepared to balk at seeing his name.  Check it out. [edit: yeah, the text formatting on PS sucks]

1st Round:
Maurice Ravel----------------Gaspard de la Nuit
Claude Debussy--------------Etude No. 10 "Pour les Sonorites Opposees"
-----------------------------Etude Retrouvee
Michael Finnissy--------------"Nashville Nightingale," from More Gershwin
Camille Saint-Saens----------Etude en Forme de Valse, Op. 52 No. 6

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Jean-Philippe Rameau---------Le Rappel des Oiseaux
Domenico Scarlatti-----------Sonata in D Minor, K. 141
-----------------------------Sonata in D Minor, K. 417
Sergei Prokofiev--------------Toccata in D Minor, Op. 11
Samuil Feinberg--------------Sonata No. 4, Op. 6
Alexander Scriabin------------Poeme "Vers la Flamme", Op. 72
Franz Liszt-------------------Overture to Tannhauser, S. 442


2nd Round:
Ludwig van Beethoven--------32 Variations in C Minor, WoO. 80
Bela Bartok-------------------Three Etudes, Op. 18
Olivier Messiaen--------------Regard de L'Eglise d'Amour
Franz Liszt-------------------Ballade No. 2 in B Minor, S. 171
-----------------------------Polonaise No. 2 in E Major, S. 223



To save you some time on the potentially unfamiliar:

I'll post some vids or recs here once I get the repertoire chosen.  I can sub in Black Mass for the Feinberg, and Rzewski NAB3 for the Finnissy if either are deemed too far out.  I wouldn't mind dropping the Rameau if it's too much with the Scarlatti.

[thalbergmad]

Good luck with the Saint Saens. It's a bastard.

Thal

[asuhayda]

Good luck.. That's a heck of a list! 

[fnork]

INTERESTING rep choices, nice to see someone else digging Feinberg sonatas and Bartok etudes! (have been working some on both over the summer) I was just about to say that I thought you lacked something classical, but I see you put up the Beethoven variations. Are you planning to play the pieces in this order? I'm not a huge fan of the Beethoven, but I also wonder how well it'd go prior to Gaspard, but maybe that's just me. I tend not to program Ravel and Beethoven together, but do whatever you like. This really looks terrific!

Where do you study, if I may ask?

[scherzo123]

Those pieces...so technical...

[fftransform]

INTERESTING rep choices, nice to see someone else digging Feinberg sonatas and Bartok etudes! (have been working some on both over the summer) I was just about to say that I thought you lacked something classical, but I see you put up the Beethoven variations. Are you planning to play the pieces in this order? I'm not a huge fan of the Beethoven, but I also wonder how well it'd go prior to Gaspard, but maybe that's just me. I tend not to program Ravel and Beethoven together, but do whatever you like. This really looks terrific!

Where do you study, if I may ask?

Was at Princeton, although not pursuing a Ph. D./DMA in perf.  Studying mathematics in Alabama, now, so, private lessons.  I actually don't have the concerto perf requirements for the competition; I will have to make a couple of them up lol.  99% chance I do not get into the comp, halfway just a reason to force myself to practice more.

Of course I will not play the Alkan.  That was just a joke.  I have not decided what to fill out the last round with.  I was actually thinking of dropping the Beethoven, moving the Debussy etude into the 1st 45' slot and adding on the Etude Retrouvee (this will alleviate the tight time), and then doing Wandererfantasie or Op. 111 in the semis (instead of the Alkan, obviously).  I like the WoO. 80 much more, but I am having trouble programming it.  I am just not super-concerned about programming a major classical work, because the required concerti are Beethoven/Mozart.  I can move the Beethoven Variations into the 2nd round and pull the Debussy up into the first 45', but then I need to fill 10-12 minutes in the 2nd round.  I was considering Rzewski NAB3 with a longish improv, but I don't see that going over well.  I don't want to do NAB4 + the Bartok; it will break my LH.  Possibly this, though:

I edited the list in the original post to reflect what I'm leaning toward, atm.

[fftransform]

Forgot to say.  This is what I went with, in case anybody was interested:


1A:
Samuil Feinberg: Sonata No. 4, Op. 6
Maurice Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit
Michael Finnissy: "Nashville Nightingale" from More Gershwin
Camille Saint-Saens: Etude en Forme de Valse, Op. 52 No. 6


1B:
Ludwig van Beethoven: 32 Variations in C Minor, WoO. 80
Jean-Philippe Rameau: "Le Rappel des Oiseaux," from Pieces for Clavecin
Jean-Philippe Rameau: "La Poule," from Pieces for Clavecin
Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in D Minor, K. 141
Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata in D Minor, K. 417
Sergei Prokofiev: Toccata in D Minor
Franz Liszt: Overture to Tannhauser, S. 442


2:
Franz Liszt: Ballade No. 2 in B Minor, S. 171
Bela Bartok: Three Etudes, Op. 18
Olivier Messiaen: Regard de l'Eglise d'Amour
Alexander Scriabin: Sonata No. 9 "Black Mass," Op. 68
Alexander Scriabin: Poeme "Vers la Flamme," Op. 72

[fnork]

Again, very very impressive program. How did it go...? If you'd have any recordings of any of these performances, I'd be curious to hear some things. Not too familiar with that particular Feinberg sonata but I love his piano works - once I'm done with my own competition preparations, I'll learn some of his piano works. Somewhat learned Feinberg's 2nd sonata but I need to go it through again. Have been performing the Bartok etudes recently, they're wonderfully effective (but very demanding, for me). I'm surprised you're not even doing a performance major - you're playing more advanced stuff than a lot of majors I know!!!

[pbryld]

Very impressive program indeed, especially since you don't even play professionally. I can only dream of playing pretty much any of those pieces. All I can muster at my level is the overplayed Liszt liebesträume...