Which of these pieces am I likely to be ready to play?

[toby1]

I'm currently practicing towards completing my 8th Grade AMEB exams in Australia. Coming to the piano after a big break and the first piece I've learnt to play and performed publicly is the Hunting Song by Mendelssohn.


Fugue (allegro section)  by Handel                         

t=145s


Sonata in A major by Mozart 

Sunken Cathedral by Debussy

The Evening by Schumann

The Schumann is the closest to being complete, the others need a lot of work. Particularly the Debussy piece.
................................................

The following pieces are ones I want to learn:


Fantasie Impromptu by Chopin

Winter Wind by Chopin

Angelus by Liszt

Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin

Frühlingslied by Mendelssohn

Prelude number 1 by Gershwin

Scenes from Childhood by Schumann

Rage over a Lost Penny by Beethoven

Prelude 21 WTC bk1 by Bach

Trois Gymnopédies by Erik Satie

Perpetuum Mobile by Weber

Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven

Pathetique Sonata by Beethoven

Twinkle Twinkle Variations by Mozart

Leyenda by Isaac Albeniz

Raindrop prelude by Chopin

My teacher seems to feel I should be picking some easier pieces than my 8th Grade pieces as I'm learning them slowly. I stopped playing for 10 years and so I'm rebuilding my skills from the ground up. I'm guessing 8th Grade AMEB is equivalent to 7-8 Grade in ABRSM. Is it too soon for Winter Wind?

What do you think?

[brogers70]

I prefer to work on several pieces at different levels at the same time, rather than only working on things at the limit of my technical abilities.

The Gymnopedies may be a bit overplayed, but they are lovely, so why not work on them while also working on one or two harder pieces. There are lots of Haydn sonatas that are not that difficult, and hundreds of Scarlatti sonatas at all technical levels. You can learn a lot of musically interesting, but not technically overwhelming, music on the side while you struggle with the harder pieces.

[j_menz]

Perhaps you could clarify wheteher you are looking to replace what you are currently learning, supplement it or provide a diversion from it.

The Chopin etude would be too great a stretch for you at the momemnt and take too much time and effort away from your exam pieces.

If you are looking for replacement pieces, I would suggest you talk that over with your teacher, who knows your strengths and weaknesses better that we can, and will also be familiar with the AMEB requirements.

If you are looking for a few pieces "on the side", that is fine. The Gymnopedies, Mozart variations, raindrop prelude, and slow movements of the moonlight and pathetique should all be doable without distracting you too much, and would be useful as well as enjoyable. My suggestion is to just tinker with them rather than trying to perfect them.

Another suggestion is to get some of the earlier grade books (say 4-7) (or download pieces from the syllabus list) and play through them at your leisure. That should help firm up any "lost" abilities that are not being addressed in the exam pieces you are doing. Again, just tinker, don't let it divert you from the main game.

[ajspiano]

Coming to the piano after a big break

......

I stopped playing for 10 years and so I'm rebuilding my skills from the ground up. I'm guessing 8th Grade AMEB is equivalent to 7-8 Grade in ABRSM. Is it too soon for Winter Wind?

I'm not a fan of being bound to grades, but since its probably something you understand as a difficulty gauge - Winterwind is an LmusA piece. Given that you are studying for 8th grade (havent completed it) that places Winterwind 4 grades higher than you are currently working on.

Additionally, the AMEB places a theory prerequisite on such levels. This is not because they are hardasses, its because having a solid theoretical background is EXTREMELY advantageous to study of music that is that advanced. Without looking at the syllabus I think the LmusA theory requirement is 6th grade.

Given your current situation you would most likely benefit from studying a series of pieces in the grade 5-6 range along side your grade 8 repertoire. There are some enormously beneficial (and beautiful) pieces to be found therein. The reality is that once you have studied 7th grade (for example) you are not then magically excused from experiencing challenges in other 7th grade (or 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st..) repertoire. It takes experience well beyond the bounds of the AMEB's program to truly understand all that can go into even the simplest of music. - and this is the big problem with exam's and grading - students feeling that they MUST push themselves to the next "grade" rather than just adequately studying music.

As far as the pieces you are querying, I echo J_menz's thoughts regarding what would be most appropriate.

Whether or not you choose to follow grades, the examination boards set out the repertoire the way they do for a reason. They specifically have you work on varying pieces (notice how list A is generally studies/baroque, list B is classical, list C is romantic...) they are progressive in nature and designed to prepare you for the content that you will encounter in the next level. Skipping them is very ballsy. It can obviously be done, but for most people to do it well without facing big, time consuming challenges it requires a proper understanding of pedagogical concerns, and extensive knowledge of a students past repertoire and technical skills..  not just "I've played these 4 pieces, can I play this really hard one now?".

Those students who didn't or don't follow grades as set out by an examination authority (yet seemingly seem to saw into certain advanced work)..  probably had their study in regard to repertoire style and pedagogical concerns thoroughly managed... (or at least they should have)

^such as that their teacher understands where they are at in regard to each different concern - so their "level" was understood as being several different levels depending on what exactly they have worked on in different areas (their understanding and ability with romantics may be higher than their baroque work knowledge), no one here can know that based on what you are saying, it requires a much more intimate knowledge of your playing.

[thesixthsensemusic]

The Fantaisie-Impromptu might SOUND extremely daunting, but give it the right amount of slow practice it's surprisingly easy to master. After all, the only true difficulty is in the fast paced right hand, combined with the not as fast paced, but rhythmically different (dual triplets vs regular 16ths) left hand. Also, the difficult part only lasts a page or 4 and is fully repeated only with some extra bars added at the end, and the longer middle part is also full of stuff that is repeated exactly in the same way, making it a time-efficient effort to invest in it.

Learn both hands separately, then start playing them together at a slow pace with a metronome... it took me 3 weeks when I was 14, and on a similar level as u are, but I did use another impromptu, Schubert's op.90 no.4, as a practice piece before, to get more flexibility in my right hand. That one might also be a good idea to play, because it sounds like proper virtuoso pianism but only has one major difficulty, which consists of rapid paced arpeggios. that are quite easily learned.

Good luck!

[toby1]

I won't be able to get to my teacher for a couple weeks which is why I asked here for tips first. I spoke to her on the phone and she was suggesting I play some pieces that aren't my exam ones and move the focus off them for a bit. Her last piece she suggested for me was Mendelssohn's Scherzo Op 16 number 2.

I like to use the exams as a guide now so that I can roughly rate my technical development and make sure  that I do learn pieces that challenge my abilities rather than just (just ha) playing pieces that are well within my abilities. I get a bit of a rush when I can finally play something that I felt was outside my abilities a few months beforehand and even as an amateur I still want to challenge myself to improve rather than sit back on my laurels. I've tinkered a little with Wedding Day at Troldhaugen and Rage Over a Lost Penny. I'll start messing about with the music on the side.

It's good to know though that Winter Wind is more like LMusA level. That also reminds me I should really start studying some theory on my weekends. I'll tinker

[j_menz]

I like to use the exams as a guide now so that I can roughly rate my technical development and make sure  that I do learn pieces that challenge my abilities rather than just (just ha) playing pieces that are well within my abilities. I get a bit of a rush when I can finally play something that I felt was outside my abilities a few months beforehand and even as an amateur I still want to challenge myself to improve rather than sit back on my laurels.

There is nothing wrong with challenging yourself, but there is more to music than getting a lot of notes played in order quickly.  There are challenges to be had in "easier" pieces too, and you will be a better pianist in the end if you also master those.

[ajspiano]

There is nothing wrong with challenging yourself, but there is more to music than getting a lot of notes played in order quickly.  There are challenges to be had in "easier" pieces too, and you will be a better pianist in the end if you also master those.

J_menz has beaten me to it.

You're missing the point that a work is not "easy" because its classed as being a grade that is lower than one you've studied and passed. Adequate study will make them as challenging, if not potentially more challenging (depending on what you choose and how well you study) than what you currently expect to experience from a "harder" (meaning higher grade) work.

Doing that study, will open your mind up to the phenomenally large gap that there is between high quality performances of grade 7-8 work and A/Lmus work.

[toby1]

Thanks for the tips so far, that's part of the reason I asked for advice in the first place.

Sounds like I've been a little too caught up in playing progressively more difficult pieces instead of developing a ranging repertoire. I've been working slowly on "Of Foreign Lands and People" right now. I'm a little nervous about playing Traumerei having  heard Horowitz saved it as an encore piece. I'll make sure I have a good chat with my teacher when I get the chance.

I think I've played too many video games maybe and I'm thinking about it like I'm unlocking achievements. Again thanks for the advice I'll try applying it and seeing how my playing is effected.

[j_menz]

I'm a little nervous about playing Traumerei having  heard Horowitz saved it as an encore piece.

Traumerei is perhaps a good example of what I mean. It's listed as grade 3 or 4. So, easy peasy if you can do grade 8.

Yet Horowitz played it; in concert; as an encore!

Was he mad? Slipping? Tired?

No. When Horowitz plays it, you cry; you elate; you dream things you didn't know before. That is what playing a piece means, and that is hard. It's a lot more than just getting the notes out; you need to get the music out.

Practicing only speed and technical proficiency will give you a repertoire of a few showy pieces you can play flashily, but superficially.  Impressive if you're 8; or if your proficiency extends to playing Scarbo in double octaves. Otherwise, such pianists are a dime a dozen, and easily forgotten when the next show pony rides into town.

If you only practice pieces which stretch your technical prowess (and you should certainly do some that do), you are unlikely to develop your musical prowess.  Technically easier pieces will help here and allow you to develop you musical breadth and depth without the distraction of struggling with the notes. And it is this, as much or more than your technical skills, that will make you a musician. worth listening to.

So, go play Traumerei. But don't consider it's "done" until you, like Horiwitz, can make me cry with it.