College Audition Repertoire

[Plwatcher]

HELLO EVERYONE!
 

   I am a HS Senior gearing up for College auditions. Recently I have learned all 3 movements of Beethoven Sonatas. Is there any general advice that you would give for either Sonatas? My trouble spots have been in speeding up both of the 3rd movements!!!! IT is quite difficult to play fast. Also I am not sure which Sonata I would like to perform for my auditions in February,
 
   My 2nd piece is WTC-P&F In C-minor. No.2 I am still woking on the fugue and speeding up the Prelude.

  My 3rd piece is the Rachmanioff tableaux- in g-minor
 
 
 I am still trying to decide on additional romantic/modern pieces. Any suggestions. I learn quite fast and have been playing the piano for many years.


P.P.S. My biggest problem is 'feeling the music.' My piano teacher says there is not a very big distinction between my fortes and pianissimos... any ideas for getting into the music more? I have witnessed some performers who seem as if they are about to be overcome with joy or pure anger when they perform. I want to be able to make the music come alive more?

[molto_vivace]

@additional pieces:
what about a chopin polonaise?
liszt consolations?
brahms rhapsody?

@feeling music:
I think it helps a lot to deal with the composers history. knowing the composer's circumstances during the time a piece was written, is very helpful in my opinion.

[Plwatcher]

I know Chopin's A-Flat Polonaise, but I want to learn something new and more challenging!

Knowing a composer's history has tended to help, but involving myself more EMOITONALLY with the music. That is what I am unsure of!

[Rob47]

Hi Plwatcher!

You don't need to do anything except play the pieces you have been practicing!  They will know how you play by that, believe me don't try to impress intellectuals such as university/college profs. Just play FOR them.

For a Romantic piece if you haven't learened one yet I suggest you get on it!

your friend
Rob

[chopiabin]

Which Beethoven Sonatas?

[BoliverAllmon]

yeah which 3?

[Plwatcher]

I know:

 Beethoven Sonatas No.5 Op.10,No1 & No.6 Op.10,No 2

I know several Romantic pieces but they seem to basic, for example a few Chopin Nocturne's
E-flat
G Maj
.....

[Motrax]

Hello. Which school are you applying to? This repertoire list looks strikingly similar to that of Maryland's, which I attend. I'm auditioning for the school of music myself (I'm majoring in physics, so I have to audition to swich into the music school), and here's what I'm playing, maybe it'll give you an idea or two:

Bach - Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV transcribed by Liszt.
Beethoven - Sonata Op. 27 No. 2, 'Moonlight'
Rachmaninoff - Prelude Op. 32 No 10 in B minor
Debussy - Prelude 8 from book 1, "La fille aux cheveaux de lin"

I'm playing a very easy Debussy prelude (the easiest I think), but it took me 3 days to learn and memorize, and that's why. You really want to have audition pieces ingrained in your fingers when you play them. Chopin Nocturnes are beautiful, whether or not you consider them "basic." If you can play them well, and enjoy doing so, then by all means play one for the audition.

If you want to do the opposite, you could always look at some Alkan pieces. 'though his reputation is one for impossibly difficult music, he wrote a lot of slow, lyrical pieces, which may be what you want. And he wrote a lot in between easy and difficult, too, so you have a whole lot to choose from there. You can find almost all of his sheetmusic here:

https://piano.francais.free.fr/alkan/04_partitions_en.html

But to be quite honest, I would stick with the Chopin Nocturnes. They will show the judges the extent of your control over tone, and your basic musical instinct. You don't have to impress them with big technical monuments - college is supposed to teach you how to tackle those. There are so very few musical pianists nowadays, it seems, that a beautifully played Chopin Nocturne might well be what grants you acceptance.

's my two cents.