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Topic: RCM Grade 10 pieces - Is this a good "contrasting selection" ?  (Read 12041 times)

Offline abacaba

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I am beginning to plan for my RCM Grade 10 piano exam. The syllabus requires 5 pieces from Lists A to E, and they should be "contrasting selections". Does the follow looks good?
 
  List A: JS Bach: Fantasia in c minor BWV 906 (I played a prelude and fugue in Gr 9 so want something different.)
  List B: LV Beethoven: Sonata in F minor op. 2 no. 1, first and second movements (This is musically simple enough for me to memorize.)
  List C: F Mendelssohn: Lied Ohne Worte op. 67 no. 4 (Spinning Song) (This is such a fun song.)
  List D: C Debussy: Clair de Lune (Or should I play something not so popular?)
  List E: S Prokofiev: March from The Love for Three Oranges op. 33 (This is a really fun song to play!)

Any advice is sincerely appreciated.

Offline j_menz

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Looks good. If you do decide to replace Claire de Lune, you should replace it with something slow and emotional. It currently provides a nice balance with what is otherwise a pretty fast and happy selection, so you would need to keep that balance.
"What the world needs is more geniuses with humility. There are so few of us left" -- Oscar Levant

Offline abacaba

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Got it thanks for advice.

Offline draganpower

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Really great program. I would advise if you cannot play Claire de lune absolutely perfectly phrasing, notes, emotion, etc. I suggest you choose another emotional/slower piece. The examiner has heard that one probably 3 or 4 times that day and 1000s of times before that. They know what they are looking for. If you make an error while playing it, the examiner has an easier time picking marks off of it.

However, I am sure you have prepared quite some time and you are confident, continue with your program .

I knew a grade 10 and ARCT examiner and he once said to me, grade nine and under, you enter the examining room with a 100 and the examiner deducts points off for everything you do wrong, however grade ten and above, you start at zero and you earn every mark. Thought that was interesting, and not meant to scare you but Grade 10 is a different ball game.

I wish you luck on your examination
Bach - Prelude and Fugue in C# major  Bk I BWV 848
Debussy - Ballade
Debussy Pagodes
Chopin - Nocturne Opus 27 no. 1

Offline quantum

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I knew a grade 10 and ARCT examiner and he once said to me, grade nine and under, you enter the examining room with a 100 and the examiner deducts points off for everything you do wrong, however grade ten and above, you start at zero and you earn every mark. Thought that was interesting, and not meant to scare you but Grade 10 is a different ball game.

I wouldn't say that is the case with all examiners.  Performance exams can be highly subjective when it comes to marking, and that subjectivity varies upon the examiner.  This extends to university performance juries as well. 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

Offline abacaba

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Thank dragonpower and quantum.

Grade 9 or 10, I believe the pieces should be played in a level worthy of performance.

I agree that Claire de lune must be over-played for exams. I think I will replace it with Prelude Book 1 No. 1 "Danseuse de Delphes" in my program.
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