Summer Pieces

[charmsjr94]

Hey all,

I'm finally done with the school year. I've actually been home a couple weeks already and it feels great.

Here's the problem: I spent so much time practicing at school that I'm a little burnt out, especially when practicing with my friends from the First Viennese School.

Can anyone suggest some fun pieces to work on so I can motivate myself to stay at the piano longer? At least until my teacher sends me next semester's repetoire.

As always, you guys are the best!

[jugular]

You said that you've burned yourself out playing the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Haydn (thankfully you haven't had to venture into the realms of the second Viennese school), so why not take a break from them and play songs you enjoy outside of the classical realm?

Come summer time I tend to focus on pop songs, musicals, and movie soundtracks (Disney!); it's music that is shoved aside by piano teachers for many reasons (with exceptions to some teachers who teach pop primarily), which is unfortunate because most of us grew up and are familiar with these tunes. The same sense of accomplishment can be achieved by learning to play "Hakuna Matata" just as much as it can be achieved learning to play Beethoven's Sonata in G major op.49 no.2, maybe even more from the former if it holds a special place in the performer's heart.

I believe there is too much of a "must" mentality with music teachers, and students, today:  you MUST play Bach in order to learn proper finger dexterity; you MUST play classical music in order to be a good piano player; I MUST learn etude op. 10 no.2 otherwise my teacher will be upset; I MUST practice 6 hours a day if I want to be good, and so on. While there is a grain of truth in each statement mentioned, there is also an immense amount of pressure accompanied with it. Yes, classical music is a dying art and there is a pressure mounted on top of every classical teacher who is attempting to keep the art alive, but when that pressure is transferred to the student I believe it only takes away the value of learning classical music.

Anyways, I'll stop my two-cents here. In a nutshell, play some other music genres that you also enjoy (assuming you enjoyed playing Haydn...) :  jazz, pop, movie soundtracks, etc. Breakaway from the classical realm for a while to refresh your brain.

[patrickd]

Debussy preludes

Gershwin Preludes

Stuff by Percy Grainger

Piano Music from the Second Viennese School

Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet transcriptions

Carl Vine's piano music

Music of Medtner

among other things.

[indianajo]

Summer fun pieces
Washington Post March, Everybody's Favorite Series Amsco music arrangement (book)
Scott Joplin, Magnetic Rag, Paragon Rag, Maple Leaf Rag
Stars & Stripes Forever arr Horowitz
Golliwog's Cakewalk, Gotchalk
Fake book "arrangements" of songs by Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, G. Gershwin
 

[charmsjr94]

I believe there is too much of a "must" mentality with music teachers, and students, today:  you MUST play Bach in order to learn proper finger dexterity; you MUST play classical music in order to be a good piano player; I MUST learn etude op. 10 no.2 otherwise my teacher will be upset; I MUST practice 6 hours a day if I want to be good, and so on. While there is a grain of truth in each statement mentioned, there is also an immense amount of pressure accompanied with it. Yes, classical music is a dying art and there is a pressure mounted on top of every classical teacher who is attempting to keep the art alive, but when that pressure is transferred to the student I believe it only takes away the value of learning classical music.

Jugular, I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement. I've always found Mozart, and Haydn, and Beethoven (and Bach as well) rather dry. I certainly don't dislike them, I just get bored when spending too much time on them. And my school like's it's contemporary music, so I'll be dipping into the Second Viennese School at some point 0.o

Patrickd:
Thanks for the suggestions! I almost forgot about the Gerswhin preludes. I learned the 3rd one a few summers ago. It might be time to learn the first one. Also, the Prokofiev caught my interest. My teacher hasn't assigned me anything by him yet but I've always liked his work. I might give it a try.

As far as Percy Grainger, my friend and I are going to be attempting the Grainger arrangement of "A Fantasy on Porgy and Bess for two pianos." Really looking forward to that

indianajo:
Joplin rags were my favorite music to listen to when I was in fourth grade. And I think I'll be taking you up on some of those Fake book arrangement. It's always good to have some in the arsenal.

Any other suggestions are welcome

[evitaevita]

Satie - Gymnopedies & Gnossiennes

Prokofiev - Romeo & Juliet (Montagues & Capulets)

Khachaturian - Toccata in E-flat Minor

Contemporary composers:
Philip Glass, Michael Nyman, etc.

Arvo part - Fur Alina

And finally movie soundtracks or songs.
I can't tell you specific pieces. Play whatever you like!

I can't think of anything else right now...