Contemporary repertoire recommendations (Licentiate Diploma)

[thorn]

I actually really like my current program the way it is, but it's 5/6 minutes too short...

Mozart- Rondo in A minor K.511
Liszt- Ballade no.2 in B minor
Albéniz- El Albaicín

I'm thinking of something relatively light to go in between the Liszt and the Albéniz (I really like Albéniz as the end piece).

To give an idea, on the syllabus I've been considering:
Faure/Grainger- Après un rêve and Nell
Ligeti- Musica Ricercata (3,4,6 and
Takemitsu- Rain Tree Sketch and/or Rain Tree Sketch II.

There's also the Stephen Hough Rodgers and Hammerstein arrangements... the Carousel Waltz on the syllabus can go very wrong very easily, but I'm entertaining My Favourite Things or March of the Siamese Children (neither on the syllabus).

Having the right program is far more important than getting this done any time soon, so I'd be really grateful of any suggestions I can have a sniff of 

[ale_ius]

these are very light and pretty:

not so light  

how modern do you need, do we need to look past say 1960, 1970? or is just after 1900 sufficient?

this is more modern and a bit short but so full of character!

this cool one is dedicated to Horowitz:

[visitor]

+ 1 to tall above  
I am  a softy for jazzy takes on the romantic.
maybe this?

hmmm....will post more later.

[symphonicdance]

Licentitate diploma of Trinity (my guess), ABRSM or other exam board?

If you aim to get high distinction (90+), then you probably wish to pick any of those you mentioned.  Of course, provided that you are comfortable & confident with them, and you play beautifully at the exam.

However, if you simply want to get a save pass with chance of distinction, then you should pick something less technically demanding for the 4th one.  I suspect that your programme (even only Mozart, Liszt and Albeniz) is already considered balanced.  Have you also explored the "comparatively easier" short (5 min) works by Ravel, Debussy, Prokofiev, Ireland, etc. on the syllabus?

Good luck!

[mjames]

[worov]

Hovhaness : Two Ghazals, opus 36

[j_menz]

Hovhaness : Two Ghazals, opus 36

 

http, not https.

[worov]

http, not https.

Fixed ! Thanks.

[thorn]

Thank you for all of the suggestions!

I particularly like the Levitski and the Lieberman. I like the Tchaikovsky too, but through that link I discovered the Pletnev/Sleeping Beauty which I like even more (I love playing transcriptions)

symphonicdance, yes it's Trinity (I looked at AB but the Liszt isn't on their syllabus so that was the deciding factor) Does the difficulty of program really have that much of an impact on likelihood of getting a higher mark? I know all of the Ravel and Debussy on the syllabus very well. Possibly entertaining the Noctuelles (I imagine they hear the other Ravel to death and everyone does Debussy).

On re-examining the syllabus, I see a piece from Messiaen's Catalogue d'oiseaux which I have admired (but never played) for years. The recording I have takes 11 and a half minutes so I'd have to get rid of Albeniz and have Mozart-Liszt-Messiaen. Not sure that would be as good a program?

[ralphb]

I just composed a rather light waltz which might fit? 

Look here: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=54423.0

[thorn]

Thanks again to everyone for all of the suggestions. I've given it a lot of thought over the last month and have decided to go with something I already know rather than learning a fourth piece from scratch.

My program is now (in current running order):

Mozart- Rondo in A minor K.511
Liszt- Ballade no.2 in B minor
Dai Fujikura- Deepened Arc
Albéniz- El Albaicín

I'd be grateful of any last opinions before I send it off for approval  

The only recording I know of the Fujikura can be found here:

[symphonicdance]

Looks good.  Good luck!  Last little remark, hope you have sufficient materials for you to prepare programme notes, particularly for the Fujikura piece.

[thorn]

Thanks symphonicdance!

R.e. Fujikura programme notes, I was actually (briefly) in contact with him a few years ago when I acquired the score. He was really helpful back then and I'm going to have to ask permission to copy it for the examiners anyway so I'm banking on being able to actually ask him...