Substantial Romantic Piece Suggestions

[murakumo]

Hey all, first time posting, very excited to be a part of this community.

So I have my senior recital (BA in piano performance) coming up in about a years time.
I'm required to play at least 4 pieces from the 4 different stylistic eras (baroque, classical, romantic, contemporary). I've decided on all but the romantic piece, so for now my program consists of:

Scarlatti Sonata K.247 (

)
Beethoven Sonata No. 27 (

)
Kapustin Variations Op.41 (

)

I'm ready for performance with the scarlatti, almost finished with the beethoven and knee deep in the kapustin.

Recently, I've performed:
Chopin Etudes Op. 10 Nos. 3 and 12
Medtner Sonata-Elegy
Kapustin Etude Op.40 No.1
Prokofiev Sonata No.4
Rachmaninoff Prelude Op.23 No.5, Op.32 No.10 and Etude-Tableau Op.39 No.5

I still haven't decided on what I want my romantic piece to be. I know I'd like for it to be at least 8 minutes long, and there's no real time limit. At this point, I'm leaning towards Chopin's Ballade No.1 or Medtner's Sonata-Skazka, but I'd love some other suggestions, especially pieces by lesser known composers like Medtner, although I will say that I'm inclined to pick a piece by Chopin; the scene where Adrien Brody performs the Ballade for the Nazi officer in The Pianist is what inspired me to study piano seriously when I was younger.

So, I'd love to hear any and all suggestions you guys might have for substantial Romantic-era pieces that are around or slightly above the technical level of the pieces I've mentioned above.

Thanks for helping out, I know there's likely a bajillion threads like these

MRKMO

[visitor]

looks outstanding, and kudos for taking on Kapustin, it is rare to see that level of difficulty at the undergrad level, especially in a BA recital, so that is very refreshing.

does it have to be a sinlge long piece or can it be a couple of smaller ones or an excerpt of a suite, or similar ?

[symphonicdance]

Brahms, Schumann, Liszt, Alkan ~ out of question?

[murakumo]

looks outstanding, and kudos for taking on Kapustin, it is rare to see that level of difficulty at the undergrad level, especially in a BA recital, so that is very refreshing.

does it have to be a sinlge long piece or can it be a couple of smaller ones or an excerpt of a suite, or similar ?

The Kapustin is quite difficult, but I have to admit that I've found his writing to be very pianistic; it tends to fall under the hands more easily than you would think upon first listening.

I'd prefer it to be a single long piece or sonata, or a complete suite/collection of pieces.

Liszt and Alkan are definitely fair game. I'm not a huge fan of Brahms or Schumann personally.

[ahinton]

If substantial is a core requirement, what about Medtner's so-called Night Wind sonata Op. 25/2, especially as you already play Medtner? Then there's the original version of Rachmaninov's Second Sonata, Szymanowski's Second Sonata or the sonatas by d'Indy, Dukas and Godowsky, Reger's Variations and Fugue on a theme of Bach...

Best,

Alistair

[visitor]

I might start recycling some ideas fr previous papaya in the obscure and advanced romantic lit posts but let's start here how about this? It's a bucket list type piece to me an my favorite piano piece ever ( ie yes of all time)
 

[visitor]

[visitor]

I'm on a fantasy kick today 

[visitor]

edit. whoops.
 

[jeffkonkol]

with the length requirement, the chopin etudes are essentially out.  You could do a listz etude at that length.

Other chopin suggestions would be the polonaise-fantasie, nocturne 48-1, (though I think that would fall a few minutes short of the time goal) or maybe scherzo 2.

Based on what you are playing, I don't think there is too much that will fall outside of your abilities - it is simply a matter of time, and whether you love the piece enough to commit to it. 

[quantum]

I like your ideas on fitting Medtner in that program.  In addition to your proposed Medtner, consider a Fairy Tale set. 

[murakumo]

Righteous, thanks for all the suggestions guys.

The Kapustin Variations are definitely an indulgence on my part, but I'd really like this Romantic piece to be something I can really sink my teeth into, so I'm definitely predisposed to something ambitious. Hopefully my eyes and ears aren't bigger than my hands.

The Scriabin Fantasie is very cool; octaves are definitely a technical strong point for me. And I am leaning towards doing something from the early 20th century, rather than something truly Romantica-era. Unfortunately, my teacher may insist that I do something composed before 1890, so I'm considering the both Op.27 Nocturnes by Chopin since I've played them both in the distant past, and then either a Medtner or Scriabin (I think Rachmaninoff Sonata No.1 will end up being too long).

As a side question, would Scriabin's 4th, 9th and 10th Sonatas be considered in the same world technically? (I'm no stranger to late Scriabin musically)

[chopinlover01]

As far as Chopin goes:
Heroique Polonaise in A flat
Scherzo 1 in B minor
Scherzo 2 in B flat minor
Ballade 1 in G minor
Ballade 3 in A flat
Fantasie in F minor (A personal favorite of mine, and highly underplayed)
Sonata 2 movement two (the famous "funeral march")
Rachmaninoff:
Any of the Moment Musicaux, my favorite is the 4th, in e minor
Prelude in C# minor
Liszt:
Nocturne in A flat "Liebestraum"
La Campanella
Un Sospiro