Programming the chopin scherzi

[diomedes]

Was doing some thinking on recital concepts to share with the chopin scherzi. They take about 40 minutes in all. Something to precede them, specifically, not playing anything after.

I'd rather not beethoven due to length/ weight although op.10 c minor or op.14 e major are ok.
I'd lean more to the c minor schubert impromptu or the e minor bach toccata.

 I'm leaning towards chronological order, so unsure about liszt.

Thoughts?

[visitor]

[chopinlover01]

[michael_sayers]

Thanks for posting that link here!


Mvh,
Michael

[kawai_cs]

I think scheduling 4 scherzi and a little appetizer sounds a little monotonous. I would think that more diversified program would ensure you broader audience (if you care for it, of course).

Edit: Oh, and I wanted to add that I would certainly go to hear all 4 scherzi in one recital however I think regular people would prefer more variety.

[diomedes]

The saying holds true very often, you can't please everyone. In the past i've usually had a tendency to program according to my musical tastes and disregard the audience. I personally find the Scherzi to be very accessible in terms of someone hearing them for the first time. And if anything and there's a disregard for musical content, if maybe you don't get it or don't even like Chopin to begin with, you get a very interesting demonstration of piano playing. But that's my narrow point of view. Sometimes a fabulous display of piano playing is purpose in itself. I remember my first encounter with the Saint-Saense toccata op.111, the pianism is so impressive and material so exuberant i had trouble sleeping for a few days.

Hummel wrote some memorable stuff in his piano concertos, regarding visitors post.

[j_menz]

The saying holds true very often, you can't please everyone.

The most boring concerts I've attended have been those where someone has played something they think I (or rather the audience more generally) would like, not something about which they're on a mission to convince me of the merits.

It's not that you can't please everyone, it's that by trying your doomed to be mediocre.  Play what you believe I should like, given the opportunity. I may not - but at least you'll have made a passable case. And I'll have at least found it interesting.

[visitor]

would rather play / listen to a skazka than a scherzo 

[alkan2010]

It was common practice before the advent of 'completist' recitals to intertwin shorter pieces in large scale works. Lortie does it in his Chopin recordings: you have Nocturnes, Preludes (if you don't mind playing a singleton from the 24), Mazurkas, etc... if you want an all-Chopin recital.

Another suggestion, creating a program of only Scherzos: Schubert, Liszt, Brahms and so on!

[diomedes]

The most boring concerts I've attended have been those where someone has played something they think I (or rather the audience more generally) would like, not something about which they're on a mission to convince me of the merits.

It's not that you can't please everyone, it's that by trying your doomed to be mediocre.  Play what you believe I should like, given the opportunity. I may not - but at least you'll have made a passable case. And I'll have at least found it interesting.

Very true, similar to don't learn something that you think you should, but you feel an urge to do.

listen to a skazka than a scherzo

Perhaps, but Medtner is so much work for a performer. And for an audience, as much in many cases. How many times have i had to listen to some sonatas before finally understanding.

It was common practice before the advent of 'completist' recitals to intertwin shorter pieces in large scale works. Lortie does it in his Chopin recordings: you have Nocturnes, Preludes (if you don't mind playing a singleton from the 24), Mazurkas, etc... if you want an all-Chopin recital.

Certainly a possibility.

[diomedes]

Who doesn't love talking to themselves. Well, that's exactly what I enjoy doing,  so here goes. ..

Also, overlooked, the obvious idea are scarlatti sonatas, but with a more innovative approach, Cpe Bach wrote so much and some of it might work perfectly in this context. I've been listening to his sonaten fur kener und liebhaber past 2 nights, some of it is very easy to appreciate. Pletnev also did Cpe Bach on piano, a whole album, I've never listened to it, but now plan to. Maybe someone can benefit from those ideas.