a short contemporary piece?

[bachstreetboys]

so...im pretty unfamiliar with the contemporary era and i'm having trouble finding a piece i think will fit my repetoire for competitions well so i need help...

my current repetoire is this:
baroque: bach partita 6 I. Toccata
classical: beethoven sonata no 30
contemporary: ?
(don't need romantic/impressionist)

it has to be short (3 min or under) because of time constraints and i would also like it to contrast with the other two pieces to show range
any suggestions would help, thanks!  

[visitor]

feel like i've done this before... 

[cameronbiles]

so...im pretty unfamiliar with the contemporary era and i'm having trouble finding a piece i think will fit my repetoire for competitions well so i need help...

my current repetoire is this:
baroque: bach partita 6 I. Toccata
classical: beethoven sonata no 30
contemporary: ?
(don't need romantic/impressionist)

it has to be short (3 min or under) because of time constraints and i would also like it to contrast with the other two pieces to show range
any suggestions would help, thanks!  

So I'm assuming you want a modern 20th century to now check out Prokofievs vision fugitives all of which are under a minute bar a few so you could do them or bartok's Bulgarian rhythm dances ( each one is about a minute or so). Shostakovich preludes perhaps as well, alternatively, if you like and can "play" jazz have a shot at a Gershwin preludes/song book or if you want to push yourself kapustins concert etudes  ( the toccatina could bring nice symmetry to your programme and contracts directly the opening piece). Of course there's always Poulenc where the majority of his pieces are quite short....

[visitor]

[roncesvalles]

George Benjamin, "Shadowlines", expressive and with some intense difficulties at points.

Thomas Ades- 3 Mazurkas.  I really like these.  They are quite lyrical for contemporary pieces.   It's really interesting tracing the history of Mazurkas.  Chopin finished his last one in the 1840s.  Szymanowski's were in the 1920s, adding a lot, and here, about 90 years later, the mazurka has gone even further into the future.

I'd also recommend you look into works by Murail and Saariaho.  If you look into the works of people deceased after the 1990s, there is Takemitsu and Dutilleux's later works.    All of them explore music using modern techniques while not abandoning beauty altogether.

[visitor]

George Benjamin, "Shadowlines", expressive and with some intense difficulties at points.

Thomas Ades- 3 Mazurkas.  I really like these.  They are quite lyrical for contemporary pieces.   It's really interesting tracing the history of Mazurkas.  Chopin finished his last one in the 1840s.  Szymanowski's were in the 1920s, adding a lot, and here, about 90 years later, the mazurka has gone even further into the future.

I'd also recommend you look into works by Murail and Saariaho.  If you look into the works of people deceased after the 1990s, there is Takemitsu and Dutilleux's later works.    All of them explore music using modern techniques while not abandoning beauty altogether.

those are cool! op needed < 3 minutes but thanks for suggesting


@op
Touzet is under appreciated. i love his music and have quite a bit of it,  here's a cute little shorty

a lot of his pieces fit the <3 min
ie here's a pretty one

[roncesvalles]

If the op would play just one of the set (any of the Benjamin, perhaps #2 of the Ades mazurkas), he or she would be around the 3 minute mark, give or take a little time.   Benjamin also wrote "Piano Figures" with most pieces under the three minute mark, but most of those are pretty easy, maybe not recital material for a young adult, adult, or teenager.   He was Messiaen's favorite student, if I remember correctly.

The Touzet is pretty engaging, like a Clementi sonata with a bit of pop and Prokofievian wit.

Another option is Lera Auerbach's preludes:

Her preludes have a rich mix of influences, from late romantic to Shostakovich (E minor Prelude) to more contemporary harmonies/rhythms.  I'm sure you can find something you like and can play in this set.  

[bachstreetboys]

thank you for all the suggestions everyone! I will check them out now