Core Repertoire Rec's

[maestrowoojulee]

So I'll be a Junior in college, and my prof. asked me to study some core pieces over the summer.
Please provide some suggestions (one of each) and explain why learning them can be helpful in prepping me for larger works:

a Bach P & F
a Mozart Sonata
a Chopin Ballade
a Debussy Prelude
Another Debussy
a 20th Cent Music

Goal Pieces:
Le Gibet and Scarbo
Prokofiev Conc 2&3
a Chopin Sonata
More Kapustin
Liszt Sonata in Bm

Studied Recently:
Chaik 1
Ondine
La Campanella
Some Chopin Etudes
Rigoletto Paraphrase
Kapustin Etude 7 Op. 40
Mozart Conc K503


 

[visitor]

Part of your development at this stage of your training is learning to eval the  literature, formulate what appeals to you or get better idea of your tastes, and learn to judge works challenges and potential pedagogical value while forming ideas of how you can experience, enjoy, and grow from your study of certain works.

it is a key skill that your professor likely is trying to help you develop. Asking the  faceless internet multitudes to do do that for you most probably defeats the purpose.

It is best for you to choose pieces in style of or from among those you have the least experience, this is a safe time for you since you have paid for hired expertise to help you develop into a compete and self suficient pianist/musician.

you should have a decenyt idea of what your weak points are, so chosing works that explpoit that will help shore up your game.

[maestrowoojulee]

Well, I guess I am being lazy for asking here...

To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of choices I can make.
These "fundamental" genres of music are not what I am interested in learning at the moment, so all the selections seem equally appealing and unappealing. Nevertheless, I do realize that having them in my rep. is crucial for my development and success.

As for my stylistic weaknesses or inexperience, it's hard to say what they are...
I did receive a fairly well-rounded training, which gave me exposure to variety of styles. It's just that I have been entertaining myself with things like Kapustin and La Campanella, while my peers were painstakingly working on their Bach P&Fs and Beethoven Sonatas.

Having said that, I mainly wanted to know which pieces (out of the aformentioned genres) are considered "staples" for serious pianists since I have no real preference as to what to choose. Don't get me wrong, I did my listening homework. I just wanted a narrower spectrum of pieces I can decide from.    

[chopinlover01]

Bach preludes and fugues get you used to contrapuntal playing.
Mozart sonatas develop a very light and fluid touch.
Chopin ballades are the ultimate test of musicality.
Debussy gets you exposed to harmonies you didn't think existed, and textures that are strange.
I can't say for the 20th century work, since you haven't listed anything.

[anamnesis]

Well, I guess I am being lazy for asking here...

To be honest, I was a bit overwhelmed by the plethora of choices I can make.
These "fundamental" genres of music are not what I am interested in learning at the moment, so all the selections seem equally appealing and unappealing. Nevertheless, I do realize that having them in my rep. is crucial for my development and success.

As for my stylistic weaknesses or inexperience, it's hard to say what they are...
I did receive a fairly well-rounded training, which gave me exposure to variety of styles. It's just that I have been entertaining myself with things like Kapustin and La Campanella, while my peers were painstakingly working on their Bach P&Fs and Beethoven Sonatas.

Having said that, I mainly wanted to know which pieces (out of the aformentioned genres) are considered "staples" for serious pianists since I have no real preference as to what to choose. Don't get me wrong, I did my listening homework. I just wanted a narrower spectrum of pieces I can decide from.    

For a 20th century set, Robert Help's Three Hommages is quite nice, and seems to match your tastes. 

Out of the Ballades, there's...only four so the spectrum is already pretty narrow.  For those not typically interested in Mozart's solo sonatas, the C minor one and its related Fantasy tends to be the most palatable.  

[rachmaninoff_forever]

If you already did the I fine you can already finish the rest of the suite and do a Chopin sonata

[maestrowoojulee]

Bach preludes and fugues get you used to contrapuntal playing.
Mozart sonatas develop a very light and fluid touch.
Chopin ballades are the ultimate test of musicality.
Debussy gets you exposed to harmonies you didn't think existed, and textures that are strange.
I can't say for the 20th century work, since you haven't listed anything.

Umm I was asking more for pieces not the characteristics of each genre. Sort of knew this already but thanks anyways...

[visitor]

For Mozart the c minor k457 is vital. The minor key sonatas are few and this is very progressive for mozart. Looks forward to late classical almost to the end of tradition actually.

I knew several juniors in our school's artist in residence studio and she made them do this one a lot.

[quantum]

Having said that, I mainly wanted to know which pieces (out of the aformentioned genres) are considered "staples" for serious pianists since I have no real preference as to what to choose. Don't get me wrong, I did my listening homework. I just wanted a narrower spectrum of pieces I can decide from.    

Have you tried sight reading through selections?  There is real world application for this: say you were charged with putting together a piano recital program, a chamber music program, or large ensemble program with you as conductor.  The recital/concert was to be of specific theme, but without explicit instructions on individual pieces.  What would you do?


There is nothing wrong with trying out music to only find it is not a right fit for you, or the program you intended to place the selection in. You can always change your mind at a later date.  Just don't make a habit of changing your mind so often that you end up being indecisive and disorganized about your repertoire selections. 

[visitor]

20th cent has too much variety to place in single category, best to clarify early mid or late. You plat kapustin tha qualifies as 20th cent, contemporary, and late 20th cent.

for >mid cent->contemporaty non jazz idiom, take a look at this
super cool piece

fyi better performance, audio only

[visitor]

for the specifics you asked where you  define a type of piece, the entire volumes are considered standards so eventually you would aim to have them all under your belt.
for Debussy prelude, one that was suggested to me by my  former professor was