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Topic: An all Chopin recital? (Read 2925 times)

piulento

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Posts: 224

An all Chopin recital?

on: February 08, 2017, 08:14:47 PM

Hi there!

So as some of you know, I recently finished my service in the army, and right now I'm sort of just looking for some new goals to reach - something to give my life some structure until I decide exactly what I wanna do with myself (other than working and all of that regular stuff).
One goal I thought would help me and give my life some discipline is working on a recital program to perform in my local conservatoire, in about half a year from now. I decided I want to have an all Chopin recital. I know, I know - "stop obsessing over Chopin, he's not enough to fill an entire program..."
But my mind is pretty much made up. I don't think there's any composer other than Chopin that could give me enough perseverance to build an entire recital program (about 45 minutes).
Anyway, so I wanted to ask for some repertoire suggestions. What would you want to hear in this type of recital? I won't be able to study an entire sonata or something in 6 months, but considering all of my spare time I can study plenty of other pieces.
Right now I'm already working on his 2nd scherzo, so I think I'll add that one. Some other Chopin pieces I had in mind (some of them I already previously studied) - the Barcarolle op. 60, the Impromptu op. 36, the Mazurkas op. 56, the nocturnes op. 27 or op. 62.
Do you have any thoughts on the subject?
Thanks in advance!

I hope I decide to actually go through with it...

TL;DR - ideas for an all Chopin recital, about 45 minutes.

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mjames

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Posts: 2555

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #1 on: February 08, 2017, 11:58:02 PM

Don't let anyone discourage you about what and who you want to play solely because "hur durr it's over-played" !!!!!! This about you and YOUR journey. My responses to the "man that's so overplayed" line usually goes like "yeah but I HAVEN'T PLAYED IT!"

Anyways, your choices are pretty good. Good chopin taste

However, you need to spice it up with variety. All of them are pretty much moody pieces. Pick a few happy Chopin stuff like his Waltzes (op. 42 is awesome), and some happy mazurkas like his op. 59 no. 2, op. 63 no. 1. Plenty of other options to fit the bill. Maybe the Rondo op. 5 ...

It's all about balance. I would play the calmer pieces in between the more crazy and flashy stuff like the barcarolle and scherzo to give the audience a breather.

Have fun with the Chopin overload! Man I want to learn the 2nd scherzo too

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visitor

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Posts: 5294

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #2 on: February 09, 2017, 01:11:43 AM

Go for it!!!
You should have something unexpected or uncommom as an encore but still somehow related to the Chopin theme

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dogperson

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Posts: 1559

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #3 on: February 09, 2017, 01:26:00 AM

Quote from: visitor on February 09, 2017, 01:11:43 AM

Go for it!!!
You should have something unexpected or uncommom as an encore but still somehow related to the Chopin theme

How about Rach's variation on Chopin? It would be too long in its entirety but maybe some of the variations?

Or Chopin's variations on Mozart?

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piulento

Full Member
Posts: 224

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #4 on: February 09, 2017, 07:21:32 AM

Quote from: mjames on February 08, 2017, 11:58:02 PM

Don't let anyone discourage you about what and who you want to play solely because "hur durr it's over-played" !!!!!! This about you and YOUR journey. My responses to the "man that's so overplayed" line usually goes like "yeah but I HAVEN'T PLAYED IT!"

Anyways, your choices are pretty good. Good chopin taste However, you need to spice it up with variety. All of them are pretty much moody pieces. Pick a few happy Chopin stuff like his Waltzes (op. 42 is awesome), and some happy mazurkas like his op. 59 no. 2, op. 63 no. 1. Plenty of other options to fit the bill. Maybe the Rondo op. 5 ...

It's all about balance. I would play the calmer pieces in between the more crazy and flashy stuff like the barcarolle and scherzo to give the audience a breather.

Have fun with the Chopin overload! Man I want to learn the 2nd scherzo too

That's the spirit!!!
The rondo op. 5 is awesome. Since I see you're currently working on it, how tough would you say it is? It definitely seems difficult, but how would you compare it to other pieces by Chopin?

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piulento

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Posts: 224

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #5 on: February 09, 2017, 07:32:41 AM

Quote from: visitor on February 09, 2017, 01:11:43 AM

Go for it!!!
You should have something unexpected or uncommom as an encore but still somehow related to the Chopin theme

Quote from: dogperson on February 09, 2017, 01:26:00 AM

How about Rach's variation on Chopin? It would be too long in its entirety but maybe some of the variations?

Or Chopin's variations on Mozart?

How about the fugue in A minor? It's so rarely played, and while it was written by Chopin, it doesn't really have his typical sound:

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visitor

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Posts: 5294

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #6 on: February 09, 2017, 01:54:41 PM

Quote from: dogperson on February 09, 2017, 01:26:00 AM

How about Rach's variation on Chopin? It would be too long in its entirety but maybe some of the variations?

Or Chopin's variations on Mozart?

those are nice and on the right track but I was thinking a little further out of bounds. casting a wider net can catch some cool fish way out in the deep end :-]

ie doing the main theme and choosing a few selections from this set would be super cool

or the Balakirev impromptus if you must stay romantic (though I do like a change in idiom like Rosenblatt for an encore, it's familiar but 'fresh')

and the Berkeley Mazurkas are not too difficult so good choice if time and prep or technical difficulty of other options is limiting factor

there are lots and lots and lots of these, can think a few more up and post later.

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visitor

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Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #7 on: February 09, 2017, 02:00:01 PM

this one is based on my favorite of the preludes (i uploaded a jazzy arrangement of the little prelude a while back in audition room)
selections from this would be cool, you can do the theme a few var and the closing.

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mjames

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Posts: 2555

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #8 on: February 10, 2017, 01:55:48 AM

Quote from: piulento on February 09, 2017, 07:21:32 AM

That's the spirit!!!
The rondo op. 5 is awesome. Since I see you're currently working on it, how tough would you say it is? It definitely seems difficult, but how would you compare it to other pieces by Chopin?

Um, I started learning it around the time my teacher taught me how to play arpergios quickly with relaxed forearms and wrist movement, so I don't think it would be difficult for you. A lot of the stuff is pretty straight-forward, except for a particular part that gave me a huge headache, which is the transition after the second theme's second repeat right before the third and final repeat of the main theme, right around 6:00:

Some handtwisting stuff there. The descending double thirds were also challenging. But these are only like VERY small moments in the piece, the rest of it is fine. I feel like the real difficult lies in achieving the mozartian like clarity it requires.

I would say it's a bit more difficult than the virtouso waltzes partly due to its length and the two passages I mentioned. Everything else you can probably encounter in a waltz like the op. 42 or the op. 34 no1 and no. 2 valses. I was only assigned to play it as an introduction to Chopins bravura style (to prepare me for some other pieces I plan on playing), so since you are already playing big works...I think you're fine and you wont have it as bad as I did. xD

I'm still not there yet, but it's a really fun, challenging, and rewarding piece to learn. I've played a bunch of Chopin's "mature works" and I won't hesitate to call this my favorite to play so far.

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piulento

Full Member
Posts: 224

Re: An all Chopin recital?

Reply #9 on: February 10, 2017, 06:35:10 AM

So I think I decided what program I want (in this order):
- Barcarolle in F sharp major op. 60.
- Nocturne in B major op. 62 no. 1.
- Waltz in A flat major op. 34 no. 1.
- Prelude in C sharp minor op. 45.
- Impromptu in F sharp major op. 36.
- 4 Mazurkas - 24/4 (B flat minor), 33/4 (B minor), 56/3 (C minor), Mazurka in A minor "A Emille Gaillard".
- Scherzo in B flat minor op. 31.

What do you guys think? (About both the program itself and the order)
I'm also not quite sure about the mazurkas - are these picks too random and unconnected? Should I replace one of the minor scale mazurkas with a major scale one?
Thanks a lot!

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