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Topic: Repertoire to "learn". (Read 2901 times)

bmn3

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Posts: 31

Repertoire to "learn".

on: June 25, 2017, 10:16:49 PM

Hello everyone.
I wanted to ask if they can give me a hand with repertoire to "learn".
My level is worse than mediocre, but I'm trying to improve.
At the moment I have no teacher (and at the time I had them I did not use them).
I do not have a solid base, so I'm trying to "restart" (things I never did). Play scales, arpeggios, chords, etc. The plan is not very clear but a bit definite.
For now, I am with a book by Hanon (the virtuoso pianist).
Another by Erno Dohnányi (Essential finger exercises)
Schmidt Aloys (preparatory exercises op.16)

My question is about the repertoire.
What could I play?
I really do not like Clementi.
I heard that Scarlatti's sonatas are "didactic". Which???
Bach, well ... but which ones?
And what else??
I would also like to play some popular music. (But I can not find good scores).
Are goldberg variations "accessible" ??
But I do not want to deviate, what works would be useful to prop up "problematic" ??

I think the "most complicated" I've come to play is this.

Also I think it is above what I can play so it does not sound too good. Besides, learning this took me a lot of mechanical work, and time, I do not know why I managed to "touch" it. Since other works that I consider the same "complexity", I can not do.

Thanks to all, I hope this is understood, I do not speak English.

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visitor

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Posts: 5294

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #1 on: June 25, 2017, 11:12:09 PM

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mjames

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Posts: 2553

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #2 on: June 25, 2017, 11:23:38 PM

Anything can be used to learn really. If you need some structure and guidance just buy a book for adult beginners. Alfred books for adult learners tend to have some really good and fun content of varying difficulty, though I've never tried it myself. Also rather than going for "essential composers" think of all the piano composers you do like and play their easier works. If you're a big fan of Schubert for example, you have a huge sample of easy little waltzes to choose from...

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bmn3

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Posts: 31

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #3 on: June 26, 2017, 02:23:47 AM

Thanks @visitor, i really liked that.
@mjames, ok, thanks. You know another book that have "easy to intermediate" piano level??? I dont like Alfred books because (as far as i saw), thoes books have transcripts of other themes, i mean, are simplifications. i dont like that kind of approach. i like more play a work that it is in my level, that low the work for me.

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dogperson

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Posts: 1559

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #4 on: June 26, 2017, 08:50:46 AM

Quote from: bmn3 on June 26, 2017, 02:23:47 AM

Thanks @visitor, i really liked that.
@mjames, ok, thanks. You know another book that have "easy to intermediate" piano level??? I dont like Alfred books because (as far as i saw), thoes books have transcripts of other themes, i mean, are simplifications. i dont like that kind of approach. i like more play a work that it is in my level, that low the work for me.

All method books are designed to give you skills in a systematic way, which may be music that you really don't want to play in the long run. If I read your original post correctly, you were not patient the first time around, and had problems at following instructions. I would hope that this time if you want to do it the right way, that you develop some patience in developing skills . The method books are more systematic then just picking music that you want to learn. There are a lot of other method books that you can look at to see if they would make you happier.

If you want anthologies that are graded you might look at the Classics to modern series.
And no, Goldberg variations are very outside of your skill level.

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zxiao9

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Posts: 22

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #5 on: June 27, 2017, 01:26:13 AM

While I disagree quite a lot with Henle's difficulty level, they can be quite helpful to you as they publish a pretty big repertoire, and they put them on a difficulty scale (1-9). Check it out! They have pretty much all of the pieces from major composers like Bach and Mozart.

And no, Goldberg Variations is an extremely challenging piece that you most certainly can't play. However, check out (if you don't know already) Bach's 15 two-part inventions! They are really nice pieces that train the independence of both hands as well as other techniques.

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bmn3

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Posts: 31

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #6 on: June 27, 2017, 03:50:30 AM

ok dogperson, you have right.
I dont know the Classics to modern, they look greate.

Somebody know another material like "Alfred books for adult learners" (to choose)

Thanks zxiao9 i look for that material! I need the "difficulty scale" to know where i am, and where to go.
I liked too the 15 two-part inventions! I check them.

Thanks you all
(and again sorry i dont speak english)

pd.: zxiao9 i just check the web of Henle! perfect, i can use it for reference, a lot of material in "order" (yes maybe not a "perfect order", but as reference, works (i think). Although probably i start with " Classics to modern series", still dont know well.

By the way, i found this: https://www.classicalmusicdb.com/levels maybe it will serve somebody.

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klavieronin

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Posts: 793

Re: Repertoire to "learn".

Reply #7 on: June 27, 2017, 02:06:59 PM

Quote from: dogperson on June 26, 2017, 08:50:46 AM

If you want anthologies that are graded you might look at the Classics to modern series.

Agreed! The Classics to Moderns series is fantastic. I have all eighteen books in my library. Hal Leonard have a similar series call "Journey Through The Classics" but that series doesn't doesn't go beyond the romantic period so I don't like it as much.

Something else to look at might be Tomas Svoboda's "Children's Treasure Box", Bartok's "Microkosmos", and "The Russian School of Piano Playing" (skip the first book if you can already read music).

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