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Topic: beginner repertoire suggestion (Read 3715 times)

tamaaa

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 7

beginner repertoire suggestion

on: August 19, 2020, 03:03:09 AM

Hi, im a beginner with less than 1 years of playing (9 months to be exact), below is my recent repertoire (from early 2020):
Chopin Waltz in A minor
Sonatina Op 36 No 1
Chopin Prelude Op 28 No. 4
Bach Invention 1 and 4
Chopin Waltz Op 69 No. 1 and 2

yup, mostly chopin, i love all his waltz and some of the nocturnes (hope to be able to play op 9 no 2 sometime next year)
right now im trying debussy arabesque no 1 but i feel i lack the skill and can't get through the 1 1/2 pages (both hands), I dont know why tho, its henle level 4 right? supposed to be easier than the op 69 no 1 (henle level 5), perhaps im playing too many chopin?.

so what do you suggest? should i start looking another pieces? and if so, what pieces do you suggest will be appropriate according to my repertoire above?

thanks in advance.

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quantum

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 6260

Re: beginner repertoire suggestion

Reply #1 on: August 19, 2020, 03:46:44 AM

How long did you spend on the music you listed above in order to get them to the level where you would feel comfortable playing them for other people? Do you have a teacher at the moment?

IMO, if a piece is within your ability and you like it, then don't hesitate to learn it. Since you like Chopin, continue to play Chopin. Although, it would be beneficial for you to expand your knowledge to other composers as well.

Don't get too caught up in grade levels to determine the difficulty of music. People have different strengths, and what is easy for one person may be difficult for another. The grade levels suggested for pieces are just approximations. You really have to try a piece in order to evaluate its difficulty.

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Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

tamaaa

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 7

Re: beginner repertoire suggestion

Reply #2 on: August 19, 2020, 04:03:27 AM

all of the pieces above took me around 25-30 days to plays comfortably, the longest was bach invention no 4, took me around 40 days (im too lazy at that time) and the fastest was prelude op 28 no 4 (around 1 week).

Yup, i want to continue play Chopin, but it always got me thinking how can i play other's composer pieces if i only play chopin? and thats why i intend to try debussy arabesque no 1 and earlier in May i tried k545 but dropped it.

Right now im planning to learn either bach invention no 8 or scarlatti sonata in d minor k1.
What do you think?

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dogperson

Sr. Member
Posts: 1559

Re: beginner repertoire suggestion

Reply #3 on: August 19, 2020, 09:24:44 AM

Just s heads up that Arabesque is far from beginner repertoire. RCM grades it as a level 8.
As a beginner, I would not use the Henle scale, as their grades start at s higher level than others, so that s Grade 2 will be a Grade 4 or 6 on another recognized scale.
You might want to use pianosyllabus.com which compiles scores from various sources, excluding Henle.

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tamaaa

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 7

Re: beginner repertoire suggestion

Reply #4 on: August 21, 2020, 06:21:44 AM

Yes i am aware that Henle scales slightly above others, but i only use it for comparation. So the grade 4 etc means nothing, just for a comparation between pieces. I tried to use pianosyllabus once, but its just make me more confused, 1 piece may have variety of level for instance debussy arabesque no 1, its range from 7-10 which just make me more confused and i dont know which syllabus to refer to, so i ended up using Henle.

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grantuss

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 6

Re: beginner repertoire suggestion

Reply #5 on: August 21, 2020, 10:18:16 AM

As a beginner myself I enjoy the pieces in the ABRSM Piano Mix 1 book which are ABRSM Grade 1 leading towards Grade 2 at the end of the book. Piano Mix 2 also has some pieces I like and is at the Grade 2-3 level.

I also bought Really Easy Classical Greats for Holst's Jupiter. It is a much simplified arrangement but sounds good when played. :-)

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