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Topic: Bach pieces for auditions (Read 2601 times)

alessia

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 1

Hello guys I need your help asap! I have an audition next September and i have to choose pieces as well as Bach ones! I am so desperate because I can’t play his pieces at all even tho I have played other demanding pieces like Chopin’s ballade 1 etc but my brain won’t function even a little with Bach! Here’s the list I have to choose from:

2 Preludes and Fugues from the well-tempered Klavier,
Or
a French or English Suite,
Or
a Toccata,
Or
a Partita,
Or
Italian Concert,
Or
Chromatic Fantasy and fugue
Or
the Capriccio on the departure of his most beloved brother

I need help in choosing among this list, please advice me an actually slow piece that can be practiced in 2-3 months🥲

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thorn

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 784

Re: Bach pieces for auditions

Reply #1 on: December 23, 2024, 05:31:15 PM

Bach is my nemesis too so I sympathise. This list doesn't allow auditionees to get away with something slow. As someone who also struggles with this repertoire my personal approach would be 1) I hate fugues which rules out WTK, the Toccatas, the Chromatic Fantasy and the Capriccio, and 2) the Suites and Partitas have 5+ movements each so I don't have enough time for that. Therefore the least of the evils is the Italian Concerto.

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brogers70

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Sr. Member
Posts: 1756

Re: Bach pieces for auditions

Reply #2 on: December 23, 2024, 06:56:19 PM

The Partita in Bb is pretty straightforward, the prelude is basically a three part invention at a moderate tempo. The allemande and courante and the first minuet are all just bass line and melody, the sarabande is easy and beautiful. The only technical bit is all the hand crossing in the gigue, but even that is easier than it sounds. If you can play a Chopin Ballade, this partita should be a piece of cake.

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avguste

PS Gold Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 300

Re: Bach pieces for auditions

Reply #3 on: January 01, 2025, 05:28:02 PM

Quote from: alessia on December 23, 2024, 04:18:25 PM

Hello guys I need your help asap! I have an audition next September and i have to choose pieces as well as Bach ones! I am so desperate because I can’t play his pieces at all even tho I have played other demanding pieces like Chopin’s ballade 1 etc but my brain won’t function even a little with Bach! Here’s the list I have to choose from:

2 Preludes and Fugues from the well-tempered Klavier,
Or
a French or English Suite,
Or
a Toccata,
Or
a Partita,
Or
Italian Concert,
Or
Chromatic Fantasy and fugue
Or
the Capriccio on the departure of his most beloved brother

I need help in choosing among this list, please advice me an actually slow piece that can be practiced in 2-3 months🥲

The Italian concerto is a wonderful work to learn and perform.
Regardless of the piece, Bach is always a challenge, no matter the level of the pianist

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Avguste Antonov
Concert Pianist / Professor of Piano
avgusteantonov.com

lelle

PS Gold Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 2506

Re: Bach pieces for auditions

Reply #4 on: January 12, 2025, 09:19:01 PM

Quote from: brogers70 on December 23, 2024, 06:56:19 PM

The Partita in Bb is pretty straightforward, the prelude is basically a three part invention at a moderate tempo. The allemande and courante and the first minuet are all just bass line and melody, the sarabande is easy and beautiful. The only technical bit is all the hand crossing in the gigue, but even that is easier than it sounds. If you can play a Chopin Ballade, this partita should be a piece of cake.

My vote was also going to be for the first Partita in Bb. Let us know how it goes!

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samanthabell

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 1

Re: Bach pieces for auditions

Reply #5 on: January 18, 2025, 08:03:35 AM

Thanks for sharing.

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