Pair - Kreisleriana

[bubblessomewhere]

Hello everyone.
Would you give me some recommendations for my recital program? I want to play Kreisleriana in the middle. Still, I am concerned that Kreisleriana is so dense, changeable, and mercurial that it can easily feel overwhelming or “all the same” if not framed carefully. What do you think of piano works that would serve as compelling preludes to Schumann's Kreisleriana, Op. 16?
It would be a great help!!
Thanks:)

[dizzyfingers]

You can arrive at an answer by the process of elimination.
Kreisleriana's effect depends on it's romanticism, grandeur, and virtuosity.  To heighten the impact of this piece you want to avoid pieces with similar qualities, therefore:
- do not play anything from the romantic period
- do not play a Beethoven sonata
- do not even play a lengthy dramatic Mozart sonata (like the a minor) or Haydn sonata (like the Eb)
- do not play a long Bach piece like an English Suite or Partita
That leaves us with:
- a short piece by Haydn like the capriccio in C or a light sonata
- a light and short sonata by Mozart (like the G major)
- a prelude/fugue by Bach or a possibly a french suite

[liszt-and-the-galops]

That leaves us with:
- a short piece by Haydn like the capriccio in C or a light sonata
- a light and short sonata by Mozart (like the G major)
- a prelude/fugue by Bach or a possibly a french suite

Why not something like a Scarlatti Sonata or Debussy Prelude? There are pieces from periods of time outside of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods, and pieces from within the first two that aren't mentioned here.

Honest question. I'm not familiar with programming concerts/auditions/recitals/etc.

[bubblessomewhere]

You can arrive at an answer by the process of elimination.
Kreisleriana's effect depends on it's romanticism, grandeur, and virtuosity.  To heighten the impact of this piece you want to avoid pieces with similar qualities, therefore:
- do not play anything from the romantic period
- do not play a Beethoven sonata
- do not even play a lengthy dramatic Mozart sonata (like the a minor) or Haydn sonata (like the Eb)
- do not play a long Bach piece like an English Suite or Partita
That leaves us with:
- a short piece by Haydn like the capriccio in C or a light sonata
- a light and short sonata by Mozart (like the G major)
- a prelude/fugue by Bach or a possibly a french suite

That's clever 😲 I think I will go with a prelude/fugue by Bach. But still for some reasons, I am also thinking of Bach-Busoni Chorale. And for program length issue, I might add Chopin Barcarolle or Mendelssohn op. 28.. just before Kreisleriana... what do you think....?

[lelle]

That's clever 😲 I think I will go with a prelude/fugue by Bach. But still for some reasons, I am also thinking of Bach-Busoni Chorale. And for program length issue, I might add Chopin Barcarolle or Mendelssohn op. 28.. just before Kreisleriana... what do you think....?

I think there is nothing wrong with putting another romantic piece on the programme, it should just be different in character from Kreisleriana. The Barcarolle might work in that regard.

I agree that the Kreisleriana is quite heavy to take in, so I'd definitely go for lighter, shorter and more easily digestible pieces leaning more towards major keys for contrast.

[dizzyfingers]

That's clever 😲 I think I will go with a prelude/fugue by Bach. But still for some reasons, I am also thinking of Bach-Busoni Chorale. And for program length issue, I might add Chopin Barcarolle or Mendelssohn op. 28.. just before Kreisleriana... what do you think....?

It comes down to personal taste, I like stark contrasts.  Bach-Busoni chorale - maybe, but seems like a similar concept of piano sound.  I can't see the Barcarolle creating enough contrast.  I guess the Mendelssohn Fantasy op 28 might work, it has a more classical aesthetic.
I would also consider:
- a lighter early Beethoven sonata
- a set of 3 Schubert impromptus / shorter pieces
- a Clementi sonata - you may have recently heard the striking performance of op 25 no 5 in f# at the Van Cliburn competition by Carter Johnson

Think of it this way:  Kreisleriana is going to demonstrate your mastery of grand romantic piano sound and expression, so you want to demonstrate mastery of something else in your preceding piece - of precision, nuance, elegance, refinement (for example).