Choosing a slow movement for a concerto competition?

[chrism05]

Hi everyone! For some context, I've been playing piano for 12 years, and next year will be my last opportunity to participate in a local "Young Artists" concerto competition (up to age 21). I haven't had a teacher in around a year, so I'm on my own trying to navigate the process of preparing for a competition for the first time. I feel quite okay about my solo selection, but I'm brand new to concertos, so I would love any input you all may be able to provide!

This section requires me to select one movement of a major concerto, with a 15-minute time limit. To give a sense of my skill set, I would say the pieces I've had the strongest performances of (with very nitpicky musical preparation) are Debussy's Arabesque No. 1, Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3, a few Chopin etudes, and his 1st and 2nd Ballades. I can certainly learn to play virtuosic passages with relative ease when I need to, but I'm very much driven by lyricism, sensitive musicianship, and storytelling, I'd say much more of my practice is focused on developing skills of that nature.

I'm getting a lot of mixed signals from the takes I can find from experienced pianists regarding competition repertoire (e.g., "Judges are very tired of the displays of speed and virtuosity," but also, "Slow works fail to showcase technical capacity").

Given that the composer I've spent the most time with, by far, is Chopin, I thought it would only be natural to pick a concerto that either he wrote or that has similar musical qualities to his works. I listened to his first Piano Concerto and absolutely fell in love with the Larghetto movement. I also think a lot of music could be squeezed out of the first movement, and it is obviously far more virtuosic, but it seems to me that it would require huge, structurally disruptive cuts to fit within the time limit. I thought it would be wise to first see whether people think the slower movement could stand a chance against the typical ocean of technical works (provided that I play sensitively enough).

Please let me know what you think! Any advice you may have - on any part of this process, really - would be a great help. Thank you so much!

[essence]

Some slow movements which come to mind.

Ravel
Beethoven 4th
Brahms 1st or 2nd

It depends a bit on the quality of the orchestra. Brahms 2nd demands an excellent orchestra and conductor. Similar with Beethoven 4th, if you want any kind of dialogue.

Never underestimate the level of virtuosity to play pp chords with singing tones.

If it was a good cellist I might go for Brahms 2nd slow movement, but a mediocre cellist, forget it.

[thorn]

The Ravel is one of the most beautiful slow movements ever written, or you could even do the first movement which has a better balance of virtuosity and lyricism

[essence]

Thanks Thorn. Not normally a great fan of Argerich, but I like this.

The orchestra would love you if you did the Ravel, particularly the wind section. plus the harpist if doing the first movement.

I think the Ravel slow movement works alone, whereas other slow movements lead on to the last movement.

How are your trills?

Nobody wants another competent Rach 2/3. Please not the Grieg.