Early Advanced/Advanced 20th Century Repertoire Ideas

[sonatainfsharp]

I will be the first to admit that 20th century rep is my weak spot, mainly because:

*I studied with a teacher in college who only liked Chopin and other Romantic rep.
*The past 4 years I have been teaching beginning students, ages 6-14 years old.

So, I need to get back into 20th century rep. before I begin my Master's in about 2 years. I am looking for suggestions of 20th century pieces that are advanced but not "amazingly difficult." I would rather learn "easier pieces well" than "faking hard ones," so keep that in mind.

Ideas? I have several books on 20th century rep, but nothing works better than real, live opinions.

So far, my 20th century rep includes: Barber's Excursions, Gershwin's Preludes, and Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances. Yep, that is it.

I appreciate any and all ideas in advance.

[kaff]

My 20thC repertoire is also not extensive, but I've been having a load of fun recently with Bartok's 6 dances in Hungarian Rhythm, from Mikrokosmos 6.  Each of the 6 pieces is short (less than 2 minutes).  I think these fall into the "advanced but not amazingly difficult" category - as you've played Bartok before you'll know that the difficulties tend to centre on the slightly unusual rhythms and the rather unexpected harmonies, which tend to concentrate the sight-reading skills in the early stages of learning!  I started with the last one, which when played up to speed is an exhilerating fanfare-like piece, and am working through the others now.

For my next 20thC pieces, I'm interested in looking at some of Hovhannes's work, which I've only recently come across.  I've listened to some of his orchestral music, but not his piano music other than one beginner piece.  It's all very beautiful, haunting music, heavily inspired by Eastern European and East Asian music.  Unfortunately I haven't yet done any exploring and can't therefore recommend a particular piece, but maybe someone else can.

Kathryn

[kaff]

Would help if I could spell.

HOVHANESS

 

[Rach3]

Advanced?

Do a prokofiev sonata or nine. The war sonatas are lots of fun - no. 6 is really hard. Seven has a really 'cool' finale. Eight and nine are more introspective. Three is one of the easier and more rewarding ones; four is not often played.

Or look at Shostakovich's 24 preludes and fugues - ingenious counterpoint, lots of fun, and not easy at all.

[BuyBuy]

Debussy's preludes, images etc.
Scriabin's medium and late period preludes
Szimanowski's mazurkas
Rachmaninoff's preludes

Hope it helps.

[pianonut]

am working the barber nocturne, and looking at poulenc's trois pieces (toccata).  saint-saens is easier than some of these, but still difficult.  his allegro-appasionata is kind of fun.  also the toccata he wrote sounds kind of rag-time-ish and is fun to play.

[steinwayguy]

Schoenbergs "six little pieces" op. 19

[bernhard]

Personally I am not at all interested in most “experimental” music of the20th century. Serialism, random music, prepared pianos etc. strike me as unbelievably dull.

I do however enjoy tonal 20th century music with unusual harmonies and  a sense that the composer actually knew something about music.

If you share the same sort of taste, then here are a few favourites:

Prokofiev – I like everything by Prokofiev. However there is a real unexplored goldmine in his lesser known pieces – most of which are not at all difficult to play. Have a look here where I suggested several of them:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2398.msg20989.html#msg20989
(suggestions for Scarlatti sonatas and Prokofiev pieces of beginner/intermediate level).

Shostakovitch – Besides his most well known pieces (the concertos, the preludes and fugues) which can be frighteningly difficult he has also composed many easy pieces.  Schirmer publishes a great collection of Shostakovitch easier pieces called “Easy Pieces for the Piano”. Excellent material sounding far more difficult than it actually is. My favourites are Lyrical waltz, Lullaby and Spanish dance. Try also his collection “Dances of the dolls” (My favourites are “Hurdy Gurdy” and “Dance”)
and a set of preludes ranging from grade 5 to grade 8. Have a look here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2035.msg16633.html#msg16633
(Shostakovich preludes op. 34)

Andre Previn: Impressions (20 short pieces. My favourites are no. 5 “By a quiet stream”, no. 10 “Perpetual motion” and no. 17 “Mimicry”)

Richard Rodney Bennet – Martin Jones has just released a double CD with Bennett’s complete piano music.

Lennox Berkeley – I particularly like his “Five piano pieces” op. 4. (His complete solo piano works have recently been published in a single volume – Collected Piano Works – Edited by Peter Dickinson – published by Chester music, and there are recordings available for all of them).

Barber – Have a look here:
https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2363.msg20436.html#msg20436
(Barber piano pieces)

Alexander Tcherepenin – Bagatelles. Short, technically undemanding pieces with modern harmonies.

Villa Lobos – One of the most interesting composers of the 20th century, Heitor Villa Lobos composed some extremely beautiful music – including for piano. There are horribly difficult pieces as well as didactic easy ones. Have a look here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3381.msg30191.html#msg30191
(Villa Lobos)

Victor Carbajo – I recently came across the website of this contemporary Spanish composer. Wonderful music. The site has most of his works for free download as well as midi files so you can have an idea of what it sounds like.

Have a look here:

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,8368.0.html
(Victor Carbajo)

Lowell Liebermann – His Album for the Young is pretty easy, but his Gargoyles and Nocturne are advanced. Have a look here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,9968.0.html
(Lowell Liebermann)

For general discuassion on modern composers, have a look  at reply #6 here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2372.msg20574.html#msg20574
(New music – Less than 7 minutes long)

Have a look here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4227.msg39060.html#msg39060
(contemporary and modern pieces)

Have a look at replies #33 (several 20th century composers) and #38 (Villa Lobos) here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2352.msg20235.html#msg20235
(uncommon repertory)

Have a look at replies  #10  and #13 here:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4140.msg38111.html#msg38111
(True repertory for total beginners)

Finally, let us not forget the minimalists. (Arvo Part, Phillip Glass, Ludovico Einaudi). Have a look here:

https://www.pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,8225.0.html

This should get you going for a while

Best wishes.
Bernhard.

[Skeptopotamus]

Don't do Prokofiev Sonata 6 XD  That's the hardest one.  Check out um....

Corigliano Ostinato
Ginastera Sonata No. 1
Hindemith Suite "1922"
Prokofiev Sonata No. 2
Shostakovich Sonata No. 2

[Nightscape]

That Hindemith suite is brutal!  But it looks pretty cool, I might try it sometime.

[pianowelsh]

Debussy reflets dans l eau isnt too bad.  Plus individual movements of Estampes. schoenberg 6 pieces are straight forward but musically challenging. Buy the ABRSM spectrum 2 book (think its 2) it has a lot of new (last few years) pieces at grd8 to circ LRSM level some have extended techniques. Bartok out of doors (some of the pieces arent too hard) Prokofievs Romeo and Juliet suite is fun and a nice bridge from the romantic stuff you have studied. Oliver Knussens Prayer bell sketch is interesting compositionally and uses the piano well but is quite difficult notationally at first. Thomas Ades still sorrowing is very effective. Howard Ferguson Sonata is good and more extended piece. Pieces like Cowells Banshee are good short pieces for developing interior piano effects individual bits from Mackrokosmos by G Crumb might be agreeable he quotes Chopin a couple of times if i remember rightly. There is loads and loads of stuff you could try doing a search 20th c piano music or piano music with extended techniques (i did for a project once). good Luck and enjoy your little adventure!

[Skeptopotamus]

That Hindemith suite is brutal!  But it looks pretty cool, I might try it sometime.

I was told I had to do it before doing a Prokofiev Sonata so I guess that means teachers think it's easier than Prokofiev Sonatas; it didn't seem that way to me though XD

[pooguy77]

Ginastera -  12 American Preludes
Villa-Lobos - His Bachinias Brasilieras No. 4 is Amazing and Beautiful, Hard but not impossible
Ravel - Tribute to Haydn, Prelude
Kabalevsky -  24 Preludes (This should be the perfect level for what your looking for)
John LaMontaine - Toccata No. 1
Copland - 4 Blues, Cat and Mouse (yes I know, overplayed), Passacagalia

Also try looking at some Henry Cowell, Mompou, and some of Satie more substantial works.

[pianote]

Capriccio on the interval of a Second (Dello Joio)
Gargoyles No. 32 (Liebermann)
Masks (Op. 40) (Muczysnki)
Op. 84, No. 8 (Prokofiev)
Petrouchka, Danse Russe (Stravinsky)
Praeludium, Etude No. 1 (Perle)
Sonata No. 3 (Dello Joio)
Sonata No. 2, D-minor (Op. 14) (Prokofiev)
Three Preludes for Piano (Gershwin)
Virtuoso Alice (Del Tredici)

some good advanced pieces- good competition pieces too

[pita bread]

Virtuoso Alice is a good piece if you want/need to play 20th century music , but not dissonant music, it's pretty much supermelodic neo-romantic.

[prometheus]

Scriabin, Barber or Medtner.

[amanfang]

I LOVED Three Preludes by Kent Kennan.  The whole set takes about 5 minutes to play.  The first is a rather charming "allegro scherzando" - atonal, but nice.  Only 2 pages.  The second is a "chorale-like" piece - Lento.  It is only 2 lines.  Also atonal, but it could almost pass for e-flat minor.  The last is "Allegro con fuoco."  Lots of octaves, fiery, toccata-like.  It is almost f-sharp minor, but still not quite tonal.  The last is very impressive, and much easier than it sounds.  I highly recommend this set. 

[moose_opus_28]

Bartok Suite Op. 14 isn't incredibley hard, and it's tons of fun. 
Muczynski's Seven is an awesome little suite.  Forgot the opus...
Ginastera -  12 American Preludes - Definitely play 6.  Short, easy, cool.
Scriabin Poem Op. 32 No. 1, and any Preludes or other little pieces.
Everything by Barber (the Sonata obviously is a little hard)

These may be a little much if you're looking for something that isn't very advanced, but...
Liebermann's Gargoyles is AWESOME!!!!
Hindemith Sonata #3
Ginastera Sonata #1 (1st movement isn't too hard, 2nd is madness in several places, 4th isn't bad if you have very good octaves)

[dbrainiak914]

Check into Griffes, an awesome American Impressionist.

Especially his Fantasy Pieces and Sonata.  Dayum.  I've played some of him, but don't have any recs.  Anyone have recs??

[pita bread]

I have recordings of the 4 Roman Sketches (his most impressionistic works IMO) if anyone wants them.

[dlu]

How about one of the easier Ligeti etudes like En Suspens (sp?)?
DLu