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Topic: Appropriate for audtitions  (Read 1472 times)

Offline tabris

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Appropriate for audtitions
on: May 09, 2005, 06:31:53 AM
From what I have read it seems that most would agree it is not a good idea to use later Beethoven sonatas for conservatory auditions because of musical maturity.  Is this for graduate school audtions or just undergraduate.  Also the categories that most conservatories ask for are a major work from Baraoque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern  and sometimes a virtuosic etude.  Does impressionist music like Ravel and Debussy fall into the Modern or Romantic categories.  Is it better to do Debussy/Ravel with composers like Chopin and Lizst or with composers like Prokofiev and Bartok?

Thanks

Offline ThEmUsIcMaNBJ

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Re: Appropriate for audtitions
Reply #1 on: May 10, 2005, 01:46:07 AM
Impressionist music is "modern" usually called 20th century.  It really depends on the piece more than the composer as long as you're in the right era.  It also depends on how well you can play the piece.  You don't want to pick a really great audition program that you can play mediocre.  You want to pick a really great audition program that you can play amazingly.  That's why most people say not to play late Beethoven sonatas for an undergraduate audition.  If you can pull one off well then you'll blow them away, but I've yet to see a late Beethoven sonata played well by an 18 year old. 

On that note a well played Mozart sonata can sometimes be more effective then an over-played mediocre interpretation of a Beethoven sonata.  Just choose a good program that you can play well and hope for the best. 

Offline steinwayguy

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Re: Appropriate for audtitions
Reply #2 on: May 10, 2005, 04:09:41 AM
Late Beethoven is OK for a graduate conservatory audition I'd say. It really depends on how old you are. 25? Sure. 20? Pushing it.

And no, Mozart is not better than Beethoven unless you can really absolutely play the HELL out of it.

Ravel and Debussy I would consider "modern". Although I would put either with Prokofiev and Bartok over Chopin.

Offline ThEmUsIcMaNBJ

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Re: Appropriate for audtitions
Reply #3 on: May 10, 2005, 06:04:21 AM
And no, Mozart is not better than Beethoven unless you can really absolutely play the HELL out of it.
Um that's what I said...  A well played mozart can be better then a mediocre beethoven.  Mozart in general is hard to play...  If it's not well played then it's badly played.  Theres really no in between.
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