Picking a program...

[steinwayguy]

Please design a program using the following pieces (not all of them):

Schubert - Piano Sonata in B-flat, D.960
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in D Major, Op. 28
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 90
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in B-flat, Op. 106 "Hammerklavier"
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 111
Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58(?)
Schumann - Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
Schumann- Kinderszenen, Op. 15
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 119
Rachmaninoff - Preludes Op. 32 No. 10-13
Bartok - Suite Op. 14



I'm leaning towards-

Brahms 119
Rachmaninoff Preludes
-Intermission-
Kinderszenen
Beethoven 111

Keep in mind that I will have already performed the Schubert three times this year, and that people have played the Hammerklavier and Symphonic Etudes in recent years, which turns me away from them a little.

[happyface94]

I played that Klavierstucke, if yuo intend to play the Rhapsody from that one, be prepared, the ending (2 last pages) is quite hard as you make some really good jumps.

[Goldberg]

Well, sure, but he also plays the Hammerklavier, op. 111, Chopin B minor, and Symphonic Etudes! My best guess is he can also handle the jumps in Brahms.

You've got a great repertoire, SteinwayGuy, and it's really entirely up to you but if I had that kind of thing in my mind I'd probably play something like:

Beethoven: PS in D major op. 28
Chopin: PS in B minor op. 58
*intermission*
Schumann: Symphonic Etudes op. 13
Brahms: Klavierstuck op. 119 (possibly with this swapped with Schumann)
Bartok: Suite op. 14

And if you really want to you can do Rachmaninoff op. 32 no. 13 as an encore.

In the program you have in the first post, I would probably switch the order of the first two pieces and then consider playing the Etudes instead of Kinderszenen--being a Schumann fan I like both sets, but something tells me the SEs would fit better in the program. I dunno.

[steinwayguy]

Let me clarify, all of these pieces are not in my repertoire yet, although a few are. This is  me deciding what to play at my graduation recital a year from now.

[Goldberg]

Agh! That's what happens when ya read a post too quickly...I thought you said "I have played Schubert [...] and I have also played the Hammerklavier and Symphonic Etudes in recent years, so that puts me off playing them."

You are right that the SEs are coming back into popularity, but on the other hand Kiderszenen is so popular right now, Lang Lang plays it! Ewwww! ('course he also does Chopin's B minor sonata but he plays that one significantly better than the Schumann, imho).

[apion]

I'm leaning towards-

Brahms 119
Rachmaninoff Preludes
-Intermission-
Kinderszenen
Beethoven 111

That's a winner of a program.  However, since you have a strong contingent of Germanic composers (Brahms, Schumann, Beethoven), I would delete the Schumann and perhaps substitute it with Bartok or Chopin ........

[steinwayguy]

That's a winner of a program. However, since you have a strong contingent of Germanic composers (Brahms, Schumann, Beethoven), I would delete the Schumann and perhaps substitute it with Bartok or Chopin ........

That's a good idea. Do you think it would be possible to just have 111 on the second half and nothing else?

[sznitzeln]

For a nice diversity I would pick Beethoven - Brahms - Chopin - Rachmaninov, and also Schubert if possible.

Whatever you will pick, I think it will be a good program

[steinwayguy]

Now the choices have been cut to:

Beethoven Op. 111                       
Schumann- Kinderszenen, Op. 15   
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 117
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 119           
Rachmaninoff - Preludes Op. 32 No. 10-13
Chopin - Sonata in B Minor, Op. 58                 
Bartok - Suite Op. 14

Beethoven Op. 111 is a DEFINITE closer. The rest remains to be decided... and this can't be too much work, because I have to learn Rachmaninoff Third on the side as well as I will be working solely on my college audition rep from September through March. I would absolutely love to do the Chopin sonata, but I don't have enough time. I'm thinking right now- Brahms 119, Rachmaninoff, Intermission, Beethoven 111

[dlu]

Now the choices have been cut to:

Beethoven Op. 111                       
Schumann- Kinderszenen, Op. 15   
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 117
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 119           
Rachmaninoff - Preludes Op. 32 No. 10-13
Chopin - Sonata in B Minor, Op. 58                 
Bartok - Suite Op. 14

Beethoven Op. 111 is a DEFINITE closer. The rest remains to be decided... and this can't be too much work, because I have to learn Rachmaninoff Third on the side as well as I will be working solely on my college audition rep from September through March. I would absolutely love to do the Chopin sonata, but I don't have enough time. I'm thinking right now- Brahms 119, Rachmaninoff, Intermission, Beethoven 111

Whichever program you chose, I would definitely include the Bartok to balance out all of the romantics in your choices.

DLu

[steinwayguy]

Whichever program you chose, I would definitely include the Bartok to balance out all of the romantics in your choices.

DLu

I would love to, but where would I put it?

[Goldberg]

Now the choices have been cut to:

Beethoven Op. 111                       
Schumann- Kinderszenen, Op. 15   
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 117
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 119           
Rachmaninoff - Preludes Op. 32 No. 10-13
Chopin - Sonata in B Minor, Op. 58                 
Bartok - Suite Op. 14

How about

Schumann: Kinderszenen
Brahms: Klavierstuck op. 119
Bartok: Suite op. 14
*intermission*
Chopin: Sonata in B minor
Beethoven: Op. 111

or

Brahms: Klavierstuck op. 117
Bartok: Suite op. 14
Chopin: B minor Sonata
*intermission*
Schumann: Kinderszenen
Beethoven: op. 111

[steinwayguy]

How about

Schumann: Kinderszenen
Brahms: Klavierstuck op. 119
Bartok: Suite op. 14
*intermission*
Chopin: Sonata in B minor
Beethoven: Op. 111

or

Brahms: Klavierstuck op. 117
Bartok: Suite op. 14
Chopin: B minor Sonata
*intermission*
Schumann: Kinderszenen
Beethoven: op. 111

My ideal program would include Brahms 119, Chopin B Minor, Rach Preludes and 111, but I don't have enough time to do Chopni B Minor...

[Goldberg]

Well it's entirely your program so if that's what you want to do then do it! In fact you can make a perfectly acceptable program with:

Rach Preludes
Brahms Pieces
Chopin B minor
*int*
Bartok Suite (I think you need to have something before the Beethoven, and actually I think it would work well!)
Beethoven Op. 111

I REALLY don't think that would be too long. I would see it! Of course, I guess if it's going to be for graduation you'll have friends, family, etc...

But hey man I'm just tossing a few suggestions at ya to see if anything catches. What else is the forum useful for?

[steinwayguy]

My final (as of now) program is:

Brahms Klavierstucke Op. 119
Rachmaninoff Preludes Op. 32 No. 10-13
-Intermission-
Bartok Suite, Op. 14
Beethoven Sonata Op. 111

[Goldberg]

Hmm I think I misread your post again (the one right above my last one)...when you said you don't have enough time to do the Chopin B minor, I thought you meant in the program...but now I assume you meant to learn it?

GAH! What a fool I've been in this thread. It would be wise to just leave it altogether BUT I just wanted to say that's a perfectly acceptable program. It certainly works!

[steinwayguy]

Hmm I think I misread your post again (the one right above my last one)...when you said you don't have enough time to do the Chopin B minor, I thought you meant in the program...but now I assume you meant to learn it?

GAH! What a fool I've been in this thread. It would be wise to just leave it altogether BUT I just wanted to say that's a perfectly acceptable program. It certainly works!

Haha, yes I would love to do both 111 and Chopin B Minor, but I dont' have enough time to learn the Chopin, sadly. Thanks for the input (albeit a little misread).

[ramseytheii]

Please design a program using the following pieces (not all of them):
Schubert - Piano Sonata in B-flat, D.960
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in D Major, Op. 28
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 90
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in B-flat, Op. 106 "Hammerklavier"
Beethoven - Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 111
Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58(?)
Schumann - Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
Schumann- Kinderszenen, Op. 15
Brahms - Klavierstucke, Op. 119
Rachmaninoff - Preludes Op. 32 No. 10-13
Bartok - Suite Op. 14

Here are some short, some longer programs:

I. Beethoven op.90
Beethoven op.111
PAUSE
Beethoven op.106
-----
II. Schumann op.15
Brahms op.119
PAUSE
Schumann op.13
-----
III. Beethoven op.90
Bartok op.14
PAUSE
Chopin op.58
Rachmaninoff op.32 no.10-13
-----
IV. Beethoven op.28
Chopin op.58
PAUSE
Schubert D960
-----
V. Schumann op.13
PAUSE
Beethoven op.106
-----
VI. Schumann op.15
Bartok op.14
Chopin op.58
PAUSE
Brahms op.119
Beethoven op.111

There's a lot of programs you can make from those pieces!
Mark Hambourg had this to say about programming,
"In the good drama the climax is not reserved for the last curtain but usually comes at some previous moment."

He also has an interesting program with notes on why he put it together, and I will type it for everyone:

Program
I.
J.S. Bach          Italian Concerto                     (representing the severely
L.v.Beethoven  Sonata op.106 or op.111       classical style)
II.
Chopin            Scherzo in c# minor                (romantic and brilliant)
                       Etude op.10 no.3                    (slow and melodic)
                       Etude op.10 no.2                    (playful)
                       Etude op.10 no.4                    (brilliant)
                       Prelude in F# major                (slow)
                       Prelude in B-flat minor            (rapid)
                       Mazurka in a minor                 (reflective)
                      Polonaise in f# minor               (magnificent)
III.
Ravel              Jeu d'eaux                              (atmospheric)
C. Scott           Lotos Land                            (atmospheric)
Moszkowski   Venusberg from Tannhauser   (Dramatic)
Debussy         Suite                                       (characteristic)
--------------------------------

The I. II. and III. refer to the parts it is in, perhaps he gave 2 intermissions.  In any case it shows how he spread the range of historical repertoire while keeping a thread of unity.

Walter Ramsey