Which Piece to play?

[Fugue]

My teacher wants me to learn a piece from the modern period, and she is letting me choose, within limits, what piece to learn. So now I am sitting here, surrounded by sheet music and recordings, trying to figure out what piece to learn. I was wondering if any of you could help me choose between these pieces. Basically, I am looking for a somewhat slow piece that is about level 7 (give or take). Here are my choices (assuming that no one suggests a piece).

1. Ravel's "The valley of the clocks" from his "mirrours" suite (not spelled right)

2. Debussy's "The sunken Cathedral" (is that spelled right?)

3. Ravel's "Pavane for a dead princess"

4. Ravel's (see a trend?) "Valses de sentimentales de nobles" Probably the third.

5. Villa-Lobos "O' Polcino" (definately not spelled correctly; its several letters too short.)

6.  Ravel's "Prelude" Which doesn't seem to be a level 7; do they mean a different prelude than the one minute one in e minor/c major?

7. Something not by Ravel.


Thanks!!!

[pies]

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[steinwayguy]

No. 1 or Bartok.

[Rach3]

I suggest getting the 2nd book of Preludes by Debussy - very good music there (I did "Ondine" - beautiful, dark harmonies, very impressionistic, excellent audition material). You could try one of the easier Shostakovich Prelude & Fugues - there's an edition by an ex-soviet publisher which has them all in one volume. Or look at Debussy's Estampes. Or a Rach prelude.

[Fugue]

Thanks, I'll look at those.

[Glyptodont]

I LOVED Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess.  It is one of those pieces I dust off every couple of years and sharpen up on again.

The Sunken Cathedral is filled with marvelous big chords.  Lots of room for personalized expression by the pianist.

[nanabush]

Sunken Cathedral is an excellent piece to add to your repertoire, and ya some of the chords are pretty hard, probably the most difficult part of the entire piece.  It's not as hard as some of the other preludes, but I personally think it is one of his best, ending is perfect!