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What piano pieces should I pick up?

I'm finishing my first year of college as a Piano Performance major, & I'm finishing the Brahms Two Rhapsodies (no. 2) & am getting close(r) to finishing Rachmaninoff's Prelude in Gm (op. 23 no. 5). I need to pick up another piece or two that are not of the same genre/time as Rach (for the summer/upcoming semester). Any suggestions? P.S. Last semester I did the Schumann Drei Romanzen op. 28 No. 1 (Bb m), Debussy Suite Bergamasque Prelude, & the 3rd movement of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata.

So yeah, any suggestions? Something that's challenging (but something I can handle) but a lot of fun!

THANKS! =)

Update:

Petr b : I did the first 2 movements of the Pathetique in highschool, but thanks :)

5 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Sounds like you could use a little Bach in your repertoire. You might not want to start a fugue on your own over the summer, but one of the suites should be within your reach and enjoyable for their variety. I'd suggest the Partita no.1 in Bb or the French Suite no.5 in G. Both are good introductory pieces for the genre, and just about any Bach is well worth studying.

    You're also a little light on the Classical side too. The other poster is right; you'll want to have a complete sonata at your command. If you aren't going back to finish the Beethoven, though, you might try a Mozart or Haydn sonata. The Haydn D Major is fun and familiar:

    http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdVPE.asp?pp...

    ...or the big Eb major one would be more of a challenge:

    http://www.pianostreet.com/search/images_tn/png300...

    You could also use some 20th Century literature - Rachmaninoff is modern, but sounds like he wants to be Romantic. Try some Prokofieff:

    http://www.sheetmusicdigital.com/pdf/3/1/0/PROK4N4... A Diabolical suggestion is an entertaining choice. The Visions fugitives, Op. 22 , is another possibility, and a good intro into his style.

    Enjoy your summer!

  • petr b
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    (Revised ~ with due apology for the 'complete sonata' thing)

    I'd go for Baroque.

    There are the famous but still nice to hear and work on Rameau's "La Poule," and Daquin's "Le coucou," for example.

    The ever-present and requisite Bach; A partita ( I'm most partial to Nos. 1 & 6) or an English or French Suite.

    And the treasure trove of the 500 plus Scarlatti sonatas:-)

    Unless you have not revealed other repertoire, you have an apparent gap / lack of baroque and contemporary, each required, usually for each and every jury, all the way through.

    Best regards.

  • 1 decade ago

    How about tackling Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Granados Goyescas or Albeniz Iberia? Each is demanding technically, is multi-movement and has unique pianistic coloring.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    You could try having a look at Rustle in Spring by Sinding - a very beautiful piece:)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y8vBaZErVw&feature...

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  • 1 decade ago

    Ravel? Try your hand at his Sonatine

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