Any music lovers? I need help picking a solo piano piece for competion.

[girl gone mad]

I'm looking for an audience pleaser, so I thought I would ask for suggestions.

I've already got a couple of Mozart sonatas prepared (will probably wait until the last minute to decide which one to use). Now I need something more romantic (dramatic) to round out my program. In order to be competitive, I have to pick a piece with a very high degree of difficulty. The only pieces I won't consider are Ravel's Ondine and the Chopin ballades, due to overuse in this competition last time around.

Thanks for any help!

[RevCheesehead]

1. Seems to me that Beethoven is full of passion and drama.

And rumor has it he's written a piano piece or two. ;)

What level competition, might I ask? High school? College? Post-graduate?

Or, if you want a crowd pleaser, how about the Gershwin preludes?

[girl gone mad]

3. I'd love to play Beethoven, but since I'm already...

playing Mozart, Beethoven is out. Classical is my specialty, but I have to mix it up this time.

It's post-grad competition. Gershwin preludes might work if I could find an advanced arrangement. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Spider Jerusalem]

7. That's a shame...

since if you're looking for 'a high degree of difficulty', you could hardly do better than something from the Hammerklavier sonata.

[malmapus]

9. Beethoven came to my mind as well...

Between Fur Elise or Moonlight Sonata.

[bbernardini]

2. I'm a fan of the Schubert impromptus, myself. Or perhaps Brahms?

The Brahms ballades, that is.

[girl gone mad]

8. Do you have any paritcular Brahms..

ballade in mind?

I like the Schubert impromptus as well, but I think they are not as stylistically different from Mozart as I would like. I'll listen to them again tonight. I guess I could do something unique with my interpretation.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

[Dinger]

4. The Chopin Etudes? Or Liszt?

I once heard Vladimir Asheknazy play the entire op. 10 & 25. Unbelievable feat.

[girl gone mad]

10. Ashkenazy is very good, and you know what surprises me?

He has smallish hands, and yet it sounds as if he plays the giant Chopin chords fairly effortlessly. I am a big fan of his style and ability.

I do play a few of the etudes. Op.10 #8 and the Revolutionary. Also working on some of the Godowsky arrangements for the left hand only, just for exercise. Do you have a favorite etude?

[Dinger]

18. The Revolutionary

Especially the in these times our country is in : )

But, I really love that one.:)

[jpgray]

5. 4'33"

[progmom]

21. smart ass

;)

[WCGreen]

6. Chop Sticks....

Be Avant Gaurde....

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. How about Brahms Variations on a Theme by Paganini?

Or maybe Ginastra Danzas Argentinas?

I'm no pianist, so I know nothing about the difficulty...

[Whoa_Nelly]

12. Humoreske by Dvorak?

Song of India by Rimsky-Korsakov?

Wedding-day at Troldhaugen by Grieg?

Just a few of my favs :hi:

[girl gone mad]

13. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

I'm going to listen to the recommendations and go to the music store tomorrow to look at sheet music.

I don't usually talk about music to anyone aside from former teachers. I know what I like to listen to and play, but it's nice to hear what other people like. I don't get a chance to perform in front of an audience very often, so it will be interesting.

[ALago1]

17. Bach?

How about taking one of Bach's pieces meant for harpsichord and play it on the piano instead? That might sound pretty cool...

[amitten]

14. You could pull out some weird-ass Schumann.

Just for kicks.

[grasswire]

15. How about some Ellington?

I'm thinking about the complexity of the lesser-known Harlem pieces, but I don't know if an arrangment in an extended piano solo is available. Perhaps. I have 12,000 pieces of sheet music, ya'd think I would know!

Or perhaps some Joplin? Perhaps a medley of several rags? My goodness, the "Wall Street Rag" is haunting and complex. "American Beauty" will break your heart. And the pieces from his opera "Tremonisha" are so very beautiful.

There's always Zez Confrey for difficulty. "Nickel in the Slot" is a knuckle-buster, for sure.

Hmmm. What about some Gottschalk?

Yes, my take is different. But you're wanting to be noticed!

[KatyMan]

16. Martha My Dear????

nice piece of piano work there.. .:D How about some Monk? Ruby My Dear? I'm sure I'm way off base here...maybe I should just be a quiet lurker....

[MANative]

19. I've always been partial to Beethoven's Pathetique

Sonata -used that in competition many years ago and was definitely a crowd pleaser.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin