Short Piece For Dipabrsm Piano Recital Options

[joueur]

Hello,

I haven't posted here before. I'm going to be taking my DipABRSM exam on piano this summer. My programme is thus so far:

Beethoven Sonata in F Minor Op.2
Chopin Berceuse in Db Major
Debussy First Arabesque (used it in my grade 8 exam and I play it well, so might as well use it as my own choice)
Copland Cat and Mouse

I believe I need one more very short piece. I bought Bartok's Mikrokosmos, and it wouldn't be so bad if I had to learn just one Dance in Bulgarian Rhythm, but learning two is too time consuming at the moment as I have A Level exams for the next three weeks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Can anyone suggest a short piece from the syllabus that would coincide with my current programme?

I'd appreciate any help!

[jod]

I personally would not reuse material I've used for a previous exam, so I would scrap the Debussy.

Why don't you play La Cathedral engloutie instead if you want to play some Debussy?

You do not have to play an own choice piece.

Your programme lacks anything Baroque. There are plenty of Scarlatti sonatas on the syllabus to choose from that would make up the remaining time requirements and balance this programme.


Alternatively, look at the pieces by Bach.

The dipABRSM is large step from Grade 8. I play the Arabesque. Technically, I felt it one of the easist pieces on that particular list and I consider my self anything but a DipABRSM level Pianist.

I really think the examiners will be looking for something more advanced at this level.

[fsharpminor]

Yes I agree with Jod, a Scarlatti sonata would do the trick.

[BerkshireMum]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) I'd say you definitely need a Baroque piece of some sort for a balanced programme.

[Joe]

Play Scarlatti sonata as your "own choice". (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[denmark77]

joueur,

I agree with the other posts, Scarlatti would be a good choice - Baroque and quite short.

Please bear in mind though that you have to choose a pair of Scarlatti sonatas at DipABRSM; the syllabus list states quite a wide choice though.

Best of luck

denmark

[Robodoc]

Please bear in mind though that you have to choose a pair of Scarlatti sonatas at DipABRSM; the syllabus list states quite a wide choice though.

I had this discussion with Mad Tom a while ago: If you are selecting from the list you have to pick a pair, so that sort of suggests that two is what is expected. On the other hand, if you are offering it as your own choice why should you have to pick two? Then again, why pick as your own choice something on the list? It's asking for trouble, reallly!

[joueur]

Thanks for your responses.

I have the first volume of Scarlatti Sonatas (I don't know how they've got here, as I definitely didn’t buy them!) I think I'll give the A major ones that are listed in the syllabus a go.

Forgive me for being rather presumptuous, but they don't seem that difficult: have I missed the point? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) What will the biggest challenge be in learning and performing these?

[musicmanNZ]

I guess they are not too difficult to learn to play the notes.

To play the piece as it is meant to be played is quite a different challenge and one that would take paragraphs and paragraphs here to even start to outline what you are trying to achieve.

Listen to Mikhail Pletnev's CD of Domenico Scarlatti to start to understand where I'm coming from - I personally think that yes, you have missed the 'point' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

It's June now and you say you are taking your diploma 'this summer' - what country are you in? Surely if it's the UK it is your summer now? I'm slightly surprised you are saying you will be starting to learn a Scarlatti sonata now to reach diploma standard for a summer exam

Anyhow - Good luck with your diploma preparation - I've just taken mine and played Scarlatti's Sonata in D major K29 as part of my programme.

[Mad Tom]

Forgive me for being rather presumptuous, but they don't seem that difficult: have I missed the point?

Missed the point? Yes I think so.

Take a look at Martha Argerich playing K141/L422

or Michaelengeli playing K27/L449

When you can play them like that, then you can say they are easy!

I think a Scarlatti Sonata that is not on the list makes a good "own choice". Either of those above would fit the bill. But maybe not for you. Reading between the lines, you are looking for something quick and easy to learn. Scarlatti is not a soft option. His pieces look simple but it takes a lot of work to get them sounding good. Also you have to live with the sonatas for a while before they are ready for performance - and if you don't put that time and effort in they can sound awful. It turns out to be quicker and easier to learn a Bach Prelude and Fugue!!

For a quick study, that can be made to sound fantastic in record time you could try something like one of Granados' Spanish Dances - the famous No 5 is very easy - or perhaps more likely to impress the examiner, would be one of the easier pieces from Albeniz's First Spanish Suite

But of course anything that you can get to performance level in a couple of weeks is not going to impress the examiner with its technical difficulty. [Added 10/06/2008 - on the other hand I have read that both Martha Argerich and John Ogdon learned Tchaikovsky's famous concerto in just 2 weeks - that would impress and examiner - so maybe I'm wrong about this!!]

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[joueur]

Well, there seems to be some disagreeing here - some say a Scarlatti Sonata is a good idea, others seem to feel it would not to the piece or composer justice if I learnt it in 5 weeks for my exam and seem to be a bit insulted at my proposition. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

It's interesting what you say, Mad Tom, that a Bach prelude and fugue would be easier than a Scarlatti Sonata.

So, I'm a bit confused.

If I kept my programme how it initially was:

Beethoven Sonata in F Minor Op.2
Chopin Berceuse in Db Major
Debussy First Arabesque
Copland Cat and Mouse

...and maybe played the Beethoven with repeats, what would you think? The reason I asked for suggestions of 'short pieces' is because of the time limit aspect more than the 'I can't be bothered to learn anything lengthy' aspect.

If I learnt two Bartok Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm, do you think this would bode well with my programme or is it a necessity to have something from a Baroque period to get this 'balanced' programme? I realise there is already a 20th Century work there, and that both Bartok and Copland were Nationalist composers, Scherzo Humoristique is a very early work of his and doesn't fit into Nationalism. And would it be an insult to Bartok if I learnt two of his dances in 5 weeks?!

The syllabus reads '...a generalist programme that offers a wide-ranging yet coherent mixture of periods, mood and tempo'. So, I don't know...

Thanks for your responses so far, by the way.

[fsharpminor]

Id still be ending towards Scarlatti, a sits a different period. Many of them are 2 mins long, some even less.

[boogiecat]

I agree with others comments about a balanced programme. I would definitely consider something baroque, some of the Scarlatti is very playable at a glance, but you would have to expect the examiner to know this too and know that just getting from beginning to end would not be sufficient. Mad Tom makes a good point about the Bach, or maybe even one of the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues (It's not Baroque but would provide a decent contrast to the other pieces).

Love the Copland (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) a fine choice!

[Mad Tom]

Well, there seems to be some disagreeing here - some say a Scarlatti Sonata is a good idea, others seem to feel it would not to the piece or composer justice if I learnt it in 5 weeks for my exam and seem to be a bit insulted at my proposition. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

It's interesting what you say, Mad Tom, that a Bach prelude and fugue would be easier than a Scarlatti Sonata.

So, I'm a bit confused.

Just to make it clear, here is my opinion (based on learning half a dozen of each at post-Diploma standard) stated more clearly:

Scarlatti Sonata:
You can learn the notes pretty quickly for a lot of them, but it can take forever to get them to sound really good.

Bach Prelude and Fugue:
It can take seemingly ages to learn the notes and play them up to speed. But once you reach that point they already sound impressive.

I also think your proposed programme fulfils all the requirements of the syllabus, even without a baroque piece - the only question is whether it fills the required time.

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[joueur]

I also think your proposed programme fulfils all the requirements of the syllabus, even without a baroque piece - the only question is whether it fills the required time.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/piano.gif)

What do you think about doing two Bartok Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm? Will this unbalance the programme?