I'm picking out two pieces to play for this scholarship competition in a couple of months I have coming up, and my teacher and I have been working on three pieces, but I'm at the stage where I want to narrow it down to two. Beethoven's Sonata Op. 14, No. 2 is pretty much set as my "classical" piece.

For the contrasting style, I'm debating between Debussy and Liszt. For Debussy, I'm doing the piece "Clair de Lune", which I know is really, really well-known, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. However, it's definitely a piece that I feel there is a lot to express in, and it's a good contrast to the Beethoven. Meanwhile, I also really like my Liszt piece - "Liebestraum No. 3". I basically fell in love with the piece after hearing Lang Lang play it. However, my teacher says she prefers the Debussy, but I personally feel a greater connection to the Liszt.

One other thing I'm considering in my decision is difficulty level. I'm guessing the Beethoven is about DipABRSM, and I'm hoping my other song can be the same level as well. Anyone have any insights on how difficult Clair de Lune is? As well as the Liebestraum? I never really thought of it as a very difficult song when I first heard it, but the key was actually a bit challenging for me at first. I've still got time to prepare, but I want to narrow my focus down.

Both Debussy and Liszt pieces you have chosen are popular and well- known, and I feel that they are diploma standard. Either of these two would be a contrast to your Beethoven, so I think you must go for the piece I enjoy most... My choice would be...Debussy... Clair de Lune is lovely...

I'd say the Lieberstraum is more demanding!

thats a difficult descision.... they're both such great pieces!! But I would have to go for the Liszt; I love this piece so much!!!
I would say that they are both DipABRSM standard, and would contrast the Beethoven. I guess it's now down to what ever you feel the most confident with.
Good Luck!!

xx

Both pieces are really gorgeous , I think that Liszt's is higher is standard though...

I wouldn't get too hung up on which is more difficult; neither is easy, so choose whichever one you feel you'll personally make a better job of! (Clair de Lune is one of my favourites....can't play it (yet), but have dabbled, and it's on my list of pieces that are "underway....for some day"!)

Best of luck!

Gosh, I've never thought of Liebestraum as a "song".

Edward

But it is...my version has words at the top.

The Beethoven is grade eight standard but can be a chosen piece for the Diploma. I would suggest you play the piece that YOU want to play and not your teacher! You are the one that will have to perform it and not your teacher. Your teacher might prefer to teach it but that isn't a good enough reason in my view for you to do it if you prefer the Liszt!!

Both are very beautiful pieces...and probably about the same in difficulty.

Out of curiosity, how is "Liebestraum" supposed to be pronounced?

I would say you should choose the piece where you are more comfortable technically and interpretation-wise. The Liszt is definitely the more technically demanding work compared to the Debussy. However, pulling off a decent interpretation of Clair de Lune is not easy either. They are both easily diploma standard.

I like the Debussy piece. I think I don't know much of any of liszt's pieces .

I've always wanted to ask the same question , but I managed to pronounce it like "Liebestraum" , which I think , is wrong...

Lee - bess - troum ("ou" as in "round"). Accents on first and third syllables, so "bess" could possibly come out as "biss". Nice rolled "r" in "traum".

One of the good things about German is that it's all pronounced as it's written, so once you've been at it for a short while you can read pages of it out loud even without necessarily knowing what it means.

One of the bad things about German is that there are 16 words for "the"!