iv been searching because I know similar threads exist ...sorry...but iv had no luck.


Im hoping if anyone could suggest some repertoire i could work on independently from my lessons.

In particular Id like to try some of the more famous pieces and i'm a massive chopin and debussy fan oh and any bach you could suggest would be fantastic. I want some pieces well within my grasps to extend my repertoire and some to try and some that will really challenge me. Also anything that would improve the strength in my left hand [[i do some hanon but i never seem to get past the first few exercises]]

That was kind of cluttered but just lists of interesting pieces around grade 6 standard would be really great.

Thanks, =]

You could get Chopin An Introductory Album from the AB. It has the Raindrop Prelude which is pretty famous along with some other pieces which are well worth playing.

Debussy is quite hard although I'm no expert on him so there may be some pieces for you.

Have you tried Mozart's Fantasia in D minor? It's famous and you should be able to learn it without much problem.

In approximate order of difficulty (my idea of difficulty, anyway), easiest to hardest:

Edward Macdowell: To a Wild Rose
Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata, 1st movement
Satie: Gymnopodie No.1
Beethoven: Bagatelle in G minor (Op119, 1)
Chopin: Mazurka in C (Op22, 3)
Bach: various 2 part inventions (maybe they should be higher up the list?)
Debussy: Le Petit Negre
Debussy: The Little Shepherd
Jensen: Longing (Op6, 5 - I love the full version, not the cut down one which is about G4ish)
Mendelssohn: Song Without Words (op 19, Nos 2 and 4)
Debussy: Claire de Lune
Bach: various 3 part inventions
Mozart: Adagio in B Minor, K.540 (this is 5 pages long, but technically not too hard).

Hope this helps.

Mozart: Adagio in Eb major K282, also the 2nd movement (two minuettes) - really nice.
Maxwell Davis: Farewell to Stromness
Satie: Three Gnossiennes for piano (really nice to play all three together)
Various Einaudi pieces (people tend to love him or hate him) Le Onde, Passagio, I Giorni
Chopin Mazurka in G# minor (op 33 no 1)
Della Joio: Prayer of the Matador (in the last AB gradee 6 book, very atmospheric piece)

Thank you!! I'm def going to check some of those out as soon as possible =]].

also : debussy reverie.

!!

What about Debussy's "La fille aux cheveux de lin"? It's about Grade 6 to 7 standard and is a lovely piece.
I've heard Alfred Cortot's recording of this song in CD and I feel that when I listen to this song, it can really make yourself feel relaxed. For Chopin, I would recommend "Nocturne in E flat major". It's in Grade 6 to 7 territory.

I know you said you want famous pieces, but i've been playing a lot of the pieces from the film Amelie recently, and they're all really nice. Generally they're not that tewchnically difficult, apart from sections in most of them which are quite fast, but they need loads of expression. If you want any of the scores, or want to hear what they sound like just PM me

La Fille has been listed at grade 7, I believe.

The Chopin Nocturne in E flat Major (Op55 no.1) is on the current grade 8 c list.

They're both lovely.

The "nocturne in E flat major" I mention is Op.9 no.2, which I think is about Grade 6, at most, Grade 7.

Great books to get for a selection are the More Romantic Pieces and Short Romantic pieces, both Associated Board,They go up to about Grade 7. A lovely collection of pieces from different composers. Books 1 to 5. And they're only around a fiver each. I've found some really nice pieces in these books, some thay you may be otherwise unlikely to encounter , such as pieces by Gade, Gliere, Harberbier, Heller, Moszkowski, Karganov, and many others. There are also pieces by more well known composers. There's Debussys Album Leaf, really nice but just over a page, Griegs Album Leaf which is quite tricky to play but a favourite of mine, and a Waltz and Mazurka by Chopin, also Mendelsohn and Schumman.

I have listed quite a few repertoire for Grade 6 level some time ago so I won't repeat here, but I must say my all time favourite is "Giddy Girl" by Ibert. I also love Puppet's dance no.1 by Martine.
If you like a romantic piece, how about Nocturne in Bb by John Field. Mozart? Fantaisia in D minor would be lovely... Bach? Ok, how about Two parts inventions or some movements from French Suites... Whoops, you got me started!!!

Yes, sorry about that - I think in any case the Op55 no.1 may be in C minor - same key signature!! Ooops. mea culpa etc.

Sorry if this has come up, but my personal favourites which I don't think has come up are...

Le coucou - Daquin
Flower song(i think it's called that) - Lange(sp?)


Also, there's a lot of nice Sonatinas which are grade 6.

Isn't the grade 8 in F minor?? that's the one i'm doing anyway..

Mozart's Fantasia in D minor is really beautiful, but those cadenzas take a bit of mastering!

I found the middle bit of the aleghretto, just before the third cadenza, the hardest part.

In fact I could play it all apart from that section the cadenzas aren't to hard once you get into them. Really helps to practise scales a lot. Its a piece I'd like to come back too - it was a bit too hard for me when I first played it, but I could probably manage it now. The first tow sections are fabulous to play.

The thing about the cadenzas is that they are totally in free time so you can play them anyway you want - most concert pianists use them as an opportunity to show their stuff, and go zooming up and down the keyboard. You don't have to do that - the important thing is to find a musical interpretaion that suits you.

I agree with Stumac, I didn't find the cadenzas too difficult, but I had the same trouble with the Allegretto.

Try Debussy Children't corner

At the moment the little shepherd boy is on the G7 list with ABRSM althought not hugely difficult And there's a fun piece Dr Gradus which is on G8 for Trinity, but I've had G5 or 6 students who've made a fairly good job of it. Oh, and there's Golliwog's Cakewalk of course which is fun.

La Petite Negre is a lovely piece as well but not G6 standard, you'll probably find it quite easy.

There's a collection by Martinu called Spring in the Garden which has cropped up on AB exam lists quite a few times, nothing this year (I think!) Really nice pieces to learn.

Chopins Prelude in B minor Op. 28 No.6
A wonderful piece of grade 6 repertoire

try Daquins Le coucou, nice piece!

For something non-classical try Root beer rag by Billy Joel - I played it and LOVED it!

I'm surprised no one has suggested the piece "Arabesque" by Debussy, probably my favourite piece by him. Although it is quite hard at first to get used to the triplet - quaver rhythm, once well practiced the piece sounds beautiful. It's challenging and requires a lot of patience however I think you might enjoy it.

That was on last year's grade 8 list.
I did start it but changed pices after about 6 weeks as I was getting nowhere with it .
I don't have any problem with 3s against 2s either.