Just wondered what peoples favourite pieces to play in a recital/performance are?

One of my most favourite has to be Schumann's Traumerei


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The thing about a recital program is that it is a bit like a menu for a gourmet meal - it has to have the right balance and variety, it has to work as a whole.

If you you just stick all your favourites in it is likly to turn out a sickly mess.

So if you start your recital program by putting Traumerei down on the list, the big question is what is going to complement it for the remaining hour and a half.


But in the spirit it was asked, I'd start my programme with Scriabin's Sonata No. 2 and build it up from there.

Schumann's 'Traumerie' is certainly one of my favourite piano pieces, but as Mad Tom said, a simple collection of all your favourites would ironically almost be an anti-climax. Plus, I find that, with all my favourite things, if I have too much too often, some of the excitement wears off. So everything in moderation I say.

On topic, a list of my favourite piano pieces would have to include
Chopin 'Berceuse'
Schubert 'Adagio in G'
Ravel 'Piano Concerto for the Left Hand'
Shostakovich 'Piano Concerto no. 2 - second movement'
and for something more lively
Prokofiev 'Piano Concerto no. 1'

I doubt I will ever be able to play any of these later ones though...