I was having a read of the DipABRSM syllabus for piano, and was quite sad to find out that my favourite pieces, Poulenc's novelettes no. 1 and 2 & Bach's Prelude and Fugue in D minor (no. 6 from book 1) aren't on the list. I might be using the Bach as a own-choice piece though.

So right now I have to change my 20th century pieces... I had a look at the syllabus for some ideas, but not many of them were too inspiring, like the Constellations by Diana Burrell or Moonscape by Edwin Roxburgh from the Spectrum series. The Howard Blake pieces stood out though... I had a listen to someone play them on youtube, and thought the toccatina was fantastic stuff. Anyone who's played them before? I'm still open to suggestions on my 20th century selection.

P.S. I'm taking DipABRSM in September next year, so plenty of time to look at options.

P.P.S. I thought my ATCL could let me take LRSM, but after a thorough look, it's only the pre-requisite to DipABRSM. I'll probably use my grade 8 piano instead.

The Bach P & F in D Minor from WTC Book I seems more like a Grade 8 piece. The fugue is in three voices and is not particularly difficult in terms of technique and musicality, unlike the pair in Ab major in the current Grade 8 syllabus. If you indeed use this piece as an own choice item, you must be prepared to explain why you choose it over the ones that are on the Dip syllabus.

There are many wonderful 20th-c pieces on the Dip syllabus. For example:
Bartok, Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm
Copland, The Cat and the Mouse
Prokofiev, Visions fugitives
Schoenberg, Six Little Pieces
Shostakovich, Preludes and Fugues

If you like Poulenc, you could perhaps consider the Toccata. If I remember right, it is also on the current Grade 8 list. I must say, though, that it is a very hard piece for a Grade 8 pupil.

I've been forced to not play more Poulenc... so I'm not considering the Toccata for now. I am, though, enjoying his Trois Pieces in which the Toccata is included.

Anyway, I don't really like pieces which are too 20th-century in terms of tonality... atonality and the likes don't really inspire me to practice. I had a listen to Edwin Roxburgh's Moonscape and didn't like it a bit. I don't think I enjoyed Schoenberg's Six Little Pieces either, although I think it has it's innate beauty. Don't really fancy Bartok's Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm or Prokofiev, too...

If I don't play the D minor P&F, I might do the F# one (no. 14 book 1), so I don't think I'll do Shostakovich's. The Copland sounds nice, but I have a feeling it's going to be hard to master.

I'm pretty set on playing Howard Blake's Chaconne and Toccatina from his 8 Character Pieces... I went out to get a copy yesterday and am totally taken by them. This is the first time I'm playing a piece with 3 staves though (the Chaconne)... any advice on how to handle 3 staves for a first-timer?

Good that you've found a 20th-c piece that you like.

The Bartok dances are really quite nice and not all of them are very dissonant or atonal. Even if you don't play them for an exam/masterclass/studio recital, you should still take a look. They are not that difficult.

The Copland piece is fun. It sounds much harder than it really is. The fast figurations need to be worked out slowly, with careful fingering; musically it's not that bad. It's a great piece especially for younger diploma candidates; the piece can really stir their imagination.

you do know you can use a non-syllabus item as long as it is under 7 mins? so you can still use one of the Poulenc Novelettes if none of the listed 20th century pieces appeal to you as much.

I'm now quite keen on doing Howard Blake's Chaconne and Toccatina. It's a gem that no one I know has tried, or even heard about.

I might do an all-syllabus programme though... I'm trying the Bach Prelude and Fugue in F-sharp minor (book 1 no. 14), which sounds pretty good.

Anyway I'm not taking it until late next year so I'm still open to suggestions.

Not the easiest of pieces for a Diploma candidate either - when you take into account the speed it needs to go for the shifts of harmony and pianistic effects to work.


p.s. The Berkeley concert study (also on the syllabus) is very modern. That is to say - I can't make it sound like music! But I am sure that someone that understands and likes that sort of thing could make something wonderful of it.

Good 'ol Fsharp minor ! But I prefer the book 2 one, though its one of the longest ones. (However not a listed one)
For 20th century the 'Shost' really isnt too difficult. Its not the preludes and fugues, its just 2 of Op34 preludes, choice of 2 pairs.
The D and Eflat would be my choice.

Gosh! I just realised that I had been playing Shostakovich's Prelude no. 5! Is it nicknamed the "Flight of the Firefly"? 'Cos I youtubed it and found that it was mighty familiar to what I had played 2 years ago.

Anyway, now I'm stuck on what Romantic period piece to play... I've listened to nearly everything that's on the list, and not much has appealed to me. All of the Brahms, Chopin, Faure, Liszt, Schumann and Schubert are not to my fancy... Any ideas? The rest of my programme is pretty much settled.

Btw fsharpminor, I suggested the "Bach Prelude and Fugue no. 14..." to my teacher today and she immediately said, "Is it the book 2 one?! That's lovely! I really like that one!" and started humming a few notes before I could break it to her that it was the one from book 1.

how can you not like any of them? i think they are all brilliant ( i played some myself).

I find it depressing that you don't like anything from the composers you've listed, though I agree that of all the Chopin Nocturnes and Mazurkas they've probably chosen the least attractive.

But there is still plenty to go at:

Mendelssohn: Preludes and Fugue No 5 from Op 35
Poulenc: Tocatta from Trois Pieces
Rachmaninov: Various Preludes
Scriabin: Impromptu in Bb Op 12 No 2, Preludes Op 11
Szymanowski: Etude Op 4 No3

Date-wise some of these may have missed the "Romantic" period, but they are romantic in style and spirit

I can't understand why no-one has mentioned the Gershwin pieces. Very 20th Century but very not atonal etc. Not an easy option either (whatever people may try to tell you).

As for a Romantic piece, if you don't like any of the pieces by any of the composers you've mentioned (how not?) you have 2 options: Pick an "own choice" from the romantic period (Chopin's Prelude in A Op. 28 no. 7? 16 bars of perfection, easy to play but harder to play really, really well and if you don't like romantic music has the advantage of being really, really short!), or just bite the bullet and choose one of the beautiful, challenging and artistically satisfying options on offer.

Hi there,
I'm learning the Howard Blake for my Dip and it is a wonderful piece, well worth learning even if you don't play it in the exam. Have a look at some of the Messiaen as well, as that is equally lovely.

have fun
Pianocrazy

Yes pianocrazy, I'm rather fond of all the pieces in the book, and they're not too difficult, even though they sound so. The Chaconne is only difficult because of the 3 staves and a bit of the rhythm. Other than those, it's pretty easy. The Nocturne is another pretty piece.

(Btw, you can hear 30-second clips of the pieces here: http://www.howardblake.com/listen.php?play...haracter+Pieces )

Maybe I was a little harsh about all the Romantic period composers I listed in my last post, but I did find the Chopin selection a little disappointing. The TG list has a much wider selection, including his Polonaises (where would we be without them? ), which the AB list seems to be lacking. I did enjoy playing the Polonaise in C# minor op. 26 no.1 for my ATCL. The Bach WTC options are also much more appealing on the TG list, and my favourite Poulenc is only on TG's as well.

I did find some lovely pieces among the Romantic composers, such as the Brahms' Rhapsody. It was very nice, but the repetition of the theme again and again just doesn't appeal to me. The Schubert Impromptu is beautiful too, but it's played by nearly everyone (I know) who takes a DipABRSM piano exam, and I'm sure examiners will have their favourite style of playing it, making my job of translating it into my own style difficult. I'm trying the Rachmanninov preludes, which seem pretty decent, except for some large stretches. I hope to settle on something soon, though.

Honestly speaking, I do not think you should choose your own piece for the diploma examination since there are many choices you can consider from ABRSM's diploma syllabus.

Be careful now it is an examination, it is not your own recital playing your own favourite pieces.

New to me too, but lovely, and not impossibly difficult.

Edward

think i have played it before.

... any advice on how to handle 3 staves for a first-timer?
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The problem is not the 3 staves - it's the trying to count without moving your lips!

Mel

HI! I played Copland for my DipABRSM. I can assure you it's not too hard to master. And it is a lovely piece, and full of character. You should try it

Christine

I TOTALLY agree! It was hard to get the rhythm right since the piece is rather slow. My teacher has strapped me to a metronome for the time being.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestion zeffie... I think I'll look at it too. Has anyone here tried Joseph Makholm's 3 Impressions though? I've been trying to get an opinion on it, but there no youtube video with someone playing it, or a website selling it that shows a sample of the music, etc.

Any 20th century pieces which are short and musical?