I'm looking at Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives, with a view to playing the four stipulated for the DipABRSM.

Anyone else attempted them? No 19 looks terrifying.

I really enjoy listening to them on CD, but am I fooling myself as to how difficult they really are?

Any hints on how to approach these pieces?

Thanks.

denmark

Ha, I love them too - they look quite innocent on the page but most of them are quite tricky ! There's always a bar or two that catches you out ! Some however have appeared in G8 before. I've more or less given up on them.

They are great pieces, but for an exam, personally, I'd pick something that does not demand such a wide range of styles and skills in such little time ... more conventional, and less likely to fall apart under the added pressure of an exam.

Which 4 specifically? Because although most of them are demanding, some are not that hard and all of them are worth the effort!

Op. 22 is one of my favourite works of all time so I would say, if you like them, go ahead and learn them because they are so rewarding - not only will your technique improve dramatically once you have mastered them, but they are a beautiful, exciting and unusual (in sound) set of pieces to have in your repertoire.

They are so much fun to play as well, and I suffer from performance nerves, but I always find that it is the pieces that I enjoy most that hold up during a performance.

It's 8,14,19 and 20.

I'm just off to go and teach now, but I will play them when I get back and let you know what I think about playing them. Off the top of my head, 14 is the most difficult of those and don't be terrified of 19!

Got to rush off, but I'll give you more later.

These are great pieces to play, and I think the best advice is to take it slowly and persevere, as with alot of Prokofiev, make sure you know where the musical line is, it's not always completely obvious but as you've been listening to them that shouldn't be a problem, the biggest problem with these for the dip is fitting them into a programme with your other choices as they are so unique but I wouldn't let that put you off.

They are all very approachable at dip level even no. 19 - I remember when I first started learning them, finding the balance required for 8 which is on the surface fairly simple far more of an issue than the technical requirements for 19 but they are great to learn as in comparison to many of the other options they are quite short, so useful to learn along side a big work.

Sorry Cadence, I forgot to include which numbers are required iby the diploma syllabus. Thanks for offering to try them out for me.

Yes fsharpminor you are right- it's 8, 14, 19 & 20.

I guess I'm drawn to the very thing which would make them so risky in an exam situation - as MadTom says, it's the extreme mix of moods, styles and techniques which appeals the most. Unconventional, and so tricky to pull off.

I will give them all a go, as advised by others. Thanks for the support.

I will start a thread based on my diploma choices in the diploma forum (doh...) once I've drawn up a possible programme, for others to comment upon.

denmark