I am putting together a programme for my performing diploma and my teacher has suggested that I finish with a "wow" piece for my modern choice. That sounds scary to me! Has anyone any suggestions? Don't worry if your suggestions are not on the syllabus list, because this is for the Trinity Guildhall Diploma and hopefully I can perform an own choice, as long as I get the piece approved in advance. I am already preparing a Bach prelude and Fugue, Mozart Sonata, Brahms and Faure. Thanks for your help - I am new to these forums!

Hello Caroline, welcome to the forums !

I am quite fond of Shostakovich. You might look at his Preludes and Fugues Op87. I would suggest No 2 in A minor is quite short and showy, but rather more difficult than say No 5 in D.

Poulenc's Tocatta from trois pieces is very flashy and it is on the syllabus. (But it is difficult at the speed it needs to make it work)

One of my friends played Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" for her modern choice.

What about a Rachmaninoff Prelude, they certainly have the 'wow' factor, especially the G minor prelude.

Hindemith's 'Ludus Tonalis' has some fun and showy bits. An Interludium and Fugue from this would act as a good foil for the Bach. I used this in a diploma programme with the Bach and the Hindemith as 'bookends' and the examiners liked it

What about John Cage's 4'33"? That would certainly give me a "wow" factor if I were the examiner.

Ligeti's 'Devil's Staircase' is pretty 'wow'!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZTaiDHqs5s...feature=related

please ignore the ghastly introduction

The Bumble Bee (Rimsky-Korsakov - Rachmaninov)?

We recently bought someone a score of 4'33 as a birthday present. The guy we got it for was thrilled...

Personally I'd rather have one of his fancier scores, though. I've only ever seen originals hanging in galleries though. Something for prepared piano would be awesome fun to do in a dip...

(or not)

Alberto Ginastera: Danzas Argentinas Op.2


Dance of the Old Cowherd (Fast)
Dance of the Sad Maiden (Slow)
Dance of the Clever Cowboy (Fast)

It depends what level you are doing. I like Schubert's Impromptu in A flat major but it's not that difficult. Ravel's Sonatine is nice and the 3rd mvt is flashy. Debussy's L'isle Joyeuse is another favourite of mine. Gershwin's Three Preludes could also work. Please keep us posted on what you choose.

That would certainly be a wow factor for the owner of the piano

It hadn't even occurred to me that dip venues tend to have particularly expensive, nice pianos...!

Yes, diploma venues usually have beautiful instruments- it would be a shame to risk damaging a nice Steinway for the sake of a piece requiring a prepared piano . And setting it up would take time as well. But the ideas is tempting...

Some of Prokofiev's shorter works sound 'wow' in my opinion. Visions Fugitives, 'March' from Love of Three Oranges, etc etc .

Wish I could play them.

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