Slightly over a year ago I put up a thread in which I suggested I might do a diploma recital program consisting of Scarlatti, Mozart, Szymanowksi and Gershwin. I also pointed out that this was by no means finalized, that my teacher was keen on Haydn & Bach, that I had been considering Debussy's La Cathedrale Engloutie and Liszt's Petrarch Sonnet 123. In my last post in that thread I predicted that I might be coming back eventually with a program of Bach, Beethoven or Mozart, Liszt and Debussy.

Although I have learned the Scarlatti, the Mozart and the Szymanowski it turns out that I was more right with my thoughts about revision than I was about the original program.

This is my program as it is now likely to be (i.e. pretty much a final draft):

J.S. Bach; Prelude & fugue no. 14 in F sharp minor, TWTC bk1, BWV 859
J. Haydn; Sonata in Eb, Hob XVI:49
F. Liszt; . Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, no.6 from Annees de Pelerinage, 2nd year - Italy
C. Debussy; La Cathedrale engloutie, from Preludes, bk1

If I play the Haydn omitting most repeats this should be pretty close to 35 minutes (or just over).

Any thoughts?

Hey Robodoc,

Really interesting final programme. I say this because a friend of mine took his DipABRSM last year with the same Bach & Haydn combination, but he paired them with Brahms Intermezzo in A Op. 118 No. 2, and Debussy's Sarabande 2nd mvmt from Suite Pour le Piano. With all/nearly all repeats in the Haydn, it lasted around 35 minutes.

Also interesting is that, without most repeats in the Haydn, your programme still clocks in at close to 35 minutes. The Liszt must be pretty long then?

I like your choice though, wish I could 'sit in' on your recital and hear you play it. Best of luck.

denmark

Having just read you other post about diploma timings, I am having serious doubts about whether my friend did in fact play all repeats in the Haydn, as, by your timings, it would then have stretched to 25+ minutes... (I'm certain he did them in the second slow mvmt) and what's more, I was his page turner, so I was actually there! Strange how easily we forget details in the stress of an exam.

On reflection, I doubt he did any repeats other than in the slow mvmt.

Anyway, back to the point of your programme - Debussy Le Cathedrale Engloutie to finish is inspired...

denmark

Looks good to me. Book 1 F# minor as well!! Ok I prefer the one in Bk 2 but it's much longer (too long for me to play all of it at next weeks 'do' in Chester).I guess some repeats will be needed in the last movement of the Haydn. I don't know the Liszt piece though. I play the Debussy quite a bit but never get it sounding like the professionals
anyway Good Luck with it.

Thankyou

A friend of mine did the same Haydn/Liszt combo.

Is 6.40 long?

I have timed the Bach & the Liszt repeatedly: 4.00 and 6.40 give or take a few seconds each time. I estimated the others from recordings (those available on Spotify), but they are guesses based on the fact that my chosen tempi for the ones I know is somewhere in the middle of the range.

Taking Haydn timings from Ronald Brautigam is tempting as the one I already play he plays at the same tempo, but it is also dodgy - he plays all the repeats and takes a couple of seconds over 23 minutes (also he is on a fortepiano, not a piano). Jay Jando plays at close to the same tempo as Brautigam but misses at least some of the repeats in at least the first movement and takes just over 18.30 for the whole thing.

La Cathedrale Engloutie has the widest range of timings available, from 5.04 to 7.13: I guess I might take 6.30

Total 4.00 + 6.40 + 18.30 + 6.30 = 35.40

Yes, the Haydn seems an unusually popular choice, seeing as it's up against some really well known items on the syllabus. Wow, only 4 minutes to play Bach P&F in F# Minor from WTC Book 1? That's pretty good going. Like fsharpminor, I'm not that familiar with the Liszt, though I have seen a score of it, and it looks longer than 6.40 on the page. But any Liszt is good in my estimation.

You've certainly done the research, your timings look a lot more reliable than mine. Your total of 35 minutes is bang in the middle of the necessary range anyway, so a little bit over or under won't make any difference. Plenty of tolerance there.

denmark

Just checked the timing of the Haydn Sonata in Eb on my newly purchased Marc-Andre Hamelin CD, and he clocks in at 20'23''. I think he does all repeats...

denmark

I think it is an excellent program. Interesting, varied, well-balanced, each piece needing quite a different kind of technique to do it justice, and all enjoyable for the listenenr - nothing horribly dissonant or percussive or weird.


Personally, having prepared about 4 different recitals for the DipABRSM ...

... [which I would have to take to go further in the AB scheme - becuase the AB does not recognize other board's Associate level diplomas as pre-reqs for the LRSM]

... I have decided not to bother with it after all [the undeserved warning I got recently on this forum was another factor in the decision]

... and to go for the LLCM (Performance - Recital option) instead!

Good luck with your diplomas, Mad Tom and Robodoc!