Hi,

I read with interest everyone's comments on some of the DipABRSM programmes, and thought it would be very useful to get your thoughts on my prospective programmes. I'm considering two different ones:

Programme A:
Bach Prelude & Fugue in D Major (Bk II of TWTK)
Beethoven Sonata No. 6 in F Major Op.10 No.2
Brahms Ballade in G Minor Op.118 No.3
Rachmaninov Prelude in C Minor Op.23 No.7
Stravinsky Tango
Gershwin "The Man I Love" and "I Got Rhythm"

Programme B:
Bach Toccata No.5 in E minor
Beethoven Sonata No.8 in C Minor Op.13 ("Pathetique")
Ravel Sonatine

Both come in at around 35 minutes.

I'm leaning towards programme A, because it's more varied with regard to period, mood, key etc. Also, I'm unsure about whether it's a good idea to perform the Pathetique Sonata (examiners will probably have strong views on interpretation), and also whether Ravel would count as bridging the romantic and modern periods. But I think I'll probably enjoy playing programme B more. And the Viva will probably be less broad and therefore easier for programme B.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks,

Hello Tom, welcome to the forums , we now have two Tom pianists (the other is Mad Tom). Well I played Op10 No2 for my ALCM in 1963 ! The examiner stopped me after the first movement exposition/development parts, I didnt have to play the other two movements. Anyway I got 17/20.
Bach D Major in Book 2 is not easy, its sounds OK but the close stretto of the fugue is tricky. Im surprised its in as DipA. The F minor in Book 1 would be my choice.
I do like your Programme A ,but I'm not sure whether I'd want to do 5 pieces though when you could get away with three. I'm afraid the The Ravel Sonatine is very much my 'bete noire', it is in Fsharpminor, and a muggle my way through it, but I don't think I will ever play it properly !
Dont forget to look at the Scriabin and Shost preludes. Theyre quite attractive pieces and not too difficult (eg Scriabin Op11 no 2 and 3)

Thanks, fsharpminor, for the welcome, and for the helpful pointers. I'm working on the Ravel Sonatine at the moment, and similarly wonder whether I'll ever be able to play it properly, particularly the 3rd movement. I've been doing some background digging on the piece, and read (in Grove II, I think) that Ravel often performed the piece, but only the first two movements, because of the difficultly of the 3rd movement! I'll definitely look at the Scriabin and the Shostakovich - two of my favourites, along with Rachmaninov.

Kind regards,
Tom

Hi Tom

I see a slight problem with having 6 different composers that you may not have considered and that's when it comes to your programme notes.

Even if you go right up to the maximum permitted words you still only have just over 200 words for each composer - that isn't many at all.

I had 5 composers for my Dip programme and struggled to write meaningful programme notes on that word allocation and you'll have less still. I passed them well but there was the comment " a bit thin on composer bio" - that's cos I had no space to include it!

It's hard to write notes that (for distinction) are pertinent and persuasively written, with thoroughly researched and well-balanced commentary in 200 words.

Just something to consider

MusicmanNZ

PS This post is 132 words!!

Hi Tom,

I noticed that you play 6 composers in your Programme A. Which is very challenging, Plus you can only get a low word limitation for your programme notes which is very brief. In that case, you probably need to tune your style and memorize lots of things in your viva voce.

Also, in your programme B your 3rd piece has quite a limited information for your programme notes. Why don't you try Debussy's Cathedral?

Just for reference!

Hi Tom

Both are nice programs in themselves but for a Diploma exam I can see problems with both / either.

Starting with program A: The total time seems right but 6 composers and 7 pieces is just too many: The problems with Program notes have already been alluded to. It is clearly built around the one major work (the Beethoven) and I would keep that. Take out 3 of the shorter ones (or 4 if you drop the Gershwin pair) and substitute them with a single medium length piece and the program would be better.

Program B goes the other way. Also with only 3 pieces I would be concerned that there is insufficient range of periods. Furthermore, again already alluded to, the Pathetique is a piece most pianists have known since childhood, even if we couldn't play it; EVERYONE has an opinion on how it should sound, not just examiners. Come to that I would expect that the examiners may well have strong opinions about many of the pieces that us mere amateurs might regard as obscure. Neither of these matter if you can convey convincingly how YOU want it to sound and do so with technical and artistic mastery. Even then, I have been specifically warned off doing the Pathetique for the the exam by a teacher who puts several pupils a year through it (and LRSM and FRSM) so he should know.

If you take the Pathetique out you would have to replace it with another equally major work and you would still have the problem of only 3 pieces in total, with a need to replace one of the medium length work with two smaller works.

The program notes may be easier but they may not be and the viva is likely to be just as hard for the same reason - with less than half the number of composers the examiners may well expect to go into more than twice the depth!

The programs that people put together for this exam that seem to be widely approved consist of: one major work, one intermediate length and two short (counting the 2 Gershwins as one for example); drawn one each from Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern. At a pinch you can do one early 20th century and one late.

In summary, I know it's on the list but don't play the Pathetique: Apart from that, even including that, the rest of this advice is personal and can be ignored (at your own risk!) Both programs work, but I wouldn't advise either.

Great input - thanks very much, everyone.

As said in previous posts, program A is too wide and open, and B is too limited.

probably mixing them two up and create a blanced program would be good

PS: i love the brahms ballade. its been stuck in my head since the day i heard it.