As it stands my programme is:

Blute Nur (St. Matthews Passion) - Bach
As When the Dove (Acis and Galatea) - Handel
Batti Batti (Don Giovanni) - Mozart
Villanelle (Les Nuits D'ete) - Berlioz
Du meines Herzens kronelein - R. Strauss
Solveig's Song (Peer Gynt) - Grieg
Pie Jesu (Requiem) - Faure
Sleep - Gurney
The Monk and His Cat (Hermit Songs) - Barber

We are going to re-time it, but I think it is still running a little long. However the next obvious one to knock out is one of the baroque ones - which are both over 5 minutes long and then might make it a bit short!!

I also know Piangero from Giulio Cesare (Handel) very well too, and am toying with substituting it for As when the Dove AND Batti Batti as it is still opera and I'm actually more confident with the Piangero than Batti Batti. It would reduce the time by about 3 mins.

BUT 1) it's still Baroque and so I would lose the classical era piece and
2) it's on the LRSM list! Do I dare?

I do think I sing the Piangero (with Recit.) better than Batti Batti, and I need to have a piece of opera in there (already dropped O Mio Babbino Caro)

What do you think? A crazy idea?

Try looking at it from a slightly different angle...from the point of view of a programme rather than a batch of songs.

Have you got a balanced group of songs regarding tempi (slow, med, fast), major and minor keys, feelings, musical eras? Does the programme show off your entire vocal range (high, low, loud, soft)?

The total length of any pieces not on the Dip list must be no more than 7 minutes - does the Piangero including recit fall within this? (Also remember you'll have to write up programme notes for any new piece you add).

Have you tried different orders for the pieces to see how the programme hangs together as a whole?

Does the substitution improve this balance or not? (and therefore justify the loss of a Classical piece)

If yes, then go for it! If not, then try playing with other substitutions to see what makes the whole as coherent as possible.

Remember also that you are allowed 10% leeway above or below the 35 minutes alloted for the programme.

Hope that bit of random brainstorming helps...

Thanks...we were planning to perform them in chronological order (as above) which seems to work OK. Piangero is about 5 mins 40 so does fit time wise.

As it stands I think the program is about 41 minutes, so something will have to change. Either lose Blute Nur or As When The Dove - both of which are good - or substitute in Piangero for 2 of the others. I have a voice very suited to Handel and early music (little vibrato) so the program has been picked very much to reflect this - hence the drop of O mio Babbio Caro.

Baroque - oratorio -maj - Med speed,lots of chromatics/modulations, mf -Blute Nur (St. Matthews Passion) - Bach -
Baroque - english opera - maj - Med/fast speed, mf, As When the Dove (Acis and Galatea) - Handel
Classical - Italian Opera - maj - med/fast, mp-mf -Batti Batti (Don Giovanni) - Mozart
Classical/Romantic - French art song - maj - Fast,chromatics - f - Villanelle (Les Nuits D'ete) - Berlioz
Romantic - Lied - sudden dym changes - slow-med, p-mf - Du meines Herzens kronelein - R. Strauss
Romantic - Norwegian song - min - maj chorus - slow, p-mf - Solveig's Song (Peer Gynt) - Grieg
Romantic - choral - maj - very slow, pp-mp - Pie Jesu (Requiem) - Faure
20th Century - English art song - slow-med, syncopated & chromatic pp-f - Sleep - Gurney
20th Century - American art song - fast, syncopated, pp-f -The Monk and His Cat (Hermit Songs) - Barber

Piangero and Blute Nur were written within years of one another, but serve to show the different styles at the time. But if I take out batti then I have a gap from 1727 to 1838 for Villanelle.
Looking at the list perhaps we should mix them up a little more to split up the slow ones.

Arrrgh I don't know....Piangero would add a decent recit and big tempo/emotional change. But will it look very bold faced to perform something from the next diploma up?

The other one that makes sense to drop on paper is Solveig's song....but I've worked so hard to learn the Norwegian, I'm not sure I can face that! Batti is not as polished either.

Hmm, good question, and I don't know the answer. I must admit having been really tempted to put Vaughan William's New Ghost (from LRSM syllabus) in mine, as it's an all time favourite, but in the end decided to save it for when (if ever ) I attempt LRSM.

How about approaching the problem from another angle? It seems a pity to drop one of the songs you say you do well, unless you do the substitute significantly better. What is the weakest link in your programme?

You don't sound totally convinced about Batti Batti - if it isn't tip top, maybe better to lose it. The other one you haven't mentioned is the Faure (although it is gorgeous ) - it's one of several Romantic pieces and one of several slow peces. What does it give your programme that the others don't?

As another final attempt to work it out, have you considered the actual keys of each piece and how thet work one after another? (eg try not to have 3 things in Cmajor one after another...)

Not sure if I'm being much use here...the biggest problem is too much great music out there, not enough lifetimes to sing it all...

Mmmm Batti Batti scares me...I have performed it and was very nervous throughout and that is sticking my mind..also find the very long phrases with just snatched breaths difficult as when I get nervous my support is the first thing to suffer. I do think it's the weakest link.

I hadn't sung Piangero since November until today, and with the improvement in my technique since then it felt so good - I'm in a really good place vocally this week (found something new in my last lesson which for once I've managed to find again every day since) and it shows. And I could remember every word. Teacher dismissed the idea a few weeks ago, thinking that it would need alot of work, but he hasn't heard it recently. I think he might change his mind when I sing it for him on Thurs. It feels like it needs less work than Batti to be confident. Bearing in mind I have 3 weeks to go. I also find facial expression easier in that. It's more a soliloquy as opposed to singing Batti with no man to be a prop!!

The Faure...it is a personal thing. I remember singing the Requiem when I was a teenage alto (about 25 years ago), hearing the soprano sing it, getting major shivers and being sad that I would never perform it myself. It is also (now) spot on for my voice, I'm performing it on Saturday in a big concert, and I'm very happy with it. I sing it very flutey, focussed, small mouthed, with minimal lip movement. I would say it's the one I'm most confident with out of my program.

And the Gurney is unusual and just gorgeous too, although still needs final work on entry timings.

The only thing that worries me is the lack of classical era in the program with the change. And of course teacher might hate the Piangero And of course being so cheeky!