Saturday, April 09, 2011

More thoughts on the diploma

A few months back (well June 2010), I blogged about my proposed programme for my attempt at the ABRSM piano diploma. I've thought a bit more and decided the Ravel Sonatine was a bit ambitious - well at least to do it in the next 12 months, so it has been dropped and the Debussy Sarabande from 'Pour le Piano' added instead, I briefly had some Fauré in with it as a Gallic pair of pieces but, at the moment, I've decided there's too much danger of hitting the time limit! So here's today's view of the programme:
  • Scarlatti Sonatas in C K308 and K309
  • Debussy Sarabande (Pour le Piano)
  • Messiaen Vingt Regards No 2 - Regard de l'étoile
  • Mompou Musica Callada XIII
  • Brahms Op 116 No 2 A minor
  • Chopin Mazurka C# minor Op 50 No 3
  • Beethoven Bagatelle b minor Op 126

Here's Christopher Taylor playing the Messiaen Regard de l'étoile
and here is Richter with two versions of the Beethoven Bagatelle:
Ferocious playing - especially in the earlier performance, I don't think I'll quite manage that energy!
You'll see, if you compare with the previous blog post that I've swapped around the Brahms and Chopin as, I think, the bare octaves at the end of the Chopin will anticipate nicely the start of the Beethoven!
Just a matter of getting the notes under the fingers!

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