# Can't Decide What To Play



## Fuzz2873 (Apr 20, 2011)

I did my Grade 8 piano exam about a week ago. I'd been playing the pieces for my exam for over a year and now I'm struggling to know what to play - there's too much choice!
Can anyone recommend some lovely piano music?


----------



## Orange Soda King (Sep 14, 2010)

Hmm. I don't quite know your level, and you might initially scoff at seeing the suggestions I'm about to name, but believe me: they are pieces for pianists to play for their whole life.

Schubert Impromptus Op. 90 and Op. 142. There are four in each set, and if you are not familiar with them, I encourage you to listen to them all to see if you like them. I personally find the Op. 142 to be a bit more expansive/comprehensive and I like it a little better, but that does not diminish the compositional and musical merit of Op. 90 by any means. My personal favorite is No. 2 from Op. 142 in A Flat major, and my personal favorite from Op. 90 is No. 3 in G Flat major, which is also very beautiful.

Also, Mozart's E Flat Major Sonata K. 282 has a very beautiful first movement, although I HIGHLY recommend playing the entire sonata.

Finally, I have to put in a bit of promoting for a lesser played and lesser known composer, Charles-Valentin Alkan. He is known for composing "extremely difficult" music (some of it is, yes), but he has MANY accessible and wonderful works, such as this one, that I have just recently learned and will be playing it for MY exam (college jury) in a couple weeks: Nocturne in B Major Op. 22!

And yet another little bit of support for Alkan, look at the Barcarolle in G Minor, Op. 65 No. 6, another work by him that I have played. You could probably sightread it with no problem and memorize it in a day, but there is SO vast a musical world to explore in such a simplistic, haunting piece!

I LOVE ALKAN!!!!!!!!! Lol.

Back on topic... I hope you enjoy the suggestions I gave you, and to anybody else reading, I highly suggest you investigate and try out these works, too!


----------



## Fuzz2873 (Apr 20, 2011)

Thanks for your reply 
I have all the Mozart Sonatas but have never really known where to start with them so I might start with the one you suggested!
Also, The Alkan Baracolle is on the diploma syllabus so I'm sure I'll be trying that as I'm hoping to play all the diploma pieces before choosing a programme for the exam.
I've never really listened to Schubert so I'll definitely try that out!
I'm stuck in a bit of a rut of only listening to and playing what I know so it'll be good to explore some new stuff.


----------



## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Fuzz2873 said:


> I did my Grade 8 piano exam about a week ago. I'd been playing the pieces for my exam for over a year and now I'm struggling to know what to play - there's too much choice!
> Can anyone recommend some lovely piano music?


Try this...


----------



## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I second the suggestion for Schubert's impromptus, I'd also recommend seeking out piano music by Chopin - his etudes are lovely, Beethoven (sonatas), Ravel (Jeux D'Eau, Gaspard de la Nuit, Le Tombeau de Couperin) Bartok ( Danse populaires roumaines is great) and Joaquin Rodrigo (Ive always loved his suite para piano 1923), and of course many works by Bach, D. Scarlatti and Mozart. Those are the main composers I'd be gravitating towards if I had the skills to play their works on piano.


----------



## janealex (Apr 7, 2010)

I would suggest you that you should continue with that you learn. When you think its accomplish and you don't need to focus it more then you should try to go for the other best option. Good Luck.....


----------

