Repertoire That EVERY Pianist Should Have! 

Imagine playing 4'33 as a contemporary piece :D

Fun fact: here in Italian conservatories, a contemporary piece is something like Brahms or Rach, and those contemporaries that you mentioned aren't even contemplated as composers

I listened several of your videos. I love them, you are to the points and very informative too.

Here is my piano repertoire including pieces I have learnt or plan to learn: Bach: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, Book 2 Chopin: Prelude op. 25 no. 4 Rachmaninoff: Etude op. 39 no. 1 Mozart: Sonata in F major K 332 Chopin: Polonaise-Fantasie (If it is too long then polonaise op. 44) Beethoven: Sonata op. 101 Ravel: Miroirs Messiaen: Prelude no. 8 Ravel: Concerto in G major

Very objective and useful video, thank you!

Kind of odd that the C major Bach Prelude and Fugue from Book II didn't meet the requirement because it's only a three voice fugue. Yet the Prelude is one of the "busiest" 4 voice preludes. It stands out in my memory as all four voices are active throughout the piece. Kind of unusual for Bach to not have a voice drop out for awhile.

Your channel is extremely insightful! Thank you so much!

A version of this for intermediate pianists would be welcome. So easy concerti, balanced rep, popular intermediate works...

i cannot express how thankful i am for these kinds of videos. They give direction instead of blindly attempting to learn new pieces i find that i enjoy

Very nice video. Thank you!

As you recommend I'd build my repertoire with these : 1) Bach prélude et fugue No2 en C minor 2) Chopin's Op10no6 & Op25No11 3) Rachmaninov Étude tableau Op39 No5 4) Mozart's Sonata 8 5) Chopin's Ballade No4 Op52 6) Beethoven's sonata op57 appassionata 7) Ravel - Gaspard de la nuit 8) Debussy Cathédrale engloutie 9/ Rachmaninov's piano concerto No2 Op18 What do you think about it ?

Great video !

Really really good video

In this very useful video you mention a larger (20-30 min) work of free choice for a '2nd round', so to speak (as in a competition). For that category, can we consider, for the sake of repertoire building, a 'set' or 'cycle' of pieces like Fantasiestücke op. 12 by Schumann or Visions fugitives op. 22 by Prokofiev? Or even a Bach's suite or partita?

Opinions on a Gershwin concerto at competition? For example, the Cliburn offers Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F.

My current programme (a mixture of reheating and new) for a solo recital as follows: Haydn Sonata A-flat Hob 46 Chopin (selections of Nocturnes and Mazurkas, if in apt. context, I would play his Op. 10 no. 1/10/11 if need be) Chopin Op. 39 Scherzo and Op. 54 Beethoven Op. 7 Sonata in E-flat Scriabin Sonata No. 4 Op. 30 Liszt H. Rhapsody 12 (or 9, haven't decided to reheat or to learn yet) A lot of main courses in this programme, and I'm still wishing to fit in a Bach suite in substitute for one of the larger works.

I am doing a senior recital this May, and it has no requirements, but I want to play my favorite/best pieces that I've learned/am learning. Do you have any advice on the order I should play my pieces? I was thinking of playing Bach Prelude and Fugue 1 in C major, Beethoven's Opus 27 n. 2 (all 3 movements), Chopin's Scherzo n. 2, Debussy's Arabesque N. 1, Golliwog's Cakewalk by Debussy, Ravel's Prélude, Satie's Gymnopédie 1, Gershwin's Prelude n. 1. Then, I also have a piano duet from last year (gershwin impromptu variations on I got rhythm), a piano ensemble this year (Stars and Stripes forever for 4 pianos arr. Mack Wilberg), a piano and violin duet (final duet from omori), and my teacher wants me to do a french horn quartet because I play horn at my high school. So those are the pieces I want to perform, but I'm a little lost on the order I should do. I wanted to organize it roughly by time period, but I also thought it'd be nice if I ended on the Scherzo because once that's fully learned, it'll be my best piece. I was also debating on Debussy's arabesque being the last piece because it was the first one I learned during highschool and with this teacher, and it is a sweet, slightly nostalgic piece. 🤷‍♂️

What's your opinion in Mendelssohn 1 in this context? It's a beautiful concerto ofc but I feel like it might be on the easy side

following your recommendations I create these repertoire for the first round: : 1: BWV 847, 851 or 855 2: chopin etudes: op 10 7/11 and op 25 no 12 3: lidzt etude: Un sospiro 4: sonata: Haydn E flat major/ Mozart no 8 5 romantic piece: Ballade no 1, Scherzo no 3 or Hungarian rhapsody no 2 is it correct or would you change something?

Well here's mine: 1. I'm nor really fond of playing and especially memorizing Bach, only ever played с minor from book 1, but since it doesn't work due to 3 voices in the fugue, let it be а sharp minor from book 1, at least it's short 2. Op 25 n11, and either Op 10 n 4 or Op 10 n 12 3. Liszt Mazeppa 4. Mozart Sonata n 8 a minor 5. Liszt Mephisto waltz n1 6. Beethoven sonata n 17 "Tempest" 7. Perhaps Schumann: Sonata No.1 in F-sharp minor, Op.11, not sure yet, maybe you can give me some advice?) 8. No idea 9. Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No.5. Also Saint-Saëns n 2, Beethoven 4 and Prok 2 and 3 are among the options, Mendelssohn g minor and Grieg a minor I've played, but they are known for being "easy", so perhaps I have to rule them out What do you think? I'll be happy to hear your opinion and advice

How difficult should the Haydn sonata be? Is henle 6 scale ok? I mean the Haydn sonata. In d Major. Or should you learn a more difficult one? And is that kind of Repertoire also for a intermediate pianist OR just advanced one?

I’m auditioning for college this winter (music therapy) and I need to choose 2 songs of different styles. Any advice on what should I choose? My rep to choose from (as of right now): Bach prelude + fugue in Ab major, Beethoven op 90 (first movement, might learn second movement), and Chopin op 25 no 7 (“cello Etude”) I’ve also worked on Ginestera’s Danza de la Mosa Donosa and Prokofiev’s visions fugitives no.s 1,8, and 11, but I’m not entirely sure about these. They don’t seem as impressive

I'm planning on giving a recital at the end of the year and the program I have in mind is: Beethoven Appassionata Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Brahms Handel Variations in that order. Do you have any opinions on a program like that? My other option would be to substitute the Brahms for Scriabin 4th Sonata and Liszt Rigoletto, but I feel much more strongly about the Brahms both in terms of personal preferences and effectiveness in a program. The issue is I feel like the Brahms might be a bit stylistically similar to Beethoven (although they are vastly different pieces of music).

1) would Chopin's Heroic polonaise op 53 fit in the 7-10 min romantic works? It's generally a bit shorter 2) would Beethoven's op 111 sonata work? It's "only" two movements These two I'd love to play and have prepared, so I want to know whether I need to prepare something else "just to be safe"

Next year I will have my first piano recital. Now me and my teacher havent discussed anything more than that yet, but I wonder what I am going to be playing and maybe you have an idea. I will have two Beethoven sonatas ready, Waldstein and n.18, two Scarlatti sonatas(which arent really sonatas but yes) and 3 Bach Preludes and Fugues. I have a Brahms Rhapsody also, and a Chopin and Liszt etude as well, in addition to a big 15 minute Liszt piece. In terms of more modern repertoire, I have a single Debussy prelude and a piece of Rodion Shchedrin if you know him. Any opinions?(In general, nothing crazy, its quite early anyway...)

Dang he is so underrated

I have a recital coming up and the current program is: Mozart Sonata in E-flat Bach/Brahms Chaconne Debussy Estampes Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody 6 played in that order. I'm still selecting the final piece and am debating between Chopin's 2nd Ballade, Ravel's Sonatine, and Prokofiev's Pieces Op. 4. I think the Chopin would be best because the Ravel would feel too similar to Debussy, while the Prokofiev would feel inappropriate (I want to present a diverse program but also one that is coherent). Do you have any suggestions for me, even other pieces? Thank you.

ahh I've forgotten how good your videos were. I'm back now though! :D

Any comments or suggestions on this rep for a solo recital? Preude and Fugue No. 21 in Bb (JS Bach) Prelude and Fugue No. 2 in C Minor (JS Bach) Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 (LV Beethoven) Etude Op. 10 No. 1 in C Major (F Chopin) Etude Op. 25 No. 12 in C Minor (F Chopin) Intermezzo Op. 118 No. 2 (J Brahms) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Variation 18 (arr. solo piano M Loveridge) Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16 (E Grieg) I've read that you dislike having Chopin and Brahms in one concert. May I know why? I'm not terribly mature when it comes to being an effective narrator in music.

Hi, I just found your channel sir and it is awesome! would you say great Fuge in g minor transcribed by Liszt could be one of the recommended pieces for me?

Joplin? Nazareth? Just wondering about your opinion on these composers. Not really competition material, of course.

6:58 would something like liszt's sonata work there?

Should I include Schumann Kindersehen in solo recital in competitions? Is it meet the requirement difficulty in such competitions?

Hey, great information. Do you think Gaspard de la nuit by Ravel could work as level 7?

I've seen Bach-Busoni Chaconne performed at competitions before. Would this fall under the category of a bigger piece (20-30 minutes)?

Would Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 be a good concerto for the competitions? I’m not quite sure. By the way, this was a really useful video!

Does anyone know repertoire that falls into the 15-20 minutes standalone category but that is at an intermediate level

@PianoTechSupport I have a question. I'm entering a competition that has the only concerto requirement as 'a concerto for piano and orchestra in the standard repertoire'. For this competition, would the 2nd Liszt concerto work? If not, what concerto would you recommend given the free choice? (something that is kind of in the same vain as the Liszt)

Hello😊I'm thinking of playing Chopin's Op 26 No 2 Polonaise, a work from the Romantic period. The work exceeds 7 minutes. I think having such a work in my repertoire will be useful both in music competitions and in my future master's degree applications. Do you think it makes sense?

would toru takemitsu have anything possible for the contemporary part

5:10 do you think liszt's vallee d'obermann would be able to fill in the role of a romantic work? asking this because its a little long and weird

I would also add Nikolai Kapustin’s Piano Concert Etudes

Any ideas on the ordering for a mini concert with the following pieces? Bach prelude and fugue in f sharp minor (the one from book 1) Mozart sonata in d major Chopin variation brillantes Chopin ballade no.1 Debussy arabesque pagodes

Could you talk about smaller performances please ?

Someone do this for violin.

What about a saint sean piano concerto ?

Beethoven 3: "easier" *laughs in double 4ths*

As a beginner, watching this gives me a heart attack😂

Man I feel like a talentless twat after watching this video

My hate for Bach makes me cringe at the Prelude in C requirement. Cool video, that's quite a difficult repertoire needed D:

Sorry did you just regard the Grieg concerto as ''easy''????? Dude, not only should you be proposing repertoire from more obscure composers, you really need to have a better idea of ''easy''... This is just the same old rubbish everyone says over and over again. Bor-ing.