On choosing pieces - generally and for recitals

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-19T11:12:17+00:00

I am going to play in a recital at the end of April. My piano teacher and I agreed that I’ll play two pieces, one “easier” and one more challenging , and we chose the pieces from four possible options of pieces thst I’m currently working on.

From last Wednesday to Sunday, I was away for five days (business trip, very glad to be home!). I missed my piano while I was away and was very happy that I got home early enough to unpack and prep for work and still have time to practice piano on the day that I returned.

But while I was excited to get back to the pieces I’ve been working on, I was surprised to discover that I was not at all interested in playing the “easier” piece on my recital program. I can’t articulate why, because it’s not that I dislike the piece. I just felt totally uninspired and it felt like a slog to think about playing it. So I made an executive decision to cut it from my program.

I have a few other options (i.e., pieces that will be ready in time for the recital) and now I might change out the challenging piece as well if it’s not a good fit with the one I choose as the easier piece.

I have always felt that life is too short to spend on music that I don’t love playing, so I was surprised at myself since it’s a piece I like. Maybe it’s partly because this is an easy piece and I have several pieces on my “play next” list that are going to be more challenging and that I am excited to get to.

I don’t really have a point with this thread just reflecting while I finish up my breakfast….

How do you choose your pieces?

thepianoplayer416 · 2025-03-19T14:14:41+00:00

When I started piano, I’d go online and look for students performance videos. Some were done at home, others at a recital for the parents. I know many of the pieces played including mvt 1 of the Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata, Bach Invention #1, 13, etc. I find that many Asian students (including ones from China, Japan & Korea” would often attach conservatory levels next to the title of pieces they uploaded such as “Bach Prelude in C - ABRSM-3” so it’s easier to decide if a piece is at my level.

Suzuki students go by their own learning method & repertoire books. Many Suzuki students would play the same pieces out of the same Suzuki Books at various levels.

More recently when I listened to the radio and like a piece, I’d write down the title and look for a piano arrangement online. Before Christmas “In the Bleak Midwinter” by Gustav Holst came up. Before that the original Disney song “When You Wish Upon a Star” from 1940. Once heard the orchestral version of Shostakovich “Waltz #2”. Found a piano arrangement online.

Sometime ago the city had a power blackout before Christmas. Attended a memorable church service lit by candlelight. Heard a piano arrangement of “O Holy Night” in C with LH chord arpeggios. Found a similar version online.

A while ago the teacher handed out an arrangement of “What a Wonderful World” for easy piano. It’s playable but the LH part is simple & boring. Ended up getting sheet music from a store with interesting LH chord arpeggios.

Pplop_symphony · 2025-03-19T17:56:27+00:00

My piano teacher holds recitals twice a year, and generally each person would perform two pieces. For my part, I gravitate towards pieces that are unlikely to have been played at previous recitals before. I actively avoid pieces along the lines of Minuet in G, Arabesque (I suppose both the Burgmuller and Debussy ones could qualify here), Clair de lune, Moonlight Sonata, Fur Elise, etc. My very first recital, I was one of three people who performed Petzold's Minuet in G major. I performed last among those three people in a recital arranged roughly in order of piano level, and I felt very embarrassed in a situation that amounted to, "nice job with your piece, now here's the same piece but better."

So at least one, usually both pieces, will be own choice. I like to collect piano solo sheet music both old and new as a hobby, and I actually have boatloads of music at my current level (about ABRSM 4/RCM 5), so a couple of months in advance I'll choose pieces out of whatever I'm currently learning. I use syllabi as a guide, but I avoid pieces that are in the exam books themselves. My teacher will have also recommended pieces to me throughout my lessons, of course, and I might pick one of those for a recital, but not if it's well-trodden ground.

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-19T18:03:44+00:00

thepianoplayer416 More recently when I listened to the radio and like a piece, I’d write down the title and look for a piano arrangement online.

This is mostly how I find new pieces to play. Since I mostly listen to contemporary solo piano radio (i.e. not classical) on Pandora or Spotify, I have pretty good luck finding the original score. Except for the occasional time when there's not sheet music available and I either have to give up, or someone kind like @Rubens decides to write a transcription for me!

plop_symphony I felt very embarrassed in a situation that amounted to, "nice job with your piece, now here's the same piece but better."

Oof, I would hate that!!

Simonb · 2025-03-19T19:34:52+00:00

Hi ShiroKuro

I'm with you entirely on playing music that I like. That said I have an extremely broad spectrum of music that I like to play, including the pieces I'm working on for my grade 8, and material for the various bands I play in. And even when I get invited to play on pop songs that I normally don't listen to, and certainly wouldn't buy (I don't stream - except YouTube), I generally end up having fun with them.

After finally moving house and getting my new Piano this month, I'm practising a lot for the first time since late 2023. And that has started me seriously looking at the Trinity ATCL diploma syllabus, which I hope to do post grade 8. There is so much marvellous music to choose from in this diploma. All that you'd expect in a 'classical' diploma syllabus (including Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin & Mozart etc), but also the slightly unusual like 2 pieces from Oscar Peterson's Candiana Suite. My favourite, and an almost certain selection for me will be Gershwin's own Piano arrangement of The Man I Love. Not only is it a wonderful arrangement, but I've been playing it for years (actually decades) anyway.

So the short answer to your question is, I play and choose what I like. Even for my exam music the choice of music is normally mine, not my teachers, though her input is always taken into account. As far as recitals are concerned I've done 3 with my current teacher and we normally decide between us what I should play. At her Xmas recital last year I did an Xmas medley of 2 songs, one (Silent Night) that I read straight out of a book and the other (Santa Claus is Coming to Town) which was my own arrangement based on a lead sheet.

I have too much sheet music! Since I started classical lessons again over 2 years ago I have bought a lot of 'classical' sheet music, which added to my already huge non-classical collection means I've got a few bookcases worth now.

Isn't music marvellous!

Cheers

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-19T20:17:11+00:00

Simonb Isn't music marvellous!

It certainly is!!

I have a sheet music addiction too. Can't be helped.

Simonb seriously looking at the Trinity ATCL diploma syllabus, which I hope to do post grade 8

that sounds fantastic! Do let us know how it goes!!

BBartK · 2025-03-19T21:35:50+00:00

ShiroKuro I have a sheet music addiction too. Can't be helped.

Did someone say sheet music addiction? I confess!

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-19T23:42:05+00:00

BartK very nicely organized too!!

Ppianoloverus · 2025-03-19T23:53:15+00:00

BartK Before I did some pruning, I had around 6 or 7 times that amount.

BBartK · 2025-03-20T07:03:15+00:00

pianoloverus Before I did some pruning, I had around 6 or 7 times that amount.

Will get there, no worries.

Sam · 2025-03-20T09:20:32+00:00

And the forscore library on the ipad lists 790 items - a lot of duplicates of the printed scores...

As far as choosing new pieces, I have dozens on things on my bucket list. Great sources of material are the online recitals (you can hear what your peers are playing) and my local piano groups. I also like to explore "classical" piano pieces that no one else plays - the unsung heroes. Most amateur classical players rarely venture beyond the well worn path of Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Schumann and so forth.

SSgisela · 2025-03-20T11:08:22+00:00

Sam I also like to explore "classical" piano pieces that no one else plays

Me too! I enjoy things that are off the beaten path. I think part of it, for me, is a feeling that these pieces have been less explored, so maybe there’s something I can find in them that hasn’t quite been found before. But maybe it’s also the comfort that they’re not well-known, so one’s choices (and mistakes) are less likely to be scrutinized.

ShiroKuro Maybe it’s partly because this is an easy piece and I have several pieces on my “play next” list that are going to be more challenging and that I am excited to get to.

I tend to gravitate towards things that are substantial challenges. I find that if things are on the easier side, I lose interest in them pretty quickly. I’m actually hoping that will change one day!

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-20T11:34:51+00:00

Sam And the forscore library on the ipad lists 790 items

Ok, I checked my forScore… I “only” have 493 pieces in forScore.

What?! Good grief, how did that happen?! I do have a sheet music problem!

Now I’m gonna have to go and take some photos of my music shelves….

We’re gonna need to start a SMA group… Sheet-Music-Aholics!

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-20T12:17:20+00:00

I dunno… I guess I don’t have thaaat many music books…

One:

Two:

Three:

Plus 493 scores in forScore

Llilypad · 2025-03-20T15:50:45+00:00

BartK That's similar to what I have now.

pianoloverus That's the size of my gardening book collection. As my sheet music collection grows, I've been weeding out (pun, sorry) some of my gardening books to make room for the music books.

My bigger concern at 75 years is what Sam has described at M.A.B.L.E. or Music Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy.

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-20T16:04:08+00:00

lilypad M.A.B.L.E. or Music Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy.

This is 90% of my sheet music collection!!!!

Sam · 2025-03-20T17:57:08+00:00

Well, I got off the "Must Play Harder and Harder Pieces" train about 9 months ago - shortly after I broke my femur. At age 71. I struggle enough with about grade 7 to make it seem like I am accomplishing something. I realize that I will never play the really difficult things. I could hack away at them and play them under tempo with lots of mistakes, but that is not very attractive for me. I want to play for others, either live or virtual, so I like to pick things I can play without being too ashamed of my efforts. I don't mind spending several moths on something if I really like it and I am making progress. When progress stops or becomes too agonizingly slow I have to set it aside and try something else. Bach's Italian Concerto is one such piece - I have tried several times to make progress but stall and lose interest. On the other hand Grieg's Wedding Day came together fairly quickly (90 days or so).

Luckily there are tens of thousands of pieces I can choose from. I keep a database of every piece I have performed either online or in person - up to about 150 now...

ShiroKuro · 2025-03-20T18:07:56+00:00

Sam I realize that I will never play the really difficult things. I could hack away at them and play them under tempo with lots of mistakes, but that is not very attractive for me. I want to play for others, either live or virtual, so I like to pick things I can play without being too ashamed of my efforts. I don't mind spending several moths on something if I really like it and I am making progress.

Yep, the trick is to find the sweet spot.

For me, I've spent the last few years with mostly pieces at or below my level. I had a lot going on with work (going up for tenure, applying to a new institution and getting tenure here, moving and getting into the new position)... so keep piano do-able helped me to be able to keep up with it all...

Now that things are calmer (ish, my job is never going to slow down...) I want to add back in some more pieces that are at or just above my level.

Again, the trick is the sweet spot.... Too hard isn't going to benefit me. Or having only challenging pieces on my practice menu. There needs to be a balance.

And like you, I want to be able to play for others, so if I were only working on things way out of my league, it wouldn't be do-able...

thepianoplayer416 · 2025-03-21T01:43:11+00:00

I’ve collected a stack of books like many people. I’ve also backed up a lot of PDFs & MuseScore files on my computer. Partly because I travel a lot the past few years and rely on a travel keyboard to practice. The books would to stay home.

The last pieces that I downloaded are arrangements for piano. Still working on them and adding finger # on the computer before printing a copy.

Rrogerch · 2025-03-21T04:04:05+00:00

Wow! Based on what you all have posted my sheet music collection is tiny! Yet I think I'm already at MABLE. I have the complete Beethoven Sonatas, out of which I think I've played maybe 4 movements. Yeah, I don't think I'll play them all. Also complete WTC. I've learned maybe three preludes and two fugues.

But I get it! It's really cool to have the scores for all that great music!