Frederick Delius

[zeniyama]

I just got my copy of Frederick Delius Complete Works for Piano in the mail about a week ago (which was after a month of waiting!), and I was wondering if anyone knew enough about this composer to recommend a song I should learn. I'm sure I'd be able to learn any of these songs, but would anything be good for a college audition? (since I'm pretty sure they require you to play something by a 20th century composer.)

[jre58591]

i dont think delius would be a good 20th century composer to pick for an audition. he is still actually considered romantic. when looking for a 20th century composer for auditions, look for someone a bit more cutting edge and modern. perhaps someone from the latter half of the 20th century or 21st century. Those are almost guaranteed to fit the bill.

[zeniyama]

Like Sorabji? lol
I'm sure if I were good enough to play something by him that would really wow the judges, especially (this is a bit of a stretch) a movement from Opus Clavicembalisticum...
But, I doubt I'd be learning *any* Sorabji anytime in the near future.

But, I'm sure Delius would be good for a recital...
I just have to decide which piece.

[jre58591]

haha, sorabji would be a little extreme. i was thinking along the lines of someone like prokofiev (1st half of the 20th century) or liebermann (2nd half). both are totally doable. delius would be a good option for romantic in a recital, not so much 20th century/contemporary. just do some research, and youll find a 20th century/contemporary composer you really like. there are tons out there.

[zeniyama]

Yeah, I really like Prokofiev... although, my piano teacher dislikes him for some reason.

I'm not sure about alot of composers because IMSLP puts alot of composers in the 20th century section that most people see as Romantic, like Glazunow, or Delius.
...What about Szymanowski, or Schoenberg?

[PianistSk8er]

I discovered Prokofiev for the first time this year, as I played his March from The Love of Three Oranges. Inneressin' stuff!

PS

[jre58591]

szymanowski (from his later period) and schoenberg work masterfully. glazunov and delius are romantic through and through. szymanowski is an interesting case, because his music changed much like scriabin's did. szymanowski in his earlier years can sound like Chopin, but in his later years can sound like late scriabin and bartók. i dont think schoenberg needs much explaining.

i have always enjoyed prokofiev, but have never gotten around to playing any, which has kinda disappointed my teacher. prokofiev is her favorite composer! i will get around to it sometime though. i have been involved with other 20th century composers, such as kapustin, but i will go back to those we all know and love.

[zeniyama]

Hmmm...
Well then, I guess I'll get to work on something by one of them (though, it probably wont be something that I could use for a college audition at my skill level).
Oh, I have another question: If I played a piano reduction of a romantic period song (in this case, I'm thinking of "The Night on Bald Mountain"), but it was made into a reduction by a modern composer, would they still consider it romantic, since it was originally made by a romantic composer, or would they consider it modern because a modern composer made the reduction?

[Jeliness2]

I'm not sure about modern transcriptions, but all of liszt's mozart and schubert transcriptions are still considered romantic, because it was changed into his style. If the transcription is in it's original style, then it's probably not modern, even if the transciber was modern.

I was wondering (to anyone) what category does impressionism, like debussy/ravel, usually get grouped in w/ college auditions, the romantic requirement or the 20th century requirement?

[jre58591]

i would say that it can go either way. it depends what it sounds like or how it is. something like ravel's sonatine, for example, might count as romantic. something like debussy's preludes, for example, might count as 20th century. this is the experience ive had, at least.

as for transcriptions, it doesnt matter who transcribed it, but the style matters. for example, if someone still living transcribed something romantic and kept it in the same style, it would still be romantic. if the style was changed, it would be modern. a good example of this is sorabji's transcription of bizet's habanera from carmen. take a listen to it and youll hear why its considered modern.

[zeniyama]

oh, ok then...
I actually mostly just want to play a Mussorgsky piece for the audition (once I get out of highschool, that is), because he's my favourite composer, but I can't really think of anything really good for an audition by him right now. Perhaps one of the movements from Pictures at an Exhibition?

Also, as of my last piano lesson, if I finish one of the songs I've been assigned, I get to learn the third Liebestraum by Liszt, which is great news since I've been wanting to learn it since I started playing almost 3 years ago. My piano teacher also said that, if I continue the way I'm going, I may get to learn Rachmaninoff's G Minor Prelude sometime in the semi-near future.

Huzzah!

[zeniyama]

What about possibly a Scriabin piece? Some of his later stuff seems like it would be hard enough, and it's got that sort of 20th century sound to it.

Or, I could play a Finnissy piece, lol (yeah right).