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What are you playing at the moment?

7K views 53 replies 33 participants last post by  Zanralotta 
#1 ·
I'm not sure if there is a thread about this, but the idea is to tell what pieces you are playing in your orchestra, chamber group, or other group, or what you have played.

I haven't actually started playing this year (first rehearsal tonight), but I am playing Sibelius' Finlandia in one orchestra; and Tchaikovsky's Little Russian Symphony, and
Rimsky-Korsakov's Russian Easter Overture in the other, which I am really looking forward to.

Other pieces I have played are: Tchaikovsky symphony 5 and 6, Cappricio Italien and Marche Slave; Dvorak symphony 6,8,9; Sibelius Symphony 2, Karelia Suite; and Elgar enigma Variations.

So tell me what you are currently playing, and have played previously.:)
 
#2 ·
There is a thread like this, but it's in the keyboard thread, so I'm glad you brought it up as a general question!

I'm getting ready for a senior high school recital. I'm going to be playing Enescu's Concertpiece, Rebecca Clarke's Passacaglia, Arvo Part's Spiegel im Spiegel, Miklos Rozsa's Introduction and Allegro, and Alan Shulman's Theme and Variations (which I might well be doing with a small orchestra, depending on if I can get some friends to play it).

I was at All-State orchestra until a couple of days ago, where we played the finale of Shosty 5, Bernstein's Candide overture, and Stokowski's arrangement of "Come Sweet Death." And while there I was in still another performance that I liked a lot better with my school orchestra, in which we played Elgar's Introduction and Allegro, the first movement of David Diamond's Rounds, the second movement of Shostakovich's 8th string quartet (in a string orchestra arrangement... not Barshai, the other guy who did it), the first movement of Bach's double concerto, and the world premiere of an orchestra piece by Fred Speck called "Ribbon Flow" (actually we gave the premiere two days earlier, but it was the same program, so I don't suppose it really matters).

Highlights of what I've played before... Hansen second symphony, Elgar's Enigma Variations, the last movement of Mahler 1, the rest of Shostakovich's 8th string quartet (same arrangement as above), the first movement of Zoltan Kodaly's serenade for two violins and viola, Hovhaness' Chahagir for solo viola, the last two parts of Michael Colgrass' variations for viola and four drums, and the string serenades of Suk, Dvorak, Elgar, and a few others...

I feel like I've played a bunch for a teenager, but there's so much left to play. Hopefully I'll get to play some full symphonies over the summer... the last time I've played one was the Hansen second symphony, and that was two years ago.
 
#4 ·
So tell me what you are currently playing, and have played previously.:)
Currently rehearsing Britten's 4 Sea Interludes, the Beethoven Triple, & Schumann 3.
In 25+ years in an amateur orchestra, I've played nearly everything feasible/desirable, at least post-classical. Major works off the top of my head:
Messiah; Vivaldi Gloria
Haydn 49, 88, 100, CelloC, Creation
Mozart 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, Requiem, PC 23, 26, FluteC in G, Horn 2, 4, OboeC, SymConcte, ClarntC, Fl+Harp.
Beethoven 3,4,5,6,7,9 VlnC, PC 4,5, Egmont, Promth
Schubert 6, 8, 9; Berlioz Fantastq, Roman Crnivl
Schumann 3, PConc; Mendelssohn 3, 5, VlnC, PC 1, MidsummerND music
Brahms 1, 2, 4, VlnC, DbleC, Requiem; Bruckner 4, 6
Tchaik 4, 5, 6, VlnC, PC 1, Rococco, Rom&Jul, CappItal; Mahler 1, 4, 5, Wayfar
Dvorak 6, 7, 8, 9, Carnival, VlnC, CelloC
Sibelius 2, 3, VlnC, Karelia, Finlandia
Shostk 5, 9, 11, Cello1, PC1, 2, FestOture; Rachmanv 2, 3, PagVars, PC2
Other symphonies: Franck, Bizet, Prokofiev 7, V-Wills 2, Borod 2
Other Concertos: Elgar Cello, Aranjuez, Bruch Vln, St-Sns PC5, VlnC 3, Grieg PC, Vxtmp VC4,
And: Scherazd, CappEspag, Planets, Pix@Exhb, Enigma, Death&Trans, Firebird, SiegIdyl, AppalSprg, Les Preludes, Moldau, ALexNevsky, LiutKije, AmcinParis, PinesofRome, Bartok OrchConc, SymDc fr WestSide
and too much short stuff & contemporary Australian works to list!
It's a lot of fun - I recommend it to anyone.
cheers,
Graeme
 
#8 ·
Well, right now I'm doing my usual job accompanying my high school men's choirs. We're working on Copland, Palestrina (a-capella--just pounding out parts) and several pieces from Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana". That's my main concern right now--especially the Orff, which has a pretty difficult piano reduction (but tons of fun!).

For solo work, I'm re-learning several Debussy Preludes (La Cathedrale Engloutie, La Puerto del Vino, La Fille Aux Cheveau du Lin), three dances from Falla's "Three Cornered Hat", and I'm just about to re-tackle Laipunov's "Lezginkha", the hardest piano solo I've ever played. Played it about 15 years ago and have decided it's time to see if the fingers are still there. Terrific piece of Russian piano music, somewhat similar to Balakirev's "Islamey", but a little more comfortable for the hands. But it's still a KILLER! A friend of mine once remarked, "It's like listening to the Borodin 'Polovtsian Dances', only all at ONCE!"

Should be fun.

Tom
 
#9 ·
Current stuff

Piano:
Chopin Ballade in G minor
Barber Nocturne
Mozart D major sonata

Violin:
Barber concerto - first movement
Webern - Four pieces
Bach - suite #1 in G minor (forget whether Partita or Sonata)

Orchestra (I'm in 2):
Mendelssohn - Hebrides Overture
Mendelssohn - D minor Piano Concerto
Mendelssohn - Midsummer Night's Dream Overture
Haydn - Symphony 104
Dvorak - Serenade for Strings
Mozart- Marriage of Figaro Overture
Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending

Aside from Richard Strauss and Rimsky Korsakov, I think I have played at least one thing by every major composer (except a few opera composers) from Bach's time to the present.
 
#10 ·
solo - piazzolla le grand tango, prokofiev sinfonia concertante, schubert arpeggione sonata, crumb solo sonata

chamber - shostakovich string quartet 8

orchestra -

current: barber second essay, dvorak symphony 9, wagner rienzi overture, stravinsky violin concerto

past: Barber first and second essay, antheil symphony 5, dvorak symphony 7 and 8, Tchaikovsky francesca da rimini, Tchaikovsky 1812 overture, Tchaikovsky symphony 4, Elgar enigma variations, Dukas sorcerers apprentice, Haydn symphony 101, dvorak carnival overture, wagner the flying dutchman overture, schumann symphony 2 and 3, Shostakovich symphony 1, Rimsky-Korsakov capriccio espagnol, tchaikovsky serenade for strings, grieg holberg suite, david diamond rounds for strings, stravinsky rite of spring, rossini william tell overture, strauss die fledermaus overture, debussy la mer, beethoven symphony 1 and 8, mendelssohn symphony 4, verdi la forza del destino overture, brahms symphony 1, copland appalachian spring, ravel mother goose suite, rimsky-korsakov russian easter festival overture, britten peter grimes 4 sea interludes, Ives the unanswered question, Prokofiev Lt. Kije Suite, Schubert symphony 8.
 
#13 ·
Hello.
Nice subject to post!!!
I am a cuban jazz pianist located in Montreal.I have a whole formation in music theory and clasical piano.Now and currently learning a Latin American master piece calls "Danza de la Moza Donosa" of Alberto Ginastera,an argentinian pianist and composer(1916-1983).i am also re-learninng some Preludes and Fugues from "The Well Tempered Clavier" of J.S.Bach (first book).
For me as an active pianist is very important being study constantly.
http://neisyw.blogspot.com/
 
#14 ·
(as soloist)
Enescu: Concertpiece
Bruch: Kol Nidrei

(in orchestra)
Mozart: Magic Flute overture
Elgar: Cello concerto, 4th movement
Beethoven: Symphony No. 2
Shostakovich: Festive overture

...other stuff. I'm not terribly fond of the stuff I'm playing except for the Enescu and Elgar...
 
#15 ·
(as soloist)
I'm not terribly fond of the stuff I'm playing except for the Enescu and Elgar...
Always wanted to ask, what if you don't like what you need to play? Do you play it anyway?

A couple of months ago, I went to a concert, where Arabella Steinbacher should have plaid violin concerto by Dvorak. She was sick and another lady came and performed the concerto. Somehow her performance left impression that it was hard work for her and not enjoyment. Maybe it was just the piece?

How do you handle this situation? Do you find a way to love it? Or just play it for money?

I am not a musician, just love classical music and forgive me if my question sounds stupid to you.
 
#17 ·
Mozart's Symphonia concertante - solo violin part.

It's a tad (ok completely) beyond me, but got some lovely bits in it.
 
#21 ·
Given up on the Mozart. I'm just not good enough to get it how I want it.

Back to the Spring Sonata for me :D
 
#24 ·
I just came back from the first orchestra rehearsal for a new programme:

Schubert's Overture "Fierrabras", looks okay-ish
Richard Strauss, "Four Last Songs". We've played the #3 and #4 today, and they are not too difficult. Intonation, looooooong bows and playing quiet enough will be the only tricky things, but it's managable.
Reger's "Variations on a theme by Mozart". Looks really, really evil. We'll play it for the first time next week. Huh.

Oh, and the second new programme:
Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf". It has a few difficult places, but it's mostly a nice thing.
 
#26 ·
I'm a senior in high school-

Piano:
Chopin: Ballade in G Minor
Beethoven: Piano Sonata #4
Bach: WTC G major, Book 1

Cello:
Haydn- C Major Cello Concerto
Bach- 2nd Cello Suite

String Quartet
Dvorak- American Quartet
Schubert- Death and the Maiden
Beethoven- 13th string quartet


And orchestra seasons just finished, but for my last concerts I played:

Tchaikovksy- Serenade for Strings (final movt)
Beethoven- Symphony No. 5
Handel- Water Music
Cartwithen- Bishops Rock
Reynolds (me)- Fantasia for Orchestra
Saint-Saens- Violin Concerto No. 3 (first movt)
Saint-Saens- Danse Bachannale
 
#27 ·
That's impressive Nix! How many WTK pieces do you know? I'm on my second.

I'm currently learning the Pathetique Sonata with Op.2 No.1 in the pipeline.
 
#28 ·
Not too many- C major, E minor and Bb Flat major (all from Book 1).

With Beethoven, I'm making it my goal to learn all of the sonatas before the end of my life. Pathetique was actually the first one I learned all of the movements to- then I backtracked, starting from the beginning and am currently on 4.
 
#31 ·
Not too many- C major, E minor and Bb Flat major (all from Book 1).

With Beethoven, I'm making it my goal to learn all of the sonatas before the end of my life. Pathetique was actually the first one I learned all of the movements to- then I backtracked, starting from the beginning and am currently on 4.
No way! That's my plan too! Start with the famous easy one and then work through them chronologically! I know I've got lots of catching up to do, but watch out I don't overtake you tee hee! :D

I know the F major Book 1 which is relatively easy and A minor Book 2 which is like baroque jazz. I want to get through C major and minor from Book 1 at some point because I love them both, (although I've tried the fugue from C major and it's so difficult!).
 
#29 ·
Liszt- Sonata in B minor

Janacek- The Madonna of Frydek

Mussorgsky- St. John's Night on Bald Mountain (1867; edited by Rimsky-Korsakov in 1886) transcribed for solo piano by Konstantin Chernov (1865-1937).
 
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