I´m just wondering what anyone thinks about this piece. It´s a possible audition piece for my daughter. The other piece she´s got is Scarlatti A minor Sonata off the grade 8 syllabus or she could ressurect something else from the past. She played the Mendelssohn for her school gcse music teacher yesterday and he said she didn´t have the technique for the ff octaves ie they weren´t loud enough. She doesn´t make the stretch all that easily so should that put her off playing it? Also he said is was about Grade 7 and I thought it was more difficult...

Any opinions gratefully received.

Sara

Sorry can you please clarify which piece this is ? I play a lot of Mendelssohn. Is it the Scherzo Caprriccio in F# minor (My favourite key of course )

Ok sorry it´s Opus 16 no.2

Sara

Ok sorry it´s Opus 16 no.2

Sara

Ooh, I didnt know that one! Ive just had a sight read of it, not too difficult probably Grade 7-8, and makes a good recital piece if you can bring it off. Much of it is light and staccato, but those ff octaves do need to be given a bit of 'welly'. Other than that she ought to be able to manage it.
Some Scarlatti to start with and if you want three pieces then preferably something 20th century afterwards would make a nice short recital

Thanks Fsharpminor. She only needs two pieces. If she doesn´t really have the welly for the octaves, would that ruin it do you think? Alternative piece would be Debussy Dr Gradus which she has been playing a lot longer.

Well the 'welly' bit does need to show good contrast to the lighter parts. I suppose its a question of degree.
If she can get a good crecsendo from the bit marked p con fuoco up to the ff, and sustain it until the next pp, it guess it woudl sound OK. We are only talking about 16 bars or so. I do think it would make a better piece for audition than Dr Gradus ad Parnassum. Or could she play Golliwogs Cakewalk ?
(For the record my favourite Mendelssohn is the first of the 3 Caprices op 33)

Thanks again. It´s interesting you think the Mendelssohn would make a better audition. This is for RCMJD btw. I think she can make a good contrast on it, but it wouldn´t do if it sounded too "schoolgirlie". Gollywog´s cake walk would suit her I´m sure, anything that´s quirky she likes. Anyway her latest learning piece is the Interrupted Serenade, from the Grade 8 list, but that wouldn´t be ready in time.

Sara

I am guessing that your daughter is around age 14 or 15 because you mentioned she had a GCSE music teacher at school.

At that age, I think the audition pieces should be AT LEAST Grade 8 standard, if not higher. There are so many pianists auditioning and so few places available at RCMJD. Those who audition successfully are probably playing Dip/LR/FR pieces at a professional standard.

Yes she´s 14 and piano would be her second study

Sara