Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner La Campanella

Is "La Campanella" by Paganini (arranged by Liszt) considered a virtuosic etude for piano?

I want to go to The Juilliard School to get a degree in piano, and the audition requirements paper for piano says that I need two virtuosic etudes: one by Chopin and one by Bartók, Debussy, Ligeti, Liszt, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, or Stravinsky.

If "La Campanella" was transcribed by Liszt, does it count by something by him, and does the piece itself count as a virtuosic etude?

Yes, it counts on all counts.

BTW.....it seems surprising that someone at your level (i.e. someone capable of playing such pieces, and who is contemplating Juilliard) wouldn't know those things. But maybe you were sort of just 'making conversation' to start getting involved here. (I think lots of people do that.)
In any event, welcome -- and good luck!

Thank you for your kind welcome.

I have not started practicing this piece yet. I am a high school student, now going to be a senior. How much time do I have to practice for everything?

Please check http://www.juilliard.edu/admissions/pdfs/music_requirements2010_FULL.pdf and scroll down to page 10 to see the piano audition requirements. I have some questions regarding the auditions.

1. In the section where it says that undergraduates need to play a prelude and fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier (no transcriptions permitted), what do they mean by the phrase "No transcriptions permitted"? Isn't there a piano solo for every part of the Well Tempered Clavier?

2. Do Scherzi count as one of the pieces not accepted for #3 on the audition requirements for piano?

3. For #5, can I play waltz pieces/non-classical pieces to fulfill this requirement? Also, can I play two different pieces by two different composers (since it says "A collection of shorter works") that take about 3 minutes each to play (since it says "Not less than six minutes")?

I am sorry if these are stupid questions, but I want to get things straight so that I can do my best for the auditions.

I'll just do that first one and leave the rest for others:


Yes, but there are also different versions (transcriptions, arrangements), and sometimes people make up their own. That's all they mean.

1. The transcription comment doesn't apply to the preludes and fugues. The requirements state "or another work containing a fugue," and the no transcriptions rule is meant to rule out the organ fugue transcriptions such as those by Busoni and Liszt.

2. Any of the Chopin scherzi would be acceptable. Again, the key is "substantial" - they want a major work, something around ten minutes long that demonstrates a range of technical and tonal control.

3. The works would probably need to be by the same composer. Examples of what they're trying to get are things like the Prokofiev Sarcasms, Debussy Images, a few of the Ravel Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Liebermann's Gargoyles, etc...

Judging by the information you posted, you can expect similar deadlines for next year. That means you need your pre-screening round CD sent by Dec. 1, which means you need to plan to record no later than the first of November. To prepare, I'd suggest entering the MTNA Competitions. You'd be able to use the same repertoire, get judges' comments and some performance experience. (I'm assuming you're in the US.) Those competitions are usually sometime between mid October and early November depending on your state.

That makes more sense. I wondered about it (because while "arrangements" could apply, it didn't seem that "transcriptions" could), but took it at face value and went from there.

A transcription means it was written for another instrument/group of instruments and rewritten by a different composer (Busoni, Liszt) for the piano. The WTK is an original Bach work for keyboard, though some would argue Bach on the piano is always a transcription!



The Scherzi would be fine, though I've had teachers who spent quite some time at Juilliard tell me that the Ballades are better for auditions as they're less repetitive.



I would think classical music would be expected, but composers like Gershwin blur the line. Since you already have Baroque, Classical and major Romantic works required, I would recommend something written since 1900.

Might I ask what repertoire you've worked on already and why you've chosen Juilliard?

I started taking private piano lessons when I was 11 years old. I took them from a Peabody graduate. I took the lessons for two years, and then I stopped and started playing by myself. I mastered 558 Christian hymns within the next 1-2 years. After mastering these, I started to play classical music (starting late 2008). These are the pieces that I know how to play:

1. Baranowska: A Maiden's Prayer
2. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C-minor 2nd movement “Pathétique”; “Moonlight” Sonata 1st movement; “Egmont” Overture piano solo; Minuet in G piano solo; Violin Sonata No. 2, op. 50 piano accompaniment
3. Brahms: Lullaby
4. Chopin: Nocturne op. 9, no. 1; Nocturne op. 9, no. 2; Scherzo no. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 31; Fantasie-Impromptu, op. 66
5. Dvorak: Humoresque No. 7 in G-flat major, op. 101
6. Handel: Hallelujah piano accompaniment; Largo (from Xerxes); Rinaldo: “Lascia ch'io pianga” piano solo
7. Pachelbel: Canon in D
8. Schumann: Träumerei
9. Schubert/Liszt: Ständchen piano solo; Der Erlkönig piano solo
10. Strauss: Voices of Spring, op. 410 piano solo; On the Beautiful Blue Danube piano solo

I chose Juilliard because it is the best place to get a degree in piano. I am very serious about wanting to major in piano. I used my Casio PX-120 to master all of the above.

That's a fairly creditable list considering you've only bee playing classical for two years, but you'll be going up against people who have been winning competitions since you were in grade school and have the repertoire of a Richter.. it's not really the best place to go in green and hope that the teachers will foster your growth. Juilliard teachers don't have time for that. They want great proven talents. A smaller university, not conservatory, might be better for you.

if La Campanella is the next piece in your above mentioned list of repertoire, you'll have a hard time...but good luck anyhow!

I'm very much inclined to agree with JeffreyJones here that Juilliard is probably not a good choice for you. Your repertoire is good for the length of time you have been studying, but it can't stand up to what (most) applicants - and any successful applicant - to Juilliard has in his/her repertoire.

Some of what you have played are arrangements or transcriptions of works not originally written for piano, and wouldn't be criteria for judging your skills and proficiency :
- Beethoven: “Egmont” Overture
- Brahms: Lullaby
- Handel: Largo (from Xerxes); Rinaldo: “Lascia ch'io pianga”
- Pachelbel: Canon in D
- Strauss: Voices of Spring, op. 410
- On the Beautiful Blue Danube

As JJ pointed out, most candidates for a school such as Juilliard have not only been competing, successfully, in major competitions throughout their high school years, most of them also have a pretty formidable repertoire of major works from the Baroque to the present. That would include Preludes and Fugues from the WTC, Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart Sonatas, as well as selections from the Romantic, Impressionist and modern repertoire; include in these a few major piano concerti, while you're at it.

Juilliard doesn't teach one to play the piano; Juilliard helps the advanced pianist hone already proven performance skills.

A college with a program in piano is probably the best place for you to apply, given what you have told us about your formation.

This isn't meant to dampen your enthusiasm for pursuing your piano studies, but you should realize the level of competition you would be up against if you were to apply to Juilliard. I can't see - based on what you have written - that you would have the slightest chance of being accepted there.

Back to your original question : Yes, "La Campanella" is considered a virtuoso piano Etude, one of the six etudes by Liszt based on original material by Paganini. I have seen it as an accepted "virtuoso Etude" on a syllabus list that requires a virtuoso etude.

Regards,

dlee1001,

Am I right in thinking that you haven't had formal piano lessons after the first two years?

If so I think it would be very helpful to find a really good teacher (there is only so much you can do on your own).

I know nothing about the Julliard other than its reputation. One thing does stick in my mind though (which is probably totally irrelevant). I remember an long interview given by Nigel Kennedy (the violinist) in which he explained how he went to the Julliard after his time at the Menuhin School (in the UK) and how he found the Julliard an extremely competitive environment and that he was very unhappy there - taking refuge in jazz bars etc.

Would I still be able to pursue a career in playing the piano if I enroll in a college with a program in piano?

That is correct. I have only had lessons for two years. After that, my father began to give me tips and advice on how to play something.

I can't add much to what some have stated above, but Juilliard, isn't the school for you. I hate to say that, because it seems you have your hopes truly set in that direction. While it may be your opinion that Juilliard is the best place to obtain a degree (one I don't share), there are many other worthy schools where you would most likely do very well. I'm assuming you're wanting to attempt an audition for a performance degree? If so, since you asked about time constraints, I would begin looking into other school's audition requirements as soon as possible and get busy. A performance program at any good school is quite rigorous and will require several additions to the repertoire you've listed above.

Most definitely - and in all regions of the U.S. !!!

However, you will need to be very realistic about the type of musical career you'll pursue. Just exactly what would you like to do with the piano?

P.S. - Its great that you've learned all of your repertoire on a digital piano - but now that you are thinking about college auditions, it would be a good idea to start practicing on an acoustic instrument as well. I'm not suggesting that you should go out an purchase one - but perhaps a local church, school etc. can let you practice on one of their pianos. And it also would be beneficial for you to work with a teacher prior to the auditions if at all possible.

It might be helpful to read first-hand-accounts of those pianists who attended Juilliard. I'm currently reading "Life between the Keys: the (Mis) Adventures of the 5 Browns." This a family of 5 siblings who all attended Juilliard, and they each give very personal accounts of the audition process of a highly selective school. At least you could vicariously experience what you might miss even if you never apply to the school.

I want to be a concert pianist or at least a piano professor at Juilliard or Peabody.

Along with my repertoire, I play the piano for the elderly at a nursing home. The owner of the facility will be writing a letter of recommendation for me, for having done this (I started in 2007 and am still continuing). Would this community service, along with my grades in high school (my total weighted GPA as of now is about 3.7; I'm a junior heading towards my senior year) and my SAT scores (470 in CR, 460 in math, 610 in Writing; will be taking again) give me any more likelihood that I might be accepted at either Juilliard or Peabody?