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Hi all,

For LTCL it is required to choose pieces that add up to 37-43 mins in total. So far I have anchored down c.25 minutes including;

J.S. Bach - Concerto no. 3 in D minor, BWV 974 (after Marcello) [10"]
Chopin - Ballade no. 1 in G minor, Op 23 [10"]
Vine - Bagatelles no. 3-5 [5"]

Any advice on a 12-15" piece that would complete my recital duration? Many thanks

FYI here is the repertoire list https://www.trinitycollege.com/resource/?id=8546

Well, you already have "history" pretty well covered, so the rest of the time can be used for whatever period or style you think is your best!

I think before we start giving any suggestions of specific pieces, we better know what that is.

I know we could say that you don't have anything Classical or Impressionist, but I see it more broadly. I think you have history covered well enough that you could pick from any period for the rest of the program.

If it were me, I'd add either Chopin's Fantaisie or F# minor Polonaise.

Thanks, yes I agree with you that I may need Classical/Post-Romantic piece(s). Would you think another Chopin piece would conflict with the Ballade in terms of period?

Yes -- I don't think you need one of those other things. I meant that some people might feel that way, but I don't.

Adding another Chopin piece is exactly what I would do.

First of all, your pieces total 25 minutes so you can choose a piece of up to 18 minutes if you wish. I disagree with Mark and think you should have a classical sonata in there. 18 minutes should be enough time for one.

To me it needs it needs a charming Classical piece to counterweight the Chopin, but alas - the Classical selections are either sonatas or weighty themselves. But in that mold I think the Schubert Impromptu D. 935/3 may just fit the bill - it's charming and lighthearted, Classical in style, and covers Variations as a form.

I definitely think you need a classical piece. Most of the Haydn sonatas in the list are short, so you could have a look to see which you like best.

For instance:


If you don't get on with classical, you could have Debussy and/or Ravel instead - a completely different style from the other pieces, to show off your range.

I agree wholeheartedly. This would be an excellent choice.

I'm outvoted.

Does that mean I change what I said?

No.

I think adding a Classical piece is of course reasonable, but far from a necessity -- although if we do such a concentration of (for example) Chopin (or anything), we better play it really really well enough to justify it.

As far as classical goes, this would be my first choice as well, but unfortunately, it is on the ATCL list, not the LTCL list. All three lists are shown in the link (ATCL, LTCL and FTCL). This threw me at first. I do find it "interesting" to see how they group various works by difficulty.

Oops, looked at the wrong list.......

Ahem, just realized that Hob XVI 50 (on the LTCL list) was one of the sonatas I learnt for my ABRSM diploma. I'm pretty sure I played the whole thing in less than 15 minutes. (Though I think I ended up playing a Beethoven sonata instead .)

One thing that's jarring to me is that Mendelssohn Op. 106 is on the FTCL list - which is made more jarring as Op. 28 is LTCL (and Op. 6 doesn't even make the list).

Good point !!

Another example: Which Schumann work from the LTCL list better belongs in ATCL?

211. R Schumann Abegg Variations, op. 1
212. R Schumann Papillons, op. 2
213. R Schumann Allegro, op. 8
214. R Schumann Novellette in D, op. 21 no. 2
215. R Schumann Novellette in F# minor, op. 21 no. 8
216. R Schumann Sonata in G minor, op. 22
217. R Schumann Carnival Jest (from Vienna, op. 26)

Hello from a fellow LTCL candidate. More than happy to share notes and tips.

Just thought I'll weigh in on the classical/Impressionistic material question: There is some merit in this, but the reality is that the rules were changed in 2019 and programming is only worth 2 points (out of 100). so even if you did an all Chopin programme for example - the examiners could only take 2 points away.

So I would recommend to choose pieces that you can make "work" - i.e. perform them well, and have something interesting in your interpretation of them.

This is about Music - try to have fun!

No takers? IMO - the Opus 2 - by a long shot.

I don't understand Schumann, so I can't really say - but I remember my teacher adored Op. 2. Another thing that's interesting: unlike Opp. 9, 16, 26 that are to be performed in their entirety, Grillen from Op. 12 is singled out, which kind of confirms my suspicion that Op. 12 is not really regarded as a cycle, but merely an album of sorts.

Lots of folks do - probably because the individual pieces are short, straightforward and, for the most part, not as technically challenging as Schumann's larger works.

My understanding is that the eight pieces in Opus 12 (just like the eight Novelletten, Opus 21) were originally intended by Schumann to be played as a group, however the individual pieces are often performed separately with great success.

I’ve played Papillons and the G minor Sonata, and Papillons is a piece of cake comparatively. Not even close, the sonata is a world apart in difficulty.

In the Toronto RCM syllabus, Papillons is an ARCT piece

True.
Which doesn't make sense at all. Other works on the ARCT list (2015 edition) include Beethoven's Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas, Chopin's Barcarolle and Scherzo No 2, Mendelssohn's Variations Serieuses and Debussy's L'isle joyeuse. Sometimes I wonder if the folks who compile these lists have actually played the selected works themselves.