IMSLP Forums

I am gathering music for a senior recital I will be doing next year and I am having a little trouble finding suitable music. Either the music is too easy, not showy enough, or it is too expansive for my somewhat small hands.(ex: Rachmaninoff) This site is great for reference, but I have a hard time knowing where to delve in to start looking.
I would really appreciate some suggestions. I am looking for something somewhat showy, enjoyable (to the non-classical listeners as well, so something without heavy dissonance), moderately difficult (but I do have to memorize it, so not something needlessly crazy-hard). I have been playing piano for 16 years, classical for about 6 or 7.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks so much.

I always think it is good to get a wide range of composers from many different periods. Bach is always a good choice. Try maybe some Inventions or Sinfonias, or the more difficult preludes and fugues from the Well Tempered Clavier books. If you're up to doing a whole sonata, Mozart's and Haydn's are probably the best choice. Beethoven's are much more technically difficult, and I don't think all audiences will pick up on the emotional content of many of them. Chopin has many crowd pleasing pieces that aren't too difficult. Try his Nocturnes Op. 9 and 27, or maybe a selection from his Op. 28 preludes. Another great, famous showpiece is Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Being a modernist fan, I suggest some Bartok. If you really don't want anything too dissonant, try maybe his early Suite for piano, or his Romanian folk dances. Shostakovich's preludes and fugues Op. 80 is also a good option. Messiean also has some great preludes, but the dissonances can be rather heavy.

Try to avoid the chestnuts and warhorses, whether they're by big-name composers or minor ones. For instance, there is plenty of other excellent and interesting 19th-century Russian piano music than Pictures at an Exhibition, which, in my humble opinion, is not particular pianistic anyway (hence the various orchestrations).

I had merely suggested Pictures by Mussorgsky becuase it is very well known. If you are interested in Russian composers, I suggest Borodin's Petit Suite, a walz by Glazunov, or one of the many Tales by Medtner. If you want to do a duet, one of my favorite pieces for 2 pianos is Arensky's first Suite, Op. 15.

Thanks for the input. My recital is not until sometime next school year, so if anyone else has suggestions, I will be checking them from time to time.

You should play Samuel Barber's Souvenirs, Op. 28 (version for piano solo). It is very pleasant and likeable piece. I strongly recommend this.

best wishes