BEST PERFORMANCE OF A PRE-BAROQUE OR BAROQUE PERIOD WORK

The three most significant Baroque keyboard composers are J.S. Bach, Handel and Domenico Scarlatti. However, daring souls who wish to pursue pre-Baroque keyboard repertory are urged to consult Chapter Two of Stewart Gordon's excellent book, A History of Keyboard Literature: Music for the Piano and its Forerunners, 1996, ISBN 0-02-870965-9. Check your local library; if they don't have it, ask them to get it via interlibrary loan. You can also check your favorite local bookstore or order online:
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http://www.amazon.com/ or http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/

​EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT PRE-BAROQUE/EARLY BAROQUE COMPOSERS ARE:
John Bull (1562-1628)

William Byrd (1543-1623)

Antonio de Cabezòn (1510-66)

Manuel Rodrigues Coelho (ca. 1583- ca. 1625 or later)

Benjamin Cosyn (ca. 1570-1652)

Giles Farnaby (ca. 1560- ca. 1620?)

Andrea Gabrieli (ca. 1510-86)
Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)

Claudio Merulo (1533-1604)

Thomas Morley (1557- ca. 1603)

John Munday (ca. 1555? -1630)

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621)

Thomas Tomkins (ca. 1572-1656)
To find specific keyboard repertory by these & other composers, consult:

Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire by Maurice Hinson: 1st edition, 1973, Indiana U. Press, ISBN 0-253-32700-8; 2nd edition, Indiana U. Press, call # ML 128 P3 H5 1987; 3rd edition due out in February, 2001.

Ask your librarian, order from your favorite local bookstore, or order online.
For more information see also: Keyboard Music Before 1700, Alexander Silbert, editor, 1995, Schirmer Books, ISBN 0-02-872391-0.

For an excellent discussion of Bach interpretation, see:
Interpreting Bach's Preludes & Fugues, by Andras Schiff, Clavier magazine, March 1987, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 15-18. (Consult your local librarian; if they do not have it, ask to get a copy by interlibrary loan.)

We encourage contestants to embellish and/or improvise when appropriate. In the words of Andras Schiff (from the article cited above): "One thing is certain: in movements written in binary form, such as dances that require repeats, the last thing the composer intended was for the second time to sound like an exact copy of the first."

See also the discussion under Best Demonstrations of EMBELLISHING AND/OR IMPROVISING IN A Classical Work (an appropriate Baroque, Classic or Romantic period work). -FIX LINK-
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KEYBOARDISTS WHO PLAY BAROQUE MUSIC WITH IMAGINATION AND TASTEFUL EMBELLISHMENTS INCLUDE:
Andras Schiff Amazon, Spotify
Igor Kipnis Amazon, Spotify
Sergey Schepkin Amazon, Spotify
(See the November/December 2000 issue of Piano & Keyboard, p. 64, for Arthur Houle's favorable review of Schepkin's CD's of Bach)

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A CLASSICAL PERIOD WORK

The three most significant classical composers were Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.

We encourage contestants to embellish and/or improvise when appropriate. See discussions under other prize categories.

For repertory ideas see:
Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire by Maurice Hinson: 1st edition, 1973, Indiana U. Press, ISBN 0-253-32700-8; 2nd edition, Indiana U. Press, call # ML 128 P3 H5 1987; 3rd edition due out in February, 2001. Check your local library, order from your favorite local bookstore, or order online.

An excellent book on Classic Period performance practices: Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music, by Sandra Rosenblum, ISBN 0-253-34314-3, 1988 Indiana University Press. Check your local library, order from your favorite local bookstore, or order online.

An excellent book on Beethoven performance practice: The Sonatas of Beethoven As He Played and Taught Them by Kenneth Drake, ISBN 0-253-20262-0, 1972, Indiana University Press. Check your local library, order from your favorite local bookstore, or order online.

​BEST PERFORMANCE OF A ROMANTIC PERIOD WORK

Romantic period composers include Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt and Brahms. At their discretion, the judges may consider a composer such as Rachmaninoff either Romantic or Contemporary, so it may qualify a contestant for this award, the CONTEMPORARY WORK -DOUBLE CHECK THIS LINK- award, or -- conceivably -- both!

We encourage contestants to embellish and/or improvise when appropriate. See discussions under other prize categories.

For repertory ideas see:
Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire by Maurice Hinson: 1st edition, 1973, Indiana U. Press, ISBN 0-253-32700-8; 2nd edition, Indiana U. Press, call # ML 128 P3 H5 1987; 3rd edition due out in February, 2001. Check your local library, order from your favorite local bookstore, or order online.


This book is a must-read for all who wish to get in touch with our real traditions:
"After the Golden Age: Romantic Pianism and Modern Performance" by Kenneth Hamilton
Reviewer Susan Tomes writes: "Throughout the 'golden age' of Romantic piano-playing, it was not usual to perform whole sonatas as these were thought too severe. Improvisation was popular, as was the habit of 'preluding', or making up musical links between items. Players might give themselves breaks while they chatted with friends in the audience. Most pianists were also composers, and routinely included their own pieces. Playing from memory was not required, and sometimes even frowned on."
In his book, Hamilton points out that "anxiety over wrong notes is a relatively recent psychosis, and playing entirely from memory a relatively recent requirement."

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A WORK BY AN IMPRESSIONIST COMPOSER

Ravel and Debussy were the two most notable composers of impressionistic music.

For help in interpreting Debussy's music, consult The Piano Works of Claude Debussy by E. Robert Schmitz, 1950, Dover Books, ISBN 0-486-21567-9. Get it from your favorite local bookstore/music dealer, or see online

To avoid common misprints, see "Checklist of Errors in Debussy's Piano Music" by Arthur B. Wenk, Piano Quarterly, Summer 1969, pp. 18-21 (ask your librarian; if they don't have back issues of PQ, they can get a copy of the article by interlibrary loan).

BEST PERFORMANCE OF A 20TH CENTURY WORK (written 1901 to 2000, ANY STYLE)

Anything after about 1900 could be regarded as Contemporary period. However, "contemporary" is somewhat difficult to define otherwise. The judges will be the final arbiters of what falls under this category. The beauty of this festival is that contestants can rest assured that virtually anything played will qualify for at least one category (even if it's not the one the contestant had in mind)! An original composition would certainly qualify for this award (and, of course, for the Best Original Composition -FIX LINK- award). All contemporary styles -- classical (in the broad sense of the word, not "Classic period"), jazz, pop, gospel, rag, etc. -- are allowed for this category.

To find modern keyboard repertory consult:

Guide to the Pianist's Repertoire by Maurice Hinson: 1st edition, 1973, Indiana U. Press, ISBN 0-253-32700-8; 2nd edition, Indiana U. Press, call # ML 128 P3 H5 1987; 3rd edition published in February, 2001. Check your local library, order from your favorite local bookstore, or order online.

Another terrific reference book is Five Centuries of Keyboard Music: An Historical survey of Music for Harpsichord & Piano, by John Gillespie.

Piano & Keyboard magazine devoted an entire issue to piano music of the 20th century -- their November/December 1999 issue. Pages 40 & 41 have a useful list of "Significant 20th Century Teaching Pieces" compiled by Wilma Machover. See your local librarian to request back issues of P & K.