Hi all, i'm going to do my LRSM exam next year, LRSM is basically stands for Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music while the LTCL is the same thing but it's for Trinity.

They give a list of pieces from which you can choose from to create a little recital lasting between 37-45 minutes, preferably "balanced" with a baroque work, classical, romantic, contemporary...

The piece that I have been considering doing for the romantic era is Pletnev's transcription of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker.


(quite a beautiful gem, a little underplayed if you ask me..)


(part 2, ahhh the sweet Pas De Deux...)

According the the guidelines, if a piece you want to select is not on the list they have given they allow you to send in a suggested piece which can meet the levels of other pieces in the list.

I was hoping to gain some recommendations and advice on whether this piece would match the other pieces in the LRSM level; I personally think that it lives up to it but I would really love some other peoples opinions.

Some pieces from the LRSM syllabus include:
Bach Partita no.2,4,5
Mozart's A minor and C minor Sonatas
Beethoven Tempest, Les Adieux, The Hunt Sonatas as well as the Fantasie in G minor
Any of Liszt's Paganini Etudes, HR's, TE's, CE's, Legends, Ballade no.2
Mendelssohn Scottish Fantasy, Rondo Cap., Serious Variations
Prokofiev Tocatta, Suggestion Diabolique, Early sonatas like the A minor..
Vine's Bagatelles

In terms of difficulty, Pletnev's transcription is on a par with the others, even if you just play those two pieces.

But bear in mind that examiners will be expecting an orchestral range of color from you (if they haven't heard this transcription before), otherwise they'll wonder why you bothered. And if they have heard it before, it'll likely be from Pletnev's own recording which has a fabulous range of color and variety of touch that really makes you forget all about the orchestra...

I've heard one or two other recordings which don't quite match up to Pletnev's (Ashley Wass, Trpceski etc).

I am assuming from what you write that the LRSM examination board will decide on the appropriateness of the piece, so why don't you ask them?

I would take into account what bennevis has written, too; one can't be sure what the judges will expect from a piece that was transcribed from what was originally written for orchestra; so, choose carefully.

Regards,

I think that esp. the pas de deux is very pianistic indeed and, played well of course, could have a nice impact on any audience, jurors or not.