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I have a student who has recently worked on Clementi Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 (all 3 movements). I'm looking for something for him to do that is a bit on the Romantic side, preferably in minor key. He really wants to do Moonlight Sonata, but that is way beyond him right now. I thought about possibly giving him Chopin Prelude No. 4. I know it would be a challenge with rubato, but he has to learn it somehow.

Any thoughts/recommendations? He's very musical in his playing and I think he'd really enjoy something more serious in nature.

I think the Chopin e minor prelude would be ideal. You could try the b minor as well. I wouldn't worry too much about the rubato - like you said, he has to learn it sometime. Another good one that my teacher gave me at a similar point in my studies was the Chopin Mazurka in g# Op 33/1.

Try the Kuhlau Op 88, No. 3, Sonatina in a minor. It's just a whisker more difficult than the Clementi.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not familiar with the Kuhlau, but I'll be sure to look at it. I won't see him again for a couple of weeks, so that should give me plenty of time .

Why not give him something that will help prepare him for the Moonlight. I suggest Heller op. 47 n. 15 (Grief). Here is a youtube video Heller\'s Grief -op. 47 n. 15 .

PM me if you would like the sheets.

Why not Chopin's Waltz in A minor.

It's romantic and it is in a minor key.

One of Chopin's preludes would be a good choice too.

Oh.... and there is Robert Schummann... Wild Rider maybe since that is in a minor key... or maybe Scenes from Childhood, learning all of them starting with the first one.

Debussy... would also be a great choice. Little Shepard maybe....

Fur Elise is also good, but technically not Romantic.

IMHO Morodiene’s gut-feel choice of the Chopin Prelude in E minor Opus 28, no. 4 is on the money in the given circumstances ... the simple RH single-note outline over the repeating 3 note chords (mostly) with only one new note variation to the chords in the gently descending structure ... use of the central “binding note” gives magnificent cohesion to the Prelude ... true things get a bit tricky over measures
16-20 ... but heck, half the job's done ... making the extra bit of effort to memorize a racy turn and make an awkward-seeming octave jump between chords is worthwhile so as to restore the Theme in the grand closing measures.

Could hardly be a better preparation before tackling Beethoven’s Moonlight.

Morodiene, here's another sonatina which your student may really love - Hoffmeister, E flat major. It's dramatic, has lots of impressive runs, modulates into c minor and spends a lot of time there. Lots of repetition, so easy to master. Excellent prep for Beethoven Op 49. Did I mention, REALLY DRAMATIC?

I'm not familiar with that one, either! I'll definitely check that out. Sounds like it's right up his alley

How about some romantic-sounding contemporary pieces by Timothy Brown and Melody Bober?

Lyric Preludes by William Gillock are terrific, too.