Grade 8 piano- music suggestions please?

[glitterbiscuits]

My DS loves the piano and we are blessed that we never need to ask him to practice. (Smug smile. Ignoring the fact that his siblings are threatened cajoled into practice)

Can anyone musical out there suggest some music I could buy him for Xmas please? He prefers classical pieces but I think he could do with branching out.

Thanks

Bumping up.

Would you ask his piano teacher?

Would he enjoy playing rags? Eg Scott Joplin.

P

This is a lovely book.

You could pay a monthly subscription to Scribd for him. I love it. You can find all sorts of sheet music, classical, modern, easy, hard - there are books of Beatles’ songs, Disney songs, all sorts of things. I spend hours on it!

oooh there's tons of stuff - depends what kind of classical music he likes - has he already got tons of 'standard' sheet music/books? If not, then definitely talk to his teacher, but you can't go wrong with the Chopin nocturnes (the one in C minor is awesome and fairly easy for the first couple of pages!), Chopin preludes are also fab - some are short-ish and he'll know a couple of them. Bach preludes and fugues are awesome - I like playing both Bach and Chopin but it depends on your taste. Similarly with Beethoven sonatas and Mozart - I prefer Beethoven - bit more meaty! One of my favourite books as a teenager is a book of Debussy piano music that I still dip into.

Honestly there's so much - might be better buying books rather than individual sheet music so that he's got a choice - there's always something I like/hate/can't play in each one!

ooh - Dohnanyi rhapsodies were awesome at that age - there's one in C major (I think) that sounds fantastic and isn't massively difficult - about grade 7/8 probably.

These days I wish I had the time to practice and play - am very jealous!

We bought a lovely book of piano music from the films - "The Essential Film Collection" Richard Harris - Some of it is simpler (Grade5) some more challenging - maybe up to (Grade 7)

but as a grade 8 player DD has got quite a bit of enjoyment from it - especially learning some of the key film theme tunes by heart and impressing her friends by banging out Pirates of the Caribbean, Lawrence of Arabia etc

I asked his piano teacher about something last Christmas and he couldn’t keep a secret! He’s a stereotypical artistic loony ( meant very warmly)

Where’s my glasses? On your head dear piano teacher.

Thanks fort suggestions so far. Film music is a great idea

@rogueantimatter - he used to play a bit of Joplin. I’d forgotten. Thanks

Thanks @DottyDotAgain. He likes Chopin and Bach so you may have similar tastes. I’m going to Google a few of your suggestions. I’m keen to exploit his enthusiasm before exam season starts

st saens - carnival of the animals has some lovely pieces
pictures of an exhibition is originally for piano

Dave Brubeck has some nice solo piano jazz christmas stuff.

Scarlatti is always good to play, and there are several volumes of selected works for piano.

Mendelssohn? There are some lovely Songs without Words.

For variety maybe an album of Rachmaninov? Or maybe even Scriabin?

Without knowing his particular favourites it's hard to give more than vague recommendations.

Grieg's lyric pieces?

If he's up for a challenge how about Albeniz?

Grieg is great to play.

Especially this

Chopin Mazurkas?
I used to enjoy Debussy Children's Corner - inc the Golliwog's Cakewalk, great fun. (Have the editors changed the title since I was a kid?!)

Books I treasure that I've received as Christmas presents over the years:

Joplin; rags
Bach; Anna Magdalena
Bach; Goldberg variations (too hard for him at the moment but one for the future)
Debussy piano works (with things like Clair de lune and the arabesque) its probably the same one that dotty mentioned and I had to buy a second copy as my DD1 stole mine and took it to uni with her

I've been learning Poulenc's - the first time I heard it I went all hot and cold, it's so lovely! And lots of fun to play.
Think it was on the 2013-14 ABRSM G8 syllabus (surprisingly IMHO - but then I've reduced the 10ths, luckily not playing for an examiner!).
PDF available to print online.
There's his Toccata as well, also was a G8 piece at some point. Looks fiendish (and I've no idea how it's supposed to be in the same league as the above)!

ack old thread, sorry!