Stupid question about Bach not being played at auditions

[Victor_c3]

I heard somewhere that Bach pieces are typically not allowed to be used in piano auditions. Does anyone know the reason for that?

I’m not planning on auditioning for anything anytime soon, but I’ve been working on the Franz Liszt transcriptions of BWV 542 (fantasy and fugue in G-) and 543 (prelude and fugue in A-). If I were to choose a piece to show off my abilities, I’d go for either of those.

[MuseRider]

1. We hear some

Beethoven, often Grieg, Rachmaninoff was popular last year. Mendelssohn every few years, Tchaikovsky too. Just about anything but I have never heard Bach and only once Chopin. What are you preparing for? My experience in piano auditions is only for youth auditions for scholarships and to play with the symphony if they win. It seems like there are trends, one year out of all the pianists 4 of them played Grieg. NOT my favorite by any means.

We are small potatoes if you are talking about major competition.

Love Liszt, loved playing his music but that was decades ago for me.

[Victor_c3]

3. Im mostly asking out of curiosity

I’m way too old to consider music other than for my own enjoyment. I’m 37 and I’ve been playing off and on since I was 8. I only started getting serious with my piano playing about 2-3 years ago, right about the time I stopped working due to disability.

For my whole life I never had any desire to perform in front of an audience until I started practicing / playing at a piano I discovered near a nursing home ward at my local VA hospital. I was always shy about playing in front of people, but I’ve found it to be exhilarating and a lot of people will sit and listen to classical piano performed live who would never listen to it otherwise. They do a Bach festival in my area every year and someday in the not to far off future I’d like to see if I could perform a few pieces for that. We’ll see!

[MuseRider]

4. Oh do!

You could travel around your city and go to nursing homes just to play for an hour whenever they will have you. Work up some sing-a-longs as well, they usually love that, it gives them something to do that they enjoy and they are so appreciative and it will help you in a lot of ways you never expected. Still, the classical gigs would be wonderful for all of you. There are numerous places a person can do this if you want to just do it and not be paid. Usually the local library will listen to you and if they like it you can often put little concerts together. Find others who might like to do it too and learn to accompany them or make programs each of you playing your own complimentary pieces. There are millions of ways to play if you want to do it simply for enjoyment. If you want to get paid it often gets a bit more difficult but there is no reason to expect that you cannot. If you find out that you like to accompany you can make some money doing that and that is a distinct skill that is very useful and always needed!

At 64 years old I have spent my life on stage in various groups large and small. It is in a small area mostly but I have done some bigger things. I am nearing the time when my skills are becoming difficult to maintain for playing in the orchestra and will likely have to retire soon. I cannot imagine not ever doing that again but I have had my time and it was a life well lived doing that.

I would encourage you to look into all of those ideas. They are all helpful to more than just yourself but will bring you much joy. Music is for sharing if you can do that. This makes me happy. I am going to take up smallpipes when I am done. Never stop, never.

[pangaia]

2. Bach IS in fact required at international competitions.

For starters, the TCHAIKOVSKY COMPETITION 2015 -


-One Prélude and Fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach, (book I or book II)