Question by Matthew Figel: Is Balakirev a master composer?
I am entering a competition and one of the requirements is to play a piece for solo piano by a master composer. I plan to submit “Islamey” by Balakirev but I am not sure if he is a master composer. I know he was the leader of “The Five” in Russia but does that makes him a master composer? Help would be appreciated. Thank you very much! Matthew
Answers and Views:
Answer by Malcolm D
Worry not young man… Islamey is proof that he was a master composer.
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
joshuacharlesmorris says
Master composer is one of those terms that suffers from a lack of a precise definition. I would check the fine print of the competition guidelines before deciding on the piece, though I would expect it to be fine.
Balakirev doesn't have the same recognition among laymen as the rest of "The Five" (I've always preferred a more direct and maybe less precise translation of "mighty little heap") though most classical musicians would recognize the name. Since this is a for competition I would expect all the judges would accept his work. Some judges might consider it a refreshing change of pace from the endless deluge of Beethoven sonatas and Bach inventions, others might have preferred you stuck to the warhorses as it's easier to compare performers when they play similar repertoire.
Dave U says
Whilst Balakirev is not generally regarded in quite the same hallowed terms as Mozart or Chopin (for example), I am sure that "Islamey" would be a more than acceptable choice for your competition. However, I hope you are aware that it's an incredibly difficult piece to bring off well, and often thought of as one of the most challenging works in the piano repertoire. That said, if you make a good job of it, it'll bring the house down…