Repertoire › Primitive, for string piano › What to play next
What to play after Primitive, for string piano ?
John Cage · difficulty 35/100

Choose your level of commitment: consolidate, move up a tier or prepare a challenge. The top-ranked cards combine difficulty, risk, shared skills and confidence.

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Gentle step

The safest next step.

Gentle
Ikonit, suite for piano, op. 6
Einojuhani Rautavaara
40/100 +5 pts 4-8 weeks
close skills low risk to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Ornements baroque and Polyphonie à deux voix — ornaments must be secure before the piece goes up to tempo, otherwise they break the line instead of decorating it.
Gentle
Invention No.13 in A minor BWV 784
Johann Sebastian Bach
40/100 +5 pts 4-8 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Polyphonie à deux voix and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Gentle
Sonata in G minor, K.8, L.488, "Bucolic"
Domenico Scarlatti
40/100 +5 pts 3-6 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Analyse harmonique and Ornements baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Gentle
Sonata in A major, K.322, L.483
Domenico Scarlatti
41/100 +6 pts 4-8 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Analyse harmonique and Ornements baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Gentle
Suite infantil no. 1, A.53
Heitor Villa-Lobos
38/100 +3 pts 3-6 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Ornements baroque and Style moderne et contemporain — ornaments must be secure before the piece goes up to tempo, otherwise they break the line instead of decorating it.
Balanced step

A genuine step up, without a jolt.

Balanced
Sonata in E major, K.380, L.23, "Cortège"
Domenico Scarlatti
46/100 +11 pts 8-16 weeks
partial transfer moderate risk to confirm
A real step up: this piece moves you into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Analyse harmonique and Ornements baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Balanced
Well-tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV.846-869
Johann Sebastian Bach
47/100 +12 pts 8-16 weeks
partial transfer moderate risk to confirm
A real step up: this piece moves you into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Polyphonie à trois voix ou plus and Analyse harmonique — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Balanced
Suite in A major, BWV.832
Johann Sebastian Bach
44/100 +9 pts 8-16 weeks
close skills moderate risk to confirm
A real step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Ornements baroque and Polyphonie à deux voix — ornaments must be secure before the piece goes up to tempo, otherwise they break the line instead of decorating it.
Balanced
Sonata in D minor, K.1, L.366
Domenico Scarlatti
43/100 +8 pts 8-16 weeks
partial transfer moderate risk to confirm
A real step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Analyse harmonique and Ornements baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Ambitious challenge

A useful leap with guided practice.

Challenge
Sonata in C major K.330 (I)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
52/100 +17 pts 20-40 weeks
new reflexes high risk to confirm
An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. New compared with the previous piece: Analyse harmonique and Indépendance des mains — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.
Challenge
Nocturne in E-flat major Op.9 No.2
Frédéric Chopin
51/100 +16 pts 20-40 weeks
new reflexes high risk to confirm
An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. New compared with the previous piece: Ornements romantiques and Voix chantante — ornaments must be secure before the piece goes up to tempo, otherwise they break the line instead of decorating it.
Challenge
Music for Piano 20, for piano
John Cage
50/100 +15 pts 20-40 weeks
new reflexes moderate risk to confirm
An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. New compared with the previous piece: Octaves — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Same level

To widen the repertoire without raising the level.

Same level
Invention No.8 in F major BWV 779
Johann Sebastian Bach
35/100 same level 2-3 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Polyphonie à deux voix and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Same level
Invention No.4 in D minor BWV 775
Johann Sebastian Bach
33/100 -2 pts 2-3 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Polyphonie à deux voix and Doigté complexe — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Same level
Sonatina Op.20 No.1
Friedrich Kuhlau
32/100 -3 pts 2-3 weeks
partial transfer low risk to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Style classique and Indépendance des mains — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.
Progressions computed from difficulty, skill overlap and style between works. A What do we play next? recommendation should remain a pedagogical starting point, not an automatic prescription.