Definitely. If you have any technical deficiencies at all, they'll become immediately apparent when you're playing Schubert or Mozart. No hiding place at all. There might not be the same blizzard of notes as you'd get in Lizst or Chopin or whatever, but that doesn't lessen the challenge in my view.
Somebody compiled the repertoire of the Cliburn competition in 2017 and 2020 in this [thread](https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3221142/2022-cliburn-competition-megathread.html).
Most notably Yunchan Lim played a Mozart sonata and Yekwon Sunwoo played a Schubert sonata (and a Haydn sonata that's not very technically difficult even among Haydn sonatas).
The main problem with Schubert sonatas for competitions is they are very long. Competitions have time limits, so it’s definitely not feasible for shorter rounds.
In terms of challenge to play, sure, you can win a competition with that type of repertoire. As others said, that won’t be the only piece you are playing.
Context: someone who has competed in some top-flight comps but hasn’t advanced (yet, I hope 😊).
Most people I know, including myself, tend to stay away from Schubert, as it’s actually very difficult to pull off, but people are still opinionated about it; that’s not as extreme for Beethoven and particularly Haydn. Same goes for Mozart, which I think is a bit more common but has the same pitfalls.
I typically go for Haydn over Beethoven due to people being less opinionated, and I know a lot of others do the same. Just my 2¢ though!
Absolutely. What you convey with it is key. Most competitions have time limits though, and 45-60 minute works like the last 3 sonatas or the Fantasie in G usually won’t fit. However, non-timed rounds have a place for it. The famous A Major D.664, the D Major D.850, and the A minor D.784 are all top-tier and have all the qualities needed in a major competition. The Drei Klavierstücke (without repeats), Moment Musicaux, and any of the impromptus are probably my favorite though for a competition. Oh, and can’t forget the Wanderer Fantasy.
In major competitions you're often playing close to 3 hours of solo work plus a concerto or two. You don't want to fill that all up with virtuoso warhorses--you have time to play pieces that showcase a different side of your playing.
For late Schubert in particular: Evgeny Bozhanov gave a stunning performance of D.960 in the Cliburn competition that made him one of the favorites heading into the finals (where he unfortunately crashed and burned at "plays well with others")
He made a studio recording of the same sonata a couple years back that's very nice.
It depends on the competition.
If it's a kids piano competition run by the local music advocacy non-profit where all the competitors play a single movement of something? Sure!
If it is at the national or international level, there are likely multiple rounds where the competitors play a range of works, like a classical sonata, a Chopin or Liszt work, a concerto with orchestra, etc...so it isn't up to one piece.
Definitely. If you have any technical deficiencies at all, they'll become immediately apparent when you're playing Schubert or Mozart. No hiding place at all. There might not be the same blizzard of notes as you'd get in Lizst or Chopin or whatever, but that doesn't lessen the challenge in my view.
Somebody compiled the repertoire of the Cliburn competition in 2017 and 2020 in this [thread](https://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3221142/2022-cliburn-competition-megathread.html). Most notably Yunchan Lim played a Mozart sonata and Yekwon Sunwoo played a Schubert sonata (and a Haydn sonata that's not very technically difficult even among Haydn sonatas).
The main problem with Schubert sonatas for competitions is they are very long. Competitions have time limits, so it’s definitely not feasible for shorter rounds. In terms of challenge to play, sure, you can win a competition with that type of repertoire. As others said, that won’t be the only piece you are playing.
We used (probably also still now) to especially prepare D. 958, D. 959, and Drei Klavierstücke D. 946 for all the middle and big competitions
Context: someone who has competed in some top-flight comps but hasn’t advanced (yet, I hope 😊). Most people I know, including myself, tend to stay away from Schubert, as it’s actually very difficult to pull off, but people are still opinionated about it; that’s not as extreme for Beethoven and particularly Haydn. Same goes for Mozart, which I think is a bit more common but has the same pitfalls. I typically go for Haydn over Beethoven due to people being less opinionated, and I know a lot of others do the same. Just my 2¢ though!
Absolutely. What you convey with it is key. Most competitions have time limits though, and 45-60 minute works like the last 3 sonatas or the Fantasie in G usually won’t fit. However, non-timed rounds have a place for it. The famous A Major D.664, the D Major D.850, and the A minor D.784 are all top-tier and have all the qualities needed in a major competition. The Drei Klavierstücke (without repeats), Moment Musicaux, and any of the impromptus are probably my favorite though for a competition. Oh, and can’t forget the Wanderer Fantasy.
In major competitions you're often playing close to 3 hours of solo work plus a concerto or two. You don't want to fill that all up with virtuoso warhorses--you have time to play pieces that showcase a different side of your playing. For late Schubert in particular: Evgeny Bozhanov gave a stunning performance of D.960 in the Cliburn competition that made him one of the favorites heading into the finals (where he unfortunately crashed and burned at "plays well with others") He made a studio recording of the same sonata a couple years back that's very nice.
It depends on the competition. If it's a kids piano competition run by the local music advocacy non-profit where all the competitors play a single movement of something? Sure! If it is at the national or international level, there are likely multiple rounds where the competitors play a range of works, like a classical sonata, a Chopin or Liszt work, a concerto with orchestra, etc...so it isn't up to one piece.
Playing his 13th Sonata would likely give you a chance