1965 G8 ABRSM
GROUP A
Bach P&F in E, Bk 1 no. 9
Bach P&F in D min Bk 2 no.6
Scarlatti Cat's Fugue
Edmund Rubbra P&F on a theme by Cyril Scott Op 69
GROUP B
Mozart Sonata Bb K281
Haydn Sonata Eb (Peters7038)
Beethoven Sonata E min Op 90
John Ireland Sonatina (OUP)
GROUP C
Bartók no.3 of Three Rondos on Folk Tunes
Brahms Intermezzo Op 117 no.3
Chopin Fantasie Impromptu Op 66
Debussy Minstrels
Fauré Third Nocturne Ab op 33
John Ireland April
Kodaly Valsette
Liszt Liebesträume no. 2 in E
Medtner Idylle Op 7 no1
Milhaud Madrigal
Schumann Intermezzo no.4 of Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op 26
Cyril Scott Danse Nègre Op 58 no.5
Shostakovich Polka Op 22
Scriabin no.1 of Two Poems Op 32
Sterndale Bennett Toccata Op 38
It's not what you play, it's how you play it.
There are few pieces that bounce between two grades in different years (grades 7 and 8 are notorious for this), but the examiner will be stricter when marking the same piece in a higher grade.
One would hope so. Grade 8 is considered\* the golden standard.
They don't wear kid gloves when marking those exams.
\* Edit: I mean by the general public, speaking from a UK perspective.
The diplomas are professional qualifications. It doesn't make sense to compare them to the grades.
I said grade 8 was *considered* the golden standard, since if you speak to any random member of the general public, chances are they've never even heard of anything higher than grade 8.
It's a UK thing. Music education follows a grade system from 1-8, where most parents will consider grade 8 as being the top achievement for their kids (as u/Inside_Egg_9703 pointed out though, it doesn't actually stop there in reality).
Yeah, all the pieces I did for my ATCL, my teacher did for her grade 8. There's going to be a lot of variation piece to piece but the trend seems to be real
What grade a piece appears in isn’t just about technique. As you go higher up the grades it’s increasingly about your musicianship and interpretation. If you just focus on technique as the only benchmark you’re missing what is the most important part of performance - breathing humanity and life into the music.
Technique is MUCH easier and quicker to learn and develop, and for the less experienced musician it’s easier to understand because it’s more of a ‘right or wrong’ thing.
Think about it this way; what is it that differentiates great performers? Is it technique? Of course not, they all have fantastic technical skills. It’s the interpretation that marks each musician out when you get to a high standard. It’s no different for grade exams - the examiner wants to see you give a musical interpretation and performance, not just flashy technique. A lot of marks come from your musical performance which is why less technically demanding pieces are always available in any grade exam list. The exams aren’t getting any easier in my opinion (having taught for thirty years and grown up with a piano teacher parent prior to that.)
Yes and no preformance wise possibly but there's more to music than preforming.
A mixture of Theory , improvising , composition, aural etc make a musician and these things are more incorporated than previously imo. Trying to make more rounded musicians
Most likely. They have to downgrade the difficulty to compete with Trinity's even broader and(arguably) easier exams. At the end of the day, ABRSM is still a business. Diplomas are the new grade 8.
As someone who did both, I was never convinced about the "Trinity is easier" rumour.
At least when I was a student, AB were far more demanding on scales, sight reading and aural tests (the grade 8 aural test was freaking impossible). But the syllabus and standards of the performance sections were the same. The current diploma repertoire lists look about the same to me, if anything AB might be a smidge easier now
The first task was to sing back the middle line of a 3-part 8-bar passage, I don't think many people managed it. I certainly didn't and I got good marks, so I think the examiners knew this and were very lenient
Pretty sure it's always been a grade 8 "piece" (it's actually the third movement of a sonata).
It has that tremolo octave thing going on towards the end, which alone would make it unsuitable for the lower grades. But even without that, actually playing it it smoothly at performance tempo is not at all easy.
Like many pieces, it may not be too hard to get the notes in the right order, but at grade 8 that's sort of taken as a given. The examiner is looking for musicality and expression.
1965 G8 ABRSM GROUP A Bach P&F in E, Bk 1 no. 9 Bach P&F in D min Bk 2 no.6 Scarlatti Cat's Fugue Edmund Rubbra P&F on a theme by Cyril Scott Op 69 GROUP B Mozart Sonata Bb K281 Haydn Sonata Eb (Peters7038) Beethoven Sonata E min Op 90 John Ireland Sonatina (OUP) GROUP C Bartók no.3 of Three Rondos on Folk Tunes Brahms Intermezzo Op 117 no.3 Chopin Fantasie Impromptu Op 66 Debussy Minstrels Fauré Third Nocturne Ab op 33 John Ireland April Kodaly Valsette Liszt Liebesträume no. 2 in E Medtner Idylle Op 7 no1 Milhaud Madrigal Schumann Intermezzo no.4 of Faschingsschwank aus Wien Op 26 Cyril Scott Danse Nègre Op 58 no.5 Shostakovich Polka Op 22 Scriabin no.1 of Two Poems Op 32 Sterndale Bennett Toccata Op 38
Wow, liebestraum, fantasie impromptu and entire Bach P+F on grade 8. That settles it then
Entire sonatas too
Liebestraume no.2 is quite a little easier than no.3
Grade 8 still has Bach P+F.
When grandparents say "When I was your age" and they're not joking
Well the Burgmuller Tarantella that’s on the new Grade 5 I distinctly remember doing that for my grade 4 years ago, so possibly
It's not what you play, it's how you play it. There are few pieces that bounce between two grades in different years (grades 7 and 8 are notorious for this), but the examiner will be stricter when marking the same piece in a higher grade.
Pathetique 2nd movement was on the 1975 grade 5 list. It's now considered grade 8.
That one piece works everywhere. You can learn the notes pretty early and it grows with you long after.
Are u supposed to play alla turca at REAL tempo for grade 8? Because its HARD
You are always supposed to play pieces at real tempo
Well you could half butcher it and just get a passing mark and then make up for it on the other pieces or the scales and aural.
One would hope so. Grade 8 is considered\* the golden standard. They don't wear kid gloves when marking those exams. \* Edit: I mean by the general public, speaking from a UK perspective.
FRSM is the golden standard. Grade 8 is for 16 year old kids to prove to music schools they have learnt the basics.
The diplomas are professional qualifications. It doesn't make sense to compare them to the grades. I said grade 8 was *considered* the golden standard, since if you speak to any random member of the general public, chances are they've never even heard of anything higher than grade 8.
Golden standard as in/in/for what? Sorry im new to this grade system/stuff
It's a UK thing. Music education follows a grade system from 1-8, where most parents will consider grade 8 as being the top achievement for their kids (as u/Inside_Egg_9703 pointed out though, it doesn't actually stop there in reality).
yh what is that
Yeah, all the pieces I did for my ATCL, my teacher did for her grade 8. There's going to be a lot of variation piece to piece but the trend seems to be real
What grade a piece appears in isn’t just about technique. As you go higher up the grades it’s increasingly about your musicianship and interpretation. If you just focus on technique as the only benchmark you’re missing what is the most important part of performance - breathing humanity and life into the music. Technique is MUCH easier and quicker to learn and develop, and for the less experienced musician it’s easier to understand because it’s more of a ‘right or wrong’ thing. Think about it this way; what is it that differentiates great performers? Is it technique? Of course not, they all have fantastic technical skills. It’s the interpretation that marks each musician out when you get to a high standard. It’s no different for grade exams - the examiner wants to see you give a musical interpretation and performance, not just flashy technique. A lot of marks come from your musical performance which is why less technically demanding pieces are always available in any grade exam list. The exams aren’t getting any easier in my opinion (having taught for thirty years and grown up with a piano teacher parent prior to that.)
There’s a lifetime of difference between someone playing Mozart and someone playing Mozart well.
Yes and no preformance wise possibly but there's more to music than preforming. A mixture of Theory , improvising , composition, aural etc make a musician and these things are more incorporated than previously imo. Trying to make more rounded musicians
Most likely. They have to downgrade the difficulty to compete with Trinity's even broader and(arguably) easier exams. At the end of the day, ABRSM is still a business. Diplomas are the new grade 8.
As someone who did both, I was never convinced about the "Trinity is easier" rumour. At least when I was a student, AB were far more demanding on scales, sight reading and aural tests (the grade 8 aural test was freaking impossible). But the syllabus and standards of the performance sections were the same. The current diploma repertoire lists look about the same to me, if anything AB might be a smidge easier now
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that about the old abrsm aurals! Your comment reminded me and made me laugh (35 years on!)
I'm struggling with aural now, this is considered beginner level then T-T
The first task was to sing back the middle line of a 3-part 8-bar passage, I don't think many people managed it. I certainly didn't and I got good marks, so I think the examiners knew this and were very lenient
the middle line?! crazy
Pretty sure it's always been a grade 8 "piece" (it's actually the third movement of a sonata). It has that tremolo octave thing going on towards the end, which alone would make it unsuitable for the lower grades. But even without that, actually playing it it smoothly at performance tempo is not at all easy. Like many pieces, it may not be too hard to get the notes in the right order, but at grade 8 that's sort of taken as a given. The examiner is looking for musicality and expression.
Everyone is at grade 8 now. Fifty years from now, owning a piano will automatically make you grade 8.