ABRSM grade 8

[BoliverAllmon]

if you were getting your grade 8 certification, which pieces from the list would you play?

boliver

[tompilk]

I played Scarlatti Sonata in D, Mozart Sonata in C and Liszt- Dem andenken petofis. Scarlatti is an excellent coice... most people do it though... Dem Andenken Petofis was really interesteing... and unusual. I loved to play it and its a comfort piece, easier to make a fantastic sound. The mozart however, i regret doing. It's common repertoire and repetetive and boring.

[steve jones]

I think that Beethoven Op90 is THE piece to play in the B list, but its also really difficult. There is a passage that I find practically impossible to play, hence the Op79 might be a better choice.

The Arensky piece in list C is nice. Not as easy as it sounds mind! Also, the Chopin Polonaise is great piece that I like alot. Its quite long, but most of it is repetition so its probably not anymore work to learn. The Liszt that Tompilk did is wonderful (and he did a nice job of it, check out his vid!). The trems threw me on this one - they seem to be the main technical hurdle.

[BoliverAllmon]

I saw the vid. It was not what I was expecting. your playing was fine, but when I think list I think of something crazy. What was your results of your exam?

[tompilk]

I got a close pass - 107.
I passed all sections apoart from sight reading which i lost 1 mark on...

[zheer]

I got a close pass - 107.
I passed all sections apoart from sight reading which i lost 1 mark on...

   Cool.

[BoliverAllmon]

congrats. how strict was it really?

[BoliverAllmon]

also what key is the arensky in?

[tompilk]

it wasn't as strict as i thought. I probably did 20 wrong notes overall in the pieces... and i had three goes at the first 4 notes of c minor in 3rds... but then i payed it perfectly so i think he forgave me... i had a nice examiner.. mr alan pickard... yes i was suprised a the leaniance.. (if thats how its spelt.)

[BoliverAllmon]

yeah those scales are going to give me fits. I can play them all straight through, but at the sixth or the third is a new thing for me.

boliver

[tompilk]

They aren't too hard when you get used to the patterns... what i found hard was the thirds in one hand... lol... i just about managed them... and i hadn't practised my scales staccatto until three days before the exam! I was clueless that i had to do staccatto! The examiner then complemented me in the report on my staccatto technique!!! LOL!!! that was a bit of luck.. and i also tried to look proffessional by waiting a while before pieces and closing my eyes before i did a scale. i think impression is a big part of passing an exam... it worked for me i think!!! 
Good luck if you go for it...

[BoliverAllmon]

I will decide in the next week or two. I am leaning towards Bach P&F in A min. book 2, haydn Eb sonata, and dunno for list C. I don't know too many of those pieces.

boliver

[tompilk]

as i said, the liszt was interesting and exciting.. but make your own mind up... the Haydn sonata was the piece that my friend played and it sounds much more exciting than my mozart piece!!! 

[BoliverAllmon]

cool, my teacher will have the final sa I am sure.

[robynxo]

I'm doing the Scarlatti, the Mozart, and the Autumn Crocus (which is my fave out of all of them).

I tried to do the Beethoven from list b and I could do just about everything APART from the damn left hand semiquavers in parts of the piece. They just got my frustrated because I can't stretch that far and you have to play them really fast, so I changed to the Mozart which is loads easier and doesn't ache your wrist.

[BoliverAllmon]

my friend is doing the beethoven,so I am not going there.  I am really leaning toward the Haydn Eb. I had heard it before, but couldn't remember where until last night. I actually have Brendel playing it on video. After watching it I am even more hooked on playing it.