Difficulty approximations for Nutcracker transcriptions

[visionsofnighttime]

I have a book with the complete Nutcracker for piano (Christmas present). What are your opinions on difficulty, approximate grade level, or comparisions with pieces of similar difficulty for:

1. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
2. Russian Dance
3. Chinese Dance
4. Dance of the Reed Pipes
5. Arabian Dance
6. Any others that you enjoy

Just want a general idea for future repertoire planning, as I'm at pretty basic level right now.
I have the Kalmus edition and it has a Russian table of contents, so it's somewhat difficult to figure out what is what as well. 

[thalbergmad]

If you refer to the original Tchaikovsky version for piano, I would say someone with a Grade 8 (English grades) should be able to play the lot, with the Arab Dance slightly easier.

I did use to play these but it was a long time ago.

If you are at basic level, you might want to leave these for a little while. However, I have seen easier versions made.

Thal

[visionsofnighttime]

Thanks Thal. Yeah I have an easier version of the Russian dance too. Is there a difference between English grades and American grades?

[thalbergmad]

I think there is a difference, but i do not know what it is.

Thal

[wotgoplunk]

The English ABRSM (Which has 10 grades) is roughly equivalent to the North American RCM (Which has 12 grades) level, two grades higher.

E.g. Gr. 6 ABRSM = ~Gr. 8 RCM, and Gr. 8 ABRSM = Gr. 10 RCM.

[pianowelsh]

British ABRSM standard has prep exam, then grades 1-8, then three diplomas which take you upto postgraduate level performance. Grade 8 is approximate university or college entry. I would put the complete set at between Gd8 and dip ABRSM the first diploma - as to play them all as a set has the added stamina difficulty.  If we are talking the pletnev version we are talking a lot harder... min LRSM or FRSM (graduate level/postgraduate level diploma). But you can always learn by having a go at small sections of these pieces. Multi movement works are great for this, you can work up gradually to playing the whole set.