Op. 2 No. 1

[OboeKing]

I have just received the results from my grade 8 piano exam this morning! (In the UK grade 8 is the highest grade before going on to diploma) The piece I chose in the B list was the Allegro from his Sonata in F Minor, Op. 2 no. 1, and I must admit I felt I had played it exceptionally well. I got full marks for that piece and I got really good marks for my other 2 pieces and my scales, and overall I got a disctinction, which naturally I was very pleased about!

Something is starting to annoy me slightly about the ABRSM exams though. The piece I did in the A list was exceptionally challenging, my B list Beethoven took a little while to grasp but it wasn't anything especially difficult, but the piece in section C (and the majority of the others in that section) was unbelievably easy! I am convinced if you handed it to someone of grade 5 standard they would be able to sight read it almost perfectly. Has anybody else noticed this starting to creep in? My auntie is a virtuoso pianist and when I showed it to her she was shocked!

[Rod]

Originally posted by OboeKing:
I have just received the results from my grade 8 piano exam this morning! (In the UK grade 8 is the highest grade before going on to diploma) The piece I chose in the B list was the Allegro from his Sonata in F Minor, Op. 2 no. 1, and I must admit I felt I had played it exceptionally well. I got full marks for that piece and I got really good marks for my other 2 pieces and my scales, and overall I got a disctinction, which naturally I was very pleased about!

Well done but I hope you played this Allegro with some spirit, it's usually performed in a rather understated manner from what I have heard from real pros.


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Peter]

Yes well done - I remember all too well how getting a distinction at grade 8 was the goal, especially to go on to music college. If I remember rightly my programme was the Bach B maj prelude & fugue book I, Haydn's Variations in F minor and I think a Poulenc Novelette - that was back in 1979 and I notice this year a Poulenc Novelette is set again. Looking at today's syllabus, I don't think there has been a drop in standards. The pieces are not necessarily all meant to be technically demanding. What is important is that a balanced programme is chosen in which you have at least one meaty piece to show off your technical ability (usually a list B sonata movement). In the 2003/4 syllabus List C has 16 pieces to choose from with a huge range of styles including composers as diverse as Skryabin, Chopin, Janacek, Copland and Schoenberg. I can't remember who said it, but the quote was that a recital programme should be like a dinner - starter, main course and dessert - you wouldn't give someone 3 main courses!

I'd be interested to know what your difficult list A and easy list C pieces were!

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'Man know thyself'

[OboeKing]

My easy piece in the C-list was Sacre-Monte, by Joaquin Turina. There really was nothing of great difficulty to grasp in this piece. In my view there are 2 different types of piece in the ABRSM exams - Technically difficult and emotionally challenging - this was neither! I contemplated doing Landscape by Philip Cashian, but it was really pretentious wth no rhythm and pointless chord clusters that didn't serve a purpose at all! Give me good old key signatures and time signatures any day!

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by OboeKing:
My easy piece in the C-list was Sacre-Monte, by Joaquin Turina. There really was nothing of great difficulty to grasp in this piece. In my view there are 2 different types of piece in the ABRSM exams - Technically difficult and emotionally challenging - this was neither! I contemplated doing Landscape by Philip Cashian, but it was really pretentious wth no rhythm and pointless chord clusters that didn't serve a purpose at all! Give me good old key signatures and time signatures any day!

Stay away from Bartok, then ; )

[OboeKing]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

Stay away from Bartok, then ; )

God I know! I've played a piece of his for 2 pianos and percussion, and I was convinced I was playing the totally wrong notes, it sounded disgusting! Then again lots of people regard the piano as more of a percussive instrument so who am I to pass judgement!

[John Rasmussen]

Originally posted by OboeKing:
God I know! I've played a piece of his for 2 pianos and percussion, and I was convinced I was playing the totally wrong notes, it sounded disgusting! Then again lots of people regard the piano as more of a percussive instrument so who am I to pass judgement!

You've played Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion? Wow! I wish I could have been there! I love that piece! Those wonderful jagged Bartok rhythms! (But my opinion seems to be a "minority report" here. Oh well...)

[Peter]

Originally posted by John Rasmussen:
You've played Bartok's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion? Wow! I wish I could have been there! I love that piece! Those wonderful jagged Bartok rhythms! (But my opinion seems to be a "minority report" here. Oh well...)

Actually I think Bartok was probably the greatest composer of the 20th century!

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'Man know thyself'

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Peter:
Actually I think Bartok was probably the greatest composer of the 20th century!

Hear! Hear! At last I hear someone who gives Bartok his due! I compare Bartok with his originality to Haydn. I don't think I've heard anything from him I didn't like. However, I did NOT enjoy playing his Mikrocosms (sorry about the spelling). But I think I would enjoy listening to them.

[Peter]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
Hear! Hear! At last I hear someone who gives Bartok his due! I compare Bartok with his originality to Haydn. I don't think I've heard anything from him I didn't like. However, I did NOT enjoy playing his Mikrocosms (sorry about the spelling). But I think I would enjoy listening to them.

My first encounter was a complete shock - the 5th string quartet which I was studying for music 'A' level - this was before I had heard even the late Beethoven quartets! I would not advise anyone to approach Bartok first through the quartets as I have to say it put me off him for years! Only later when I got to know the piano concertos did I realise how truly original an great he was. I think this is true of Beethoven as well - I mean it is not a good idea to introduce his music to newcomers with the Grosse Fugue for example.

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'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

Great job, OboeKing.