Grade 7 piano pieces? Options

[playingtheflute]

Hi, I've just started the Grade 7 piano syllabus, and just wondered if anyone had any recommendations for any of the pieces? I was just briefly listening on youtube till the music came, but then all seem a bit dull, but any suggestions?

Thanks (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

For grade 6 I played Allegro (A3), Elegie (B1) and Soiree Polka (C1), I liked the first two, but I found that C1 and other pieces that 'jump around' a lot catch me out :/

[fsharpminor]

I know most of those pieces.

For A List I would suggest the Mozart or the Daquin. The Daquin particularly I would have thought not as difficult as Grade 7.

For B List the Granados piece 'Coming from the Fountain' is very popular.

For C I love that Kabalevsky Sonatina, the last movement goes at a heck of a speed but is very spectacular. Start slower and then speed it up !!

Good luck , and let us know what you choose.

[playingtheflute]

I know most of those pieces.

For A List I would suggest the Mozart or the Daquin. The Daquin particularly I would have thought not as difficult as Grade 7.

For B List the Granados piece 'Coming from the Fountain' is very popular.

For C I love that Kabalevsky Sonatina, the last movement goes at a heck of a speed but is very spectacular. Start slower and then speed it up !!

Good luck , and let us know what you choose.

For A List I was looking at both the Mozart and the Arne, but would you suggest the Mozart out of those two? It's just for the mozart there looks to be some fast fiddly semiquaver passages. Thanks for the suggestion for the Daquin, I searched it up on google and it looks like a fast repeated passage on the RH (to start), which seems okay, I'll take a look (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

For list B, I think I may go with the Bruch. I didn't really like the Granados piece, though the Skryabin looks okay too. Which would you suggest?

For C, I too like the Kabalevsky and the Webster one as well. Kabalevsky is just scaring me a bit, due to its sheer speed :/

Thanks for your help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Do you think there is a big step up from 6 to 7? As I found 6 manageable and not too difficult, but grade 7 music hasn't yet arrived, so just wanted an opinion for now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pixie*Porsche]

I'm currently playing the grade 6 pieces, whether I do the exam or move onto grade 7 is a different matter though and is dependent on a few things. I'm doing A1, B1 and C1. Currently I am taking these pieces to bits and trying to give them the musicality they deserve. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

So I will be watching this thread very carefully (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). Are there any baroque pieces on the Grade 7 lists? I've took a real shine to playing Baroque music, though the debate about should it be played on a piano is a different one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[playingtheflute]

I'm currently playing the grade 6 pieces, whether I do the exam or move onto grade 7 is a different matter though and is dependent on a few things. I'm doing A1, B1 and C1. Currently I am taking these pieces to bits and trying to give them the musicality they deserve. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

So I will be watching this thread very carefully (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). Are there any baroque pieces on the Grade 7 lists? I've took a real shine to playing Baroque music, though the debate about should it be played on a piano is a different one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Good luck with your Grade 6 pieces. You're not taking A3? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) By far my favourite piece in the book (I did B1/C1 as well, B1 was alright...).

Also, I heard that you can start taking the 2013-2014 syllabus next June, do you know when the books for those start coming out?

Well in Grade 7, there's a Handel and a Bach, but arguably I prefer the Mozart (which from the romantic era...I think?)

[porilo]

If I were doing grade 7, my choice (for once!) would be easy to make:

A3 - Mozart
B2 - Scriabin
C5 - Stephen Hough

although the B6 Szymanowski Prelude is tempting too.

[Impressionist]

The Kabalevsky is fab - it's not difficult notewise and the fast passages are just scales with arps in the left hand. I found memorising them helped with the speed.

I like the Kabalevksy so much I bought the whole Sonatina and am really enjoying playing the other two movements as well.

[Martin.Walters]

I know most of those pieces.

For A List I would suggest the Mozart or the Daquin. The Daquin particularly I would have thought not as difficult as Grade 7.

For B List the Granados piece 'Coming from the Fountain' is very popular.

For C I love that Kabalevsky Sonatina, the last movement goes at a heck of a speed but is very spectacular. Start slower and then speed it up !!

Good luck , and let us know what you choose.

For A List I was looking at both the Mozart and the Arne, but would you suggest the Mozart out of those two? It's just for the mozart there looks to be some fast fiddly semiquaver passages. Thanks for the suggestion for the Daquin, I searched it up on google and it looks like a fast repeated passage on the RH (to start), which seems okay, I'll take a look (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

For list B, I think I may go with the Bruch. I didn't really like the Granados piece, though the Skryabin looks okay too. Which would you suggest?

For C, I too like the Kabalevsky and the Webster one as well. Kabalevsky is just scaring me a bit, due to its sheer speed :/

Thanks for your help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Do you think there is a big step up from 6 to 7? As I found 6 manageable and not too difficult, but grade 7 music hasn't yet arrived, so just wanted an opinion for now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Funnily enough I have the anthology book for grade 7 and have been learning Le cou cou by Daquin.
Love the piece, its title gives away the general feel of the piece and that helps so much!

[Halka]

Funnily enough I have the anthology book for grade 7 and have been learning Le cou cou by Daquin.
Love the piece, its title gives away the general feel of the piece and that helps so much!

Daughter has been playing this too, and only took grade 5 at Easter, so I'm sure it must be at the easier end of the grade 7 repertoire. She's playing it from "Hours with the Masters" Book 5, which claims to be Grade 6 level. Nice piece though!

Regarding difference between grades 6 and 7, it seems that daughter's teacher has decided she will omit grade 6, from which I infer that either grades 5 and 6 or grades 6 and 7 must be not too far apart. She's yet to start work on exam pieces though (Daquin just happened to be in one of the books she's currently using!)

[Pixie*Porsche]

Good luck with your Grade 6 pieces. You're not taking A3? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) By far my favourite piece in the book (I did B1/C1 as well, B1 was alright...).

Also, I heard that you can start taking the 2013-2014 syllabus next June, do you know when the books for those start coming out?

Well in Grade 7, there's a Handel and a Bach, but arguably I prefer the Mozart (which from the romantic era...I think?)

I love A1 the most out of all the Gd.6 pieces that I am doing, there is SO much that is down to the players interpretation and I've spent ages getting it exactly as I want it, articulation wise! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm enjoying B1 and C1 too but am spending far too much time on non exam repertoire including Chopin Op.69 No.2 and Bach's WTC preludes and fugues. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Very interesting on the 2013-14 syllabus - no idea when books come out, will be interested to know what is on the lists. Hoping to be looking towards taking my Grade 8 in 2013. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Mozart is as classical as they come, romantic = slightly later, Beethoven's time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[sbhoa]

Also, I heard that you can start taking the 2013-2014 syllabus next June, do you know when the books for those start coming out?

I don't know where you've seen that but the usual thing would be that the syllabus is available form about July/August and the fist session you can use it will be spring 2013.
The overlap is in the other direction, in the UK you can use the 2011-2012 pieces in the first session of 2013 rather than being able to use pieces in advance.

[playingtheflute]

Good luck with your Grade 6 pieces. You're not taking A3? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) By far my favourite piece in the book (I did B1/C1 as well, B1 was alright...).

Also, I heard that you can start taking the 2013-2014 syllabus next June, do you know when the books for those start coming out?

Well in Grade 7, there's a Handel and a Bach, but arguably I prefer the Mozart (which from the romantic era...I think?)

I love A1 the most out of all the Gd.6 pieces that I am doing, there is SO much that is down to the players interpretation and I've spent ages getting it exactly as I want it, articulation wise! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I'm enjoying B1 and C1 too but am spending far too much time on non exam repertoire including Chopin Op.69 No.2 and Bach's WTC preludes and fugues. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Very interesting on the 2013-14 syllabus - no idea when books come out, will be interested to know what is on the lists. Hoping to be looking towards taking my Grade 8 in 2013. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Mozart is as classical as they come, romantic = slightly later, Beethoven's time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I would say the same for A3, and in my exam the examiner quite bluntly asked, "so why did you choose those dynamics?" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) As I prompted for more of a 'question and answer' dynamic scheme for A3, which suits it quite well (for the bits with the mordants), hopefully that scored me some marks, but yet to get my mark back!

Ah okay, I don't really know what type of era's things come from :/ But I guess I do know which composers I enjoy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I think I would take my grade 8 in 2013 as well, june should be grade 7, then sometime after that it'd be 8 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Though, probably not in june 2013, as I've got my A2 exams :/

[fsharpminor]

I know most of those pieces.

For A List I would suggest the Mozart or the Daquin. The Daquin particularly I would have thought not as difficult as Grade 7.

For B List the Granados piece 'Coming from the Fountain' is very popular.

For C I love that Kabalevsky Sonatina, the last movement goes at a heck of a speed but is very spectacular. Start slower and then speed it up !!

Good luck , and let us know what you choose.

For A List I was looking at both the Mozart and the Arne, but would you suggest the Mozart out of those two? It's just for the mozart there looks to be some fast fiddly semiquaver passages. Thanks for the suggestion for the Daquin, I searched it up on google and it looks like a fast repeated passage on the RH (to start), which seems okay, I'll take a look (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

For list B, I think I may go with the Bruch. I didn't really like the Granados piece, though the Skryabin looks okay too. Which would you suggest?

For C, I too like the Kabalevsky and the Webster one as well. Kabalevsky is just scaring me a bit, due to its sheer speed :/

Thanks for your help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Do you think there is a big step up from 6 to 7? As I found 6 manageable and not too difficult, but grade 7 music hasn't yet arrived, so just wanted an opinion for now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I cant comment on the Scriabin , as I only know the Op 11 preludes, not the Op17's
Yes the Daquin is mainly RH work, just needs getting up to speed,and there are places where best fingering is to change finger on a repeated note. P*P , you will probably like it too
Please do try the Kabalevsky for Group C - I agree with Impressionist's comment above

[Juan Carlos]

I like the Kabalevksy so much I bought the whole Sonatina and am really enjoying playing the other two movements as well.

The complete Sonatina! I'd be awfully curious to know hoe difficult the other movements are ... can you make any tentative assessments of the grading?

[Impressionist]

The teaching notes for the ABRSM exams suggest that the whole Sonatina is "suitable for a grade 7 player".

The movements do have different areas of difficulty - the 1st movement uses a lot of chords with passages of legato playing and romps along, but is nowhere near as fast as the 3rd movement so you don't need such finger speed.

The 2nd movement I find the hardest because it needs a very legato touch and the latter quarter of the piece has held upper right hand notes underneath which a two note slurred chord pattern is repeated, (also played by the right hand). It has highlighted yet another area of weakness in my playing.

I have found that learning the notes for all three movements is quite straightforward but to polish it to performance or exam standard is going to take some work... but it is fun to play!