Grade 6 - 2009/10 Options

[Tortellini]

Just a quick note to say that son took his Grade 6 exam on March 27 and achieved a distinction.

Many thanks for all your tips and help when needed!!

How are you going with your pieces for the summer Juan Carlos, Tortellini, MadBassoonist and Car Expert?

Congratulations to your son, that's a great result! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I'm not taking Grade 6 this summer (or probably this year) as I don't yet have Grade 5 theory (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Also I think it will do me good to consolidate what I know rather than pressing on.

[madbassoonist]

How are you going with your pieces for the summer Juan Carlos, Tortellini, MadBassoonist and Car Expert?

I've given up on the Scarlatti, although I really like it, it has proven too difficult technically. I will probably be doing A2 - Courante - if I can get it more legato!

I was originally planning to do the Moderato by Chopin for list B, but after learning the Beethoven Adagio I now can't decide: (a) which I play the best, and (b) which one I like more! Since I can play them both fairly well and they just need polishing (quite a lot (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) !), I'll probably leave it quite late to choose which one, as I have in previous grades. Also, my teacher sometimes gets annoyed with me because as soon as I have the book, I go through and play all of the pieces, to decide which ones I like. In this case I like all of them, so I have been teaching them all to myself (except the Couperin which I have discarded as impossible)!

For list C I am definitely doing the Peterson Jazz Exercise. However, again, I have learnt them all, and I especially love playing The Buccaneer really loudly in the mornings! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Sorry for a long post (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

Nick.

[Car Expert]

How are you going with your pieces for the summer Car Expert?

Well done to your son (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Pieces are going well at the moment. There are a couple of sections which need tidying up in the Sonata and Stenhammar pieces, but otherwise they're pretty much there. I'll be taking the exam in the summer.

I've given up on the Scarlatti, although I really like it, it has proven too difficult technically. I will probably be doing A2 - Courante - if I can get it more legato!

I pretty much did the opposite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Car Expert

[Fantasia in P major]

Dear All,

Thanks for all your kind words.

To those who have their Grade 6 this summer keep up the practise.

Son is just happy to have some new pieces to play now including the three Bs, Beethoven, Bach and Bartok!

[Tortellini]

There are a couple of sections which need tidying up in the Sonata and Stenhammar pieces, but otherwise they're pretty much there.

Hi Car Expert - can I ask you a favour? What fingering do you use for the first bar of the Stenhammar (r hand)? I disagree with my teacher who has suggested something that seems a bit strange to me and wanted another person's input - thanks!

[Car Expert]

Use finger 5 for the G and finger 3 for the E. Then use fingers 2 and 4 for the D and F chord (whilst holding on to the G with finger 5 of course), then 1, 3 and 5 for the next chord and fingers 1 and 2 for the B and D. I've found that fingering to be the best and most comfortable way for me.

Was that what your teacher suggested, or was it different?

Car Expert

[Tortellini]

Thanks! That is the way I was doing it but he has suggested (and I can't remember the reasoning) that I do the first G and E with 3 and 5 but then change to 2 and 4 when it is repeated - which makes it a bit clunky!

[Juan Carlos]

My Scarlatti is quite good and sounds quite expressive and fluent, though I have to speed it up a little. The trill in the 2nd bar and the demi-semiquaver run in the last line (1st page) prevent me from playing it as indicated and I achieve something like dotted crotchet = 60 instead of the 72 suggested.

My Beethoven is also progressing, though this innocent-looking Adagio is giving me some trouble (last page mainly). Some of the triplets require great precision (b. 28) and it's difficult to get the right notes in the first place and when these are achieved, to obtain the fluency and smoothness this piece requires.

As for List C ... I tried starting the Peterson piece some weeks ago but found it a little dull and, as often happens to me with List C, haven't fallen in love with any of the other titles ... I like Satie quite a lot and this Gnossienne, too, so I may end up trying this one ... but I have more than one year ahead and plenty of time to think it over.

[Car Expert]

Thanks! That is the way I was doing it but he has suggested (and I can't remember the reasoning) that I do the first G and E with 3 and 5 but then change to 2 and 4 when it is repeated - which makes it a bit clunky!

Yes, I agree, I've just tried that and it doesn't really make sense...

My Scarlatti is quite good and sounds quite expressive and fluent, though I have to speed it up a little. The trill in the 2nd bar and the demi-semiquaver run in the last line (1st page) prevent me from playing it as indicated and I achieve something like dotted crotchet = 60 instead of the 72 suggested.

I'm in the same position as you, and my teacher said that instead of reducing the tempo, condense the trill in bar 2, so to speak. So instead of playing four demisemiquavers for each quaver, play two semiquavers instead. Not sure whether I agree with that or not, but it'll take a bit of getting used to...

Car Expert

[Juan Carlos]

So instead of playing four demisemiquavers for each quaver, play two semiquavers instead. Not sure whether I agree with that or not, but it'll take a bit of getting used to...
Car Expert[/quote]

I did something like that for a piece in Grade 4 last year (Air by Hook) and instead of playing a tril with 4 notes in one I did as the teaching notes suggested and played a triplet (not two notes as you say). Apparently there is quite a lot of freedom as to how ornaments should be realised and I suppose the choice depends on the pianist's taste and dexterity. I can play the trill as indicated but when it comes to closing it (the G F G F - G F E F E with 3 2 3 2 3 2 1 2 1, the strong beats in bold type) my finger 2 sort of 'hesitates' on the F (probably due to the sudden change of direction in the trill), and interrupts the smooth flow of the trill which otherwise comes quite well. Do give me some feedback as I'd love to solve this tricky tiny bit.

[madbassoonist]

I also had some trouble with the ornaments in the Scarlatti (part of the reason I decided not to do that one). It wasn't the run at the end of the first page that worried me, but it was the trills in bars 2 and 12, and the repeated ones in bars 16-18, etc. The hard bit I found was having the trill in the middle of the texture (with another note on the top, held down) and having to bring out that top note and make the trill light and soft.

Now I'm doing the Mozart there's only the one trill to worry about, and although it's in the LH, the whole piece is slower and it's not too noticeable if I pull around this tempo from time to time - like when I need to get the trill right!

I did the Air by Hook for grade 4 too, in summer 2007! Funnily enough I couldn't remember that there had been a trill until I got out the music and played it through. I suppose I didn't have much recollection of it because I hadn't had any trouble with it! Last year I didn't look at the Teaching Notes, but this year my teacher photocopied them for me.

Perhaps this could have a new thread - but do your teachers always let you see the teaching notes?

[madbassoonist]

I just thought I'd resurrect this old thread to say that I have the date and time for my Grade 6 exam - 16th July at 11.36a.m. Does anyone else have theirs? and good luck to everyone else taking it this session!

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

[Car Expert]

Mine's on the 17th July at 12:15.

Good luck to those going Grade 6 this session (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Car Expert

[oldromola]

I have a pupil taking G6 on 9th July and a few others preparing for it maybe later this year. I agree that there are some excellent pieces here. My choice for A would be the magical Mozart but it's hard for boys and girls to get under the skin of it. My pupil has gone for the Scarlatti and found it difficult - I wish now I had suggested to him that he did A4, the CPE Bach Solfeggietto which is so much easier.

He is doing the lovely, lush, late romantic Stenhammar (B3) which would be my choice too. I like the Chopin but find the Beethoven less interesting. (Sorry Ludwig)

His C piece is the 'Buccaneer', maybe because his teacher played it in a school music competition many years ago at which the adjudicator was Mr Arnold himself! His teacher would probably have chosen the Oscar Peterson 'Jazz Exercise' - the gem of the entire collection here IMHO. I am no doubt in a minority, but as time goes on I find these popular Satie pieces (C3) just boring. There is however a super little Poulenc piece 'Staccato' (C4) that needs little more than a grade 5 technique to play. Great fun though and well worth looking out.

Anyone for grade 7? Think I shall start a thread on the grade 7 pieces now as I had one pupil who took it at Easter, two pupils taking it on 21st July (special visit) and another two who have started working on it.

[maggiemay]

I have a pupil wanting to do grade 7. The only piece she originally liked out of the nine in the book is the J C F Bach A1.

I'm sure we will both enjoy the Bach. We had started the Mendelssohn hoping to get at least one other under way first rather than starting with the favourite.

We have explored the alternative Wagner (B6) briefly, which I rather liked, but I think my pupil was discouraged by the fact that it looks difficult on the page, and she has chosen to persevere with the Mendelssohn, which, quite honestly, I don't think either of us is enjoying much.

Group C ? we'll possibly end up with the McGregor but the jury is out at the moment.