Hi, I was going to start buying the Grade 8 flute music, but can you get a book (like for previous grades) for the a1-3, b1-3 and c1-3 pieces? As I have only been able to find recordings :/

Any recommendations for pieces? I'm looking at a Kohler study and Sunstreams, any other suggestions?

Thanks!

No, there is no Grade 8 exam book: you have to buy the pieces separately.

Oh okay, any suggestions for which pieces?

It is difficult to do that for someone you haven't met. Which pieces have you enjoyed playing in the past? What does your teacher think?

Well I like 'upbeat' pieces if that helps. Like I'm not sure if you know them, but for previous grades I have played Circus flute, Kohlers Study in C and Circus Pony as some of the pieces and hence I thought I may enjoy the Kohler's studies.

My teacher adores Ian Clarke, and urged me to play sunstreams, but it seems really high and complicated :/

Generally for the A pieces, I have played Telemann in every exam, but I've found the tounging difficult in the faster passages, as my tounging and co-ordination isn't always accurate. So are there any moderately fast A pieces, that may have some slurring? (as I can finger the notes fast, it's just when I have to tongue them it's not as good)

Sunstreams is all over youtube, have a good listen to it. His compositions, if you work them out, are great fun

All the A pieces are fast (although some have slower movements too). I had a Grade 8 pupil with tonguing issues and she played the Mozart Rondo. If you would prefer a Baroque piece I would avoid the Handel and the Quantz and maybe look at the Bach E major sonata as there is less tonguing in the Allegro than in most Baroque pieces.

I think that Sunstreams is one of the easier pieces on List B. The runs look hard, but they are all fairly logical once you get going with them. Kohler is a good choice for List C as there is a choice of three studies from the same book.

Yeah, it's just the runs that look a bit tricky. There aren't any of those strange notes, like ones with wierd fingerings in the piece are there? As that's why I don't really like some of his other pieces :/



Ah okay, I'll take a look at the Rondo. Hopefully I can find a video on youtube, as I'd rather not buy all the music, just to see that I don't like it! I think it's just that my double tounging (for runs) can be a little disjointed, so I may not go for Baroque pieces like the Handel that you mentioned.

Okay, I think I'll purchase the Kohler and Sunstreams in the next few days, and yeah I agree for the Kohler as there are three choices (which all sound nice as well!). Hopefully the runs aren't too difficult once you play with the piece, is it similar to the runs in Allegro by Taffennel (Grade 7?) - if you have heard of it?

I bought but didn't get on with Sunstreams as well as I have got on with the Mouquet (Pan and the Shepherds). I could play it OK but didn't click with it musically. The runs were OK after plenty of slow practice but as it's relatively simple noteswise, I think the examiner will be looking for more interpretation that I could have given it.

Rondo in D was my "safety net" choice for A. Not mad on it, it's no where near as good at the two Concertos (or the Andante in c!) but it's relatively easy for Grade 8. I'm playing the Abel Concerto first movement for A as I prefer it (it's somewhere between Baroque and Classical in style). Not masses of fast tonguing required as it's quite a steady Allegro, most of the fast bits are slurred.

I really fell for the Wellesz in list C, Muczynski also sounded appealing but never got into playing it as I started with the Wellesz and pretty well fell in love so haven't bothered learning any of the other C list pieces I bought.

Hm, I think I may try Rondo in D, so many people are recommending it! It seems to go quite fast (from videos on youtube), but not that much tonguing.. I'm trying to look for the Abel Concerto, but can't find it on youtube, well found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edd1Ebzy4lk which sounds alright. Would you say Rondo is easier/harder (as I think it sounds better!)

I think I'll see how Sunstreams goes, as Mouquet seems very expressive which I guess might be more difficult for me. Hopefully Sunstreams is alright. The Mouquet sounds nice, but probably it's not 'me'.

Thanks for your advice

I think that the Rondo is easier as far as the notes go, but harder to get expression in and make it my own if that makes sense, hence decided on something that's harder notes wise. The Rondo was pretty playable straight off, the Abel needed more slow practice on various groups but is not bad once you're into it.

Sunstreams scared me because it's quite expressive and probably wanted a more full and rich tone than I find easy - my comfort zone is a sweet tone. The Mouquet (shepherds rather than birds) seems to suit this with a contrasting section that does require a darker tone so I have to use some dark tone to prove to the examiner I can...

For the List B piece, don't forget the Poulenc first movement (well, I would say that, wouldn't I? ). I am not planning Grade 8 just at the moment, but as I played the second movement for Grade 7 I have the complete sonata, so I have tried it out.

The runs are fast, but not too long and are all basically just scales. There are plenty of impressive trills. There is scope for dynamic range and mood creation. Plus a couple of extra challenges like a staccato semiquaver top C and some demisemiquaver double tonguing. But in my opinion and from my experience of the last few months, they are all "do-able".

True, I have old traumas with that piece - tried to do it when I wasn't even close to ready for G8 when I was at school, 12 years ago, and don't like it because of it. After I've done Grade 8, I am playing that thing, properly... at least once..

Major unfinished business!

What about the Hindemith? It needs accurate articulation to convey the music properly, but it's things like accents and contrasts rather than lots of tonguing. It does require a decent accompanist, though, as the piano part is reputedly a lot harder than the flute one...

The Poulenc is a lovely piece, but probably not the best option if you're uncomfortable with double tonguing.

I will play the Mouquet (which one I have not yet decided) and Koehler book 3 no. 8. The Mouquets both have their difficulties. But the very very fast run in the beginning of the birds needs some getting used to. Since I am doing Tomasis Le petit chevrier corse in December for my grade 5 I can already say that the constantly changing time values are very similar to the Grade 5 piece. The main difficulty is keeping up the speed with the 64th and 128th notes. There is a very beauthiful recording by Galway on youtube.

The Koehlers are quite nice as well. I played no. 8 already in a concert in May. So I will work on that one to get it to the quality I would like to have. They are all three similar in difficulty, though and have their moments. But neither of them is as hard as no. 1 in the first book in my opinion. That one I found a real nuisance. Also I play it for two years now, I am still not satisfied with its quality.

[quote name='barry-clari' date='Nov 6 2011, 01:55 PM' post='1102833']
[quote name='playingtheflute' post='1102819' date='Nov 6 2011, 12:14 PM']

My teacher adores Ian Clarke, and urged me to play sunstreams, but it seems really high and complicated :/

[/quote]

Sunstreams is all over youtube, have a good listen to it. His compositions, if you work them out, are great fun
[/quote]

[quote name='randomsabreur' date='Nov 6 2011, 02:53 PM' post='1102869']
I bought but didn't get on with Sunstreams as well as I have got on with the Mouquet (Pan and the Shepherds). I could play it OK but didn't click with it musically. The runs were OK after plenty of slow practice but as it's relatively simple noteswise, I think the examiner will be looking for more interpretation that I could have given it.

Rondo in D was my "safety net" choice for A. Not mad on it, it's no where near as good at the two Concertos (or the Andante in c!) but it's relatively easy for Grade 8. I'm playing the Abel Concerto first movement for A as I prefer it (it's somewhere between Baroque and Classical in style). Not masses of fast tonguing required as it's quite a steady Allegro, most of the fast bits are slurred.

I really fell for the Wellesz in list C, Muczynski also sounded appealing but never got into playing it as I started with the Wellesz and pretty well fell in love so haven't bothered learning any of the other C list pieces I bought. [/quote]

[quote name='Flossie' date='Nov 7 2011, 01:03 AM' post='1103041']
What about the Hindemith? It needs accurate articulation to convey the music properly, but it's things like accents and contrasts rather than lots of tonguing. It does require a decent accompanist, though, as the piano part is reputedly a lot harder than the flute one...

The Poulenc is a lovely piece, but probably not the best option if you're uncomfortable with double tonguing.
[/quote]

[/quote]
[quote name='gedall40' date='Nov 6 2011, 06:20 PM' post='1102926']
For the List B piece, don't forget the Poulenc first movement (well, I would say that, wouldn't I? ). I am not planning Grade 8 just at the moment, but as I played the second movement for Grade 7 I have the complete sonata, so I have tried it out.

The runs are fast, but not too long and are all basically just scales. There are plenty of impressive trills. There is scope for dynamic range and mood creation. Plus a couple of extra challenges like a staccato semiquaver top C and some demisemiquaver double tonguing. But in my opinion and from my experience of the last few months, they are all "do-able".
[/quote]


[quote name='andante_in_c' date='Nov 6 2011, 01:06 PM' post='1102816']
No, there is no Grade 8 exam book: you have to buy the pieces separately.
[/quote]

[quote name='Lemontree' date='Nov 7 2011, 08:41 AM' post='1103050']
I will play the Mouquet (which one I have not yet decided) and Koehler book 3 no. 8. The Mouquets both have their difficulties. But the very very fast run in the beginning of the birds needs some getting used to. Since I am doing Tomasis Le petit chevrier corse in December for my grade 5 I can already say that the constantly changing time values are very similar to the Grade 5 piece. The main difficulty is keeping up the speed with the 64th and 128th notes. There is a very beauthiful recording by Galway on youtube.

The Koehlers are quite nice as well. I played no. 8 already in a concert in May. So I will work on that one to get it to the quality I would like to have. They are all three similar in difficulty, though and have their moments. But neither of them is as hard as no. 1 in the first book in my opinion. That one I found a real nuisance. Also I play it for two years now, I am still not satisfied with its quality.
[/quote]

Thanks for everyone's help here! I just thought I'd try and quote everyone and just give a little update to how I've done. I ended up doing A4- Handel, B1-Sunstreams and the Wellsz (C8?) for my pieces. I thought the exam went terribly, but ended up getting 114! For my pieces, I got 22, 25, 25. 15 for scales and sight reading (I couldn't play 2 of the scales, and the rest weren't great, so I was a bit surprised!) and 12 for my aural Thanks for all your help, and I thought it would be nice to just tell you how I got on

Congratulations on your result, playingtheflute, very well done.

Thanks I just realised how much my quoting failed

www.flutetunes.com is an excellent website that has many of the grade 7 pieces on it for free. It's totally legal, because the pieces are out of copyright and they've done their own arrangements. You could see if any of the grade 8 pieces are there to try out first, before you go ahead and choose and buy your score.

It also has a really good random tune generator which is excellent for sight reading practise.

Regards
Gisela