Hi,

Can any body tell me is current Piano syllabus for Grade 5 is nicer than Grade 4.
I have never play them before but I did have a look at them at music shop, Grade 5 looks more interesting. Just wonder which grade my student will enjoy more as I don't think she need to do both of them. Thanks.

Pavel

I'm not a teacher but I'll answer anyway.

Grade 4, to me is more apealling. But then, each to their own tastes.

Grade 5 is very intresting, I don't particually like the C section. I never really did anyway. Some peices are quite similar but their is some choice as well (I didn't really explain that well). Have a look at both of them. Also it depends if your pupil is ready. But see if you can play both of them for your pupil and which one she likes better.

Both grades contain some good pieces. I think if I had to choose, on balance I'd probably go for grade 5. The Bloch in group B is particularly lovely and the Kirnberger from group A is a great piece; also like the Hook.

The grade 4 pieces are ok; I quite like the JCF Bach and the Heller Prelude, but overall I don't find them as appealing. From the alternatives the Maikapar is nice and Kablalevsky is fun, but there are several I just don't find very interesting.

To some extent though it makes a difference what your student's strengths are.

If I had to choose just one, I'd go for the Grade 5 - although I really like 'Slow Moon', one of the Grade 4 alternative pieces.

As Maggie says, the Bloch is a lovely piece, as is New Orleans Nightfall - and I like the Clementi alternative from List A, as well as the Kirnberger.

Is that the one that's in one of the Spectrum books? If so, I've recently got hold of it but not played it through yet. I must have a proper look at it!

Yes, it's in the turquoise Spectrum book (Spectrum 2?). It's just the sort of piece that I like best - really atmospheric, and - as a bonus - quite easy to play once you've got the jumps sorted out! I've got two pupils working on it at the moment, and both are enjoying it.

My son did the the Heller Prelude and Freeway and the .......cant remember but I think it was A2 at grade 4, he is now playing Clementi Sonatina, Diversion and Tarantella for his grade 5. He likes the pieces he has chosen.

Thanks.

I have to say that actually my favourite piece from grade 5 list A is the Handel (which no one else has mentioned!) still at least I won't be playing a popular piece that the examiner is sick of .

For grade 5 list C problems, if you do decide to go down that route and don't like the pieces in the book, I can highly recommend the Shostakovich which I have just got and is a nice piece, it reflects the suite's title 'Dance of the Dolls' quite well so if you think they'll like something like that it's worth looking into (thanks to Andante_in_C and SliverPianist for their recommendations of this piece, you were absloutely right ).

Can't comment on the grade 4 pieces as I haven't see this year's.

If you want to make a judgement for yourself you can listen to the RTHK Radio Programmes which contain the pieces for each grade (but only the ones in the book for anything other than grade 8).

That website really helps, thanks.

Only the ones in the book for grade 8 too (there are 6 'C' pieces in the grade 8 book).

Whoops, sorry, I thought that with all of those programmes dedicated to grade 8 they must have done all the pieces; but they must have just covered them in more depth.

i personally find Grade 5 more interesting

So do I!

I have two students working towards grade 4 (no-one who's spent more than a few weeks on the pieces yet) and if I'm honest I'm a tiny bit bored with the pieces already!

A bit worrying so early ...

Grade 4. My favourite pieces are in the grade 6 book though!

It is possible to choose a nice selection for both grade 4 and grade 5. It depends on the strenghts of the sudent concerned.