Hi, although i only did my exam today my teacher is pushign me on to start learnign the purple grade 8 pieces, even if they're not the ones that i do in my exam.

Just wondering if you could summerize some of the pieces for me as in say what its like etc...

just curious and i dont wanna startp layign them now because knowing me I'll have loads of bad habits!

Bad teacher! The day of G7 is no day to be starting G8!!

Can only comment on the ones I've had a go at really.
A3 - Scarlatti - Sonata in D. Typical Scarlatti really. Based around scales, but a pretty melody despite this. Lots of long runs where one hand is doing nothing. Hands share the work. Very quick!
B2 - Mozart - Allegro Moderato in C. There was a thread about this a while ago - I started it, try a search. Lots of useful information in it. It's fairly fast, very nice to play, even when going slowly! Hardest bits (I found) were the triplets vs semiquavers, though once I got them they were ok, the turning-under-trill bit in b 129 and b136. Once these are sorted, the battle is to keep it under control and sounding effortless.
C3 - Schumann - Intermezzo. This is a scary key sig, but once you get used to it and are familier with the hand shape, it gets more comfortable. Have only just started looking at it so haven't a great deal of advice I'm afraid.

Hope that's what you're looking for! Try and get a copy of the teachers' guide (G8 is in a sep book to the rest), or go to the HKmusic site and listen to what the nice man there has to say on the pieces. After you've had a go yourself of course!

Ditto what SuzyMac has said about not starting straight away.

I've played:
A1: Bach - Allemande. This is a lovely piece, with lots of different parts to bring out. Quite precise fingerwork but also quite slow which makes it playable.
A3: Scarlatti - Sonata in D. In terms of technique, an 'easier' piece than the others but has to be very tight. A lot of arpeggios, a lot of scales. I didn't find much scope for interpretation (which is why I stopped it), but others might.
B2: Mozart - Allegro Moderato in C. As above really. Triplets against semiquavers hard, and the fast trills mentioned are tricky. Must be kept precise and clean.
C4: Liszt - Dem Andenken Petofis (sp?). Very interesting piece split into 3 very different sections. An easyish first part (mostly one hand) but take care not to ignore it. A very light second part with a lot of notes - nasty key signature for that bit, but once you've got the notes okay. A very loud and octave based third part (a LOT of octaves) with a tremolo, so it all can sound noisy if you're not careful. This dies away to a quieter ending. A nice piece, but I'm finding it quite hard.

Hope that was in some way helpful...

I also did my grade 7 this month and I think your teacher is silly trying to start you straight onto grade 8, especially as it doesn't seem as if you are pushing to rush.
Mine gave me all new pieces:
Sonata in C maj KV 279 - Mozart
Rhapsody in G min - Brahms
Fantasia in C - Bach
Les plus que lente - Debussy
and a really funky piece called Bumble- Boogie - Fina

you might like to look at one of those for a change rather than dive straight into grade 8 exam pieces.

There is a downloadable video performance of this Liszt piece by someone else studying it which is reachable by a link in this thread on Piano Street.

WOW! that's some workload!
I only start one new thing at a time with maybe one or 2 at various stages of completion and still find it hard to organise time sensibly.

I haven't looked at lists A or B, but i've played Schumann's Intermezzo from list C. I really would recommend this, since it's far easier under the hands than it looks on the page. To keep it rhythmically even and secure i started by playing it all at the same dynamic, and only then did i bring out the top voice. The last page is the trickiest, but has the most brilliant two part harmony. And because the hand has to move relatively little (except for the odd jump), it's not impossible to give a note perfect performance of it.
Well, that's what i'm hoping anyway...

the link doesnt work

The Piano Street site looks to be pretty broken at present.

These techies, they can't resist fiddling with the software

Jess - Have been reading the other thread you posted about thinking you've not done well in your G7. This only reinforces my view that you shouldn't leap into G8 just yet. Unless there's a desperate need for it of course.

Well, I have the purple piano book G8 and my teacher said well start on those asif it's an exam prac and if i get on reli well with them, then i can enter with these, but im just starting my gcses so i wanna get started on my g8 while im reletivly quiet... i want to play a lot more classical music if possible, im not fussed what, but i need to work on it... i can play exam pieces and nothign else... i dont reli no what to do :'(

The Piano Street site appears to be back. Here's a direct link to the Liszt WMV in case it breaks again: click me. Click the "Free" button at the bottom right in the page, then wait for the 20-second count-down to finish, then click the .WMV link in the page; then your download will commence.

i cant see the .wmv link.. sorry im so stupid

After you click the "Free Button", you see a page with "Download-Ticket reserved. Please wait 24 seconds." in it.

This page refreshes itself and the 24 counts down to 0.

When it reaches zero, that line is replaced with "Download: Liszt_-_Dem_Andenken_Petofis.wmv" which is a hyperlink. Select it with right-mouse button context menu and do "Save As..." to save on your local hard drive.

Then double-click the saved file to start Media Player.

I did my grade 8 exam last week. These are the pieces I did:

A - Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue in Eb: I took a while to get into this piece, but when I did I really liked it. The prelude is simple and has some amazing chords. I found the fugue difficult - just take it really slowly at first and practise each voice separately.

B - Beethoven Sonata No. 30 in E minor - I imagine this piece would be really difficult for someone with small hands. The quaver passages with leaps of an 11th in the LH are a nightmare, but when played properly sound amazing.

C - Schumann Intermezzo - I love this piece. It is really impressive. I wouldn't advise playing it hands separately, even at first. Start off slowly, always bringing out the melody.

Hope that's of some help

Hey, there.

Anyway, I'll offer my advice too. Currently, I'm doing...

A3, Scarlatti: As somebody said earlier, very typical Scarlatti. I don't have too much to say.

B1, C.P.E. Bach: This is in List B, but it has some elements of J.S. Bach, because of the relation. The middle part with triplets sounds rather good with the dynamics. Make sure you are very precise with the timing and lift up your fingers. The hardest part for me was the trill in ms. 2, 12, etc.

B2, Mozart: Very pretty. Make sure you stay light and delicate. This one is actually pretty easy after some timing issues are figured out.

C1, Arensky: The key signature, double sharps, and complicated left hand patterns may make this song seem difficult, but it is extremely pretty. Somewhat technical. Phrasing is very important in this song.

C2, Mayerl: Kind of bizarre...somewhat contemporary, a little bit of jazz. Make sure you play the theme in a sort of crispy kind of way. Lots of chords, very technical. May be difficult if you have small hands. Beautiful theme, when you work all the notes out. The hardest part for me were the chords at the end of page three. Lots of octaves and accidentals.

Well that was...interesting.

He played it much much faster than the tempo suggested, and often seemed to ignore rhythm and note lengths. But his handling of the final section was pretty good. Not what I expected

its still not working with me is it posible for anyone to email it to me or is that against rules?

Well, I guess I agree. I was not impressed with the performance which did not seem to be in correct style for late Liszt, which I do know well and admire. However, I don't have the score at present so can't give detailed commentary. Anyone preparing this piece should be very cautious about emulating the performance.

jess_666, can you try a different web browser on the site: Explorer/Firefox/Opera/Netscape, etc.

Shostakovich: I played the prelude with the pedal this week in my lesson! I love it! I only have a clavinova at home so that huge Eb has completely decayed before the crotchets come in in the Right! The Fugue is solid... Puffcat I am definitely practicing each voice separately!

Mozart Cmajor: Lovely if not a bit predictable... phrasing is proving a bit of a problem for me though! I really like the Beethoven E minor but my hands are too small!

Debussy: this one is my favourite! I finished it last April and played it in concerts/ auditions so I dont have to think about it too much yet cos my exams next March!

Hi. I was looking around the website and saw that my video had been linked to here! I'm glad you've taken the time to watch...
I hadn't heard any Liszt apart from the concertos then, so that was teh first bit of Liszt i'd ever attempted... i didn't know the style, but now I have listened to more and realize how i could change it. It's funny how links get posted all over the place!!!
Anyway, I passed my grade 8 with 109, passing every section apart from sight reading, in which i dropped 1 mark.. so very pleased. I got 23 out of 30 for this piece i think?
Anyway, hello everyone, this is my first post.
Thanks,
Tom

Hi Tom! Welcome to forums!

I can't get the link...

Heya tom, well done with your exam, I did mine last year. With regards to pieces:
Bach - Allemande = Absolutely beautiful, learn it even if you don't do it for your exam, it'll be well worth it. I also recommend playing it completely without pedal as it makes it much more authentic.
Schubert - Sonata in E major = Quite fiddly but I refused to play anything else as I'm most stubborn.
Mayerl - Autumn Crocus = After trying out the Debussy, Schumann and Liszt pieces I felt that this was by far and away the easiest piece on the C list. There is lots of different room for interpretation and it's not as fiddly.
There have been some good comments from other people though about the other pieces. It's all down to personal preference and technique.
Sarah x

Wow! You're the first person I've heard who has done this piece...I got the CD as was really tempted to change, as this piece is one of the nicest things I've ever heard and now I'm obsessed with Schubert I didnt change though, as it was too late...I'll probably try and learn it after my exam though...


I play it without pedal too...I absolutely love this piece!

I started with the purple book and looked at:
The Bach Allemande - wonderful piece allows plenty of scope for the feeling of extempoisation whist being completely notated.

B1: The CPE Bach, a lovely Sturm und Drang Sonata movement.

Liszt: Dem Andenken Petrofis - again lovely, highly emotionally charged - looking deceptively simple on paper.

I was all set to learn these three when I bought the CD.

I instantly fell in love with the Handel Prelude and Fuga, which ruled out the CPE Bach as they are in the same key. I also was completely wowed by the Albeniz. Like the Schumann, learn both hands together slowly, then crank up the speed.

I had also toyed with the Mozart, and with the other pieces this seemd the best piece to build a balanced programme on the list.

My programme now is: Mozart Sonata in C K330 1st Movement Allegro Moderato, Handel Prelude and Fuga from the Suite no 8 in f minor. Albeniz Castillias, Suite Espagnole Op47.

Its going to be hard work, but very worthwhile.

I'm resigned to the fact that I'll probably be taking my Grade 8 from the new syllabus when it comes out, unless it appears absolutely terrible, in which case it will be purple book and next spring.

I began the Grade 8 pieces a while ago, but fely I really didn't have the technique to be playing at that level, so have taken a step back. I worked on Grade 6 level pieces for a while, and am now looking at some more Grade 7 level repertoire (Ravel Prelude, Mozart K 283, Poulenc Staccato from Villiageoises).

I had learned the Bach Allemande, which I am very comfortable with, both musically and physically. I ha also done a fair bit of work on the Arensky, and quite a lot on the Clementi Sonata, but I was finding the stretches in the Clementi difficult.

We'll see what the new list brings. If I have to go back to the purple book, I'll probably swap the Clementi for the Mozart.

I did the Scarlatti, which seems difficult for interpretation, but if you make the dynamics quite obvious while maintaining a really clear sound, your in there. This was my highest scoring piece in my exam, in which i got distinction yay me!

The C.P.E Bach one was my B piece,. because it contrasted well with the Scarlatti. The middle section has a couple of jumps and tricky bits, but this is easy enough to sort out. Make sure that your middle section is sorted out dynamically, don't just let it be notes.
The Beethoven is dramatic, emotional and basically stunning. The huge semiquaver leaps proved too difficult for me though.

In C, there's a huge selection. I studied all of them except the last two, which were a Bagatelle and one called Romance, which I found weird and not very nice.
Autumn Crocus is very nice, good melody, quite heavy chords in the centre. There's a great bit where you're doing very fast tinkly notes while turning a page, so memorise it.
The Arensky is relaxing and flowing, very sweet. The central section has the tune in the left hand, if that means anything to you.
The Schumann Intermezzo is great for looking like a virtuoso! I played it a little bit faster than the book suggested, but remember that the tempo isn't strict in this one; take plenty of time with the massive leaps, and bring out the tune done by the weaker fingers mostly. I love this piece.
The Liszt is very emotional and varied, originally done for his friend's funeral I think. The main difficulty is not drowning out everything with the bass tremolos.

Remember these notes are simply my own opinion, it's your choice whether to value it! Your music.

I've been bashing my way through the G8 purple book trying to decide what to learn, just for fun. I always buy the G6-8 books just to expand my general repertoire.

Anyway, sat down to sight read the Mozart and found it unbelievably easy... could basically play it through at the right temp and give a pretty average performance (bear in mind I thought I was sight reading). I thought some kind of miracle had occurred so I phoned my mum and played it down the phone to her. At the end, she just said, "Daisy, you idiot, you learnt that when you were 15."
I had completely forgotten learning it... can't have been paying much attention at the time!