Hi

My daughter is preparing for Grade 8 flute, and has been listening to the pieces from Lists A and B on the ABRSM CD.
She is not sure what pieces she would like to play, so I am asking all those of you out there who have taken or who are also preparing for Gr8, what pieces you are all playing.

So far she has been learning Suite Antique, Aria and Waltz by Rutter in List B, which she quite likes, but is struggling with some of the Waltz and is about to start looking at York Bowen (list and Mozart (List A).

Teacher has also suggested she gets Bach - study for List C.

What other studies from List C are good??

Thanks in anticipation!!

List A - the JS Bach - Sonata in E major -I think would/will be my choice if I do grade 8. Also I very much like the Schubert Arpeggione from list A.
List C - my preference is for a Telemann Fantasia. I also like the Hilary Taggart "Sprite" & the Feld, "Meditation" & "Caprice". But it's very much a personal opinion & your daughter may have very different views ...

La Danse due Chevre is very popular for List C, though whether it's a good thing to choose a popular one or not...

The Tango etudes (forget the composer) sounds like they could be good, though I think one needs a good sense of rhythm/pulse to get them really good.

I haven't got the syllabus right beside me but I think there are some good ones in list B - the York Bowen in particular is gorgeous!

All of my students end up doing either the D major or G minor Telemann Fantasia for List C (I give them a free choice of the whole list ). Most have chosen the Mouquet first movement for List B, but I have a couple of past students who have played the York Bowen and one who has done the Martinu. There is no consensus from List A: I currently have one doing the CPE Bach and one the Schubert; the one who took her exam on Monday did the Blavet and I have also done the Quantz and the JS Bach in the past.

I'm doing a Telemann fantasia for list C - they're all lovely! Also the Mouquet "Flute de Pan" is gorgeous and the Schubert for list A. Those are the ones I'll most probably be doing.

I knew I'd missed one that people rave about the Mouquet is supposed to be gorgeous though I haven't managed enough of it well enough to know, yet

You must try the Taktakishvili Sonata from list B. It's brilliant!

I will be doing:
List A - JS Bach, E major Sonata
List B - Poulenc, Sonata
List C - Danse de la Chevre

If I ever get round to grade 8 flute the two I will definitely NOT do are Mozart (what I hear you cry!) and Poulenc. Basically I think examiners must hear these two SO much in grade 8 flute exams. I have access to some on Naxos online, and I like the Bach E Major, Widor, and Piazolla. Taktakishvili sounds hard even for grade 8, a bit like the Messager on the grade 8 clarinet, but yes, it sounds brilliant.

I had two students take Grade 8 last December (merit and distinction - YIPPEE!!!). One did the Schubert, Poulenc and Telemann in G minor, the other the Mozza, York Bowen and Telemann in E major.

Well done Bags & students

Had to think for a min what you meant by the Mozza!

I played the Schubert from list A (not recommended if you don't have very good breath control), York Bowen from B and the Honegger danse de la chevre from C. As for the Honegger being popular, it definitely wasn't with my examiner - he had to be reminded which piece it was by checking on his list of first bars!

Thanks everyone!!
Will pass all these suggestions on to her.
Is it a good idea to have a balanced selection of pieces??

She shouldn't get penalised if she doesn't, but it's never a bad idea to show that one is an all-round musician, so it isn't a bad idea at all to have a well-balanced programme.

oh have a question, in mozart concerto in G Rondo do i only need to play the solo part not the tutti part?

Yes, you only have to play the solo part!

that's a good news

I did:
A - Mozart Concerto in G major 1st movement
B - York Bowen Sonata - 2nd movement
C - Syrinx by Debussy

Not sure how many of these are still on the list but I got 29 out of 30 for all my pieces as the examiner enjoyed listening to them so much.

There are lots of other lovelies too though, especially the Taktakshvili, which is a personal favourite of mine,
Enjoy
Sarah x x

Hi there

I've been preparing for Grade 8 flute since November 2004. In May 2005 (while completing the London CTABRSM Course) I broke both bones in my left wrist (ice skating) and its still painful but will hopefully be taking this exam in June or July.

I too have the CD's as I am a flute teacher and I have tried virtually all of them on the three lists.

The La Notte (Vivaldi) is a good one, if you can keep your speed up for the 2nd and final movement.

The John Rutter Waltz is still a pain in the proverbial (middle section and end section), everyone does the Poulenc but if you can flutter tounge you're in with a chance, The Mozart is a catchy one but has a Cadenza half way through and its quite a fast movement, The Schubert is lovely if you can keep up with all the flitting about, the Handel Sonatas are ok (I coud do them before wrist break) but not now, Eldin Burton one is lovely but a real handful of ups and downs, the Hindemith I took one look and put it back down again - dont even go there, The study Boem - yuk, Taggart, oh dear and the Teleman - (boring).

My options are vivaldi as I can do 5 pages from memory, almost memorised the Rutter and the Study - Bach Partita in A Minor - a dream!.

Really, the choice is yours.....

Good luck - let me know what you choose.

I can't flutter tongue and I am doing the Poulenc. Do you mean double tongue?

I did the Schubert, Poulenc and the Boehm - all quite good fun.
The bit in the Poulenc - it's basically double tonging really fast i.e. on the 1st note (Bb) - you double tongue on it ... and so on - difficult but sounds great!

I took mine in March 2005. I did

A - Mozart Concerto in G - 3rd movement

B - Suite antique

C - No.7 from 12 Fantasias by Teleman

[quote name='sarah-flute' date='Mar 24 2006, 03:06 PM' post='287966']
La Danse due Chevre is very popular for List C, though whether it's a good thing to choose a popular one or not...

Hi! I'm doin Danse de la Chevre from List C and Hindemith Sonata movement 3. not decided on the other yet.

Hi thanks for all your replies.

She is currently working on the York Bowen, which she loves! Still looking over the Rutter.The mozart in list A, and the J S Bach partita in A from list C.

She also has the handel music, so might give that a try too.

She has, since grade 5, learnt most of the pieces in the lists A and B to a degree, and then decides nearer the exam which ones to perfect.

That will be all the music I will buy her for now, but will look up your suggestions again, when I can afford to buy her more music!

I did the Mozart, York Bowen and Bach Partita in A minor. York Bowen and Bach are lovely. The rutters a good one too.

ooooh bet that's good!

Yeah it's gorgous! A definite must to any good flautists repetoir! Mind anything by Bach usually is lovely!

Yes, Bach is good!

Must not buy any more flute music, must not buy any more flute music.....

Boy do I know that feeling!

I'm addicted!

List B and C are sort of finalised now

List B York Bowen
List C Bach Partita in A

Just List A to decide now. Is studying Mozart, but teacher not keen, she likes Handel so we will see.
any one else done Handel??

I'm not sure the Bach and the Handel in the same programme would show the most variety. If set on the Bach study then I'd steer a student towards the Schubert or Mozart perhaps....just a thought...Bag x

Thanks for that advice Bagpuss!!

Daughter likes Mozart, will have to get her to listen to Schubert again on the CD and see if she likes that one. Already spent a fortune on Gr8 music though!! And thats not including all the other duet books and non syllabus pieces I have bought recently! Then the £60 odd pounds to enter the exam, and lesson fees,i daren't add it all up, it would be too scary!!

Hopefully it will be all worth it, when she gets that Grade 8 certificate!