C:2, Willie Wagglestick's Walkabout

I want to ask about it this pieces need to repeat?

I have heard the CD by ABRSM, it hasn't play bar 8 two times.

So what is the standard for the exam?

The general rule for practical exams is that you don't observe repeats.

I have not got the piece in front of me - but there is nothing in the teaching notes that adds to this instruction.

you mean if i don't repeats, it will not influence the marks in the examination??
The music score show that it need to repeat. but the CD hasn't.

In ABRSM exams - unless otherwise stated, often in the notes at the bottom - repeats are never done.

I didn't do the repeats when i did this piece for G7 last year.

Can I ask a couple of questions about this piece, from those who know it well, as I'm about to start teaching it. Firstly, the tremolos in bars 24, 33 & 34 aren't meant to be exact demi-semis, are they? Just comfortably rolled, I would have thought. Secondly, in bar 33, am I right in supposing that the lowest C in the L.H. is held down, not part of the tremolo, as the tenuto mark suggests? Thirdly, in bars 33-35, the B's ARE meant to be naturals aren't they, it's not a misprint? Also, less relevantly, does anybody think it resembles "Honky Tonk Train Blues", by Meade Lux Lewis? Your thoughts on these points would be appreciated. Happy Christmas to all, Steve.

Here is what the composer had to say about the B naturals when I emailed him earlier in the year!

"I was interested to have your query about the major 7th tremolo for my phone rang recently and it was the Associated Board telling me (with some pride I think) that they had found a mistake in the piece: the tremolos in bars 33 and 35 should obviously have B flats. I said I felt equally sure they shouldn't but offered to go back to the piece, which I hadn't seen for some time, and check.

I did - and I stand by what I originally wrote ! I much prefer the C major tonality with the hard major 7th, rather than the softer flat 7th. I'm sorry if people don't share my view, but that's the way it is and that's the way I would like it to stay.

Hope that clears everything up for you and that your pupils will enjoy working at the piece - major 7th an' all !

With all best wishes.

Brian"

Thanks for your comments so far. Nice to have a composer you can email, most would need a medium!

Strange, I never gave the B naturals a moment's thought... I just went off and tried them both ways, and - maybe I have a peculiar ear - I think it sounds odd with the soft C7 and right with the hard Cmaj7.

I wish I'd seen this when I was first looking at it though, I know it so well now that I suppose the Cmaj7 will sound natural.

So, about the tremolos? Rapidly alternated, but not exactly demi-semis, and the low C held down at bar 33? They sound really wooden if you count them.

Yes that's the way I do them/my pupil does them - not exactly precise

Thanks.