One of my pieces for Grade 6 piano has octaves in it. My hands are really small but I can just about manage the octave if I 'gear myself up for it' - i.e. lift my hand up, stretch and play. If I play too fast I clip the inside notes and it sounds awful.

In order to play the piece well all the way through, I have to play it at a tempo of about 75-80 but it should be played at 92

I can play 90% of the piece at closer to 92 but then I'd either have to slow down for the octave bits (leading to a really uneven tempo) or play the octave bits at the same tempo and just clip the inside notes (and it's a forte bit so you can really tell it's wrong).

So, how important is the tempo? I'd rather play it at a comfortable speed where I can maintain technical (and physical) control but I'm not sure if this will result in a really low mark.

Any ideas?

Think I'm just starting to panic, my teacher is now off on holiday and won't be back until after the exam period. Her instruction before she left was simply 'try to get it faster'!

Most of the tempo markings are editorial anyway.
You can get good marks for a different tempo than that suggested as long as the result is musically convincing.
You need to play as though you feel that it's the right speed rather than like it's at that speed because that's all you can manage.

Well, whatever you decide, do make sure that you play the whole piece at one tempo and don't really slow down for the octaves.

How long before your exam? Do you have a decent amount of time to work through it? My teacher suggests working on the tricky bits in isolation, so maybe that will help??

All the best with it!

With this sort of difficulty I always tell my pupils to play at the fastest speed at which they feel comfortable. I think at a comfortable speed they are less likely to stress and therefore more likely not to stumble. If I were an examiner I would prefer a slightly lower speed to handfuls of cracked notes. If you are just a little under the speed you feel you should achieve it's worth seeing if a more subtle use of phrasing and nuance can compensate.

I have been led to believe (by a cellist who has set some of the exam pieces), that the minimum tempo is the one used in the pieces on the CDs the AB now produce.

However, I have two concerns with this. Firstly, the recordings are made by professional performers. Secondly, personal interpretation of the piece being performed. Surely to copy the performance on the CD - which, according to the AB, provides just one suggested interpretation - amounts the musical equivalent of plaigarism.

Encouraging students to find their own interpretation of the music makes it their own, and tempo is often subjective anyway.

The beethoven larghetto maestoso-allegro assai in the current grade 6 is played a lot faster on the CD than what is written so that is complete nonsense

Regulation 15:


Metronome Marks is in there. So you don't need to observe it, at your discretion. If you look at the marking criteria in These Music Exams it talks about sustained suitable tempo.
I think that it will be better to play at a slower but constant pulse/tempo than to play mostly at the 'right' speed but slow down for the hard bits!!

Would it sound terrible to miss out the octaves and play single notes? I have no idea what style of piece we're discussing, but if it's a choice between that, having to take it at an unsuitably slow tempo or playing accidental sevenths, that may be your best option.

What did your teacher suggest? And wasn't that taken into consideration in the first place when you were chosing the pieces? "Try to get it faster" doesn't sound terribly helpful if you physically can't or don't know how to do that...

Good luck!

By grade 6 a much higher proportion of marks is usually awarded (ie available!) for musicality and interpretation than in the lower grades. If I had a pupil in a similar situation I would advise that the tempo marks are only just that - do not sacrifice dynamics, musicality and sense of performance just to crank up the speed - it's simply not worth it. just make sure that your interpretation is musically secure and assured.

Another time, if you know that you will find some of the stretches in certain pieces challenging, consider choosing an alternative piece, better suited to your physique - there is so much wonderful music out there.

Providing the tempo you choose still makes musical sense, I see nothing wrong in playing a piece slower or faster than the MM indication.

I love this forum I feel so much better now

In answer to some of the questions that have been raised...

It is more of a physical thing than a technical thing, to play the octave I need to move my hand perpendicular to the keyboard (if you see what I mean). If I play directly onto the keyboard, I just clip the inside notes. This is why I can't do it fast. Every practice session starts with this one area trying to get it faster but I just can't seem to do it.

Unfortunately, in terms of physical capability, this piece was seen as the 'best of a bad bunch' from the Grade 6 repetorie (it's the Handel Gigue).

We've already had to modify it somewhat to allow me to physically play it but I leave it up to my teacher to determine when we can or can't do this - she seems insistent that this bit has to be played as an octave.

I've decided that I'm going to play it at a speed that is comfortable. I think I'm happier loosing marks because it's a bit slow rather than because it sounds terrible. Also, I've had a look on youtube (not the most reliable reference I know) and I seem to be playing it faster than some of the people on that!

Also, to be honest, I always think of this piece as a conversation between 3 different people. When it's played fast I think it sounds more like an argument so I actually think it sounds better at a slightly slower tempo.

Anyway, thanks again to all for your responses - most helpful Also, phoned the AB today as I still haven't got my exam date and trying to get a day off work at short notice is almost impossible. So, after a bit of discussion and a centre change (5 minute drive to an hour drive) my provisional date is set for the 9th July. This is way after my last available date stated in the application but it does have the advantage that my teacher is back the week before so I can get some last minute advice