I wonder what you have all chosen for your, or your pupils, grade 7 pieces.

A list My first pupil has an excellent technique and chose A2, the Haydn 'Allegro', but then she is a bit of a masochist! All the others have gone for A1, the JCE Bach 'Allegro' which is far more manageable. This has got to be the sensible choice. It is bearly more than a grade 6 piece and, in my opinion, easier to play than the Scarlatti in the current grade 6 A list. One of these latter pupils bought the music for A5, the Handel 'Allegro', but soon reverted to A1. Were I to take the exam again I should play A3, the uncharacteristic Scarlatti 'Sonata in F minor'.

B list The first pupil went for an alternative piece B4, the Chopin 'Mazurka', and played it very well. One of the others has gone for B2, the Grovlez 'Sarabande' - a brave choice that requres a secure rhythmic technique. The rest have gone for the more predictable but nonetheless lovely Mendelssohn B3 piece. I would have chosen B1, the Faure 'Andante'. Ok, C# minor is a bit tricky but I beleive this to be the highlight of the whole collection.

C list Predictably all but one has gone for C1, Joanna MacGregor's wonderful 'Lowside Blues'. And why not - it would have been my choice too. The one exception has chosen C2, the Ravel 'Menuet'. This is by no means an easy option as it needs both technique and musicianship to bring it off. The last piece of piano music I learned to a high standard with a teacher (more years ago than I care to remember) was the Ravel 'Sonatine' so I have quite an affection for this 'Menuet'. The final C piece in the book is the Bartok 'Finale'. It is difficult to imagine any pupil prefering this over the MacGregor or Ravel pieces, but I did find it consideraby easier to learn than either of them.

A list It's nice to find an endorsement of Scarlatti A3, which is my own choice. What a sublime, gentle piece it is. For all the others, I didn't feel that the composers were at their best. Which is perhaps a little arrogant of me, given that my taste isn't much developed. Hey ho.

B list I'm learning Faure B1 (same choice as you again!) and I intend to learn the Wagner B6. The Wagner is gloriously romantic and slightly over the top IMO. The sort of piece my friends would enjoy listening to at a party if I could pull it off. It looks quite easy relative to Faure, with many repeated chords in the mid-range. I like Schubert B5 very much indeed but it seems inappropriately out of place being isolated from the rest of the sonata, so it will have to wait.

C list I'm spoilt for choice here! Ravel C2, which I've just started, is wonderful and ingeniously structured e.g. in the way the pianissimo section in bars 38-43 slips back into the main theme. However, I'm increasingly tempted to try my hands at the Bartok C3 for its addictive rhythms. It bodes well for me that you found it the easiest piece in this list On first hearing I thought "that's ridiculous, it doesn't even end on the right note", but upon listening to the CD a few times it has grown on me. Ditto the Janacek C5, which has a very pleasant melody despite being opaque for my first few hearings.

It has been well worth it for me checking out the alternative pieces, which meant buying the CD (aside from the other benefits this is considerably cheaper than buying 9 new books of music). I don't take lessons myself, but the cost of a swiftly delivered book from musicroom.com must be less than half the price of a lesson. And there's a lot at stake, give that each piece will have several weeks of spare time invested in it.

A list
I like A1 and A2, currently working on both of them.
The turns in A1 are so hard so considering to choose A2 instead.
Also like A5 after hearing the sample from ABRSM publishing, but haven't really heard it till the end.

B list
Absolutely B1!
Love bars 9-16
The Schubert's also sounds great (again, only hearing the sample), but for the exam i choose B1.

C list
C1 is really jazzy, like it very much, but got stuck on some parts for example bars 32, 34 and 36, am still trying to perfect it.
C2 also a nice piece
This one is quite perfect but still considering C1, confused
I'll let my teacher choose from list C.

So maybe A1, B1, C2 or A2, B1, C1 would be balanced programmes.

C1 is really jazzy, like it very much, but got stuck on some parts for example bars 32, 34 and 36, am still trying to perfect it.

If you've got this far you've done all the hard bits! Quite honestly when I've got to bar 31 I heave a sigh of relief. What is it you find so difficult in bars 32 and 34? In bar 36, if my eyesight still serves me correctly, your left hand simply follows your right hand 3 times over - the right hand simply playing ALL the black notes (so you don't have to pick and choose) while the left hand is playing an added 6th F major arpeggio. So easy to play yet so impressive to the listener!

So pleased we are all agreed that the Faure (B1) is the best from the romantic list.

I have just started looking at the Grade 7 pieces and have chosen the Scarlatti 'Sonata in F minor'. I really like it and have just finished note perfecting it!! Nothing extra in the way of performing it has been perfected yet!!!

I haven't really looked at the B pieces yet, but I will nearly definitely play the Joanna McGregor one as my C piece.

@oldromola:
Actually, i'm also struggling for perfection from bars 21-31 haha
I just can't make the RH playful and piano there.
Well, bars 32 and 34, i just find it hard to make crescendos on RH
And bar 36, i still can't play it smooth, even and soft.
I think i have to play these tricky parts very very slowly.

@cornetsrule:
Good luck for the preparation.
Why don't you try B1 as we all have mentioned.

@my broken strings

Sorry if I am giving the impression that this piece (C1) is easy - no grade 7 pieces are. However after bar 31 I find it relatively straight forward. By contrast, I found bars 21 to 31 considerably more difficult. Keep going and let us know when you are ready to give a concert performance!

I'm doing grade 7 on the 8th July and I have chosen A1, B6 and C1.

A1 isn't too bad I don't think there's only one problem area for me but it's only three pages long and quite repetitive which is good for me.

I orignally wanted to do B1 I thought it was nice but had trouble with stretches (short fingers ) so I chose B6 cos it's quite straight forward and shortish. It's quite sickly tbh but not too bothered as long as I can play it.

Yeah I suppose C1 was an obvious choise but I've had fun playing it and again SHORT ha you can see what my downfall will be in grade 8.

@oldromola:
That's okay

@musicbox:
Good luck

Thank you!

For this year, I'm choosing triple 1s, which has never occurred to me previously. A1 is relatively manageable to me, there is simply a need for practice in the trill parts. As for Faure, I chose it immediately after listening to the first two bars. However, I'm currently having quite a trouble on the rhythms. While for C1, it's extremely unique, and I'm glad that it is listed this year.