Hi, I've started doing my Grade 8 pieces and hoping to do it next summer. Just before the holidays I chose my pieces (Bach-Fugue in F minor, Clementi-Allegro Con Brio and Fats Waller).

However, I've come back and we played through this piece in my first lesson and my teacher was slightly apprehensive of me doing this particular piece but said we will see how it goes as I'm a bit fussy and wasn't totally obsessed with any of the other Cs.

The main concern is my maximum hand stretch is a 9th and obviously there is the 10th from Eb-Gb and C to E and on the first page (forgotten the bar number the one with all the flats I think bar 7 and 9) not to mention the acciaccaturas on the third page. I think I could get round these perhaps by changing the octaves of the notes and using the pedal.

Is this a bad choice or could I stick with it? I'm quite eager to learn this one but I want to do it well as I would like to do as well as I can particularly as its grade 8.

Also I would like to know if there is any sort of notes that the exam board provide for the pieces as obviously there are the teaching notes up to grade 7.

Thanks in due course

I have a similar hand-span, I think. I'd say that the piece is completely playable. The acciacaturas don't involve holding down the two notes at once and the C-E is arpeggiated so you hold the C with the pedal then hop to the E. The only slight problem is the Eb-Gb, which could be played arpeggiated like the C-E if you can't reach it.

Suddenly the forum is full of grade 8 threads! Well yes, I'm at one with both Sarah and Cambiata on this - go for it and you will be able to play one of the best known and loved jazz piano pieces of all time. One of my grade 8 pupils has decided he wants to learn it whilst the other is going for the equally wonderfull Piazzollo 'Retrato'.

I think you are correct to identify bar 7 as difficult, although it is the right hand I find difficult rather than the stretch of a 10th in the left hand. This bar is repeated three more times on the first page, so if I am going to learn it and keep ahead of my pupil some slow practise will be in order.

Difficult as this version of the piece is, it is really quite humbling to realise it is a vastly simplified version of Fats Waller's original.

Thanks for the advice I think I will just grin and bear it to be honest as I am really fond of this piece.

In terms of the bar 7 (/9 etc)on the right hand, the Eb is supposed to be a crotchet would you reccomend that I just cut it shorter to play the rest of the bar? Or would the pedal be a good idea. I think I may just play the Gb an ocatve lower unless i practise arppegiating it.

I've heard some versions on youtube wherre they have used the pedal but not sure myself about whether to use it.

I suppose the grace will just require me hopping my hand the only porblem really is on the second time round when I think the first grace note is played at the same time as the Bb in teh left hand.