I have entered myself for grade 4 clarinet and am looking at the week commencing December 7th for the day of exectution.

Any way, I was wondering what other people are chosing. I originally chose A2 (Evening) B9 (Stick Together) and C2 (Study in C - The Turn) until my teacher pointed out the the A piece and the Study were both in C and were in fact really quite similar. I was then first of all instructed (yes instructed!) to start learning A3 (Widmung) and last week was told the Study in C was too easy for me and I should try C1, the Study No 32 by Chris Allen.

My teacher's point is that to improve one must continue to learn harder pieces, whereas I am well aware that I will not be awarded any more marks in the exam simply because I have chosen more difficult repertoire. However I beleive that the grade 5 pieces I shall want to play next summer (Mendelssohn and Lloyd Webber) are in quite a different league to any of those in the grade 4 book, so perhaps I really should take my teacher's advice. In actual fact I really like the Schumann piece (Widmung) although the speed indication of minum = 69 is patently too fast for this style of romantic music. I also like the Chris Allen study were it not for all those over-the break passages!

A piano pupil of mine is also taking grade 4 clarinet at the same centre this December and is determined to do better than her old piano teacher. She has chosen A2, B1 and the C2 Study.

Hiya oldromola!

I think your original A2, B9, C2 programme was a good one.

Thinking of a few others on the grade 4 list, I've had pupils do the Bizet Seguidilla (A4) with some success, and this is a very tuneful piece. The two Mozart pieces (A7, 8) are also very nice pieces.

Have you looked at Monkey Nuts (B7)? That I think is also a good jazzy number.

One of the best C pieces I think is the Demnitz (C5) : generally speaking, you can't go much wrong choosing a Demnitz study. The James Rae is a good modern option (C6).

I would be inclined to choose the pieces which you are able to play to the very best of your ability for the exam - as you rightly say, you won't get extra marks for playing more difficult pieces and if you already have pieces which you have prepared and are happy with, then I would be inclined to aim for perfection and go for a distinction, rather than change now! My personal opinion is that you can almost try too many - make a decision and go for it!

However, this does not stop you from playing other pieces at the same level for your own pleasure and development as a player after the exam, so I do understand your teacher's point. I realise that you are a teacher yourself and therefore have a fairly unique perspective - have you considered what advice you would give to one of your piano pupils?

Incidentally, I bought the ABRSM Grade 3 and 4 books a couple of years ago when I first started playing again after a break, just out of curiosity really to see whether I could still play at this level. I liked A1 or A2 and C3 - all in C! I don't particularly like any of the three list B pieces which appear in the book, though of the three I would probably choose Peacherine Rag (though I much prefer to hear it played on piano!)

I've just started lessons again but I'm not in a hurry to take exams (busy learning to play the piano and have Grade 2 coming up!) However, I do like the sound of some of the pieces from the Grade 5 book (I was working towards Grade 5 when I moved away from home and gave up). If you have any recommendations for pieces which are just nice to play for sheer enjoyment at the Grade 4 or 5 level, I would love to hear them!

Best of luck with the exam, whatever you decide to play!

Although the ABRSM do say in their syllabus that they like a 'balanced' programme, I have yet to see any exam form where this is picked up : I agree with clarijo, pick what you'll play best

Hi Barry-clari! Good to know I'm not talking complete rubbish! Likewise, if you want to suggest any G4/5 ish pieces for me to try, then please do! (Apologies for being slightly , oldromola!)

What sort of music do you particularly like clarijo? I'll try and tailor my suggestions to your preferences

Ooh - that's a difficult one to answer! I do enjoy what I would call typical study book/repertoire type pieces but I also love playing jazz! I'm less keen on what I would call 'modern' pieces - I remember having to play Papagano(sp?) the Cat from Pets for 'O' level many moons ago and I'm still traumatised by the experience!! I played Finzi's Carol from Five Bagatelles for Grade 3 in 1986 but for 'classical' tend to prefer earlier than this. I have a copy of 50 Classical Studies which has a lot of studies written by 19th century composers and my favourites are definitely the Demnitz ones, so anything in a similar vein. I would also be interested in some Mozart or perhaps Bach? Any suggestions very welcome!

I had an examiner comment that the pupil played a very balanced programme- but not the other way round! That was last session!

Play what you play and enjoy best.
Nothing to stop you learning other things but for exam purposes you might as well think about what will help you to pick up marks. That was certainly something both I and my teacher considered for my grade 5.

OK in which case you'll probably like the Mozart Divertimento no. 3 (mvts. 2 and 3 are on the current grade 5 syllabus, but do have a look at all of it). I think you'll like both the Mozart pieces in the grade 4 list too. You'd I think get on well with Frensham Pond by William Lloyd Webber too (grade 5 again, available separately or as part of the AB grade 5 blue book). Xavier Lefevre is another name to look for : I think you'll like his music too.

If you like Demnitz, I'd get hold of the full Demnitz Elementary School for Clarinet book (green cover, published by Peters) : you'll probably also like the studies in Pamela Weston's 50 Classical Studies book (orange and white striped cover, published by Fentone). That book has been around for ages (I did a study out of it when I did my grade 8 nearly 20 years ago), but it has stood the test of time very well.

Ooh - like the sound of these! I think I am right in saying that you have also mentioned Frensham Pond in a previous post, oldromola?

It is the Pamila Weston book which I use, so I've played some Lefevre already - I had a copy when I gave up (a little over twenty years ago!) and I bought it again when I discovered that it was still in print! The Baermann Tarantella is study number 26 (think this is on the current G5 syllabus) and this is about the limit of my playing at the moment. Some of the pieces towards the end look very advanced, so presumably this would see me through to Grade 8 (should I make it that far!) or possibly beyond? Good to hear that I'm not the only person who has ever used this book!!

I've been very close to buying the Demnitz Elementary School several times now but have always been sidetracked by other things - will definitely purchase now!

Many thanks for the recommendations - hopefully this will keep me busy for a while and get my fingers moving again! I will let you know how I get on!

The orange and white book has plenty there to keep you occupied up to a little beyond grade 8. Unfortunately, the ABRSM don't list any studies from it on their syllabi any more, but Trinity still have options from the book for grades 4-6.

Well what a terrific response in such a short time! Thank you everybody. The message seems to be to choose what you can play best and stick with it. I suspect I shall go with the Schumann at the end of the day rather than the Goldschmidt as the former is the better piece of music IMHO.

Yes clarijo, I have expounded on the beauty of Lloyd Webber's 'Frensham pound' in the past. By the way, this is Bill Lloyd Webber we are talking about - the father of Andrew and Julian. I think it would take a lot to persuade me when I start preparing for grade 5 not to choose this piece together with the Mendelssohn 'Fruhlingslied'. (I think that simply means a song without words) I shall also go for Rob Buckland's 'Scaredy Cat' for my study as (a) I like it and (b) I met Rob quite recently and like him!

There are other great pieces to choose from in the syllabus that are not in the book such as Paul Reade's 'Summer'. Were it not for the excellence of 'Frensham Pond' I should choose 'Summer', but provided my top Es are working by next July, 'Frensham Pond' it will be.

He's a thoroughly good person, and a fine musician and composer. He's one of the driving forces behind the excellent RNCM Saxophone Day

I will bear these in mind too! Perhaps once I've got my next piano exam out of the way, I may consider a clarinet exam after all - I know exactly what you mean about the top Es working properly, though!!