I think this piece is really hard for G3, I've had 2 pupils give up on it in the past. A girl this term wanted to learn it, she's 14 and generally quite able, but at the moment is getting nowhere with the RH chords. I've helped her with the fingering, and identified patterns, and which pairs of chords she needs to practise repeatedly. More advice would be gratefully received, thanks!

I remember when I was studying for my G3, my teacher said that pretty much all her G3 candidates had chosen this.

I think the Study in F or Petit Berger are far better choices, personally - has she heard the other options as she may change her mind? (I played through L'Elephant and then decided that I just didn't like it rather than finding it too difficult).

me too. I have chosen to do Study in F instead - it's such a lovely little tune

You won't regret learning that - I still love playing it

Two of my boys have done it and although they both got a pass mark for this piece the chords were difficult for them even though they were both physically big for their age. I have steered the next lot away from this piece.

My daughter did this one. She did take a while to learn the chords, it's not one if you want a quick exam turn around and she wasn't planning on taking the exam anyway, the way she learnt it was 2 bars or a phrase at a time, and eventually played it really well.

Well now, that's interesting. I had a girl (12 and able) who had difficulty with the concept of the lh melody. I'm afraid that for once I was a hard task-master and more or less (couched in more pupil friendly language) said get on with it! I don't really think it's very difficult, although I have another pupil who of her own accord has chosen Petit Berger, which makes a nice change.

I think L'Elephant's popularity is down to the fact that at first glance, it looks much simpler/easier than the other two in the book.

I'm speaking as an adult learner not a teacher, but the alternative piece Les Pifferari is pretty straightforward, although playing it at the recommended speed (for me at least) is another story! There is a different arrangement of the Elephant in Carole Barratt's Classic Piano course and I didn't like it then either - the only "point" to it seemed to be that it had the melody in the LH. And it's certainly a lot easier than Top Cat!

PatC

I've tended to split this piece into chunks for my pupils and encourage them to focus on difficult sections. This, plus pointing out useful patterns, seems to have helped and none of them has struggled unduly.

I agree - Top Cat is really difficult to play successfully! I have a 15 year old pupil who played it for his exam and did a great job with it, but other pupils have really struggled with it. He also played Petit Berger, which is a lovely piece. None of mine chose The Elephant.

Really interesting - I'd thought the Elephant seemed pretty easy - I must be guilty of skimming it and being fooled into thinking it's easier than it is.

That said, none of my Grade 3 s chose it last year - they were a batch of 11 or 12 year-old girls (and one 14 year-old) who all thought that playing something called elephant was insulting (implying playing like an elephant???) and below them and so it wouldn't have mattered what the piece sounded like, it was a 'no' from the word go.

However, I've got a little 9 year-old who's bombing along and loves loud and bold music (no slow touchy-feely stuff for her, although I do try and insist). I'd thought the Elephant would suit her but I'll go and have a look at the chords again - I've obviously got it a bit wrong.

N.B. Just my 2p worth : Study in F is beautiful and rightly popular but difficult to play fluently and with the right balance between the hands. Petit berger is lovely but involves big stretches for legato chords for small hands (and in times of stress the timing can go out the window). One girl played Top Cat very well - lots of pzazz - one girl fell in love with Tell You and got 25 which I though was very good as it's quite a grown-up sort of piece (and the Quajira is a great piece and relatively easy as long as you play firmly and neatly with a good pulse).

Our son tried the Elephant piece but didn't like it at all... thank goodness. He did Study in F, Top Cat and....?

I absolutely despise it! It brings back too many memories of hearing it in my primary school and being made to prance around pretending to be an elephant!


Like an elephant, I have a good memory!

Steve

How strange! I thought that L'elephant was the easiest of the B pieces! I had a student struggling with Study in F for weeks, then changed to L'elephant and she is playing it hands together after only a few lessons!

It really does depend on the student I suppose...all my grade 3's are doing L'elephant!!

I also think it has alot to do with how well they learn the changing chord patterns, my daughter didn't have a huge problem with this, but some slower readers I think find it harder. Actually once the chords are learnt, it's very easily put together.

I have had a couple of people learn this and they found it difficult, although they both got quite good marks for it. I have someone in this time doing it and she plays it very well, but she really is someone who is "Grade 3 going on Grade 4".

I think the Study in F is more attractive and Petit Berger is a good choice for an expressive player. But I tend to allow pupils to choose for themselves from the selection - even if we sometimes end up changing our minds! VERY occasionally I will "veto" a piece for a certain pupil....

I have had a broad age range choose this piece without difficulties with the chords. The only problems I have had is one very shy girl elephant and a couple of over-enthusiastic boy heffalumps!

It occurs to me once again that "arrangements" for the piano are usually difficult and maybe not so naturally pianistic to play. Even L'autunno is not easy to play really musically for a Grade 1. Then there is Elephant and Top Cat - not easy options.

Love it !

Top Cat is well worth the effort, though, and really not *that* bad... swung rhythm catches some out, but it's nowhere near as bad as it looks at first glance IMO

I wouldn't let one of the little boys I teach play Top Cat as he gets very over excited with these sort of pieces and the rhythm swings all over the place. Happily, but too out of control for an exam!
Mind you, he made the most fantastic and thoughtful job of 'Tell You' so it shows he can pull it out of the bag when pinned down!
Me 'Mean Teacher'!

I've had one give up the Elephant. I don't fully understand why but have possible answers.

is it the shape of the chords and getting the fingers on them ? in her case I don't think so.

I've started to wonder if was the different keys that the chords traverse through when so many G1-3 pieces are predominantly in their tonic and perhaps 1 accidental for a modulation to dominant or rel major.
Perhaps it was an effort-reward equation in my pupils case, but I can see it being a mark of ability/dedication + good teaching to master them.

I've very fond of the Petit Berger and find the Study delightful. As a singer I dislike the month-of-maying - I can't imagine a piano arrangement really working and I think I'd be pushed to play the Mozart Andante to a high standard myself.
On the C-list I like the Cornick but I imagine learning the LH chords could be hard for a typical G3 player, ditto the Jack's asleep. Both books are recommendable but the latter wins on price and every piece is good.

I too have had two pupils giving up on this piece after struggling with it for a while.

The majority of my pupils play L'elephant. They do struggle with some chords but we just keep playing the sections over and they do finally start to sink in - although you have to be very patient.

My daughter learnt both L'elephant and Study in F. Found L'elephant much easier. She was consistently better with L'elephant so played that for her exam. Perhaps partly cause she is good at memorising her pieces, not as good with sight playing.

With the C options she learnt both Qualira and Top Cat. Again her performance was more consistent with Top Cat, so she played that for her exam.

Thankfully she got merit overall, let down by her scales and sightreading.