Interesting to hear thoughts about the various pieces on the syllabus and why people have enjoyed them, what has been particularly challenging etc. Grateful for views on the current Grade 7 syllabus for flute.

For Associated Board? Well..
I did the Mozart in D for my Grade 6 Guildhall and to tell you the truth it just wasn't my cup of tea, it was my worst piece of my exam as although I could play the notes, the emotion just wasn't there, and it needed to be.
The Vivaldi, well I think that Sarah_Flute has got that and can point you in the right direction with that.

Sorry haven't played any of the others, best of luck.

I can give you some pointers from a teacher's perspective...

Nearly everyone I teach has gone for the Bozza Aria from List B. It's main drawback is that there are absolutely no rests at all (after the 4-bar piano intro). It also requires good pp and ppp playing, and secure intonation. I've just had a student get 28/30 for it, and the examiner commented 'what a lovely piece' after she had finished playing. It's never a bad idea to play a piece that's appealing to examiners.

I've had a number of students play the Bach G minor (it was on the old syllabus too). If you choose this, you need to practise with the accompaniment as much as possible, as there are a number of tricky entries. The Mozart D major is another possibility, quite straightforward note-wise, but challenging in the way only Mozart can be. I haven't had anyone do the Telemann yet, but that is another straightforward option.

For List C I personally like the Telemann E minor Fantasia, but my students have gone for Jade (from the Blue 76 Graded Studies book), the Kohler Spanish Caprice and the Stokes Jazz Single. If you like the look of Jade, make sure your dotted quaver-semiquaver pairs are in the correct 3:1 ratio (note the direction bien rhythme).

Hope this is of some help.

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ Jan 10 2005, 08:55 PM)

The Vivaldi, well I think that Sarah_Flute has got that and can point you in the right direction with that.

LOL... well, I can't play it terribly well but...

If you like Vivaldi, it is pretty scrummy. Some hard bits with fast tonguing and stuff, but generally quite fun, and it's supposed to be a chaffinch so it's really pretty, well I think so - really evokes the mood of a little bird chirruping away. Loads of trills, a few runs, it's in D Major which has to be an advantage plus, the slow movement, while not an exam piece, is luverly, so there's a bonus for buying it!

Regarding the other pieces: I happen to like the Poulenc though it isn't easy - quite slow and controlled and mostly quiet with lots of high reg. quiet playing (scary, or I think so! but then if you're working for grade 7 you will be rather better equipped to play it well than I am). I also rather think it needs quite some emotion in it, plenty of room for expression, because it's rather melancholy and evocative. Another bonus is that the 1st mvt is a regular on the grade 8 syllabus, so that's one less to buy (if you like the piece as a whole) when you get on to that.

I haven't played the Petite Valse but I have it on CD and I like it... I shall try and remember to have a proper listen to it and give you a slightly better report!