I'm taking my Grade 4 piano exam in 3 days and I don't know much about what is going to be tested for aural. Can someone please enlighten me? Also, is it alright to not use the pedals for B3: Chez le forgeron? Can't seem to get it right... Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Are you serious ? I'm really not sure . . .

After all, your teacher must have done the aural with you (if not, why not ? why didn't you ask him/her ?) and if you don't have a teacher, why have you left it this late to ask ?

But the grade 4 aural syllabus is on the abrsm website:

http://www.abrsm.org/regions/fileadmin/use...s/aural0411.pdf

This explains it perfectly.

And it's probably too late to get the pedal sorted out but, if you're close - try !

Chez le forgeron does need it, yiu need the resonance to make the hammer bits sing out.

But the abrsm guideline book does suggest leaving it out in the middle bit (which is quite different) and my grade 4 pupil only used the pedal for the main A section (and got 27).

I don't think it's the responsibility of the student to check on this. Certainly not at this level. It's not unreasonable to expect that a teacher preparing you for an exam will tell you what's required and aim to make sure everything is covered.

3 days is a bit short notice...

I'm assuming you've entered yourself for the exam? Otherwise your teacher probably should have done a better job... not to be judgemental.


Dolce has it right.

And Chez le Forgeron really does need pedal, it doesn't sound the same, or carry the same meaning without. Try with and if it really makes it that much harder for you then maybe leave it. But if you practice well for the next 3 days you might be able to add it.