Hi all!

I'm helping a student achieve grade 8 alto sax, which she had given up on with a previous teacher because she didn't like the pieces. I must say that (being a bit of a traditional old fogie) I also struggled to find anything I liked in list B on the CD, despite repeated listening. After some Internet research I managed to hear the Richard Rodney Bennett Samba Triste, and loved it. (It's not on the CD, which is a shame as I'm sure loads of students would choose this). It's beautiful, and my student loves it too! So if anyone's taste is as antiquated as mine, it's worth checking this out. (In some ways, it sounds a bit like Piazzola's Libertango).

My daughter has played Samba Triste, not for grade 8, infact she played all 3 pieces in the book. Her list B piece for the exam was the Francaix Dances. There is some fab music around this level for sax.

What's your student playing in list A and C?

Hi there! It's great that your daughter is enjoying the pieces - we must explore the others in the book too. My student is doing the Grovlez for list A and hasn't chosen list C yet.

Being a bit mad mine did Grade 8 on bari (she was bored......) Grovlez was one of the pieces she played infact it was the one the started the idea having heard someone play it on bari on a CD.

Have you tried the Guilhaud? Thats a nice piece, as for the c piece, theres the debussy (but notmusimum I think knows more about it than I do) or theres a great study book called 50 for sax by alan bullard and the scherzando sax in there is a c piece too.

Only from 2nd hand experience

I think lots of the list B pieces are good - my son has played the Blues Concerto, L'Espagnole and the Tango and Charleston off list B - I love L'Espagnole, think it's a great piece.

Great to hear everyone's perspectives and recommendations - thanks for those. She'll probably do either the Bullard or the Ferling no. 36 (Scherzo) which is tuneful and not on the CD either.

My son loves Ferling studies He played Guillhaud, Blues Concerto and Tabasco for grade 8.

I don't know what the financial situation is like but I have noticed on Ebay a book of Ferling Studies for sax that comes complete with cd. We haven't got it so it's not a recommend.

With a CD? Wonder what's on the CD, as our Ferling studies are unaccompanied.

I imagine someone playing the studies I suppose they are similar to AB list C pieces on their cd. I'm only guessing as I have only seen it on line.

I *think* there exists a Ferling book where someone has created piano accompaniments for selected studies.