My daughter has just passed (with merit!) her Grade 7 recorder. She is already talking about doing Grade 8. We're in no hurry (she needs to do Grade 5 theory first), but I don't want her to do nothing on the recorder until Grade 8.

Can anyone suggest some Grade7-8 pieces she could work on over the next year?
Ideally I'd like an anthology/collection of a wide range of pieces....Any suggestions?

Many thanks,
Proud Mum!

Recital Pieces for Treble Recorder vols 1 and 2 published by Forsyth are good collections of varied modern repertoire. I think there is also a vol 3, but I don't have that one.

The recorder arrangement of the Telemann Fantasias is another excellent collection, as is the Bruggen arrangement of 11 Movements from the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin.

The Baroque solo book.....it has the Telemann fantasies in and a Bach Partita...and loads of other really good solo pieces. I played the Rubbra (I can't remember the title but it is not the sonata) for my grade 8...and that is a lovely piece to have....even if not played in the exam! Have you got the Telemann Methodical Sonatas?? and the Handel complete Sonatas, as well as Telemann complete sonatas?? Other pieces.....There are so so many....what sort of things does she want to play, modern or Baroque?? I have given loads of Baroque pieces, but with modern pieces, the Fulton Scottish Suite is lovely, and the Hans Martin Linde modern studies are great, they are very good post grade 8 as well, some very modern stuff....Zahnhausen.....but if your daughter is not that keen on modern..then i would suggest to stay away from any Zahnhausen...although it is very fun to play!!!
To improve technique, yes I know that improving technique is very boring, I would suggest Staeps Note Patterns, and Daily lesson. Also Frans Bruggen, it is a pink book and I can't remember the title but I know that it has 'five' in it!!! There is Hans Martin Linde '6 Virtuosos' which are also good for technique and nice pieces...but again that is modern!!!
I hope that this is OK!!!!!!! I have loads of other ideas...but not knowing what your daughter prefers to play and if she wants to improve technique then it is impossible to pin point exact pices/albums!!!

The Rubbra piece is Meditatizione Sopra 'Coeurs Desoles' (with acute accents above the 'e's). I've just played that for my Grade 8 too - a fantastic piece.

Cheers antante_in_c....I couldn't remember the piece!!!!!

Thanks for the advice (and the enthusiasm!).

We're quite a baroque family - so I'll start with the Telemann - but she also has quite a jazzy streak so I'll have to get some more modern stuff too.

She gets Consort playing experience once a week in the (very amateur) group I run (about 12-15 of us, mix of adults and kids), and then we also play with the Cumbria SRP group once a month. We might look at residentials when she's a little older.

If she likes Jazzy stuff then I would recomend Pete Rose and his pieces for recorder. He has done a great ensemble piece for recorder call something like 'at the bus stop' I had so much fun playing that!!!

Telemann partitias - plenty in there. Van Eyck - ditto. Handel and telemann sonatas - surely she hasn't done all of those? Dance of the blessed spirits - straightforward but a common grade 8 piece and it works out the high notes nicely. The sonatas and Sonatinas by Murrill, Hand, Bergmann. etc etc.

Liz

This piece available/playable on the flute? I know you recorder players will hate me for nicking your music (I'll go and play my recorders for 20 minutes as penance) but I'm always intrigued by pieces that get described in such glowing terms... and really, grade 8 recorder's a little beyond me just yet......

Yes, it is. It says flute as an alternative instrument. Won't sound as good, though. It's definitely a recorder piece, it needs that edge to the sound IMO. It's not actually that difficult technically on the recorder, so it might surprise you.

You really need to hear it with the accompaniment to get the full effect - I've got a lovely Piers Adams recording of it. It was just as well I knew both parts pretty well when I took my Grade 8; at least one of us knew what we were doing.

In a good or a bad way?? lol... seriously, my recorder playing is far from grade 8 standard yet, but it does sound interesting... yes, there are pieces that definitely are better played on the original instrument they were written for (kind makes sense, lol) but cool that it's flutable - I shall investigate!

You should be proud of me, guys - I played the recorders (mostly treble, a bit of descant, some tenor) for AGES!! Over an hour... I sorta lost track actually... *grin* - I stopped just after eleven (having lost track of time) suddenly realising that maybe my neighbours would rather I wasn't still playing




have you heard back yet?

I will have a search on Amazon, see if I can hear a snippet. This forum is bad for me - people keep mentioning fab pieces of music... what's a girl to do, eh? (you lot will bankrupt me...)

play the rubbra!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's the best piece ever. Not overly difficult note wise once uve got the quavery bit sorted. I played the gavotte en rondeau for list c which i love aswell!! played babel for list a, the fast movement is really nice but i didnt like the slow movement.

have u got ideas together now?