LL311 Piano Grade 8 [PDF]

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London College of Music Examinations Piano 2018–2020

Grade 8

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Piano Handbook: Grade 8

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23/12/2021

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Piano: Grade 8, Recital Grade 8 and Leisure Play Grade 8 This handbook is part of a progressive series of handbooks, primarily intended for candidates considering taking London College of Music examinations in piano. All candidates must bring their own copy of the relevant handbook to the exam. Candidates must also refer to the current syllabus. Syllabus validity This handbook is valid for examinations from Spring 2018 to Winter 2020. Further information To enter for an exam or view the current syllabus, please visit the LCM Examinations website: lcme.uwl.ac.uk Editorial guidance Editorial input has been kept to a minimum in order to reproduce the composers’ intentions as clearly as possible. Editorial notes are available to download from the LCM Examinations website, detailing any additions. Metronome markings and fingerings have been given as an aid to developing your own interpretations; they have been included for guidance and do not have to be followed in the exam. The use of the sustaining pedal, particularly in the higher grades, has been taken for granted and only indicated when it is required for a specific effect. Unless specified, the pedal markings given are for guidance only, as the use of the pedal depends to a large extent on the characteristics of the piano, the acoustics of the room, and the interpretation of the piece. Repeats Performance of repeats is at the candidate’s discretion. In general, repeats should be included, but longer repeats (for example, the full exposition of a sonata form movement) should not be played. Da Capo and Dal Segno signs must be observed.

Piano: Grade 8 Catalogue number: LL311 ISMN: 979-0-5701-2183-0 © 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications Compiled by William Alexander, David Duncan, Ivor Flint, Tony Pegler, Lizzie Moore and Philip Aldred Series Editor: David Duncan Performance notes by Daniel Grimwood, Zubin Kanga and Kirsten Johnson Biographical information by Frøya Crabtree and Alwynne Pritchard Music setting by Top Score Text setting by Maxwell Knight Cover design by Lovers Original artwork by Joe Cruz Printed and bound by Halstan & Co.

LCM Examinations lcme.uwl.ac.uk

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Contents

GRADE 8 TECHNICAL WORK Scales and arpeggios Studies

4 22

PERFORMANCE LIST A Prelude and Fugue in D minor: Johann Sebastian Bach Moderato: Marianna Martines Allegro: Ludwig van Beethoven Allegro: Franz Schubert

27 33 39 47

LIST B Desdémona: Mel Bonis Nocturne in F minor: Frédéric Chopin Venise: Teresa Carreño Cortège: Lili Boulanger

54 59 67 73

LIST C Nimble Feet: Florence Price The Man I Love: George Gershwin The Barnyard Song: Alwynne Pritchard The Drummer: Sofia Gubaidulina

79 84 88 95

DISCUSSION

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SIGHT READING

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AURAL TESTS

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TECHNICAL WORK SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS

REQUIREMENTS • • • • • • • •

Scales Contrary motion scales Scales in thirds, hands separately Chromatic scale in minor thirds, hands separately Chromatic scale in major sixths Arpeggios Dominant 7th arpeggios Diminished 7th arpeggios

Candidates should either prepare all of the following scales and arpeggios, or both studies (pages 22 and 24). Scales and arpeggios are to be performed from memory, and legato unless otherwise specified.

Scales: 4 octaves (2 octaves shown)

C, G, E, B, F, Bb, Eb and Ab major C, G, E, B, F, Bb, Eb and G# minor (harmonic and melodic) • • •

Hands separately and together Piano and forte, legato and staccato Recommended tempo: h = 88

C major

G major

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E major

B major

F major

Bb major

Eb major

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Ab major

C harmonic minor

C melodic minor

G harmonic minor

G melodic minor

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E harmonic minor

E melodic minor

B harmonic minor

B melodic minor

F harmonic minor

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F melodic minor

Bb harmonic minor

Bb melodic minor

Eb harmonic minor

Eb melodic minor

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G# harmonic minor

G# melodic minor

Contrary motion scales: 2 octaves

C, G, E, B, F, Bb, Eb and Ab major C, G, E, B, F, Bb, Eb and G# harmonic minor • •

To be prepared piano and forte, legato and staccato Recommended tempo: h = 88

C major

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G major

E major

B major

F major

Bb major

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Eb major

Ab major

C harmonic minor

G harmonic minor

E harmonic minor

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B harmonic minor

F harmonic minor

Bb harmonic minor

Eb harmonic minor

G# harmonic minor

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Scales in thirds, Hands separately: 2 octaves

C, A and Eb major D harmonic minor • •

Piano and forte Recommended tempo: q = 120

C major

RH

LH

A major

RH

LH

Eb major

RH

LH

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D harmonic minor

RH

LH

Chromatic scale in minor thirds, hands separately: 1 octave

In minor thirds, beginning on D/F • •

Piano and forte Recommended tempo: q = 120

RH

LH

Chromatic scale in major sixths: 4 octaves (1 octave shown)

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Hands a major 6th apart, beginning on F/D • •

Piano and forte, legato and staccato Recommended tempo: h = 88

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Arpeggios: 4 octaves (2 octaves shown)

C, G, E, B, F, Bb, Eb and Ab major C, G, E, B, F, Bb, Eb and G# minor • • •

Root position, 1st inversion and 2nd inversion Piano and forte Recommended tempo: h = 60

C major

C minor

G major

G minor

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E major

E minor

B major

B minor

F major

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F minor

Bb major

Bb minor

Eb major

Eb minor

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Ab major

G# minor

Dominant 7th arpeggios: 4 octaves (3 octaves shown)

In the keys of C, F#, Bb, Eb, Ab and Db major • • •

Hands separately and together Piano and forte Recommended tempo: h = 88

C major

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F# major

Bb major

Eb major

Ab major

Db major

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Diminished 7th arpeggios: 4 octaves (3 octaves shown)

Beginning on F#, G, Ab, A, Bb and B • • •

Hands separately and together Piano and forte Recommended tempo: h = 88

Beginning on F#

Beginning on G

Beginning on Ab

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Beginning on A

Beginning on Bb

Beginning on B

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Technical work: Study No. 1

Etude in E, Op. 299 No. 29 Carl Czerny

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Technical work: Study No. 2

Etude in A-flat, WoO 4 Clara Schumann

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Performance: List A

Prelude and Fugue in D minor Johann Sebastian Bach from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 851 About The ‘well temperament’ of the title refers to a family of tuning systems which allow keyboard instruments to play in all of the major and minor keys, without any of them being perceptibly out of tune. In well temperament each key still has a colour of its own — unlike in modern ‘equal temperament’ — as some of the intervals sound sweeter than others. Bach wrote the preludes and fugues in The Well-Tempered Clavier precisely to capitalise on these differences. The first part of The Well-Tempered Clavier was published in 1722, although the Prelude in D minor and ten other pieces have their roots in an earlier collection of educational pieces that Bach compiled for his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann. Included in the same collection were the 15 Inventions and Sinfonias, which also explore the major and minor keys, with the exception of keys which have more than four sharps or flats.

In performance The Prelude resembles a written out figured bass (single note LH, triadic RH) and, although a light staccato touch in the left hand is certainly easier and possibly more pianistic, I would suggest legato touch semiquavers above a bowed articulation in the bass. Listen to the WTC played on both piano and harpsichord for reference. The Fugue is unusually detailed in articulation markings. The dot on the Bb in bar 2 is not a staccato but an aspiration (one of Couperin’s ornaments) and should be lifted rather than clipped. The way the subject ends on the 5th degree of the scale creates the impression of a question. Given the binary structure (dominant at exactly halfway) one has the impression that Bach is exploring a conflation of fugue and dance, so the rhythm must have a buoyancy, within a very moderate tempo. As always with fugues, practise the voices separately and in all combinations.

(Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Prelude and Fugue in D minor from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 Johann Sebastian Bach

Praeludium

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(1685–1750)

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Fuga â 3

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Performance: List A

Moderato Marianna Martines First movement from Sonata in A About Despite being an accomplished singer, performer and composer, Martines never held a professional position as a composer as it was socially unacceptable for women at the time to seek this kind of employment. Crucial to her musical development was the librettist Pietro Metastasio, one of the most famous opera writers of his time, who lived with the Martines family for over 50 years. He had spotted her musical ability as a child and made sure she was tutored by a number of leading teachers and composers. This Sonata was first published in a harpsichord anthology in 1765, when she was just 21 years old. Because of her family’s financial situation — each of her five brothers, and her father, held positions at court or in the government — Martines did not have to marry in order to support herself, and was able to dedicate her life to music. She would host weekly musical soirées at her home in Vienna which were attended by all of Vienna’s musical elite, including Haydn and Mozart.

In performance Bar 8 should help decide the tempo — the shortest notes should sound brilliant, sweet and clear. Most of the movement is lively and graceful so make the plaintive appoggiaturas (bars 13 and 36) very expressive. The dotted notes of the opening should probably be played non-legato, like a violinist retaking the bow. Keep the left hand light, detached but not too staccato and in places like bar 2, where the demisemiquavers pre-empt the melody, mark them with wit and elegance. It is crucial that the rests in the melody are observed but the units also connect over the rests melodically; for example, in bar 5 keep the melody alive in your mind over the semiquaver rests so that it connects and progresses. In the Rococo style it is common that units are repeated to emphasise tonal stability (bars 2–3 and bars 9–11, for example). The repetitions can be played as echoes or (my preference) more insistently, but not identically! (Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Moderato First movement from Sonata in A Marianna Martines (1744–1812)

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Performance: List A

Allegro Ludwig van Beethoven First movement from Sonata in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1 About When Beethoven wrote his three Opus 2 sonatas he was more famous as a pianist than as a composer. They were written both to establish his credentials as a composer and as a vehicle for his own virtuosity. The sonatas are dedicated to Joseph Haydn, who Beethoven had first met in his home town of Bonn and who tutored him during his early years in Vienna. After moving to Vienna in 1792, Beethoven quickly established a reputation amongst the nobility as a virtuoso pianist and improviser but he did not publish any of his own compositions until 1795. Sketches for the Sonata in F minor were made back in 1793, during his studies with Haydn, but the work was not completed until two years later, where he performed it in the presence of Haydn at the home of his patron in Vienna, Prince Lichnowsky.

In performance The tempo should derive from the alla breve marking, but mustn’t be so brisk as to muddy the semiquaver triplets. The form of the opening motif is known as a ‘Mannheim Rocket’ and should always sound impetuous. At the time of composition not all pianos had sustain mechanisms and it is possible to play the whole movement without pedal, so consider the right foot as an aid to expression rather than a necessity. All ornaments should start on the beat and the trills from bar 85 start on the upper note. From bar 93 be very pianissimo — the dynamics can be extreme throughout, reflecting the urgent and unpredictable mood.

(Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Allegro First movement from Sonata in F minor Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

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Performance: List A

Allegro Franz Schubert First movement from Sonata in A minor, D. 537 About A prolific composer, Schubert had written over 600 songs and seven symphonies before his early death, aged 31. From the age of six he received music lessons from his father, a well-known schoolmaster, before winning a place at the Imperial Seminary in Vienna, where he wrote some of his first compositions under the direction of Antonio Salieri. Having returned home as a teenager he began teaching at his father’s school, a role which he hated. He left his position in 1816 in order to devote himself to composition. Although his work was very popular within a circle of friends and fellow artists he struggled financially and relatively few of his compositions were published during his lifetime. This Allegro is taken from the first piano sonata that Schubert completed; it remained unpublished during his life. The sonata, written when he was aged 20, shows him already to be a composer of invention, originality and force.

In performance I tend to think of the first theme as segmented; the energetic dotted rhythm followed by a scale rocketing up to the f, followed by a semiquaver cascade falling softly like ash after a firework. Against this, the second subject group in F major is evasive, introverted and certainly not without unease, given the repeated use of the Db. The 3-part left hand counterpoint (bars 28–31 etc) is tricky and needs to be practised with separate voices. It resembles the Quartettsatz D 703, and I suggest listening to this as background. The start of the development (bar 76) is violent and the blows shouldn’t be softened. I would suggest holding the pedal for two whole bars during the arpeggios in bars 78 to 79 etc. The waltz-like section from bar 100 should be soft and uneasy and from bar 119 don’t crescendo too soon, as it will weaken the sudden rupture at bar 123.

(Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Allegro First movement from Sonata in A minor

Franz Schubert (1797–1828)

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Performance: List B

Desdémona Mel Bonis Op. 101 About Mel Bonis’ family was not rich, and they disapproved of her interest in music, so she had to teach herself to play the piano until a family friend, impressed by her ability, encouraged them to let her study at the Paris Conservatoire. While there she met the poet and fellow student Amédée-Landély Hettich; they inspired each other and she set several of his poems to music. They wanted to get married but her family disapproved and quickly removed her from the school and arranged for her to marry Albert Domange, a widower, 25 years her senior, with five children. Removed and isolated from a musical environment, Bonis did not write any music for several years while she played the role of wife and mother. A few years later she met Hettich again, who brought her back into contact with other musicians. Re-inspired, she began composing again. For the rest of her life she would write prolifically; she was held in great esteem by her contemporaries but never truly received the recognition she deserved.

In performance This beautiful vignette should be played lightly, with the melody plaintive and flute-like and the grace notes rapid yet calm. The pedal should be changed with each harmony, and the left hand, although in pedal, should be scrupulously even in rhythm and touch. Andantino suggests the tempo should flow, but time can be taken so that the arpeggios in bars 14 and 77 evaporate into nothing; likewise, the cascading arabesques at bar 29 can be somewhat drawn out to suggest falling tears. In bars 9–10 and 72–73 think of an echo effect. Notice the subtle change in the accompaniment figure from bar 31 which ushers in the central section. Perhaps the rising semiquaver scales at bar 50 illustrate the rustling leaves of Desdemona’s sycamore tree? Try to keep their dynamic lower than the melodic duet between the hands. The Pressez at the end must not get louder; quite the opposite and, if you need to, delay the last chord slightly so that it is very softly resonant. (Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Desdémona Mel Bonis (1858–1937)

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Performance: List B

Nocturne in F minor Frédéric Chopin Op. 55 No. 1 About Born in Poland in 1810, Frédéric Chopin’s early talent for music led to him performing publicly as a child prodigy by the age of seven; he began writing his own pieces around the same time. Many of his earliest surviving compositions are in the form of polonaises, a style of Polish dance which Chopin would return to throughout his life. While he wrote in many genres, Chopin’s 21 nocturnes are among the most popular of all his compositions today. The Romantic era nocturne, a piece of music inspired by or evocative of the night, with a characteristic lyrical melody often over an arpeggiated accompaniment, was developed by the Irish composer John Field in the early nineteenth century. Although he did not invent the genre, Chopin developed the form far away from Field’s relaxed, almost improvisatory sounding nocturnes; introducing more sophisticated structures, contrasting moods, irregular and unpredictable phrasing, and a richer harmonic palette.

In performance Chopin favoured flowing tempi, so Andante shouldn’t feel too dragging; think of the left hand as footsteps guiding the melody forward. Chopin expected his students to study the bel canto singers, so play cantabile, remembering that diction in singing means some rhythmic freedom (rubato). The opening motive is repeated 13 times in total! There is a balance between making them all different and not sounding ostentatious. The f marking in bar 45 suggests that the music should become more impassioned leading into the più mosso rather than a sudden change. Think orchestrally here; perhaps wind and brass in the chorale answered by lower strings in the bass. In the stretto (bar 71) try to create a sense of inertia between the melody and the syncopated chords. Perhaps bar 77, which must ripple softly, can start a little slower and cascade down. From 85 keep the left hand rich and dark and the right soft and legato and, as you accelerate, see how quietly you can play. (Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Nocturne in F minor Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)

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Performance: List B

Venise Teresa Carreño Op. 33 About Carreño’s father Manuel Antonio was a Venezuelan diplomat, politician and musician, who recognised his daughter’s aptitude for music early on and became her first teacher. When she was eight the family emigrated to New York; that same year she made her debut as a pianist. The family stayed in the US for four years, during which time she continued studying and performing, including once for Abraham Lincoln at the White House. The family moved to Paris in 1866, where Carreño achieved much renown as a pianist and composer — many of her published works, including Venise, were written during these early years in Paris, before her marriage at the age of 20. After this period she only composed sporadically, but achieved great success worldwide as both an opera singer and then a pianist, undertaking two world tours during the early years of the twentieth century. She became known as the ‘Valkyrie of the Piano’ due to the strength and spirit of her playing.

In performance The tempo should allow you to make the left hand chords sound like oars brushing water — listen to the resonance of each chord to make sure you don’t rush. Treat the right hand as a duet, the upper voice light and capricious, and the lower voice legato. The dotted semiquaver at the end of bar 9 suggests a slight operatic pause. The repeat of the melody is to be played una corda and I would suggest a shade slower and softer. At 19 the dynamics are higher, but they shouldn’t overly interrupt the calm that you have created. The staccato, leggiero run at 21 can start slower and move toward the final D, conversely at 25 the answer can disappear into the ether. The f on the Neapolitan harmony at 35 can have a sudden frisson — perhaps think of something falling in the water and sending out ripples — and notice how the left hand accompaniment changes. At 39 make sure you remain pp (or less) through the cadenza, which should not be overly fast; try to capture the image of an arching rainbow as the sun catches water droplets. (Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Venise Rêverie-Barcarolle

Teresa Carreño (1853–1917)

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Performance: List B

Cortège Lili Boulanger

About Lili Boulanger’s short life was filled with music from the beginning; her mother was a singer, her father a composer and a number of the extended family were professional musicians. It is no wonder that growing up in this musical environment Lili developed a prodigious talent for music early on. In 1913, aged 19, she became the first woman to win the prestigious Prix de Rome composition prize with her cantata Faust et Hélène — part of her award would have been a two-year scholarship studying at the Villa Medici in Rome but due to illness and the breakout of WW1 she was only able to spent a few months there. Cortège was written during this period, originally for flute or violin and piano; her piano arrangement was published in 1918 as part of a set of pieces, Trois Morceaux. Her early works show the influences of Debussy, and her friend and teacher Gabriel Fauré, however, as her life was cut tragically short aged 24 due to illness, it is impossible to say how her style may have evolved.

In performance The tempo must not be so fast that the accompaniment loses clarity; if you can play bar 36 and observe all the articulation markings you are on the right track. Make sure the left hand figure scrupulously matches the right hand (tricky in the absence of a main beat) and keep it soft and even. From 57 the accompaniment moves on the beat, inviting forward flow — perhaps play this passage alongside the opening to see how this changes your approach. The melody should be light and legato and pedalling needs to be swift and subtle. At bar 33 experiment with half and flutter pedalling to see if you can keep the C# sounding without losing clarity. The many tempo directions should be understood as written out rubati and be understated. At bar 36 take time over the big chord and keep the right hand very light over the singing melody in the left. For the shape of the whole, picture a procession approaching from afar, passing by with many different costumes, then vanishing into the distance. (Daniel Grimwood)

© 2017 University of West London, LCM Publications

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Cortège Lili Boulanger (1893–1918)

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Performance: List C

Nimble Feet Florence Price from Dances in the Canebrakes About In 1933 Florence Price’s Symphony in E minor premiered at the Chicago World’s Fair. The piece, performed by the all-male and all-white Chicago Symphony Orchestra, was the first piece of music written by an African-American woman ever presented by a major orchestra. Price was born in 1887 in Little Rock, Arkansas; her mother was a piano teacher who taught her from a young age. When she was fourteen she enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music, studying piano and organ. She returned to Arkansas after graduating, but relocated to Chicago with her family in 1927 after rising racial tension in Arkansas made it increasingly difficult and dangerous for people of colour. Price’s music combines the European tradition which she was trained in, with a distinctly American vernacular style. Her music often incorporates elements from African-American church music and spirituals.

In performance As the title Nimble Feet suggests, this piece is in a fast 4. Follow the rhythmic notation precisely and the piece plays itself! Easier said than done… there is a lot of intricacy to work through. Be mindful of the accents and the dynamic shading. In bar 35, let the left hand melody sing out, albeit softly, with long phrasing. Note the subito f in bar 41. Keep bar 49 soft, gradually growing to f for the raucous interpretation of the opening melody. In bar 64 the top right hand line needs to be legato so those with smaller hands will have to release the crotchets once played. The final statement of the melody, from bar 80, becomes even more complicated. You should take your tempo for the piece from how well you can play this last section. The overall tempo needs to be unified, so don’t open the piece faster than you can finish it!

(Kirsten Johnson) Words and Music by FLORENCE PRICE © 1953 (Renewed) EMI MILLS MUSIC, INC. Exclusive Worldwide Print Rights Administered by ALFRED MUSIC All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

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Nimble Feet from Dances in the Canebrakes Florence Price (1887–1953)

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Performance: List C

The Man I Love George Gershwin

About Originally composed as ‘The Girl I Love’ as part of Gershwin’s 1924 musical Lady, Be Good, the song was cut from the work before the premiere. Although the song would fail to find a home in a musical it did become popular as a standalone number. A prolific songwriter, George Gershwin left school aged 15 to pursue a career in music, soon making a name for himself in the New York popular music and theatre scene. He composed prolifically throughout his short career; popular works include the orchestral piece An American in Paris, which was inspired by his own time living there, and the acclaimed musical Porgy and Bess, where the famous aria ‘Summertime’ first appeared. His career was cut tragically short in 1937, when he died aged 38, after emergency surgery to remove a brain tumour.

In performance Gershwin is great fun to play — enjoy making this jazz classic come alive. The interplay between the harmonies in the lower line and the melody in chords above needs to be measured yet free. Gershwin notated the rhythms precisely, some as semiquavers, others as triplets. In performance, it is best to be as faithful as possible to the score. The melody line should sing out, so practise singing it as you play, copying your vocal inflections at the piano. In bar 4, note that the top C should not be played twice; rather, the arpeggio flows down from the chord into the next bar. In bar 9 onwards, make a feature of the tenor line. The new melody in bar 17 should be played softly and simply, a foil to the sultriness of the main tune. Play the flourishes in bar 32 with élan.

(Kirsten Johnson) The Man I Love (from ‘Strike Up The Band!’). Music and Lyrics by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin © 1924 (renewed) Chappell & Co Inc. Warner/Chappell North America Ltd, London, W8 5DA GERSHWIN® and GEORGE GERSHWIN® are registered trademarks of Gershwin Enterprises. IRA GERSHWIN® is a trademark of Gershwin Enterprises. Reproduced by permission of Faber Music Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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The Man I Love George Gershwin (1898–1937)

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The Barnyard Song Alwynne Pritchard

About Back in 2003, when I started writing this piece, Tony Blair was Prime Minister of the UK and George W. Bush, President of the USA. Under their leadership, British, American and other troops had invaded Iraq, in a hugely unpopular move to hunt out Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. I was one of millions of people around the world who had marched against the invasion in February of that year. My own cultural and musical experiences are a long way from Salsa’s Caribbean origins, but its open-hearted eclecticism appeals to me. Singers sing of the stuff of everyday life — love, politics and all the rest — to music that has generously absorbed and adapted a whole range of Caribbean and other musical styles. It felt to me like a form that would welcome my own frustrations and accommodate my desire to write a piece poking satirical fun at American and British politicians, at a time when I felt they had let us down badly.

In performance The Barnyard Song, cleverly draws together many rhythms from Latin American dances, using different parts of the piano to represent different instruments. The piece starts with different rhythmic layers introduced and overlaid, with bell patterns, drum patterns and a double bass figure combining to create a fun and ever-changing rhythmic counterpoint. Into this complex texture, Pritchard inserts two children’s songs, The Barnyard Song (a North American song in which the singer impersonates animals) and Ten in the Bed (an English counting song in which too many people in bed together ends up with one person being all alone). The pianist should enjoy the challenge of tackling all the many different combinations of rhythmic patterns, which build into the sound of a salsa band. There are also some tricky but showy techniques (like the octaves in the bass and the chromatic sixths in the right hand) for the pianist to impress the audience with their virtuosity.

(Alwynne Pritchard)

(Zubin Kanga)

© Copyright 2004 by Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd.

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The Barnyard Song Ten in the bed, or a song in celebration of our great and glorious political allegiances Alwynne Pritchard

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Performance: List C

The Drummer Sofia Gubaidulina from Musical Toys About As a child living in the Russian city of Kazan, Sofia Gubaidulina fell in love with the music of the accordion played by a man on her neighbourhood streets. She began taking piano lessons aged five and became fascinated with exploring the instrument, often playing with the strings rather than the keys, and experimenting with her assigned pieces, playing them on different registers of the piano. She went on to study at the Kazan and Moscow Conservatories; at the time of her graduation she was already seen as a controversial composer, on a ‘mistaken’ path. She was encouraged to continue on this path by Shostakovich, who was a source of inspiration for the young Gubaidulina. Although she is one of the most sought-after composers living today, she spent a large part of her career not being able to hear her work performed, as in 1979 she was blacklisted by the Soviet government and her music wasn’t allowed to be broadcast or published.

In performance The Drummer, by the great Russian composer, Sofia Gubaidulina, is full of energy and sarcastic wit, reminiscent of her compatriot, Dmitri Shostakovich. The opening sounds like carnival music that has been twisted into something more strange and frightening. The left hand plays a drumming pattern, while the right hand dances on top in a whirling melody. Both descend into the bass of the piano for a double-drumming interlude before ascending in a flurry to the top of the instrument for a shrill reprise, sounding like the piccolo in a marching band. Obsessive repetition and syncopation ramp up the tension before a playful, quirky ending. Though there is a temptation to thump out the drumming part loudly; a lighter touch, with punchy accents, will be more effective. There are some virtuosic arpeggio passages in the right hand that need care, but they will be thrilling for the audience when mastered. (Zubin Kanga)

© Copyright by Musikverlag Hans Sikorski, Hamburg. Sole Publisher for the UK, British Commomwealth (Excluding Canada), Eire and South Africa: Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd.

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The Drummer from Musical Toys Sofia Gubaidulina

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DISCUSSION

REQUIREMENTS • Short discussion with the examiner

This part of the exam provides an opportunity to communicate your understanding and interpretation of the pieces performed, and your knowledge of musical fundamentals.

The examiner will ask questions about the pieces performed in the exam. They will be looking for you to speak with confidence and to be able to clearly articulate your answers, using appropriate vocabulary. The examiner will also ask questions about your knowledge and understanding of musical fundamentals. The following page contains examples of the type of questions which may be asked at Grade 8. The current syllabus should be consulted for the full list of the requirements at this grade.

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Sample questions • How do you feel your performance of this piece went today? • What was the most difficult part of the piece to learn? • What can you tell me about the composer of this piece? • What performance issues are there in interpreting the music of this period? • Can you identify this chord? • Can you name and explain the meaning of this ornament? • What is the cadence in these bars? • Can you discuss the form and tonality of this piece?

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SIGHT READING

REQUIREMENTS • Performance of a short, previously unseen piece of music

One minute of preparation time will be given, during which you may study and try out parts of the test before performance. The following are examples of the style and standard of Grade 8 sight reading tests.

Example 1

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Example 2

Example 3

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AURAL TESTS

REQUIREMENTS • Test 1 • Test 2 These aural tests are designed to assess your listening ability and musicianship. The following are examples of Grade 8 aural tests.

Test 1

A short harmonised passage will be played. You will then be asked a selection of the questions below: • • • •

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to identify the time signature to identify whether the passage is in a major or minor key to suggest an appropriate tempo marking to describe and identify any particularly noticeable aspects of the dynamics, phrasing, articulation, modulation, ornamentation, texture etc to suggest a musical style (Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Twentieth Century or Modern, Jazz / Popular) to identify any interval in the melodic line between two successive notes, up to and including a major 10th (the two pitches will be played again, as occurring in the melody) to clap back, or identify and describe, the note values (rhythmic values) of a short phrase (1 to 2 bars), taken from the passage and played again in an unharmonised version to identify a cadence, taken from the passage, played again by the examiner.

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Renaissance

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Baroque

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Classical

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Romantic

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Twentieth century / Popular

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Test 2

You will be given a copy of the score for the passage played in Test 1; without phrasing, tempo, articulation or dynamic markings. The passage will be played once again in full; further shorter sections may also be played again, sometimes with changes in phrasing, tempo, articulation and / or dynamics. You will be asked a selection of the questions below: • • • •

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to name the key to identify modulations to identify ornaments to describe the overall form (in addition to those specified for Grade 7, these may include ABCA, ABCBA, AA BA, ABA B and similar structures, as well as more organic forms, or forms based on imitative or fugal structures) to identify simple melodic, rhythmic or harmonic devices such as sequence, inversion, repetition, pedal points, augmentation / diminution, motivic development etc to identify changes in phrasing, tempo, articulation and / or dynamics in short passages (up to 2 bars), played in two different styles by the examiner

Candidate copies are available as free downloads from the LCM Examinations website.

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LCM Examinations University of West London St Mary’s Road London W5 5RF 020 8231 2364 lcme.uwl.ac.uk [email protected]

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