Piano Exam Pieces 202152022 Piano Exam Pieces ABRSM Initial Grade Selected from the 2021 & 2022 syllabusABRSM Piano Exams Here are some key points to help you prepare for your Initial Grade. Here cy tial Grade exam, All requirements are valid u ecemt 2022, More detailed information on the sylabus requirements and syllabus overlap details can be fou an a a www.abrsm.org/piano. In the exam, the requirements can be taken in any order. a Pieces This book contains nine pieces from ABRSM’s 2021 & 2022 Initial Grade Piano syllabus. In the exam, you will need to play three pieces, one from each of the three syllabus lists (A, Band C). 4 (3x30 marks) You can choose from the pieces in this book and/or the other pieces set for the grade: a full lists on the opposite page. You may perform a duet for one of your pieces. You will need to follow all da capo (D.C.) and dal segno (D.S,) indications but other repeats (including first-time bars) should not be played unless they are very short (i.e. ofa few bars) or unless the syllabus specifies differently. Scales and arpeggios (21 marks) Learning scales and arpeggios helps you to build strong technical skills by developing reliable finger movement, hand position, co-ordination and keyboard fluency. Italso helps you to develop your musical understanding through familiarity with keys and their related patterns. You can find a complete list of scales and arpeggios required for Initial Grade in the back of this book. In the exam, scales and arpeggios should be played from memory and without pedalling, You are free to start at any octave, provided the required ranges are covered. For further details, please see the syllabus. Sight-reading Learning to sight-read helps you to develop quick recognition of keys, tonality and common rhythm patterns. It also helps you to learn to keep going even when you make mistakes, and work music out for yourself - which makes learning new pieces quicker and easier. In the exam, you will be asked to play a short piece of music that you have not seen before. You will be given halfa minute to look through and, ifyou wish, try out all or any part of the test before you are asked to play it to the examiner for assessment. For the full sight-reading parameters, please see the syllabus. Aural tests ‘Aural skills enable you to assess the sound and balance of your playing, keep in time and play with a: of rhythm and pulse. These skills also help you to develop your sense of pitch, your musical memory to spot any mistakes, In the exam, the tests will be administered by the examiner from the piano, and you will be asked: a Toclap the pulse of a piece played by the examiner ; b- Toclap as ‘echoes’ the rhythm of two phrases played by the examiner. ¢ Tosing as ‘echoes’ two phrases played by the examiner. : To answer a question about one feature of a piece played by the examiner. For more detailed information on the tests, please see the syllabus, Editorial guidance 4 We have taken the pieces in this book from a variety of so you prepare for your performance. We have added fingering, Jealisations, Details of other changes or suggestions are given in the fo for guidance only: you do not have to follow them in the exam.Piano Exam Pieces ABRSM Initial Grade Selected from the 2021 & 2022 syllabus Name Date of exam Contents page ust A 1 Dorothy Parke A Marching Tune: No. | from Tunetime. 2 2 Michael Praetorius Gavotte in G: from Terpsichore, arr. Jones 4 3 Trad. English This old man, arr, Blackwell s usTB 1 Yvonne Adair The Lost Bone: No. 9 from Little Dog Tales a 2 June Armstrong Under the Acacia Tree: from Safart 3 Béla Barték Dialogue: from First Term at the Piano ie ust.c 1 Alan Bullard Dodgems: from Party Time! On Holiday 9 2 Nikki les ‘The Elephant Parade 10 3 Wana Loudové Medvidek USéGek: No.1 from Poldky na dobrou noe n Editor for ABRSM: Richard Jones Footnotes: Sally Cathcart and Richard Jones Other pieces for Initial Grade ust A 4 Gurlitt Dance (No.2 from Das Kleines Konzert, Op.227). Music Pathways: Repertoire, Level 3A (Car Fischer) 5 Humbert ‘The Black Forest Dll No.3 from Allee Spielzeug (Schott) 6 Kabalevsky A Little Scherzo: No.6 from 24 Fasy Pieces, Op. 39 (Boosey & Hawkes) 7 A.Reinagle Allegretto: No.9 rom 24 Short and Easy Pieces, Op. 1 (Schott) or Planssimo: Plano Piccolo (Schott) 8 Bertram Sehattel Recing Against Each Other (primo part No. 12 from For Rosalie and Finn (pp. 28-24) (Brltkopt Harte) OUET| 9 Trad, Irish John Ryan's Polka arr. Blackwel. Piano Star 2(ABRSM) 10. Elste Wells Donkey Ride (from Sea Pictures, St 1) (primo part. Duets with a Difference: Pano Time Duets Book (OUP) uer IsTB 4. June Armstrong Butterfly (primo part). Piano Star Duets(ABRSM) ®UEY 5 Pauline Hall ‘The Secret Garden (pedalling optional) Piano Time Pieces 1 (OUP) 6 Alison Mathews Salling Under a Moonlit Sky (una corda optional). Mosaic, Vo. 2 (Editions Musica Ferrumn) 7 Christopher Norton Enchanted Castle (primo par) No.6 from The Mlerojazz Duets Collection 1 (Boosey & Hawkes) BURT 8 Orff No.1 (Grom Two Pieces). From Bartdkto Stravinsky (Schott) 3 Satie What the Little Princess Tulip Says (No.2 from Menus propos enfants) Satie: Nine Children’s Peces ABRSM) or Pianissimo: Plano Plecolo (Schott) 10 Pam Wedgwood Whirleybird: No.2 from Up-Grade! Piano Grades 0-1 (Faber) or Pam Wedgwood: Piano for Fun (Faber) ust 1 Pauline Hall & Paul Drayton Stegosaurus Stomp: from Prehistoric Piano Time (OUP) eather lammond Acton tations. Piao Sar 2(ABRSM) 6 Mark Tanner Wonkey Donkey. Pano Star 2(RBRSM) + Alen Haughton Treading Carefully Plano Time Going Places (OUP) Eton John ust Can't Waitt Be King (rom The Lin King) nN. &R aber student part wih repent) Faber Staio Colton: Selections from ShowTime Piano, Level 2A (Faber Piano Adventures) UE 8 Gerald Martin Boogie No.1. The Joy of Boogie and Blues (Yorktown Music Press) 10 Jane Sebba The Grand Waltz (primo part) Piano Magic Duets, Book 1 (Collins Music) EF Fanshedin 200 AMS (Pushing) a holy omned—Unauborsed photocopying tes Miran Bove a alte tonon ECs, Aig ere No partes puicon Cierny hae ejay Pts wis to ihn Clee Unstea angdom ‘naj bereoduced code ortnamited Ped a ng by Haan Co. Li, Ameren, Boks, Ute ng ted BoudofteoyelSehoo Mase inayformot ty am meanaiboatie on mates om sua ore ‘bared wre by Oxo Unrest Press orpemisionaftecopyahtome: —PIMtesA Marching Tune No.1 from Tunetime Mareato [+ = c.116] 1 “This crisp and neat tune was written by Dorothy Parke, a composer from Northern Ireland, Imagine soldiers by the rhythmical playing of a band, especially the drums. © 1976 Dorothy Parke Reproduced by permission of Goodmusle Publishing Lid, woe goodmusicpublising cok AB 3985983985Gavotte in G from Terpsichore Arranged by Richard Jones Michael Praetori asm _Agavotte i lively dance with two beats ina bar Although the composer Michael Praetorius was a church organist, he cleatye ashe wrote over 300 dances ina set called Terpschore. In this Gavote the contrast of dynaiics, slurs and staccato gvesit aleve {© 2020 by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music i 83985Oy is eat This old man ‘Arranged by David Blackwell At a moderate speed [2 = c.120] sold man’ is traditional English children's nursery shyme and counting song. The words ofthe ist verse are: ‘This old man, he played one, He played knick-knack on my thumb, Knick-knack paddywhack, Giveadoga bone, This old man came rolling home {In this arrangement, the tune is often shared between the two hands. (©2016 by The Asocated Hoa ofthe Royal Schoo of Mus Reproduced from lana Star? (ABRSM) 983985 Trad. EnglishOne ‘omake The Lost Bone ae No. 9 from Little Dog Tales ‘Yvonne Adair (0897-1989) Mesto [sad « = c.104] 2 sempre pp a 2 This from a set of pieces called Litle Dog Tales by Ywonne Adair. The hero of the story is a naughty puppy called Boots Boots has just dropped his bone so that he can chase rabbits. According tothe story, when he finds there are no rabbits about he ‘com Heis very depressed.” In the exam, the small, bracketed notes in bars 4 and 12 are optional. © Coprtight 1834 by Boosey & Co Led Reproduced by permission of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers id. 1s back and finds his bone gone, AB 3985Under the Acacia Tree from Safari June Armstrong (born 1951) ol bk : ; Bedworld The simple, repeated left-hand rhythm and smooth, stepwise moving melody help to ereate the calm and peaceful atmosphere of sitting under ‘n.acacia tre in Africa. The piece is from Safari, a collection of 28 characterful pieces by composer une Armstrong, ©Copyright une Armstrong2016 ‘wwonjunearmstrong.com AB 3985authorised opis otis copyright Dialogue from First Term at the Piano Béla Bartok (1881-1945) ‘The Hungarian compose Bela artk was fine plant who wrote a number of collections of pieces for iano students, including Fist Tenn ‘he Piano which this piece comes fom. The twohandshave aconverstion throughout with the let handinitatingtheighthannatecrena ach ime. Although the composers metonome marin 4~96, students may preter a quicker tempo, or examples e10B The bars, 9, 19 and 15 are edo. suggestions ony ‘With kind permission of aio Musica Budapest Zenemdkiad6 Lid AB 3985| Cites make uted Dodgems from Party Time! On Holiday Alan Bullard Keeping to the left J = 88 (orn 1947) P poco a poco cresc. £ | very tong SEF pause | ppp mele 2 a 3 Dodgems are fairground cats that bump into each other, sometimes getting into such a tangle they come to a complete halt. There are big, contrasts in dynannis in this piece by British composer Alan Bullard, with lots of drama ana few crashes along the way. Its up (othe performer todectde how long it takes to reset the dodgem cars in the pauses The indication Keeping to the left isa reference to driving onthe left-hand side ofthe road (as isthe ease inthe United Kingdon, something that ant required sen riding the dodgems! Although the composer's metronome mark is J = Bf, students may prefer a slower tempo, for ‘example J = 680, © 1998 by The Assclated Board ofthe Royal Schools of Musle Reproduced fom Bala: Party Time! On Holiday (BRM) AB 3985Nikki les (bomn 1963) Imagine long line of elephants lumbering heavily along, Th litte unsteady at times. The composer of this piece, NikkI (© 2020 by The Assocated Hoard of the Roya Schools of Muse taccato and tenuto markings, along withthe accents, suggest theline well-known British jazz pianist and composer. AB 3985,1 Ay ts O tesa! The Long-Eared Bear S Medvidek Usaéek No. 1 from Pohddky na dobrou noc Ivana Loudova Allegretto [+ = c.120] (9941-2017) Czech composer vana Loudové andi the first often small piano pieces with the name Pohdky na dobrou noe (Good rear who became popular on Polish television inthe 1870s. The bear's name Is Medvidek USACek (or ‘pisode, just before he goes to bed, he tells story about the events of his day. This fst plece sets ‘matching the opening notes. The last chord is very quiet ~maybe the bear has This piece was written by ‘Night Fairytales), tis perhaps inspired by a bt Mis Uszatek in the original Polish) and in each e the seene for the fairy tales, perhaps with the words ‘time for bed" fallen asleep? © 1906 Schott Music Panton Reproduced by permission. ll rights reserved.