Your bassoon grade 5 ABRSM exam will be marked out of 150 and you will need a total of 100 marks to Pass, 120 marks for a Merit and 130 marks for a Distinction.  The exam comprises of four main areas:

    Pieces

    In your exam you are required to play three pieces (worth up to 30 marks each), one from each of the three lists, A, B and C below:

    LIST A

    1. J. S. Bach Sinfonia (from Cantata No. 156). No. 1 from Second Book of Bassoon Solos, arr. Hilling and Bergmann (Faber)
    2. Beethoven Bagatelle (Op. 119 No. 1). Time Pieces for Bassoon, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    3. Boismortier Allegro: 2nd movt from Sonata in D minor, Op. 50 No. 4. Boismortier Two Sonatas, Op. 50 Nos 4–5 (Musica Rara MR 2169)
    4. Corrette Arias 1 and 2: 2nd movt from Sonata No. 2 in D minor. Corrette Les Délices de la Solitude, Op. 20, Vol. 1 (Schott ED 12209)
    5. Galliard Spiritoso e Allegro: 4th movt from Sonata No. 2 in G (Schott FAG 4) or Galliard Six Sonatas, Vol. 1 (IMC 2114)
    6. Merci Allemanda: 1st movt from Sonata in G minor, Op. 3 No. 4 (Schott ED 10402)
    7. Mozart Andante: 2nd movt from Sonata in Bb, K. 292 (Bärenreiter BA 6974 or Henle HN 827 or Chester CH55239) or No. 3 from Bassoon Solos, Vol. 1 (Chester CH55092)
    8. Telemann Largo: 1st movt from Sonatina in C minor. Telemann 2 Sonatinas for Bassoon (Schott FAG 26)
    9. Telemann Triste or Vivace: 1st or 4th movt from Sonata in F minor, TWV 41:f1 (Amadeus BP 0665)

    LIST B

    1. Francis Baines Introduction and Hornpipe (Schott ED 10531)
    2. Alan Bullard Blue Bassoon (Spartan Press SP1198)
    3. Ivor Foster Rondo, Op. 10 No. 2 (Stainer & Bell 2577)
    4. Grainger Shepherd’s Hey Time Pieces for Bassoon, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    5. Prokofiev The Montagues and the Capulets (from Romeo and Juliet) Time Pieces for Bassoon, Vol. 2, arr. Denley (ABRSM)
    6. Ridout 3rd movt: from Sonata (Emerson E109)
    7. Hynek Vojaček Scherzo – Kolomyjka. No. 9 from Bassoon Solos, Vol. 1 (Chester CH55092)
    8. James Walker A la Russe (Weinberger)
    9. Wolf-Ferrari Strimpellata or Canzone: 2nd or 3rd movt from Suite-Concertino in F, Op. 16 (Ricordi)

    LIST C

    1. John Burness Variations 1 and 3: from Variations (Paterson’s PAT60501)
    2. Concone Study No. 16 or Study No. 30: from The Singing Bassoon, arr. Emerson (Emerson E281)
    3. Brian Israel Polka or Waltz: No. 1 or No. 2 from Dance Suite (Tritone Press)
    4. Michael Rose Mazurka or Scena: from A Miscellany for Bassoon, Book 2 (ABRSM)
    5. Philip Sparke Party Piece: No. 40 from Skilful Studies for Bassoon (Anglo Music AMP 365-401)
    6. Weissenborn Study in F# minor (P. 26 No. 20) or Study in B minor (P. 27 No. 22) or Study in E minor (P. 29 No. 24): from Bassoon Studies, Op. 8, Vol. 1 (Peters EP 2277a)
    7. Weissenborn Study No. 4 or Study No. 5: from Bassoon Studies, Op. 8, Vol. 2 (Peters EP 2277b)

    Scales & Arpeggios

    As part of your exam you are also required to play scales & arpeggios from memory (worth up to 21 marks) - please see the ABRSM Bassoon Grades 1-8 Scale Book

    Sight-Reading Test

    You will also be required to sight-read some music that you have not seen before (worth up to 21 marks) - to prepare for this part of your exam please see the ABRSM Bassoon Grades 1-5 Sight-Reading Book which has a selection of specimen sight-reading pieces.

    Aural Tests

    In another part of your exam you will be required to complete a set of aural tests challenging your musicianship (worth up to 18 marks). To help prepare for this please see the ABRSM Aural Training in Practice Grades 4-5 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 4-5 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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