Your clarinet grade 8 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. Brahms Allegro amabile: 1st movt from Sonata in Eb, Op. 120 No. 2 (Wiener Urtext UT 50016) or Brahms Sonatas, Op. 120 (Henle HN 274)
    2. Devienne Allegro spiritoso or Allegretto: 1st or 3rd movt from Sonata in Bb, Op. 70 No. 1 (Edition HH)
    3. C. Kreutzer Variations, Op. 36 (omitting Vars 2 and 3) (Musica Rara MR 2260)
    4. Lazarus Fantasia on Airs from ‘I Puritani’ (omitting ‘Credeasi misera’) (Chester CH55881)
    5. Mercadante Andante con variazioni: 2nd movt from Concerto in Bb (Billaudot GB3447)
    6. Reinecke Intermezzo (Allegretto grazioso) or Finale (Allegro molto): 2nd or 4th movt from ‘Undine’ Sonata, Op. 167 (Wiener Urtext UT 50263: A edition)
    7. Saint-Saëns Molto allegro: 4th movt from Sonata in Eb, Op. 167 (Henle HN 965 or Durand)
    8. Schumann Lebhaft, leicht and Rasch und mit Feuer: Nos 2 and 3 from Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 (Peters EP 2366 or Henle HN 416: A/Bb edition)
    9. Spohr Adagio: 2nd movt from Concerto No. 2 in Eb, Op. 57 (Peters EP 2098b)
    10. Weber Allegro or Rondo (Allegretto): 1st or 3rd movt from Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73 (Henle HN 731 or Boosey & Hawkes)

    LIST B

    1. M. Arnold Scherzetto (Queen’s Temple Publications QT43)
    2. R. R. Bennett Troubadour Music (Novello NOV956934)
    3. Camilleri 1st movt: from Divertimento No. 2 (Fairfield–Novello NOV750023)
    4. Chevreuille Semplice (not observing 8va in bb. 96–97): 1st movt from Sonatine, Op. 94 (CeBeDeM)
    5. Copland Allegretto giusto: 3rd movt from Sonata (Boosey & Hawkes)
    6. Finzi Fughetta: No. 5 from Five Bagatelles (Boosey & Hawkes)
    7. Edward Gregson To Béla Bartók: No. 5 from Tributes (Novello NOV091146)
    8. Milhaud Vif (Allegro) or Brazileira: 1st or 3rd movt from Scaramouche (Salabert)
    9. Poulenc Allegro tristamente: 1st movt from Sonata (Chester CH70972)
    10. Christo Yotzov The Revelation (Emerson E515)

    LIST C

    1. J. S. Bach Giga (from BWV 1004) or Presto (from BWV 1001). No. 19 or No. 20 from J. S. Bach 21 Pieces for Clarinet, trans. Giampieri (Ricordi)
    2. Paul Harris Allegro agitato: 1st movt from Sonata da Camera for solo clarinet (Queen’s Temple Publications QT2)
    3. Paul Harvey I Got Rhythm: No. 1 from Three Etudes on Themes of Gershwin for solo clarinet (Emerson E177)
    4. John Mayer Megha (Rainy Season) and Pilu (Evening): Nos 2 and 6 from Raga Music for solo clarinet (Lengnick)
    5. I. Müller Study in G# minor or Study in G minor. No. 76 or No. 78 from 80 Graded Studies for Clarinet, Book 2 (Faber)
    6. Wiedemann Capriccio. No. 75 from 80 Graded Studies for Clarinet, Book 2 (Faber)
    7. Roger Purcell Fantasy: P. 66 from Scaling the Heights (Astute Music)
    8. C. Rose after Ferling Study in Db: No. 32 from 32 Etudes for Clarinet (Carl Fischer)

    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 Clarinet 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 Clarinet Grades 6-8 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 6-8 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grade 8 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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