Your descant (soprano) recorder grade 3 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. Anon. English Watkins Ale. No. 25 from Spielbuch for Descant Recorder, arr. Hechler (Moeck 2076)
    2. Handel Menuett. No. 41 from Spielbuch for Descant Recorder, arr. Hechler (Moeck 2076)
    3. attrib. J. S. Bach March (from Anna Magdalena’s Note Book). Aus Notenbüchern des 18 Jahrhunderts for Soprano Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Donath (Hofmeister FH2901)
    4. Beethoven Maigesang (Op. 52 No. 4), arr. Bullard Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    5. Susato Basse danse bergeret (from Musyck Boexken), arr. Bullard Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    6. Gluck Aria (from Orfeo ed Euridice). Winner Scores All for Descant Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    7. Haydn Pastorale: 1st movt from Partie in G, arr. Bergmann. First Repertoire for Descant Recorder, arr. Adams (Faber)
    8. M. Praetorius La bourrée. No. 17 from The Renaissance Recorder (Descant), arr. Rosenberg (Boosey & Hawkes)
    9. Purcell Rondo (from The Fairy Queen). No. 8 from Baroque Recorder Anthology, Vol. 2 (Soprano) (Schott ED 13135) or No. 4 from Purcell A Second Set of Theatre Tunes for Descant Recorder, arr. Beechey (Schott ED 12294)

    LIST B

    1. Paulo Conte At Sunset. First Repertoire for Descant Recorder, arr. Adams (Faber)
    2. Alan Haughton Seven Seas Hornpipe or Stroll On: from Fun Club for Descant Recorder, Grade 2–3 (Kevin Mayhew: piano accomp. and part published in Teacher Copy)
    3. Sasha Johnson Manning A Tale: No. 5 from A Birthday Garland for Descant Recorder (Forsyth)
    4. Joplin The Strenuous Life Winner Scores All for Descant Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    5. Tchaikovsky Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy Winner Scores All for Descant Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
    6. Bryan Kelly Air or Song (i): No. 3 or No. 6 from Globe Theatre Suite for Descant Recorder (Stainer & Bell H452)
    7. Christopher Norton Marina or Chicago Blues: No. 10 or No. 12 from Microjazz for Recorder (Descant) (Boosey & Hawkes)
    8. Prokofiev March (from Musiques d’enfants, Op. 65). Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    9. Geoffry Russell-Smith Warm and Cosy or Lumpy Custard Blues: from Easy Blue Recorder (Descant) (Universal UE 21354)

    LIST C

    1. Peter Bowman Winter Solstice. Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    2. Elizabeth Cooper Cheeky Sparrow (unaccompanied): No. 8 from The Woodpecker and Friends for Descant Recorder (Kirklees Music)
    3. van Eyck Janneman en Alemoer (complete). No. 11 from van Eyck Der Fluyten Lust-hof: The Beginners’ Collection (XYZ 1042)
    4. Jan Nykl Study in G or Study in C: No. 8 or No. 22 from 35 Studies for Soprano Recorder (Bärenreiter Praha H7132)
    5. Playford ’Twas within a Furlong of Edinburgh Town. No. 23 from 50 Graded Studies for Recorder (Faber)
    6. Trad. English Sailor’s Hornpipe. No. 47 from 50 for Fun, arr. Bonsor (Schott ED 12269)
    7. Sarah Watts Study in Orange or Study in Pink: from Fresh Air for Descant Recorder (Kevin Mayhew)

    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 Recorder 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 Recorder 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 1-3 Book (a guide with tests) and/or ABRSM Specimen Sight-Reading Tests Grades 1-3 Book (specimen tests).

     

    *Information correct at time of publishing 14.03.16


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