Your descant (soprano) recorder grade 4 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. Aubert Le Moulinet I and II. Nos 18a and b from Baroque Recorder Anthology, Vol. 2 (Soprano) (Schott ED 13135)
    2. Caix d’Hervelois Muzette. No. 19 from Baroque Recorder Anthology, Vol. 2 (Soprano) (Schott ED 13135)
    3. Babell Air or Giga: 2nd or 4th movt from Sonata No. 3 in G minor (Doblinger DM1220)
    4. Handel Rondeau and Gigue (G minor): from Almira. Handel Ballet Music for Descant Recorder, arr. Bali and Kecskeméti (Editio Musica Budapest Z.14408)
    5. Hook Allegretto (from Sonata in G, Op. 99 No. 2). Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 2, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    6. Purcell Hornpipe (from The Married Beau) and Hornpipe (from The Fairy Queen). Nos 1 and 8 from Purcell A Second Set of Theatre Tunes for Descant Recorder, arr. Beechey (Schott ED 12294)
    7. Stölzel Bist Du bei mir. World Famous Classics for Recorder, arr. Cowles (Fentone F837-401: piano accomp. published separately, F838-401)
    8. Telemann La Badinerie Italienne. No. 5 from Miscellaneous Dances from Telemann’s Ouvertures, Book 1 (Descant), arr. Robinson (Peacock Press PAR116)
    9. Telemann Siciliana and Allegro: 1st and 2nd movts from Partita No. 2 in G, TWV 41:G2. No. 8 from First Repertoire Pieces for Recorder (Descant), arr. Rosenberg (Boosey & Hawkes) or Telemann Die kleine Kammermusik: 6 Partien (Amadeus BP 2400 or Bärenreiter HM 47)

    LIST B

    1. Brian Bonsor Get up and Go! or Waltz for Mo: No. 1 or No. 5 from Jazzy Recorder 2 (Universal UE 19364)
    2. Colin Cowles Volting!: from Power Up! for Recorder (Fentone F870-400)
    3. Fauré Pavane (Op. 50). World Famous Classics for Recorder, arr. Cowles (Fentone F837-401: piano accomp. published separately, F838-401)
    4. Sasha Johnson Manning Cowboys with Lutes: No. 3 from A Birthday Garland for Descant Recorder (Forsyth)
    5. Bryan Kelly Jig: No. 4 from Globe Theatre Suite for Descant Recorder (Stainer & Bell H452)
    6. Lichner Zu Hause (Op. 134 No. 6). Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 2, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    7. Christopher Norton Catwalk: No. 13 from Microjazz for Recorder (Descant) (Boosey & Hawkes)
    8. Regner Presto: 3rd movt from Pfiffikus (Clever Clogs) (Schott OFB 210)
    9. Geoffry Russell-Smith Fred ’n’ Ginger or Ragtime Razzle: No. 2 or No. 3 from Jazzy Recorder 1 (Universal UE 18828)

    LIST C

    1. Sally Adams Fred’s Frolic. No. 29 from 50 Graded Studies for Recorder (Faber)
    2. Kathryn Bennetts Waltz for Anna. Time Pieces for Descant/Soprano Recorder, Vol. 2, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
    3. Alan Davis Turdus Merula (Blackbird): from Cantus Avium et Volatus (Peacock Press P239)
    4. van Eyck Doen Daphne d’over schoone Maeght (Theme and Modo 2). No. 26 from van Eyck Der Fluyten Lusthof: The Beginners’ Collection (XYZ 1042)
    5. Matthias Maute Pedal Point or Still Summer: from Three Songs for Soprano Recorder. Spielbuch 1 (Ricordi Sy 2614)
    6. Jan Nykl Study in C or Study in Bb: No. 7 or No. 10 from 35 Studies for Soprano Recorder (Bärenreiter Praha H7132)
    7. Sarah Watts Coffee Bean Carnival! First Repertoire for Descant Recorder, arr. Adams (Faber)

    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 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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