Your grade 5 double bass 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. Corelli Sarabanda (Largo): 3rd movt from Sonata in D minor [C minor], trans. Zimmermann (IMC 1766)
    2. attrib. Giovannino Adagio and Aria staccata e allegra: 1st and 2nd movts from Sonata in A minor (Yorke YE0008)
    3. Handel Bourree. No. 8 from Suzuki Bass School, Vol. 3, Revised Edition (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0376S: piano accomp. published separately, 0377S)
    4. S. Paxton Allegretto: 1st movt from Sonata in D, Op. 3 No. 2, trans. Elliott (Bartholomew 005)
    5. Rameau Dance. No. 68 from Bass is Best! Yorke Mini-Bass Book 2, arr. Emery and Barratt (Yorke YE0098)
    6. Rameau Le Lardon and La Boiteuse. Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2, arr. Slatford (ABRSM)

    LIST B

    1. Fauré Autumn (Op. 18 No. 3) Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2, arr. Slatford (ABRSM)
    2. Spohr Allegro (from String Quartet, Op. 4 No. 2) Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2, arr. Slatford (ABRSM)
    3. Massenet Mélodie (Op. 10), arr. Zimmermann Festival Performance Solos – String Bass (Carl Fischer BF5: piano accomp. published separately, BF6)
    4. Trad. The Jolly Dutchman, arr. Isaac Festival Performance Solos – String Bass (Carl Fischer BF5: piano accomp. published separately, BF6)
    5. Chester Minkler A Gaelic Melody. No. 11 from Suzuki Bass School, Vol. 3, Revised Edition (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0376S: piano accomp. published separately, 0377S)
    6. Pascal Proust Le bon barbu rond (Combre C06174)

    LIST C

    1. L. Bernstein Cool (from West Side Story). Amazing Solos for Double Bass, arr. Schofield (Boosey & Hawkes) accomp.
    2. Bottesini Study No. 18 or No. 32: from Method for Double Bass, Part 1 (Yorke YE0076) solo
    3. Tyrone Brown Walking Song (p. 14 only, observing 1st repeat): from Compositions for Bass (Mel Bay) solo
    4. I. Carroll Polish Mazurka or Cuban Rumba: from Five National Dances (Stainer & Bell H290) accomp.
    5. Miles Davis So What, arr. Swaim. No. 10 from Suzuki Bass School, Vol. 3, Revised Edition (Alfred–Summy-Birchard 0376S: piano accomp. published separately, 0377S) accomp.
    6. Ray Henderson Black Bottom. Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2, arr. Slatford (ABRSM) accomp.
    7. L. Shitte Étude. No. 63 from Bass is Best! Yorke Mini-Bass Book 2, arr. Emery and Barratt (Yorke YE0098) solo or accomp.

    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 Double Bass Grades 1-5 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 Double Bass 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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