Your treble (alto) recorder grade 2 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
- Anon. La rocha el fuso, arr. Bullard Time Pieces for Treble/Alto Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
- Mozart Allegro (K. 3) Time Pieces for Treble/Alto Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
- Clarke The Prince of Denmark’s March Easy Baroque Repertoire for Treble Recorder, arr. Hooker (Peacock Press P200)
- Handel March (from Scipione) Easy Baroque Repertoire for Treble Recorder, arr. Hooker (Peacock Press P200)
- Gervaise Pavane la Venissiene. No. 1 from First Repertoire Pieces for Recorder (Treble), arr. Rosenberg (Boosey)
- Playford The Merry Milkmaids (from Three English Country Dances). No. 14 from The Renaissance Recorder(Treble), arr. Rosenberg (Boosey & Hawkes)
- Susato Pavane – Si par souffrir. No. 19 from Susato Danserye: Selected Dances, arr. Robinson (Peacock Press PAR128) or No. 2 from First Repertoire Pieces for Recorder (Treble), arr. Rosenberg (Boosey & Hawkes)
- Telemann Andante (from Partita No. 1) or Pastourelle, arr. Bergmann. Concert Repertoire for Recorder, arr. Adams (Faber)
- Vivaldi Largo from Concerto, RV 87. No. 1 from Vivaldi Slow Movements for Recorder (Treble), arr. Robinson (Peacock Press PAR105)
LIST B
- Burt Bacharach Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head Winner Scores All for Treble Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
- Schubert Briar-Rose (Heidenröslein) Winner Scores All for Treble Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
- Bartók Sorrow (from For Children, Vol. 2) Time Pieces for Treble/Alto Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
- MacDowell To a Wild Rose (from Woodland Sketches) Time Pieces for Treble/Alto Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
- Elizabeth Cooper Sly Fox and Boasting Baboon (accompanied): Nos 4 and 5 from Animal Antics for Treble Recorder (Peacock Press P45)
- Ivanovici Waves of the Danube. Treble Recorder Medley, arr. da Costa and Adams (Cramer)
- Duncan Reid Spooky Serenade or Daphne Donkey. No. 2 or No. 4 from Duncan and Paul’s Shopping List for Treble Recorder (Sunshine Music SUN306)
- Ridout Up and Down Hill: No. 3 from A Day in the Country for Treble Recorder (ABRSM)
- Jack Trombey Eyelevel (Theme from ‘Van der Valk’). Winners Galore for Treble Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind: piano accomp. published separately)
LIST C
- Anon. No. 2 from Tunes for the Parrot or No. 2 from Tunes for the Starling. The Bird Fancyer’s Delight (Schott ED 10442)
- Kathryn Bennetts Fancy. Time Pieces for Treble/Alto Recorder, Vol. 1, arr. Bennetts and Bowman (ABRSM)
- Clarke Jigg. P. 6 from Einzelstücke und Suiten (Schott OFB 21)
- Doris da Costa Study No. 5 or Study No. 9. Treble Recorder Studies, Book 1 (Cramer)
- Hans Keuning Tempo di Minuetto or Scherzando: No. 3 or No. 7 from 25 Studies for Treble Recorder (Harmonia XHU2164)
- Moderne Pavane – Il estoit une fillette. No. 5 from 50 Renaissance Dance Tunes, arr. Capek (Schott ED 12266)
- Trad. American Buffalo Girls. Winner Scores All for Treble Recorder, arr. Lawrance (Brass Wind)
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