LCM Exams Violin Handbook: Grade 1 Introduction This publication is part of a progressive series of handbooks, primarily intended for candidates ‘considering taking London College of Music examinations in Violin. However, given each handbook's wide content of musical repertoire and associated educational material, the series provides a solid foundation of musical education for any violin student, of any age, whether they are intending to take an examination or not. ‘Accompanied pieces should be played with the piano accompaniments provided. ‘Accompanied pieces are marked with this symbol: N Examination candidates must also refer to the current LCM syllabus and repertoire list. To enter for an examination, or for more details, syllabuses and repertoire lists, please contact: LCM Examinations Thames Valley University Walpole House 18-22 Bond Street London WS SAA tel: +44 (0)20 8231 2364 fax: +44 (0)20 8231 2433, email: Icm.exams@twu.ac.uk www.tvu.ac.uk/Icmexams or your local representativeContents Technical Work Scales and Arpeggios.. Study: The Fairy Dance.... List A Arbeau: Les Bouffons. Bach: March from The Peasant Cantata .... a8) Carse: Minuet from The Fiddler's Nursery... 9 List B Trad: The Wind that Shakes the Barley 10 Barratt: Barrel Blues ... Mozart: Two Minuets...... List Trad.: What Shall we do with the Drunken Sailor? ... Knight: Sarabande. Knight: The Old Ghost Train.. Viva Voce .esscscseesssen Sight Reading... Aural TestsTechnical Work Candidates should prepare scales and arpeggios AND the study Scales and Arpeggios The following scales and arpeggios are to be played from memory in the examination: G major (two octaves) D and A major (one octave) Scales to be prepared (i) separate bows, even notes (ii) slurred with two quavers to a bow, the rhythmic pattern to each octave being crotchet, two quavers, four quavers Minimum tempo: + = 60 ‘Arpeggios to be played: —_ separate bows, even notes Minimum tempo: + = 50 G Major Separate bows nvr 1230123 0D Major Separate bows eye) a ot Su eben ee eee 68 SS se Slurred A MajorStudy All candidates must perform this study, which will be assessed as part of the technical work component of the exam. Candidates are not expected to play it from memory. The Fairy DanceList A | Les Bouffons “Les Bouffons' comes from a famous book on dance: Orchésographie (1588). It was written by Thoinot Arbeau, which is the pen name of French priest Jehan Tabourot. Orchésographie contained various dance tunes and illustrations of the dance steps. Over 300 years later, Peter Warlock used these tunes in his Caprio/ Suite (1926). The performance of this piece should be quite light. ‘Les Bouffons' is meant to represent clowns, and this can be highlighted by contrasting the slurred and staccato notes. The accents and dynamics are also important in bringing out the humour. Alla breve Arbeau © 1982 by Faber Music Ltd. Reproduced from The Young Violinist’s Repertoire Book 1 (edited by Paul de Keyser and Fanny Waterman) by permission of the publishers. All rights reserved. 7March from The Peasant Cantata This baroque piece needs to be played with long firm bows, and a steady rhythm. The phrasing needs to be carefully shaped. Notice that some phrases are repeated as echoes. Allegro moderato yyy 2 es a © 1982 by Faber Music Ltd. Reproduced from The Young Violinist’s Repertoire Book 1 (edited by Paul de Keyser and Fanny Waterman) by permission of the publishers. All rights reserved. 8| Minuet from The Fiddler's Nursery English composer and author Adam Carse (1878-1958) was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, but moved to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he later became a professor. This steady minuet is a graceful dance in 3 time. Contrast is needed between the separate and slurred bowings. The accents and dynamics are also important to the style. ° - © 1923 Stainer & Bell Ltd. 23 Gruneisen Road, London N3 1DZ. www.stainer.co.ukList B The Wind that Shakes the Barley This traditional Trish reel, with its many quavers, is a good opportunity to show off your middle bow technique and fluency of playing. The phrasing needs to be thought through to give shaping to the piece. Beginning every bar with a down bow will help with this. Moderato rn aR ee StsBarrel Blues This piece needs to be played with a relaxed and easy feel to it. Perhaps listen to other blues pieces to be aware of the style. Use full bows to achieve a rich legato tone. Carol Barratt is a piano teacher and specialist in music education. She was the first female ‘composer to be awarded the Martin Musical Scholarship for composition, and writes for a variety of instruments and ensembles. Carol Barratt © Copyright 2001 by Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd. Reproduced by permission of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd. itTwo Minuets Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) lived a short life, but wrote an incredible amount of music, beginning at a young age. These dainty minuets convey the steady and graceful style of the classical dance. The first beat of each bar should be slightly emphasised and the phrase endings should not be too heavy. Apart from the D. C. al Fine, the repeats are not required in the examination. MINUET 1 Mozart Lively minuet tempo ae Y — 4 A Minuet 1 D.C. al Fine =S4List C What Shall we do with the Drunken Sailor? Imagine this traditional sea shanty being sung by sailors in a tavern or on board their ship. Allegro con motois Italian for ‘quick and lively, with movement', so the song should be played with energy and a strong sense of rhythm. The articulation is especially important, and in the chorus (bars 9-16) the tenuto notes should be played with a firm bow. Allegro con moto mf 13Sarabande Sally Knight was trained at the Royal College of Music. She teaches the violin and arranges a variety of music for string groups. The composer of ‘Barrel Blues', Caro! Barratt, dedicated her book Bravo Violin! to Sally when it was published in 2001, In this stately sarabande, most bars begin with an up bow, so the strong beat of the bar is on the second beat. The staccato markings show that the up-beats should be played lightly. Largo, with grace Sally Knight © Copyright 2010 by LCM Publications at Thames Valley University. 14The Old Ghost Train The semiquavers in this piece depict the rumbling wheels of a ghost train approaching from a distance. The notes in bar 6 need to be carefully placed so they are heard exactly in time with the piano accompaniment. ‘The climax of the piece is in bar 9, where the train's whistle is heard and the train pulls into a station, Clear articulation and controlled bowing can be used to good effect in this imaginative piece. Sally Knight Moderato € ritmico © Copyright 2010 by LCM Publications at Thames Valley University 15Viva Voce Candidates will be engaged in a short discussion which enables the examiner to assess their understanding of musical fundamentals, and their responses to the pieces played. Here are some examples of the type of questions which may be asked at Grade One. It should be stressed that these are only examples; the list is by no means exhaustive, and the candidate should not simply learn these answers by rote. 1, Question: Answer: 2. Question: Answer: 3. Question: Answer: 4. Question: Answer: 5. Question: Answer: 6. Question: Answer: Answer: Question: What does this sign mean? [Examiner points to” in the music] The note should be played with a down bow. What does this curved line mean? [Examiner points to a slur] Itis a slur. All the notes within the slur are to be played with a single bow. Which is the strongest bow stroke, the up or down bow? The down bow is stronger, as it is played from the heel. This end of the bow is closer to the hand, which makes the down bow heavier. What dynamic is written if the music is to be played loudly? Forte. What does the line under this note mean .? [Examiner points to a tenuto marking] More emphasis should be given to the note, and it should be held for its full length: Can you point to a crotchet rest in your music? [Candidate points to a crotchet rest. Which of the pieces that you played today is your favourite? “The Wind that Shakes the Barley’ The tune goes round in a pattern which is easy for the fingers to remember. 16Sight Reading Following are examples of the style and standard of LCM Grade One sight reading tests: Moderato Pp cresc. St im. P 17Allegro ‘Andante 18Aural Tests Grade candidates will be asked to complete some aural tests, designed to assess the candidate's listening ability and musicianship. The following are examples of LCM Grade One aural tests: Rhythm Test 1a Identify the time signature as ‘2' or [2 marks] Allegretto i) mf Moderato iit) 19Test 1b Clap or tap on each pulse beat, in time, in 2 or 3 time, accenting the first [2 marks] beat of each bar, as the examiner plays the passage again. NB. Candidates may elect to respond to tests 1(a) and 1(b) in reverse order. In this case, the examiner should be informed in advance of the tests being administered. Pitch Test 2a Identify as ‘first’ or ‘second’ which of two notes played consecutively is [1 mark] EITHER the higher OR the lower (at the examiner's discretion). vil vill Test 2b Sing back one of the two notes as requested. The examiner will play the [1 mark] two notes again and say: "Sing the 1st/2nd note I played” OR "Sing the higher/lower of the two notes I played’. Test 2c Sing clearly the missing final tonic of a short melody in a major key. (2 marks} The key chord will be sounded. 20LCM Exams Violin Handbook: Grade 1 Piano Accompaniment Les Bouffons March..... Minuet «.......sss een em Sarabande ... The Old Ghost Train...Les Bouffons Alla breve © 1982 by Faber Music Ltd. Reproduced from The Young Violinist’s Repertoire Book 1 (edited by Paul de Keyser and Fanny Waterman) by permission of the publishers. All rights reserved. 2March from The Peasant Cantata Allegro moderato © 1982 by Faber Music Ltd. Reproduced from The Young Violinist’s Repertoire Book 1 (edited by Paul de Keyser ‘and Fanny Waterman) by permission of the publishers. All rights reserved, 4— pip pl tee F SSS Capen a= —— = om # a Ske. 5 = = SS eae - opt tr Cpt ins eo weyMinuet from The Fiddler's Nursery © 1923 Stainer & Bell Ltd. 23 Gruneisen Road, London N3 102. www.stainer.co.ukBarrel Blues Slow lazy beat (54 Carol Barratt a v © Copyright 2001 by Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd. Reproduced by permission of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd. 8Sarabande Sally Knight Largo, with grace ‘© Copyright 2010 by LCM Publications at Thames Valley University, 1011