A deceptively simple piece that demands of the player the ability to constantly change approach and thinking.
Rushing River Melody Bober and Glori Goranson Grade 3 ABRSM 2023 – 2024
Thames Sunrise Janet and Allan Bullard Grade 3 ABRSM 2023 - 2024
The Spanish Guitar William Gillock Grade 3 ABRSM 2023 - 2024
Vivace Reinecke Grade 3 ABRSM 2023 - 2024
Harmony of the Angels Op. 100 No. 21 Burgmuller Grade 3 ABRSM 2017 – 2018
ABRSM Aural 'D' test questions Grades 1, 2 and 3
By Allan-Hermann Pool - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38142650
ABRSM Aural D question
Grade 1 Piano exam book 2019 – 2020
A1 Theme Thomas Attwood
Grade 1 (up to bar 16)
Was the music loud or quiet at the start?
In the middle of the piece, did the music change from loud to quiet suddenly or gradually?
Was the L.H. played smoothly or with detached notes?
Grade 2
Was the music loud or quiet at the start?
Which was the quietest part – the beginning, middle or the end?
Did the change to quiet playing happen suddenly or gradually?
Was the L.H. played with smooth or detached notes?
Was there any change in the speed of the music, or did it stay the same?
Grade 3
Of the three sections, which one was the quietest?
Did the change from loud to quiet playing occur suddenly or gradually?
Was the L.H. played with smooth or detached notes?
Was there any change in the speed of the music, and if it did change, where did it change?
Was the music in a major or minor key?
From personal clipart collection.
A2 Minuet in C William Duncombe
Grade 1
Where was the loudest part of the music? Where was the quietest part of the music?
Did the change from loud to quiet playing happen suddenly or gradually?
In the quiet sections, was the L.H. played smoothly or detached?
Grade 2
Where was the quietest part of the music?
Was the music played loudly or quietly at the end?
Was there any change in the speed of the music, or did it always stay the same?
Grade 3
Where was the loudest part of the music?
Was the music played loudly or quietly at the end?
Was there any change in the speed of the music, or did it always remain the same?
Was the music in a major or minor key?
B1 Wiegenlied Johannes Brahms
Grade 1 (up to bar 8)
Did the music begin loudly or quietly?
Did the music become louder anywhere? Did this happen gradually or suddenly?
Were the notes played smoothly or detached?
Grade 2
Where was the quietest part of the music?
There were times when the music became louder. Were the changes gradual or sudden?
Was the playing mainly smooth or detached?
Were there any changes in the speed of the music, or did it stay the same throughout?
Grade 3
Where was the quietest part of the music?
There were times when the music became louder. Were the changes gradual or sudden?
Was the playing mainly smooth or detached?
Were there any changes in the speed of the music, or did it stay the same throughout?
Was the music in a major or minor key?
Examples of compound time signatures ABRSM Aural 'A' test
By Evan-Amos - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18956740
Here are some ideas for examples that can be used for the ABRSM’s ‘A’ test in Grades 1, 2 and 3.
Aural Grades 1 -3 Compound time examples
Compound duple time signature.
Walking in Spring Wilm Grade 4 1997
Donkey Ride Swinstead Grade 4 1998
Little Flower Op 205 No. 1 Gurlitt Grade 3 1999 – 2000
Larghetto C3 Stravinsky Grade 3 1999 - 2000
Reaper’s Song Op. 68 No. 18 Schumann Grade 4 1999 – 2000
Proud Horseman B1 Fuchs Grade 3 2001 – 2002
Study in B flat B2 Heller Grade 4 2001 - 2002
Study in A minor B3 Mayer Grade 3 2003 – 2004
Allegro A2 Kuhlau 2003 - 2004
Equivoque No. 8 Weber Grade 3 2005 – 2006
La Tarantelle Burgmuller Grade 5 2005 – 2006
Romance B3 Reinecke Grade 5 2007 - 2008
Allegretto A3 Turk Grade 3 2007 – 2008
Les Pifferari Gounod Grade 3 2009 – 2010 (My Keyboard Anthology Second series Book 2)
Wild Rider B3 Schumann Grade 3 2011 – 2012
Vivace A3 Wesley Grade 3 2013 – 2014
Wiosna B1 Chopin Grade 3 2013 – 2014
Cotton Reel Nikki Illes C2 Grade 3 2015 – 2016
Am Abend B3 Hoffman Grade 5 2015 – 2016
Giga A2 de Seixas Grade 3 2019 – 2020
Shadows B1 Walter Carroll Grade 3 2019 – 2020
Andante B2 Haydn Grade 3 2021 – 2022
Riding the Hobby Horse C2 Grechaninov Grade 3 2021 – 2022
Idylle B2 Chaminade Grade 4 2023 – 2024
From personal clipart collection.
Compound triple time signature.
See-saw Alternative Goddard Grade 3 1998
Dream B1 Bloch Grade 5 2007 – 2008
Fanfare C3 Dejan Despic Grade 5 2007 - 2008
Spanish Guitar Grade 3 2023 - 2024
