Reviews: ABRSM cello exam pieces from 2024

These books containing three pieces from each list at Grades 1 to 5 form part of the wider revised ABRSM syllabus. A notable improvement to this syllabus is that ABRSM now offers longer lists with more choices at each grade. These books offer a way to purchase one book at each grade level, and are complemented by further repertoire options.

There have been notable efforts to increase the diversity of composers and musical styles included, with choices across all grades offering compositions by female composers, folk songs of different cultures and several jazz-influenced options; surely a welcome development. Some of these options could be considered to work better than others in terms of building cello techniques relevant to the developmental stages.

The audio tracks offer important support to enhance the learning process for students. The benefits of pre-recorded piano accompaniment tracks were discovered by many for the first time during the pandemic. These will surely be used by many teachers, parents and students alike. The choice of tempo could be deemed on the fast side for some pieces, particularly at Grades 4 and 5, but when used with suitable apps (e.g. Speedshifter), this can be slowed then adapted gradually to meet the needs of the student.

Grade 1

This volume includes classics such as Lajos Ács’ Bear's Dance, which offers students a chance to get familiar with the notes on the lower strings, with a lot of use of C string in particular. The Skye Boat Song is presented in a key comfortable for young cellists and with an attractive piano accompaniment part by Peter Gritton. Bartók's Baking Song, a jaunty piece in D major, has slurs across the beat and interesting musical detail. The requirement for four-note slurs at Grade 1 offers a technical challenge which some teachers may prefer to leave until later in the learning process; but it allows for some useful teaching points related to changes of bow speed.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (arr. Blackwell), in C major, is likely to be a popular choice, with straightforward bowing requirements. The traditional Zulu Siyahamba (arr. Iles) is a fun bouncy piece that is best internalised aurally in the first instance, and requires good control of up-bow starts to achieve the intended outcomes on the long notes. The main focus across this grade level appears to be on teaching note-reading with simple rhythmic values, as you'd expect.

Grade 2

This volume offers an attractive range of pieces, with some use of extensions and simple shifts. List A includes a song by Maria Theresia requiring good control of up-bow starts and hooked bow patterns. The Irish traditional Minstrel Boy (arr. Blackwell) is an attractive melody with some use of dotted rhythm patterns in the accessible key of C major. Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah (arr. Iles) may be recognised by many as having featured in the film Shrek; this nice lilting 6/8 piece, probably best learnt by ear at first, offers the chance to develop backward extensions, an important skill at this level. The classic Serenade by Marie Dare offers an interesting singing piece for the more sophisticated musician. Hewitt Jones’ Funny Song will no doubt capture the imaginations of students with its lively rhythms, although the range of notes is significantly simpler than in other options. Joplin's Paragon Rag offers good skill development at this level, with some simple extensions and chromatic steps and manageable string-crossings.

Grade 3

At this level, pieces are of more substantial length, and it is good to see a broader range of positions used than has historically been the case. Rabbit Foot by the African-American Florence Price offers an attractive alternative to some of the more traditional options in List A, using the full range of the cello from low C to G in fourth position, and including some use of extended third and fourth positions. The Peruvian Stars, No Moon (arr. Harrison) uses an interesting range of pitches, and there are opportunities for expressive timing. The Swing, by English composer Margaret Hubicki, is well written for the cello, with good use of D major across both octaves and it finishing with a ringing pizzicato chord. The List C options are all fun and engaging pieces. Undoubtedly, Hans Zimmer's He's a Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean will be a firm favourite, with its punchy rhythms and catchy tune, which offers good use of extended hand shapes and a chance to get familiar with second and third positions in flat-key hand shapes. The audio tracks are certainly a good starting point for learning this one.

Grade 4

At this level, the List A pieces include some established classics, among them the Vivaldi Concerto in C major, a long-time favourite at this level. Anna Lindeman's Tusenfryd, an attractive lyrical waltz with lots of running quaver movement, offers nice opportunities for shaping and managing the flow.

It is pleasing to see a piece as well written for the instrument as August Nölck's Herbstblume, with its very effective use of shifting and the half-string harmonic; the lifted up-bows require characterful use of the bow, combined with good use of bow patterns throughout. Other options on this list, by Shanti Jayasinha and Hugo Wolf, require a substantial amount of extended positions in the neck area, which often take time to stabilise for developing players; so, while attractive in style, these may prove technically challenging for some players at this level. Angela Schofield's arrangement of America, an established classic by Bernstein and Sondheim, is well thought-out in cello terms and is a strong musical arrangement. Tom Turpin's St Louis Rag (arr. Blackwell) and Pamela Wedgwood's Sometime Maybe offer attractive ragtime and jazzy options, with appropriate use of chromatic passagework and some half-position in the former, and good control of bow and vibrato needed for the latter.

Grade 5

Here, several pieces lean towards the upper end of the difficulty range at this level, offering significant technical and musical challenges which may be considered more relevant to students fortunate enough to have adequate lesson time and support to master these. Bourrée d’Auvergne, by Bazelaire, presents what might be considered complex use of the tenor clef, if this is when its first introduced. The chords and double-stops will be fun for students to tackle, but overall the piece requires a sophisticated technique if the piece is to be delivered effectively.

Some of the more traditional repertoire presented, including the Allegro from Marcello's Sonata in E minor and the Dvo^ák Humoresque, have editorial suggestions (including slurs) which some teachers may find contentious. The fingerings are presented as a guide only though, which allows for teachers and students to choose alternatives. Romance by Elfrida Andrée is an attractive lyrical piece, which offers interesting rhythmic movement amid longer notes, with much opportunity to explore tone-colour and shape the sound; the long high B-flat at the end will require good sustain of both bow and vibrato throughout! The waltz from Sleeping Beauty is a tune well known to many, and is presented with a very fast backing-track that requires both sophisticated musicianship and technique to deliver effectively (at the level), with much fast chromatic passagework navigated between familiar tune-sections.

List C offers a range of attractive pieces, with Georg Goltermann's Schlechtes Wetter (Bad Weather!) relying on fast chromatic passagework, well-placed double-stops and an introduction to sautillé bowing. This is certainly a challenging piece, but it all sits very well on the cello and, with its high harmonic A at the end, makes for a great show piece for any student who likes playing lots of fast notes! Michael Radanovics’ On The Ground is fun to play and sits equally well, with good use of double-stops, which will help develop secure intonation against the open strings. With swing rhythm and syncopation used throughout, the cello gets to take on both melody and bass line, just as one might find in a real-life jazz band.

Final thoughts

Overall, these books offer an excellent starting point to approach the repertoire for these grade levels, although teachers and students should remain alert to the wider list of available options. The recordings and accompaniment tracks are certainly useful, and will help bring the music to life for longer during the learning process for students and the people supporting their practice. The level of difficulty at the upper end of each grade does appear to be increasing, getting more sophisticated; with some of the pieces being quite substantial in length by Grades 4 and 5 in particular, students must have adequate lesson time to prepare these to performance standard while addressing other exam requirements. This could open up questions about true accessibility for students learning across a range of educational environments. Hopefully, the wider list of options is a way of managing this and can help make the exams accessible for the broadest range of students.

Reduced offer available of £88.88 for bundle of all grade books from initial to Grade 5 in score and piano accompaniment with audio download format (at time of publication)

Between £6.50 and £28 for individual books (options include with and without piano accompaniment and audio)

Various ISMN, more information available at shop.abrsm.org/shop/ucat/102549