Violin Exam Pieces 2020-2023

Grade
Part only

3 ABRSM

Violin
Exam Pieces
ABRSM Grade 3
Selected from the
2020-2023 syllabus
 SM Violin Exams
. ge some key points to help you prepare for your Grade 3 exam. All
2023. More detailed information on the syllabus requirements are valid from1 lanisa
tE
requirements
Al WWw.abrsm.org/violin. In the exam, the requirements can be
and sylabus
overlap details can be found
taken in any order,

Pieces
This book contains nine pieces from ABRSM's 2020-2023 Grade 3 Violin (3x30 marks)
ou will need to play three pleces, one from each of the three
syllabus. In the exam,
syllabus lists B
(A, and C).
lou can cho0se from the pieces in this book and/or the other
anDosite page. You will need to follow all da capo
pieces set for the grade: a fullI list is on the
(D.C.) and dal segno (D.S.) indications but other
(including first-time bars) should not be played unless
they are very short (i.e. a
repeats
syllabus specifies differently. few bars)or unless the

Scales and arpeggios

Learning scales and arpeggios helps you to build strong technical skills (21 marks)
movement, hand position, co-ordination and
by developlng reliable finger
musical understanding through
fingerboard fluency. also helps you to develop your
It
familiarity with keys and their related patterns.
You can find a complete list of scales and
arpeggios required for Grade 3 in the back of this book. In the
they should be played from memory. exam,

Sight-reading
Learning to sight-read helps you to develop quick (21 marks)
recognition of keys, tonality and common rhythm
patterns. It also helps you to learn to keep going even when
you make mistakes, and work music out for
yourself- which makes learning new pieces quicker and easier.
In the exam, you will be asked to
play a short unaccompanied piece of music that
You will be given half a minute to you have not seen before.
look through and, if you wish, out all or any
are asked to
try part of the test before you
play it to the examiner for assessment. For the full
syllabus. sight-reading parameters, please see the

Aural tests
Aural skills enable you to assess the (18 marks)
sound and balance of your
playing,
pulse. These skills also help you to develop your sense of keep
of rhythm and in time and play with a sense
to spot
any mistakes. pitch, your musical memory and
In the exam, the tests will
be administered by the examiner
from the piano, and you will be asked:
a To clap the
pulse of a piece played by the examiner, and to
three time or four time. identify whether it is in two time,
b To
singas 'echoes' three phrases played by the examiner.
c To
identify a change in either pitch or rhythm
during a phrase
questions about two features of a piece played theplayed by examiner.
dTo answer the
for more by examiner.
detailed information on the
tests, please see the syllabus.
(Total available: 150 marks)

Editorial guidance
have taken the
pieces in this book from a
varlety of sources. Where appropriate, we have help
your pertormance. We have added metronome
E nngering and bowing indications eaed uCP

alisations.
markings (in square brackets) and ornament e
have been amended where he
Details of other changes necessary to ensure a couSi
Fingering, bowing a n cuial additions to
guidance only: you do or
suggestions are given in the footnotes. are
not have to
follow them in the exam.
 Namie
Violin Exam Pieces
ABRSM Grade 3
Date of exam
2020-2023 syllabus
Selected from the

Contents page
2
LIST A HWV 351, arr. ABRSM
fourth m o v e m e n t from Musicfor
the Royal Fireworks, 3
G.F. Handel La réjouissance:
Hob. I:94, second movement,
2 Joseph Haydn Theme and Variation: from Symphony No. 94,

arr.Alexander & Carson Turner A

K. 269b, trans. Jones
3 attrib. W. A. Mozart Contredanse: No. 1 from 12 contredanses,

LIST B 6
Blackwell
Gabriel Fauré Theme from Berceuse: from Dolly, Op. 56, arr.

2 Astor Piazzolla & Horacio Ferrer Chiquilíne Bachín, arr. Huws Jones
8
Oskar Rieding Andante: second movement from Concerto in B minor, Op. 35
3

LIST C 10
1 N. H. Brown & Arthur Freed Singin' in the Rain, arr. Iles
11
2 Rachel Stott Shadow Wizard
12
Violin Globetrotters
3 Ros Stephen Relaxing in Rio: No. 3 from
Violin consultant: Kathy Blackwell
Footnotes: Anthony Burton
PF/VN with piano or violin accompaniment
Other pieces for Grade 3 DUET with violin accompaniment

LIST A
Wade. The Young Symphonist, Vol. 2 (Spartan Press)
Boyce (3rd movt from Symphony No. 4 in F, Op. 2 No. 4), a r .
Gavotte
Holmstad: Gamle danser blir som nye (Norsk Musikforlag) soLO
5 Holmstad Lett på fot (Light-footed) (with 1st repeat).
Strings, Vol. 2: Violin (Carl Fischer) DUET
6 Kling March, arr. Gazda & Clark (upper part). Compatible Duetsfor
F. Küchler Allegro assai: 3rd movt from
Concertino in D, Op. 15 (Bosworth)
Mascitti Gavotta (4th movt from Sonata in E minor, Op. 2 No. 10). Baroque Violin Pieces, Book 1 (ABRSM)
8
Waterman (upper part). The Young Violinist's Repertoire, Book 3 (Faber) DUET
9 Mozart Duo (from 12 Duos, K. 487), arr. de Keyser &
3 Violin (Faber)
10 Telemann Bourrée (from Wedding Divertissement). The Best of Grade

LIST B
Time Sprinters (OUP) PF/VN
4 Bizet Habanera (from Carmen), arr. K. & D. Blackwell. Fiddle
5 G. Concone Andante pastorale, arr.
Gazda & Clark (upper part). Compatible Duetsfor Strings, Vol. 2: Violin (Carl Fischer) DUET

Rowlands. Klezmer Fiddle Tunes (Schott)

6 Gebirtig Moishele Mayn Fraynd, arr.
Barbara Heller Lalai - A Lullaby to Awaken You?, arr. Mohrs. My First Concertfor Violin (Schott)
7
Elton John & Tim Rice Can You Feel the
Love Tonight? (from The Lion King), arr. Galliford & Neuburg. Top Hits from TV, Movies &

Musicals for Violin (Alfred)

Papini Theme and Variations 1 and 2 (from Theme and Variations), trans. Applebaum. Solosfor Young Violinists, Vol. 1 (Alfred)
9
10 Friedrich Seitz Adagio: 2nd movt from Student Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 13 (Bärenreiter)

LIST C
Bartók Pillow Dance: No. 14 from 44 Duosfor Tuo Violins, Vol. 1 (upper part) (Universal) DuET
4
5 L. Bernstein Ifeel pretty (from West SideStory), arr. Wastall (solo part). Session Timefor Strings: Violin (Boosey &Hawkes)
Katherine &Hugh Colledge Stiífkey Blues: No. 21 from ShootingStarsjor Violin (Boosey &Hawkes)
C.Dancla Chasse du jeune Henry: No. 17 from 36 études métodiques etfaciles, Op.84 (Schott) souo
8 Grechaninov The Joker (No. 3 from Early Morning, Op. 126a). The Young Violinist's Repertoire, Book 3 (Faber)
9 Thomas Gregory Vamoose. Vamoosh Violin, Book 2 (Vamoosh)
10 Sheila Nelson Toad in the Hole (upper part; without improvisation). Technitunes for Violin (Boosey & Hawkes) PE/VN

First published in 2019 by ABRSM (Publishing) Ltd, Unauthorlsed photocopying is llegal Music origination by Julia Bovee
a wholly owned subsidiary of ABRSM, 4 London Wall Place, Allrights reserved.No part of thls publication Cover by Kate Benjamin &Andy Potts, with thanks to Brighton Colleg
London EC2Y 5AU, United Kingdom may be reproduced, recorded or transmitted Printed in England by Halstan & Co. Ltd, Amersham, Bucks.,
2019 by The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in any form or by any means without the on materials from sustainable sources.
Dictrihuuted wOrlduide bu Oxford University Press prior permission of the con
 2 Rejoicing
illegal
make

A1 La réjouissance unauthorised
copies of this
copyright
music
Fourth movement from Music for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351

Arranged by ABRSM
G.F. Handel
(1685-1759)
Allegro = c.88

2
tr

mf

13

Cresc.

6 32

SP

ofatorios andinsae was born in Germany, but spent the last 47 years of his iífe in England, where he became famous asacomparkinLondon
el rati n t a l music. In 1749, he wrote his Music for the Royal Fireworks to accompany a firework display in ui drums, and
ena of
probahi a
European war. It was played by band of about 100 musicians: oboes,
a
Dasso here would be no had
1996 by TheI
Ren
n
Assgciatnd R
defiance
ofKing George Il's reported remarks that he wanted 'martial music' and 'hoped there
 It is 3
illegal
make
unauthorised
copies of this
copyright
usic.
Theme and Variation A:2
from Symphony No. 94, Hob. 1:94, second movement
Arranged by James Alexander
and Barrie Carson Turner Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809)

Andante [= c.104]

my

IZ

17 Variationn

21

25

my
28

cresc.

The Austrian
composer Joseph Haydn made two extended visits to London in the 1790s. During his stay he directed the first
the last 12 of his more than 100 orchestral performances of
symphonies. The Symphony No. 94, first performed in March 1792, is known in English-speaking
countries as the 'Surprise' Symphony, because the theme of the second movement is
the repeat) by a sudden, startling loud chord for the full orchestra. This free interrupted at one point (on the second beat of bar 8, in
arrangement presents the theme, without the surprise, followed by
a version of the final variation of the movement.

O 1993 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

AR 39329
 to make
illegal

A3 Contredanse unauthorised
copies of this
copyright
music.
No. 1 from 12 contredanses, K. 269b

Transcribed and edited attrib. W. A.Mozart

by Richard Jones
(1756-91)

=c.63]

tr

CoInt anse was a popular 18th-century dance in lively two-in-a-bar metre, which began its life in France as a version of the English
written by the l s name is a French pronunciation of the English term.) This example comesfrom a set of contredanses said to have been
set was orfinasran composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, probably in 1776 or 1777, for a local nobleman in his home town of Salzburg.The
that
that Mozart O orchestra, but all that has survived of it is a group of four dances in an arrangement for solo piano. It is now thought unlikely
Mozart wrote these.
2000 by The Associated Board of the
Reproduced fram Vinlin Royal Schools of
MusicC
 17

tr

25

8
 It is
lega
make

B:1 Theme from Berceuse unauthorised

copies of this
copyright
from Doly, Op. 56 music.

Arranged by David Blackwell

Gabriel Fauré
(1845-1924)
Allegretto moderato = c.63

P dolce

mp

13

24

mf

poco rit.
9

dim. P
= f

The French composer Gabriel Fauré wrote his suite Dolly for piano duet (four hands on one keyboard) in the mid-1890s for Doly, the young
daughter of his friend Emma Bardac. He sent the first movement, 'Berceuse, to Dolly in June 1893 for her first birthday; it was anadaptation of
a
piece he had written nearly 30 years earlier. The title means 'Cradle song': you can hear the rocking of the cradle in the repeated figures of the
plano accompaniment to the smooth melody. The piece is often remembered as the music for the BBC radio series Listen with Mother, which
ran from 1950 to 1982.
2019 by The Associated Board of the
Royal Schools of Music
 illegal
to make
Little Boy of Bachín
unauthorised
copies of this
Copyright
music.
Chiquilín de Bachín B:2
Arranged by Edward Huws Jones
Music by Astor Piazzolla (1921-92)
Lyrics by Horacio Ferrer (1933-2014)
Slow waltz= 116
5

mp
E
11

27

Cresc.

35

=f
43

dim.
mf

51a 1. l2.

mp

The Argentine musician Astor Piazzolla was a leading figure, band-leader, composer and player of the bandoneon (button accordion), in the
as a
released
development of the tango, his country's national
dance. This piece, however, is not a tango, but a popular song in slow waltz time. First
in 1969, it has words by a frequent collaborator with Piazzolla, the Uruguayan-Argentine poet Horacio Ferrer. They describe a poor young boy
theatre district of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. The boy was a real person:
he was eleven at
selling flowers in the Bachín restaurant in the
the time the song was written, and when it was finished Piazzolla and Ferrer performed it to him in his family's one-room apartment.

1969 Editorial Lagos and 1969 (Renewed) Warner/Chappell Music Argentina

Overseas Holdings Ltd, London W8 5DA
administered by WB Music Corp and Warner/Chappell
All rights 2018 Editorial Lagos
his arrangement i c Itd for Europe and Alfred Publishing Co. (UK) Ltd for rest of world. All rights reserved.
 f I t is
1legal
to make

B:3 Andante unauthorised

copies of this
copyright
music.
Second movement from Concerto in B minor,
Op. 35
Oskar Rieding
(1840-1916)
Andante [d. = c.56]
Solo

mf mf

14
rit.

a tempop
20

E
mf

uealng was born in north Germany, studied in Berlin and and worked as an orchestral violinist in Vienna. But
reer in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, where he was leaderLeipzig,
of the Opera orchestra from 1871 to 1904. After that, he
he spent nost Or
B retireu
g a r y but now in Slovenia. Rieding wrote many educational works for violin with piano. Some of the best known are in the rorm or the
Odnac concerto- including the Concerto in B
minor, first published in 1909, of which this is the central slow movemen
Source: Violin Concerto
in Bminor, Op. 35
2019
(Leipzig: Bosworth & Co., 1909).
by The Associated Board of the ROval Schonlt of dMur
 9

mf

rit.

a tempo

43

mf

47 molto rit.
 f

mf

rit.
33

a tempo

mf

43

mf
p

molto rit.
47

AB 3938
 t is
illegal
to make

(C:1 Singin' in the Rain unauthorised

copies of this
copyright
music.

Arranged by Nikkri lles

Music by N. H. Brown (1896-1964)
Lyrics by Arthur Freed (1894-1973)

Gently swinging= c.108 (JJ=J)

3

mf

mp

13

mf
9

mmp mf
5

mp

pizz.

mf mp
mf

Singin' in the Rain' is a

song with words by Arthur Freed and music
by Nacio Herb Brown, probably first performed in the film The Holywooaa
evue of 1929. It became well known through its use in the 1952 film which took its name, set in the late 1920s when silent films were
oThis
talking pictures. In that, it was song-and-dance number for Gene Kelly,
a giving way
arrangement is by the British jazz pianist and educator cheerfully splashing his way through heavy rain and deep pudales.
Nikki lles.
Copyright
EMI United
1929 EMI Robbins
Catalog Inc. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Partnership Limited.
Thisarrangement Copyright 2018 EMI Robbins Catalog Inc.
ffor eserved.
rest of
International copyright secured. Used by permission of Hal Leonard
world. Europe Limited for Europe, Australia and New Zealand and Alfred Music
 to make

Shadow Wizard
unauthorised

copies of this
copyright
music.
C2)
Rachel Stott
(born 1968)

Andante misterioso. = 69

3 1

mp

P
m PP

22
2

mp mf J sub.

27

P mp- mf

34 sul tasto sul tasto estremo LH pizz.

1

P Pp PPp

Rachol cenn
 unauthorised
copies of this

C:3 Relaxing in Rio copyright

music.

No. 3 from Violin Globetrotters

Ros Stephen
(born 1972)

Medium bossa novad = 120

23

mf

mp

10

15

20

25

31 pizz.

f
os Stephen is a violinist, composer and arranger based in London. She describes her Globetroters series as a collection of pieces intended to
be 'technically accessible, fun to play, and an introduction to different styles of music from around the world'. This piece takes us to Brazil, ana
tothe seaside city of Rio de Janeiro, where in the late 1950s
young musicians formulated the style called 'bossa nova' (new wave), with its subuE
syncopated rhythm.
Oxford University Press 2010
Reproduced by permission. All rights reserved.

AR 3928
ta

us.

RANGE REQUIREMENTS

1 oct.
separate bows or slurred (2 quavers to a bow), at
examiner's cho e;
2 oct. even notes or long tonic, at candidate's choice
oice)

separate bows or slurred (3 notes to bow),

oct. a at

examiner's choice;
2 oct. even notes

1 oct. separate bows;

even notes
 for 2020-2023,
ABRSM's Grade 3 Violin syllabus
book contains nine pieces from
This C. The pieces have been carefully
pieces chosen from each of Lists A, B and
hree varied range of styles, creating a
collection that
to offer an attractive and
selected The book also contains
an excellent s o u r c e
of repertoire to suit every performer.
orovides for exams, useful syllabus
information.
footnotes and, for those preparing
nelpful accompaniment
featured in this book, plus piano
nspiring recordings of the nine pieces Exam Pieces with CD
as part of the Violin
are available. These can be purchased
racks, www.abrsmdownloads.org for more
details).
or as audio downloads (see
backage

Support material for ABRSM Violin exams

AbSM
3 1-3
Violin Specimen
Exam Pitces Aural Tests
ABRSM Grades 13
ABRSM Grade3
Seed
2020-2023

1-5 ABRSM ABRSM

Violin Violin
Specimen Scales&Arpeggios
ABRSM Grade 3
Sight-Reading
Tests
ABISM Grads5

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