London College of Music Exams Classical guitar playingINTRODUCTION his publication is part of a progressive series of ten handbooks, primarily intended for candidates considering taking the London College Of Music examinations in classical guitar playing. 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 classical guitar student - whether intending to take an examination or not. Whilst the handbooks can be used for independent study, they are ideally intended as a supplement to individual or group tuition. Examination entry ‘An examination entry form is provided at the rear of each handbook. This is the only valid entry form for the London College Of Music classical guitar examinations. Please note that if the entry form is detached and lost, it will not be replaced under any circumstances and the candidate will be required to obtain a replacement handbook to obtain another entry form. Editorial information Examination performances must be from this handbook edition. All performance pieces should be played in full, including all repeats shown; the pieces have been edited specifically for examination use, with all non-required repeat markings omitted. ‘Tempos, fingering and dynamic markings are for general guidance only and need not be rigidly adhered to, providing an effective musical result is achieved. Pick-hand fingering is normally shown on the stem side of the notes: p= thumb; i= index finger; m= middle finger; a= third finger. Fret-hand fingering is shown with the numbers 4.2.3 4, normally to the left of the notehead. 0 indicates an open string. String numbers are shown in a circle, normally below the note. For example, © = 6th string. Finger-shifts are indicated by a small horizontal dash before the left-hand finger number. For example, 2 followed by -2 indicates that the 2nd finger can stay on the same string but move to another fret as a guide finger. The finger-shitt sign should not be confused with a slide or glissando (where a longer dash joins two noteheads).TECHNICAL WORK he examiner will select some of the scales, arpeggios and chords shown below and ask the candidate to play them from memory. Scales and arpeggios should be played ascending and descending, i.e. from the lowest note to the highest and back again, without a pause and without repeating the top note. Chords should be played ascending only, and sounded string bystring, starting with the lowest (root) note. To achieve a legato (i.e. smooth and over-ringing) sound, the whole chord shape should be fretted and kept on during playing. Chords and arpeggios should be played tirando, i.e. using free strokes. To allow for flexibility in teaching approaches, the fingering suggestions given below are not compulsory and alternative systematic fingerings, that are musically effective, will be accepted. Suggested tempos are for general guidance only; slightly slower or faster performances will be acceptable, providing that the tempo is evenly maintained. Overall, the examiner will be listening for accurate, even and clear pl may be awarded in this section of the examination. 1. A maximum of 15 marks Recommended right hand fingering and tempo Seales: alternating jm or mf, apoyando (rest stroke) tempo = 120 Arpeggios: ~— pimamip; tirando (free stroke) tempo J= 108, Chords: ponall bass strings, fm a on the treble sirings; tirando tempo Je i92 © major scale - 4 octave € major chord G major chord ‘A minor chord E minor chord 3} OO 7$@e0°% - S ©PERFORMANCE andidates should play one melody from Group A and two contrasting pieces from Group B. A maximum of 60 marks may be awarded in this section of the examination - i.e. up to 20 marks for each performance. Fingering and tempo markings are for general guidance only and do not need to be adhered to strictly. All repeat markings should be followed. Performance Tips Melodies: + The Beethoven and Brahms melodies are notated here in the key of G major, the Schubert melody is notated in C major and the Tchaikovsky melody is notated in the key of E minor. + Apart from some accidentals which occasionally appear, the notes contained in the melodies are taken mainly from the G and C major and E harmonic minor scales shown in the Technical Work section of this handbook. Practice of these scales would therefore provide very helpful preparation before you begin to learn the melodies. + The examiner will be listening for the demonstration of structured melodic shaping within each performance, so ensure that you Identify and bring out the phrasing within each melody. Gigue: + This piece inj time is in the key of C major. ‘+ Itis important that the lower voice notes are sustained for their full value and care needs to be taken that these are not cut short. + As with Greensleeves, the piece features a dotted rhythm in many bars. Greensleeves: + This piece in 3 time is essentially in the key of A minor. + The piece features a dotted rhythm in many bars, which adds a sense of movement and lilt to the piece. + Care needs to be taken to observe rhythmic changes, such as between bars 12 and 13 - where one bar is dotted and the following bar is straight. Poco Allegretto: + This piece, in time, is in the key of C major. The C major chord often appears - for example in bars 4, 3, 5 and 8; in these bars you should keep the chord tones fretted for the full duration of the bar. The ‘same applies in bars 17, 18, 21, 22 and 24 when an A minor chord occurs. + The piece consists of three 8-bar sections, each of which is repeated. The sign D.C. al Fine indicates that you should then play again from the beginning until the end of bar 16; each 8-bar section doesn't need to be repeated on this second playing. + The dynamic markings in brackets indicate the dynamic level that should be used on the first repeat of each section.Andante: * This piece, in time, is in the key of C major. * Although often written as single notes, the piece features the C major chord quite regularly; so, wherever possible, Keep your fingers on to form the chord. + Examples of this can be seen in bars 4 and 2, and in bars 15 and 46, where all the notes comprise a C major chord. Allegretto: * This piece in 3 time is essentially in the key of C major. * It is important that the bass notes, which are mainly minims, are held for their full value whilst the treble notes are played. + Inbars 5 and 24, playing the note of C with the second finger enables a smooth change to the low F note that opens the following bar. Ecossaise: + This piece in 3 time is essentially in the key of A minor. + The title means 'Scottish/Country Dance’. + The words D.C. al Fine, that appear at the end of the piece, indicate that it should be played again from the beginning and should end at the end of bar 8. Scared Of The Dark: * This piece in4 time is in the key of E minor. To capture the mood of the piece, the tempo must be well controlled and the dynamic markings accurately followed. + The notes marked with an accent sign (>) should be played strongly using a rest stroke. Each of these notes should be played after the 4th crotchet in the bass, and allowed to ring on until the next accented note occurs. + Inbars 40 to 43, each treble note should be played directly after each E bass note, giving a 1&283&4& effect. The repetitious left-hand fingering in these bars is designed to give a continuity of tone. Farewell Lady D * This piece, in 3 time, is in the key of A minor. The minor key helps to emphasize the mournful and reflective mood of the piece. * Notice how the dynamic marking changes to f (meaning play loudly) from bar 17 when the second section of the piece begins. * After bar 32 the D.C. al Fine sign indicates that you should play again from the beginning until the Fine (end) sign at the end of bar 16.Ninth Symphony Theme (Ode To Joy) [Group A] Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) J= 126 mp Sf © Copyright 2002 by Registry Publications Rosamunde (Entr'acte No 3) [Group A] Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828) /=76 © Copyright 2008 by Registry Publications(paoroconviNG THIS) Lullaby Op.49 No.4 [Group A] Johannes Brahms J=84 (1833 - 1897) © Copyright 2002 by Registry Publications No.1 Scéne from Swan Lake [Group Al Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893) J=88 os ee © Copyright 1997 by Registry Publications| PHOTOCOPYING THIS) 1 lyesic 1s LEGAL Gigue [Group B] Johann Anton Logy (1650 - 1721) J=138 © Copyright 2002 by Registry PublicationsGreensleeves [Group B] Anonymous (46th Century) = 132 Soom po oP oF Ff © Copyright 1997 by Registry Publications Vit eI a Fy (Group B] Poco Allegretto Op. 246 Ferdinando Carulli (1770 - 1844) im i “= 104 a [Link] Fine P mf (p) © Copyright 2008 by Registry PublicationsAndante Op.31 No.1 [Group B] Fernando Sor (1778 - 1839) d= 108 g we _ © Copyright 2002 by Registry Publicationsore Allegretto 0p.39 No.4 [Group B] Anton Diabelli (4784 - J=92 © Copyright 1997 by Registry Publications Ecossaise Op.33 No.10 Mauro Giuliani [Group B] (1781 - 1829) J=80 bap Peay =a eit 4 = SalI} |¢ a} ny © Copyright 2002 by Registry Publications[PHOTOCOPYING THIS) Scared Of The Dark [Group B] eascoeie -) J =76 Slow and forboding > © Copyright 1997 by Registry PublicationsFarewell Lady D [Group B] Oleg Kiselev (1964 -) [Link] Fine Py 8 qv ad i © Copyright 2008 by Registry PublicationsVIVA VOCE 1 this section of the examination candidates will be engaged in a short discussion to enable the examiner to assess the candidate's understanding of musical rudiments and their responses to the pieces played. A maximum of 7 marks may be awarded. At Grade One candidates should be able to: * name, and explain the meaning of, all basic notational elements in the music performed in the Performance component of the exam including stave, bars and bar4ines, clef, pitches of individual notes, rhythmic values of notes and rests (Including dotted notes), key and time signatures, and (only if they occur in the performed music) accidentals, dynamics, articulation markings and any additional markings. * explain which is their favourite piece and why. + assign simple descriptive words to describe the mood of the pieces (e.g. happy, sad, gentle, lively). Below are some examples of the type of questions that the examiner may ask at Grade One. Note that these are examples only; the list is by no means exhaustive and candidates should not simply learn these answers by rote. The wording and phrasing of the questions may vary even when the same topic Is involved. Question: What is the name of this sign? (Examiner points to the treble clef.) Answer: — The treble clef (or G clef). Question: What is the pitch of this note? (Examiner points a note on the second line of the treble clef.) Answer: G. Question: What is the time signature of this piece? Answer: 3 time, two crotchet beats per bar. Question: What type of note is this, and how many beats does it last for? (Examiner points to a dotted minim.) Answer: — Itis a dotted minim (or dotted half note) and it lasts for three crotchet (or quarter) beats. Question: What does this sign mean? (Examiner points to a crescendo mark.) Answer: — Itis a crescendo mark, which means ‘get louder’. Question: What is this and what does it mean? (Examiner points to the key signature.) Answer: _ Itis the key signature; it means that the piece is in the key of G major and it indicates that all the F notes should be played as Fi. Question: Which of the three pieces that you played today Is your favourite, and why? Answer: — Gigue, because it's lively and fun to play.‘Some useful information relating to this section of the examination is provided below. The clef and stave The notes on the lines (E G B D F) can be remembered by making up an unusual phrase such as: Enormous Guitarists Break Dainty Footstools. The notes in the spaces between the lines form the word FACE. The treble clef is also known as the G clef - since it is drawn looped around the G line. Treble Clef Bar lines A bar is a way of dividing music into manageable portions. It makes music easier to read and makes it easier to discover where the main beat lies. The end of each bar is indicated by a vertical line called a bar line. The space between each pair of bar lines, where the notes are written, is called a bar (or measure). At the end of a piece, or section, of music there are two vertical lines; these are called a double bar line. Notes and rests The table below shows the names of the notes and rests, and their values. Traditional name Modern name Note Rest Value in crotchet beats semibreve whole note ° ~ 4 dotted minim dotted half note d 3 minim half note d = 2 dotted crotchet | dotted quarter note d. 2 % crotchet quarter note J 2 1 quaver eighth note d y % Dots and ties A dot after a note increases the value of that note by half of its original value. For example, a dotted crotchet is equivalent to 3 quavers in length, whereas a normal crotchet is equivalent to 2 quavers in length. A second dot after a note increases the value of that note by half of the value of the first dot. For example, a double dotted minim is equivalent in length to 7 quavers (i.e. 4 for the main minim, 2 for the first dot, and 4 for the second dot). ‘The value of a note may also be increased by the use of a tie: only the first note is played, but it is held ‘on for its own length plus that of the following tied note. The tied note in the example below lasts for the equivalent of 3 quavers. d. a) dotted crotchet double dotted minim tie 16Key signature e © Major oF A Minor G Major or E Minor Where there is one sharp at the beginning of each stave of a piece of music, this indicates that the key is either G major or E minor. Where one sharp occurs it will always be on the top F line, and indicates that all F notes should be played as F#. Where there is no visible key signature the key will be C major or A minor. ‘A sharp, flat or natural that appears during a piece of music, rather than as part of the key signature, is called an accidental. It has the effect of sharpening or flattening just that one note, and any others at the same pitch within the same bar. It does not affect notes in the remaining bars, as bar lines cancel all accidentals. Time signature The numbers that appear at the beginning of a piece of music are called the time signature. The top number shows the number of beats per bar, whilst the bottom number indicates the value of each beat. For example, i means four crotchet beats (i.e. four quarter notes) per bar. Terms and signs Candidates should be able to identify any basic terms and signs that appear in the music performed. Some examples are given below. > accent Rall. (rallentando) becoming gradually slower Rit. (ritenuto) held back a tempo in time, je. return to previous speed D.C. al Fine repeat from the beginning up to the point marked Fine (the end) -=126 ‘metronome tempo - 126 crochet beats per minute Repeat sign. (Play from the previous 2 vertical dots, or, in their absence, from the beginning) Dynamics PP P mp mf Sf ew planissimo piano mezzopiano ——mezzoforte—forte fortissimo very soft soft medium soft medium loud loud. very loud crescendo ~ getting louder decrescendo / diminuendo ~ getting softer feSIGHT READING he examiner will show you the sight reading test and allow you up to one minute preparation time before performing it. A maximum of 10 marks may be awarded in this section of the examination. The table below shows the range of the piece: Tenth Keys Time Signatures Note values Fingerboard positions bars Major: GG 23 1st Minor: A,E a4 delete Sight Reading Tips 1. Always check the key and time signature BEFORE you start to play. 2. Once you have identified the Key it is helpful to remember that the notes will all come from the key scale - which you should already know from the Technical Work section of this handbook. This means that it will generally be easier to play the sight reading if you use the same fingering as you have used for playing the scale. 3. Before you start to play, quickly scan through the piece and check any notes or rhythms that you are unsure of. 4, Note the tempo or style marking, but be careful only to play at a tempo at which you can maintain accuracy throughout. 5. Once you start to play, try and keep your eyes on the music, Avoid the temptation to keep looking at the fingerboard - that's a sure way to lose your place in the music. 6. If you do make an error, try not to let it affect your confidence for the rest of the piece. It is better to keep going and capture the overall shape of the piece, rather than stopping and going back to correct errors. The following examples show the type of pieces that will be presented in the examination. () Moderato (ii) Andante(iii), Moderato (iv) Andante (v) Moderato (vi) Adagio (vii) Moderato (vill) AllegrettoAURAL TESTS maximum of 8 marks may be awarded in this section of the examination. The tests will be played by the examiner on either guitar or piano, at the examiner's discretion. The ‘examples below are shown in guitar notation and give a broad indication of the type of tests that will be given during the examination. Candidates wishing to view sample tests in piano notation should obtain the current LCM Exams Specimen Aural Tests booklet. Rhythm tests da. After the examiner has played a short harmonised piece of music, similar to one of the examples below, the candidate will be asked to identify the time signature as 2 or 3 time. 4b. The examiner will play the piece again and the candidate should clap or tap along in time on each pulse beat, accenting the first beat of each bar. Candidates may request that tests 1a and 1b are conducted in reverse order. This request must be made to the examiner in advance of the tests being conducted. Con spirito AndanteAllegretto Moderato Pitch tests 2a. The examiner will play two notes consecutively, similar to the examples below. The candidate will be asked to identify, as “first” or “second”, which one was the lower or higher note. 2b. The candidate will then be asked to sing back one of the two notes as requested by the examiner. The examiner will play the notes again and say “sing the first/second note | played" OR "sing the lower/higher of the two notes | played". 212c. The examiner will play a short melody in a major key, but will not play the final closing note. The candidate should sing the missing final note, which will be the tonic note of the key. (The examiner will select a suitable key and octave according to the gender and age of the candidate.) The tonic chord will be sounded first. 2