suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls

Subject: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 05:18 AM

from Jess Arrowsmith a member of ceilidh bands Hekety, Melrose Quintet & sings as a duo with her husband.

So, musically qualified friends, I have a singing student doing A level music who would really like to do a folk song as part of her exam performance. Thing is it has to be grade 7 level or above and she and I are not really sure what degree of complexity would qualify. Her classical background music teachers have no folk suggestions for her. Can anybody help? Either with song suggestions or with a bit more insight into what makes something of grade 7 standard? Ta!

Some answers there but what does the Mudcatosphere think?

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Jack Campin
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 06:02 AM

This exact question has come up (several times) on the ABRSM forum. They know what the grading system is looking for better than we do.

http://www.abrsm.org/forum/index.php

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 07:25 AM

This is what the ABRSM lay down as guidelines; any song meeting the guidelines will do:

UNACCOMPANIED TRADITIONAL SONG (folk song)
In all grades, candidates are required to perform an unaccompanied traditional (folk) song
of their own choice, from memory. A traditional song is defined as a folk song originating
among the people of a region and forming part of their culture. Folk songs are essentially
colloquial and have no traceable composer, and they cover a broad range of topics, such as: the
natural world and the cycle of life; love and romance; work and relaxation; historical events;
and situations of hardship, suffering, inequality and rebellion.
The following genres are not suitable: hymns, carols, chants, plainsong; nursery rhymes;
national anthems; stylized folk song arrangements (i.e. that would rely on their piano
accompaniment for the full musical effect to be achieved)
The unaccompanied traditional song may be sung in any language. An English translation
orshortsummary should be provided for the examiner when words other than English are used.
The song may be sung in any key comfortable for the candidate, and, if required, the first note
or key-chord may be played on the piano to establish the pitch. The candidate's unaccompanied
traditional song must not be the same song as any chosen from the lists of accompanied songs
in the same exam.
Candidates must ensure that the unaccompanied traditional song fulfils the following timings:
minimum maximum
Grades 1–4 1 minute 2 minutes
Grades 5–8 1 minute 3 minutes
Possible sources
There are no 'set' songs for this part of the exam. Candidates are free to perform any song
from any source or publication at any grade (provided the guidelines above are followed).
The many available collections of traditional/folk songs include the following:
- Sing Together (available in melody-only and accompanied editions: OUP)
- Best of Folk Songs: 40 British, Irish and American Songs (available in melody-only and
accompanied editions: Schott ED 12881 or 12880)
- TheABRSM Songbook, Books 1–5 (ABRSM) (each album containstwelve unaccompanied
traditional songs)
- Folk Voiceworks: 30 Traditional Songs (OUP)
- The Library of Folk Songs (Amsco AM 961521)
- ASelection of Collected Folk Songs, Vols 1 & 2, arr. Sharp & Vaughan Williams (Novello
NOV190038 or NOV190040)
- Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales (Alfred VF1880)
- The New Scottish Song Book (Hardie Press

LFF

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 07:40 AM

Something from the repertoire of Aunt Molly Jackson or Sarah Ogun Gunning should do the trick.

An exam for singing folk songs???

Or am I missing the point of the question?

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 08:24 AM

I had not thought about it before but the efdss could consider developing an equivalent grade 1 -8 exam with folk as the source of the music.
FloraG

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Jack Campin
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 08:45 AM

Something from the repertoire of Aunt Molly Jackson or Sarah Ogun Gunning should do the trick.

Maybe it would if the student could learn to sing like that. They probably aren't in the easiest of places to get started with it.

Last time this came up on the ABRSM forum I suggested either "You seamen bold that plough the ocean" from the Penguin Book of English Folk Songs, or Belle Stewart's "Queen Among the Heather" - the idea being that both have rather complex tunes that require long-breathed phrasing.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: JHW
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 10:25 AM

'efdss could consider developing an equivalent grade 1 -8 exam'
and we could ask at the door 'What grade are you?'

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 11:02 AM

Excellent! The criteria are as free as one would wish.

The only quibble I have is the statement colloquial and have no traceable composer>. This idea went out with the ark and is ridiculous as we have shown many times here on this forum.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 11:19 AM

Cecilia Costello's Grey Cock, but you might need to abridge it to get it into 3 minutes. An easy option would be a version of The Two Sisters, lots of repetition and time to think about the next line.
Once you know the basic plot you've time to make up the verses before they come up.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: The Sandman
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 01:21 PM

I thought music was supposed to be fun, Exams, just more jobs for examiners and the folk freemasonry, or the folk boys network.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 02:49 PM

I think this is a music student who wants to pass a music exam that would be one of the several called "A levels" usually needed as a qualification to enter a decent University.

This has been adjudged to be equivalent to grade 7/8 but it isn't a "Grade 7" exam, it is a UK standard examination.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 02:53 PM

Here in America, seventh graders are age 12 and 13. Have her do 'Ah, Lovely Meadows.'

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: Jack Campin
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 05:36 PM

UK music grades have nothing to do with the US school grade system. They measure musical knowledge and technique, irrespective of your age or what else you know.

A-level exams are different and are usually taken at age 16 or 17. Their level corresponds roughly to a music examination board's grade 7 or 8 - i.e. what you need to know at the start of a university music degree course.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: leeneia
Date: 11 Oct 16 - 11:04 PM

Thanks for the info, Jack.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: leeneia
Date: 12 Oct 16 - 12:19 AM

It seems to me you are going about this the wrong way. You are thinking about the vast body of folk songs, when you ought to be thinking about the student.

What's she like? Energetic and lively? Solemn and aloof? Interested in causes? How sexually sophisticated is she? How well will she grasp the one million folk songs about a young woman betrayed by a philanderer?

And her voice - is it light and quick or dark and rich? Is she sassy or demure?

However that goes, I suggest taking a look at Contemplator's site for above-average songs.

Subject: RE: suggest grade 7 exam Folk songs pls
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 12 Oct 16 - 04:01 AM

I suggested grade 1 -8 folk tunes equivalent for those students whose teachers use the grades as teaching goals. ( not to encourage more testing). Leeneia - its a bit like your suggestion. Students tend to learn with more enthusiasm if they can learn the tunes they like. There is a case for also having show tunes; jazz; and pop equivalents.   
FloraG.