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Please use the links below to find the titles recommended in the ABRSM Double Bass Grade 4 from 2024 Syllabus:
Grade 4 Scales
ABRSM Double Bass Scales Grades 1-5
Grade 4 Sight-Reading
ABRSM Double Bass Specimen Sight-Reading, Grades 1-5
Grade 4 Aural
Specimen Aural Tests, Grades 4-5 (book only)
Specimen Aural Tests, Grades 4-5 (book and CD)
Aural Training in Practice, Grades 4-5 (book and CD)
Grade 4 Pieces
One piece must be chosen from each of Lists A, B and C:
| List A | Composer | Piece Details | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. S. Bach | March in G, arr. Suzuki | Suzuki Bass School, Vol. 2, Revised Edition (Alfred) |
| Suzuki Bass School Volume 2 – Piano Accompaniment (Alfred) | |||
| 2 | attrib. J. S. Bach | Minuet in C, BWV Anh. II 116, arr. Elliott or arr. Suzuki | The Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook for Double Bass (Bartholomew) |
| The Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook – Piano Accompaniment (Bartholomew) | |||
| Suzuki Bass School, Vol. 3, Revised Edition (Alfred) | |||
| Suzuki Bass School Volume 3 – Piano Accompaniment (Alfred) | |||
| 3 | Bottesini | Study No. 9 (from Metodo completo per contrabbasso) – SOLO | Bottesini: Method for Double Bass, Part 1 (Yorke) |
| 4 | I. Carroll | French Bourrée (from Five National Dances for Double Bass) | I. Carroll: Five National Dances for Double Bass (Stainer & Bell) |
| 5 | Grieg | Hunting Song (No. 4 from Six Songs, Op. 4), arr. Slatford & Wells | Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
| 6 | Handel | Allegro (from Concerto Grosso, Op. 6 No. 8), arr. Slatford & Wells | Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
| 7 | attrib. Henry VIII | Pastime with good company, arr. Huws Jones | Grade by Grade, Double Bass Grade 4 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 8 | Kummer | Rondoletto con allegrezza, arr. Close & Sassmannshaus upper part; with piano accomp. | Early Start on the Double Bass, Vol. 3 (Bärenreiter) |
| 9 | A. Thomas | Gavotte (from Mignon), arr. K. & J. Hartley | Subterranean Solos (Bartholomew) |
| Subterranean Solos – Piano Accompaniment (Bartholomew) | |||
| 10 | Trad. | Sailor’s Hornpipe, arr. Magolt | Easy Concert Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (Schott) |
| List B | |||
| 1 | Bizet | Habanera (from Carmen), arr. Dehant | La Contrebasse classique, Vol. B (Combre) |
| 2 | F. Boaden | Elegy (2nd movt from Petite Suite) | F. Boaden: Petite Suite (Yorke) |
| 3 | Corelli | Largo atfetuoso, arr. Mohrs | Easy Concert Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (Schott) |
| 4 | Christine Donkin | Serenade (No. 6 from Bass-Time Beginners) | Christine Donkin: Bass-Time Beginners (Recital Music) |
| Christine Donkin: Bass-Time Beginners (Recital Music) Digital Edition from our Download site | |||
| 5 | S. Lancen | Berceuse for Baby Hippopotamus | S. Lancen: Berceuse for Baby Hippopotamus (Yorke) |
| 6 | S. Lancen | Si j’étais … Moussorgsky | Yorke Solos for Double Bass, Vol. 1 (Yorke) |
| 7 | Mozart | A Little Melody, arr. Láska | Yorke Solos for Double Bass, Vol. 1 (Yorke) |
| 8 | Mendelssohn | Venetian Gondola Song (from Sechs Lieder, Op. 57), arr. Slatford & Wells | Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
| 9 | Sweet Dreams (2nd movt from Suite for Eloise) | T. Osborne: Suite for Eloise (Recital Music) | |
| 10 | Michael Rose | Reverie (from A Sketchbook for Double Bass) | Michael Rose: A Sketchbook for Double Bass (ABRSM) |
| 11 | Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton | Sea Siren (No. 9 from So Here We Are Again) | Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton: So Here We Are Again– Double Bass (80 Days Publishing) |
| 12 | Florence Anna Maunders | Siciliano | Florence Anna Maunders: Siciliano (ABRSM) |
| List C | |||
| 1 | Sébastien Beliah | An Old-Time Rag (No. 4 from Pieces of Eight) | Sébastien Beliah: Pieces of Eight (Recital Music) |
| 2 | A. Benjamin | Jamaican Rumba, arr. Slatford & Wells | Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
| 3 | Kabalevsky | Cavalryman (from 30 Children’s Pieces, Op. 27), arr. Slatford & Bullard | Time Pieces for Double Bass, Vol. 2 (ABRSM) |
| 4 | Hauta-Aho | Allegro moderato (1st movt from Jazz Sonatine No. 2) – SOLO | Hauta-Aho: Jazz Sonatine No. 2 (Recital Music) |
| 5 | Dennis Leogrande | Hey, Mon! (No. 6 from Eight Progressive – SOLOs for the Beginner Bassist) | Dennis Leogrande: Eight Progressive – SOLOs for the Beginner Bassist (Clifton Edition) |
| 6 | James MacMillan | Barn Dance (from Northern Skies) | Grade by Grade, Double Bass Grade 4 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 7 | Rona Porter | Queen’s Park Rag bass spin optional | Grade by Grade, Double Bass Grade 4 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 8 | T. Osborne | Jazz Rock (No. 6 from Junior Jazz Book 1) pizz. or arco or combination | T T. Osborne: Junior Jazz Book 1 (Recital Music) Digital Edition from our Download site |
| 9 | Prokofiev | Troika (from Lieutenant Kijé Suite), arr. Schofield | Amazing Solos for Double Bass (Boosey & Hawkes) |
| 10 | Schlemüller | Old Soldiers (March), Op.12 No. 5, arr. Close & Sassmannshaus or arr. Price | Early Start on the Double Bass, Vol. 3 (Bärenreiter) or |
| Festival Performance Solos for String Bass (Carl Fischer) | |||
| Festival Performance Solos Piano Accompaniment (Carl Fischer) | |||
| 11 | Amit Anand | Pintoo’s Snow Dance | Amit Anand: Pintoo’s Snow Dance (ABRSM) 🕮 |
| 12 | Natalie Bleicher | London Wall Bass | Natalie Bleicher: London Wall Bass (ABRSM) 🕮 |
| 13 | Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton | Cheeky Cha-Cha (No. 2 from So Here We Are Again) | Wendy Edwards Beardall-Norton: So Here We Are Again – Double Bass (80 Days Publishing) 🕮 |
| 14 | Ailbhe McDonagh | Bass Tango | Grade by Grade, Double Bass Grade 4 (Boosey & Hawkes) |
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ABRSM Double Bass Grade 4 from 2024 additional resources & information
Theory of Music
ABRSM Theory of Music Exam Materials
Additional Theory of Music Resources
ABRSM Double Bass Grade 4 from 2024
Overlap
Bowed Strings candidates worldwide may play their three pieces from the 2020–2023 Bowed Strings Syllabus until 31 December 2024. All pieces must be from the same syllabus – candidates may not present a mixture from old and new syllabuses.
Amendments
The ABRSM will post updates to the syllabus e.g. changes to publication details or other minor corrections or clarifications – at www.abrsm.org/syllabuscorrections.
Revision
The ABRSM has not scheduled the next revision of the Double Bass Syllabus. The ABRSM will post advance notice of planned changes to the Double Bass Syllabus (including syllabus overlap information) at www.abrsm.org/syllabusupdates.
Photocopies & downloads
Candidates should not perform from unauthorised photocopies (or other kinds of copies) or illegal downloads of copyright music in examinations. There are limited circumstances where can copies be used in an examination the UK. The MPA’s Code of Fair Practice gives further guidance. Before making a copy an application should be made to the copyright holder and evidence of permission should be brought to the exam. Candidates and Applicants must act within the law with regard to copyright.