Hi all,

I would like to ask about Specimen Sight Reading Tests Piano Grade 6 published by ABRSM, exercises no. 1, 14 and 23.

No. 1 page 2 and No. 23 page 13 Time signature =2/2, Tempo= Allegro Does it mean one minim = 132 or one crotchet =132?

No. 14 page 8 Time signature =2/2, Tempo= Allegretto Does it mean one minim = 108 or one crotchet =108?

I have tried all exercises above (no. 1, 14, and 23), I think, they should be played as one crotchet = the tempo, not as one minim. Am I wrong?

In all exercises of sight reading from grade 1-8, if the time signatures are 2/2, 3/2, or 4/2, does it always mean they should be played as one crotchet = the tempo (allegro, moderato, etc)?

Thank you in advance.

-- noname (noname_poster@yahoo.com), December 13, 2003

Answers

Hi, I'm not familiar with the series, but my teacher ignore the tempo markings and just has me play at whatever speed I can be accurate, even if it's super slow, and I mean super slow. Sometimes we even play with the metronome at 40 and 2 ticks for every sixteenth note if the music is really chordy. Way slow. She says it's better to lose one mark for slowness than 2 or more for lack of accuracy or for not keeping a steady pace.

-- Ann (la_ginn@yahoo.ca), January 20, 2005.