I found this page of questions on ABRSM forum in which past candidates of dipABRSM listed the

questions they were asked in their exams viva voce sections. I am re-posting it here as I think it might
be useful for those who are preparing for their exams to read as a reference.
This page contains viva-voce questions that have been asked in diploma examinations. Any answers
given are those written by the candidate and are not intended to represent good (or bad) answers to the
questions: they are simply the answers the candidate gave. All viva-voces end with the question Is there
anything you would like to add?, it is not necessary to answer this question (with anything other than
no) but if you do want to say something then this is the time to do so.
The questions as appearing here have been (lightly) edited for consistency throughout the page and to
better reperesent the way that examiners are likely to word questions.
DipABRSM Programme:
Scriabin Prludes Op. 11 Numbers 9 and 16
Beethoven Sontata in C Minor, Op. 13 Pathetique
Szymanowski Etude in Bb Minor, Op. 4 No. 3
Bach Prelude and Fuge No. 16 in G Minor, WTC Book 1
Debussy General Lavine Eccentric No. 6 from Prludes Book II (own-choice work)
Questions:
How did you choose your programme?
What were the technical challenges you faced when playing the Scriabin preludes?
Where do the opus 11 preludes fit into Scriabins compositional output?
You say the First Movement of the Pathetique is in Sonata form. What is the structure of Sonata form?
What influence did Beethovens contemporaries have on this piece? In particular, Dussek (Dusseks
influence mentioned in programme notes)
You mention that it was written in Beethovens early period; what characterises his early period?
How many piano sonatas did Beethoven write?
You said that in his early period, Szymanowski was influenced by Chopin. In what way can Chopins
influence be seen in this piece?
What did Bach mean by Well Tempered when he wrote the Well -Tempered Clavier?
How should one approach playing Bach on a piano?
What are stretti?
What sort of answer does the Fugue have?
I noticed that you played from memory today; what effect does that have on the performance?
What does one have to bear in mind when playing the dynamics in, for example, the Debussy, compared
to the Beethoven?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source

Edwin Roxburgh Moonscape

Bach Prelude and Fugue in F, from WTC II
Schubert Sonata in A, Op. 120
Rachmaninoff Etude-Tableaux in C minor op. 33 no. 3 (off syllabus work)
Ginastera Tribute to Aaron Copland (off syllabus work)
Questions:
How did you go about putting your programme together?
What else did Ginastera write?
What other works did Rachmaninoff write?
What works is Schubert most famous for? Did he write any other chamber works?
Who else was writing sonatas/piano music at the same time as Schubert? Name a sonata they wrote at
that time.
Talk about the development of the piano from Bachs time to modern day.
What other works/composers feature in Spectrum?
In what ways is Ginasteras prelude similar to Aaron Coplands music?
Do you feel that the cross-rhythmns and bi-tonality in Ginastera work against each other?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Bach Toccata in D major, BWV 912
Mendelssohn Prelude and Fugue, Op. 35 No. 5
Ravel Sonatine
Prokofiev Visions Fugitives, Op. 22 Nos. 8, 14, 19, 20
Ogdon Prelude No. 9 in E from 25 Preludes (off syllabus work)
Questions:
What determined your choice of programme? Does it have a theme?
How does a fortepiano differ from a modern piano?
Who else other than Bach and Mendelssohn wrote Preludes and Fugues?
What performing difficulties are there in the Mendelssohn prelude?
Is Mendelssohns fugue like a Bach fugue? Show me in the music the subject, and the countersubject.
What other piano music did Mendelssohn write? Did he write a concerto?
What traditional harmonies and forms can you point out in Ravels Sonatine?
What other piano music did Ravel write?
What other piano music did Prokofiev write?
Why did you choose the John Ogdon piece to finish with?
Is there anything further you would like to tell us?

DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Bach Prelude and Fugue No.5 in D major from Book II of WTC
Beethoven Sonata in C# Minor, Op. 27 No. 2, Moonlight
Brahms Romance in F, No. 5 from Six Piano Pieces, Op. 118
Gerswhin Preludes 2 and 3 from Preludes for Piano
Questions:
How did you choose your program?
What is stretto? Point it out in the music.
How can a pianist play Bach on the piano?
Explain the melody of the Moonlight sonatas first movement.
Where is the chromatically descending bass line of the third movement?
What is sonata form?
Which movement uses sonata form?
In the Brahms, the melody is doubled in the alto and tenor. How does this affect the way you play it?
How do you play the melody of the Gershwin prelude 2?
Where is the walking bassline in the third prelude?
What were Gershwins other 4 preludes?
How did Ravel influence Gershwin?
Why do people like Gershwins more popular music more than his piano music?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Chopin Nocturne No.18 in E Major, Op.62 No.2
Beethoven Sonata in F Minor, Op.2 No.1
Debussy Sarabande from the suite Pour le Piano
Schumann Novelette No.1 in F Major, Op.21
Questions:
What is the nocturne? (Candidate mentions ABA form)
What do you mean by ABA form?
Is it more a day or a night piece?
What is rubato?
Would you as a performer use rubato in left, right, or both hands?
How different was the piano of Chopin from that of Mozart, and how could that have affected Chopins
composing?
Did Chopin compose anything else that was for piano and orchestra?
What were Beethovens style periods? How many were there?

How big of an influence was Haydn on Beethoven?

Did Beethoven compose anything for piano and other instruments?
Have you played any other sonatas by Beethoven?
What was the Sarabande?
What was Impressionism in music?
Was there Impressionism in art?
Name any other Impressionist artists?
I see you played from music. Why did you choose to do this?
But could there be any advantages in playing from memory?
What was Schumanns disability in his hand that you talk about?
Did Schumann compose anything for piano and orchestra?

Summary of Candidates Answers

Free, improvisatory piece coming from the Romantic period.. ABA form.. written before only by John
Field
Describe basically the difference of parts, how they contrast, possibly modulate to other key, then come
back
A night piece
speeding up and slowing down according to emotions
right hand, left hand keeps constant rhythm
larger range Chopin experiments with all notes.. and better sound quality, allowing for fleeting
scales , etc.
Yes, two piano concerti, but all of his compositions had something to do with the piano
Three style periods Viennese Classical, Heroic, more serene and introverted, talk about which pieces
characterised each period
Significant, was his tutor from 1792
Yes, 5 piano concertos, and 9 piano trios
Not full ones, just separate movements
Stylised old dance, 3-beat meter, Baroque, Debussys tribute to French baroque composers
capturing a certain feeling/atmosphere in a piece
Yes, Claude Monet
Maurice Ravel, Charles Ives
Too much effort to memorize, not very good at it, prefer to have music just in case
Yes, you dont have to spend time glancing at the notes
Made an instrument to strengthen his hand, ended up damaging his nerves
Yes, 1 piano concerto

DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Bach Prelude and Fugue in F# Minor,Well-Tempered Clavier Book I

Beethoven Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op 10 No. 1

Faure Barcarolle No. 6 in Eb, Op. 70

Questions:
Why did you choose the pieces in your programme?
What did you find difficult in playing the Faure?
What do you think about pedalling in the Faure?
Who were Faures contemporaries?
You wrote in your programme notes about chromatic twists, point to where these occur.
A question on keeping the pulse in the slow movement of the Beethoven (which the candidate knew was
not secure)
The slow movements are notoriously hard to play what problems did you have? (Mentioned technique,
orchestral sounds, and thinking of song/opera followup question asked whether the composer wrote any
songs.)
Who was Beethovens first teacher? (Beethovens first teacher mentioned in programme notes)
Did Beethoven write any other sonatas in C minor?
Compare the piano Beethoven had to the one in todays exam.
Are there any technical things in the fugue e.g. stretto / inversion? Point them out in the score.
Did you make any adjustments to the way you played the Bach because you were playing on the piano?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Scarlatti Sonatas K208 and K209
Beethoven Sonata in F Minor, Op.2 No.1
Gershwin Preludes 2 & 3
Questions about the programme:
How did you choose your programme?
How did you try to achieve contrast?
You did not include a Romantic piece? Why? (Candidate expresses enthusiasm about Spanish Romantic
composers)
Name a Spanish Romantic composer.
Scarlattis Sonatas were composed for harpsichord. What difference did it make to your approach?
Did you go for stylistic authenticity or on the contrary use the breadth of the modern pianos expression?
How had the piano evolved at that time and what difference does it make to your approach to the sonata?
How do Beethovens sonatas change over his 28 years of composition?
How was Beethovens use of sonata form in his early sonatas different to say Mozart or Haydn? How did
they influence Beethoven?
What characterizes the first period of Beethovens compositions?
What is unusual about the key of F Minor used in this sonata?

How does this sonata compare, structure-wise with his later works? (e.g. use of scherzo to replace
minuet, decreasing slow movements etc)
How does the minor tonality bring out the piece?
What are the technical challenges in this piece, especially in the Prestissimo?
You say the inspiration for the (Gershwin) Preludes came from Chopin, can you clarify that?
How did you approach the 3rd prelude, especially the last section with large intervals, because at that
point you seemed to be playing from memory?
What are the advantages for a pianist to play from memory?

Questions about the Quick Study:

About the quick study, are there any elements you particularly enjoyed? How did you approach it?
What key did the QS start in?
What did it modulate to in the second half?
Was the start major or minor?
N.B. Questions about the quick study seem to be very rare: if you are desperate to avoid these questions
simply request to do the viva before the quick study (the syllabus states one can do them in any order).

DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Bach Toccata No.2 in E Minor BWV, 914
Beethoven Sonata No.14 in C# Minor, Op. 14 No. 2, Moonlight
Chopin Nocturne in E, Op.62 No.2
Brahms Rhapsody in G minor, Op.79 No. 2
Bartok No. 1 from Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm, Microkosmos No. 149
Questions:
You mentioned in your programme notes about the clavichord and the harpsichord being the prevalent
instrument in Bachs time and not the piano. How do these instruments differ from the piano?
You mentioned in your programme notes about Countess Giudicelli- possibly Beethovens Immortal
Beloved whom Beethoven dedicated the Moonlight. What is the relevance of stating the possibility of
her being his Immortal Beloved in your notes?
And what was the keyboard instrument prevalent in Beethovens time and how did it affect the music that
was composed in his period?
What other non-piano works did Beethoven compose?
Did he also write chamber music?
And what is the trio? What instruments does it consist of?
You mentioned in your programme notes about Bellinis operas having a similiar style to the Chopins
nocturne in E. Can you describe more about Bellinis opera and in what way is it simliar to the nocturnes?
You mentioned about coloratura in your programme noteswhat does it mean?

What other works did Brahms compose, other than the rhapsody?
You mentioned that Brahms is more of an orchestral composer, can you explain this?
Who were Brahmss contemporaries?
And what kind of music does Liszt write?
What is his music like? Are they easy or difficult to play?
Have you played any of Liszts music?
Why did Bartok write the Mikrokosmos?
Name one contemporary of Barok?

Summary of Candidates Answers

Talked about the make of the instruments and how it affects the sound. For eg, for the harpsichord, the
strings are plucked and as such, no tonal nuances are capable on the piano. In the clavichord, small metal
tangents hit the string when the key is struck and so the sound is smaller than the pianoforte. etc etc
Obviously, the dedicatee of any work is important and the relationship between the composer and the
dedicatee of the work can help shape how we interpret the piece. Beethoven was said to have rejected the
Countess, when she came back to him for lessons after marrying another man and going away for several
years. There was some bitterness on his part, and this we can hear in the third movement, which has been
said to be composed by Beethoven in a fit of jealous rage for a lost love. In this context, we would not
think of the first movement as a funeral march as some would like to think it is. Instead, the first
movement represents a certain pining and languishing.
The fortepiano, with a wooden frame and leather hammers, was used etc etc
He wrote nine symphonies, a violin concerto
Yesthe most famous of his chamber music has to be the Archduke Trio.
If Im not wrong, it consists of the violin, cello and the piano.
Sopranos *examiners laugh* The term generally applies to sopranos..and I do have a recording of
Bellinis La Somnambula with Joan Sutherland singing the lead roleand I cannot help but notice the
similarities in the style of the phrases, the florid passages etc etc
Chopin Liszt
Mainly piano music
It tends to be a little showy sometimesbut generally difficult technically speaking Liszt was like the
Paganini of the pianoso
Yesthe piano sonata.. *exams are shocked* I emphasized that I played only the easier chordal passages
and they laughed
He wrote them as exercises for his son to whom he taught the pianothen they gradually increased in
numbers and became a complete set of exercises over time
Debussy

DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Bach Toccata No.5 in E minor, BWV 914
Mozart Sonata in D, K.311
Gershwin Preludes 2 and 3
Questions:
What is a Toccata?
Did any other composers write toccatas, if so how do they differ?
What are the differences between the harpsichord and the piano youve played today?
How did this affect the way you played this piece?
Guide me through the adagio section, and explain why you played it the way you did.
What do you think of using pedal to play Mozarts pieces?
Would you use any rubato in Mozarts pieces?
What contribution did Gershwin make to the music industry in his time?
Do you know of any other American Composers?
Whats the difference between the conventional american music and his?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Bach Toccata No.5 in E minor, BWV 914
Mozart Sonata in D, K.311
Franz Impromptu in G flat, Op.90 No.3, D899/3
Gershwin Prelude I in B flat, Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
Questions:
Which piece do you like most in your performance?
What is the style of Gershwins music?
What other composition did Gershwin write?
Where did Bach come from?
Where did Bach spend his height of his career?
Name some other composers who lived in Bachs time.
What is the difference between the instrument Bach used and the piano? How does it affect your
approach?
As there is no dynamics indication in this movement (the second movement), how do you decide the
dynamics?
What is a fugue?
What is the key of this fugue and does it remain in the same key in the whole movement?
What is the difference between Baroque music and classical music?

Tell me about the structure of the sonata.

What other compositions did Mozart write?
Can you think of another of Mozarts compositions that is similar to the theme of the second movement
in this sonata?
Where did Schubert come from?
What was Schubert well-known for?
As a pianist, what did you find the most difficult in preparing the Impormptu?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Programme includes:
Mozarts K 445 (adapted from Glucks opera)
A Scarlatti Sonata
Questions:
You might not listen to operas much, so why did you choose this Mozart piece?
Give one example of a Mozart comic opera and a Mozart tragic opera.
What technical and musical difficulties did you encounter in playing these (Mozart) variations?
Why do Scarlattis sonatas have a K. and Longo?
Why did he write these exercises?
Besides what youve said, do you have any idea to whom did he write them for? (Queen Maria Babara)
Which country was she from?
DipABRSM Programme:
Source
Programme unknown

Questions:
How do you think the recital went?
What did you consider when planning your programme?
Your programme was very stylistic. What other styles have you not included? And why?
You state in your programme notes that Debussy was the most influential composer since Chopin. Why
do you believe this?
What does the word Hausmusik mean? (Programme notes contain a quote including this word).
You wrote that Schubert composed over 200 songs; is this a good estimate of the volume of his output?
(Schubert wrote in the region of 600 songs).
Map out the structure of the first movement of the Schubert.
What key has the music modulated to at the start of the development section?