Exams/Trinity/Trinity · Grade 8
Set pieces and reviews
Trinity College London Grade 8 piano runs on the 2023+ syllabus, in force for 2024–26 exams. The repertoire is a single list with no List A/B/C split; candidates choose three pieces (one of which may be a free-choice piece or own composition that fits the level). The list itself is the property of Trinity College London; references on this page are factual citations of each composition.
Exam pieces — editorial reviews
F major · 120 bpm
Italian Concerto, BWV 971 — first movement
Johann Sebastian Bach
Bach published the *Italian Concerto* in 1735 as part two of his *Clavier-Übung*, alongside the *French Overture*.
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C minor · 144 bpm
Sonata in C minor, Op. 13 (Pathétique) — first movement
Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven composed the *Pathétique* sonata in 1798–99 and dedicated it to Prince Karl von Lichnowsky; the piece announced the arrival of the high-Romantic Beethoven and remains one of the most-played pieces in his keyboard output.
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G minor · 84 bpm
Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 — opening section
Frédéric Chopin
Chopin's *Ballade No.
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G minor · 92 bpm
Rhapsody in G minor, Op. 79 No. 2
Johannes Brahms
Brahms composed his *Two Rhapsodies, Op.
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C major · 60 bpm
La cathédrale engloutie (No. 10 from Préludes, Book 1)
Claude Debussy
Debussy's *La cathédrale engloutie* ("the sunken cathedral") closes the first half of *Préludes Book 1* (1909–10) and stands as one of the central pieces of the Impressionist piano repertoire.
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A minor · 80 bpm
Étude-tableau in A minor, Op. 39 No. 2
Sergei Rachmaninov
Rachmaninov composed his *Études-tableaux, Op.
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D minor · 132 bpm
Alborada del gracioso (No. 4 from Miroirs)
Maurice Ravel
Ravel composed *Miroirs* in 1904–05 — five piano pieces that announced his mature style — and *Alborada del gracioso* ("the jester's morning song") is the fourth of the set.
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F · 76 bpm
Danza de la moza donosa (No. 2 from Danzas argentinas, Op. 2)
Alberto Ginastera
Ginastera composed his *Tres Danzas argentinas, Op.
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B minor · 76 bpm
Summertime (from Porgy and Bess, arr. for solo piano)
George Gershwin (arr. various)
Gershwin wrote *Summertime* for the opening of his 1935 opera *Porgy and Bess*, and the song — a lullaby in B minor sung by Clara to her baby — has become one of the most-recorded compositions of the twentieth century, with thousands of jazz and classical interpretations on record.
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Other set pieces
The remaining pieces on the official Trinity Grade 8 repertoire list. Editorial reviews for these are in preparation; for now, the full scores and notes appear in the official syllabus book.
- Prelude and Fugue in F, BWV 880 (WTC II)Johann Sebastian Bach
- Allegro barbaro, Sz. 49Béla Bartók
- Sonata in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1 — first movementLudwig van Beethoven
- Intermezzo in B♭ minor, Op. 117 No. 2Johannes Brahms
- Étude in E, Op. 10 No. 3Frédéric Chopin
- Nocturne in D♭, Op. 27 No. 2Frédéric Chopin
- Pagodes (from Estampes)Claude Debussy
- Ritual Fire Dance (from El amor brujo)Manuel de Falla
- Three Preludes — No. 1 in B♭George Gershwin
- Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, Op. 65 No. 6Edvard Grieg
- Liebesträume No. 3 in A♭, S. 541Franz Liszt
- Rondo capriccioso, Op. 14Felix Mendelssohn
- Sonata in A, K. 331 — first movementWolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Improvisation No. 15 in C minor (Hommage à Édith Piaf)Francis Poulenc
- Sonata No. 3 in A minor, Op. 28Sergei Prokofiev
- Sonatine — first movementMaurice Ravel
- Impromptu in G♭, D. 899 No. 3Franz Schubert
- Aufschwung, Op. 12 No. 2Robert Schumann
- Étude in C♯ minor, Op. 2 No. 1Alexander Scriabin
Syllabus sections
- Scales
- Sight-reading
- Aural
- Theory
- Practice planplaceholder
External reading