Speaking of differences in scores, I have the MusicNotes version of Last Song. Out of curiosity I just purchased the ABRSM version.
First of all, the engraving makes me sad. Gives no indication as to phrasing whatsoever. Is it the point of the exams to determine if the student can intuit the phrasing? Of course, they can go off and listen to a recording and then write it in.
The fingering markings, to my eye, are excessive. I disagree with more than a few of them.
And there are parts where it’s just different.
So much of this work is about resolution from dissonance, after which there is usually another musical notion.
I mean … why go to the ordeal of shifting fingers from 2-3 when 3 is restriking anyway and you could have happily sat with 2? Oh, there’s that use of 2 in the inner voice. I suppose if you’re half pedaling…but I just land on 2&3 and srike the C with my thumb. Everyone’s happy. Can’t see a reason why pedaling would break that downward flow from the A either (to explan why they’d land on 2&1…) I suppose one might prefer to do the resolution on 2 on the C as it is the weaker finger and less a chance the C would get inadvertently emphasized by using the thumb….
Rotcher, rotcher. Note to self, unless there is a truly compelling reason, I probably won’t look at the ABRSM versions...
