Most instrument names are easily translated (eg violino, violon) but then some are quite different (Geige = violin in German). Read through the link below and make a list of all the ones you couldn't figure out from context.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Instruments in other languages
Reading the Bizet score will have shown that we need to know the instrument names and note names (and some common tempo markings) in other languages: Italian, German and French will do for the purposes of music 2 (no need to know Russian or Spanish!). Learn the common ones but don't worry too much about all the obscure ones: you can usually figure them out from context (eg score order).
Most instrument names are easily translated (eg violino, violon) but then some are quite different (Geige = violin in German). Read through the link below and make a list of all the ones you couldn't figure out from context.
Most instrument names are easily translated (eg violino, violon) but then some are quite different (Geige = violin in German). Read through the link below and make a list of all the ones you couldn't figure out from context.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Putting it all together - the HSC Music 2 Exam Question 4
In Question 4 of your exam you will have to refer to two or more of the works studied throughout the year. You should prepare by:
* choosing three works to focus on.
* summarising the overall musical features by the 6 concepts of music (and their sub-concepts)
* summarising the main ways each work achieves unity, variety, interest or contrast, or develops its ideas
* summarising the main ways each work represents its period, genre, or composer's style, and perhaps also ways in which it might be unusual, or innovative
* finding specific examples to demonstrate all of the above in the music (try to find rich examples that convincingly demonstrate multiple things at once)
* memorising and writing out small musical examples, and detailed descriptions of passages in the music (for example, you could write out an example of a melody but then verbally describe how it is developed)
* writing brief plans for a range of possible questions
Here is what the Board of Studies said about the HSC question 4 in 2012:
In better responses, candidates:
addressed the comparison of works and drew on a significant work studied
provided a range of observations that reflected detailed listening
demonstrated a deep understanding of concepts and their use in the given work
used higher-order skills such as synthesis and comparison to expand on their observations
made overarching observations that were supported by relevant musical quotes
responded with reference to appropriate terminology.
10
In weaker responses, candidates:
offered general musical observations with limited reference to the question
made limited score references that did not strongly support the response
used musical references and quotes either sparingly or poorly linked to observations
demonstrated a poor or very limited understanding of concepts that was applied in very general terms
made extended explanations of musical ideas without references to specific musical examples
demonstrated a poor understanding of musical terminology.
Here are the Question 4s from the last few years of the HSC, to give you an idea of the sort of questions used (although these refer to the HSC mandatory topic - Music of the last 25 years (Australian focus)).
2012:
Compare Bernstein’s treatment of musical ideas in Turkey Trot with the treatment of
musical ideas in a significant work you have studied. Note: • The work MUST be
chosen from the mandatory topic.
2011: How have composers manipulated the concepts of music to achieve unity in their works?
2010: How have composers explored the concepts of music to create works that reflect a distinctive style?
2009: Discuss how the concepts of tone colour and texture have been manipulated by composers in two or more works you have studied. One work should come from the Mandatory Topic Music of the last 25 years (Australian Focus) AND one work from the Additional Topic. Use musical quotes where appropriate to support your answer.
2008: Choose any TWO concepts of music and compare their treatment in TWO or more works you have studied from both the Mandatory and the Additional Topics. Choose at least ONE work from the Mandatory Topic and at least ONE work from the Additional Topic and name these works.
2007: What came to me as a revelation was the use of rhythm in developing an overall
structure in music.
PHILIP GLASS
To what extent does this statement apply to ONE work from the Additional Topic and at least ONE work from the Mandatory Topic that you have studied? Refer to specific musical
examples to support your answer.
2006: How have composers used pitch in at least THREE works from the Mandatory Topic Music of the last 25 Years (Australian focus)?
* choosing three works to focus on.
* summarising the overall musical features by the 6 concepts of music (and their sub-concepts)
* summarising the main ways each work achieves unity, variety, interest or contrast, or develops its ideas
* summarising the main ways each work represents its period, genre, or composer's style, and perhaps also ways in which it might be unusual, or innovative
* finding specific examples to demonstrate all of the above in the music (try to find rich examples that convincingly demonstrate multiple things at once)
* memorising and writing out small musical examples, and detailed descriptions of passages in the music (for example, you could write out an example of a melody but then verbally describe how it is developed)
* writing brief plans for a range of possible questions
Here is what the Board of Studies said about the HSC question 4 in 2012:
In better responses, candidates:
addressed the comparison of works and drew on a significant work studied
provided a range of observations that reflected detailed listening
demonstrated a deep understanding of concepts and their use in the given work
used higher-order skills such as synthesis and comparison to expand on their observations
made overarching observations that were supported by relevant musical quotes
responded with reference to appropriate terminology.
10
In weaker responses, candidates:
offered general musical observations with limited reference to the question
made limited score references that did not strongly support the response
used musical references and quotes either sparingly or poorly linked to observations
demonstrated a poor or very limited understanding of concepts that was applied in very general terms
made extended explanations of musical ideas without references to specific musical examples
demonstrated a poor understanding of musical terminology.
Here is the link to the 2002 HSC Standards Package for Music 2, with actual examples of marked exam papers.
Read this very informative guide to writing the question 4 essay (extended response).
Homework:
Take this question (2012 Independent Preliminary Music 2 Exam, Q4) and construct a plan, listing examples you would use. Bring it to class to discuss next lesson.
Discuss how INTEREST is achieved in THREE works you have studied from the Mandatory Topic (1600-1900). Give specific details and musical references to support your answer, discussing at least TWO CONCEPTS.
Here are the Question 4s from the last few years of the HSC, to give you an idea of the sort of questions used (although these refer to the HSC mandatory topic - Music of the last 25 years (Australian focus)).
2011: How have composers manipulated the concepts of music to achieve unity in their works?
2010: How have composers explored the concepts of music to create works that reflect a distinctive style?
2009: Discuss how the concepts of tone colour and texture have been manipulated by composers in two or more works you have studied. One work should come from the Mandatory Topic Music of the last 25 years (Australian Focus) AND one work from the Additional Topic. Use musical quotes where appropriate to support your answer.
2008: Choose any TWO concepts of music and compare their treatment in TWO or more works you have studied from both the Mandatory and the Additional Topics. Choose at least ONE work from the Mandatory Topic and at least ONE work from the Additional Topic and name these works.
2007: What came to me as a revelation was the use of rhythm in developing an overall
structure in music.
PHILIP GLASS
To what extent does this statement apply to ONE work from the Additional Topic and at least ONE work from the Mandatory Topic that you have studied? Refer to specific musical
examples to support your answer.
2006: How have composers used pitch in at least THREE works from the Mandatory Topic Music of the last 25 Years (Australian focus)?
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
sight singing examples for practice
It's easy to practise for the sight singing component of your
practical exam. As with anything, if you practise it regularly and work
on areas of difficulty, you will improve. If you leave it to chance,
your results may vary....
You can practise with Auralia. You should also practise your intervals: practise singing them, and practise identifying them quickly when reading the melody. You should also practise singing using either scale degrees, sol-fa or note names, so you know when you are back at the tonic, or at the dominant, for example.
Actual HSC examples are here and here: give yourself the first note and the tonic chord, then you have 2 minutes to hum through it, making sure of rhythm and tricky intervals; then sing it back. Test how close you were by playing it on the piano. Work out where you went wrong and then PRACTISE THAT INTERVAL or rhythm. rinse, repeat.
Try this site as well.
You can practise with Auralia. You should also practise your intervals: practise singing them, and practise identifying them quickly when reading the melody. You should also practise singing using either scale degrees, sol-fa or note names, so you know when you are back at the tonic, or at the dominant, for example.
Actual HSC examples are here and here: give yourself the first note and the tonic chord, then you have 2 minutes to hum through it, making sure of rhythm and tricky intervals; then sing it back. Test how close you were by playing it on the piano. Work out where you went wrong and then PRACTISE THAT INTERVAL or rhythm. rinse, repeat.
Try this site as well.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Bizet's Carmen
The full score is here.
1. Read your textbook pp352-354. What two literary themes ("isms") current in the late 19th Century does this opera represent? What are some other operas based on similar themes? What is "Carmen" about? What are Bizet's life dates?
Exoticism: eg Turandot, Madama Butterfly by Puccini, Aida by Verdi, Salome by R. Strauss
Realism: eg La Traviata by Verdi, La Boheme by PucciniCarmen's plot here
Bizet lived from 1838-1875.
Follow the score and listen to the two scenes. (starts p49 of the full score linked above)
2. How is the excited atmosphere created in the orchestral introduction before the tenors enter? (refer to at least THREE concepts)
Pitch: Chromatic ascending melody in violins bar 18-20
Use of a pedal note G (dominant pedal) - forms a dissonance with chords above and prolongs cadence to tonic
Gradually ascending pitch range in melody, forming a wide range overall by the end
Duration: Crossrhythm (displaced accent in four note fragment in violins at bar 16-17)
Implied acceleration by shorter and shorter repeated rhythmic patterns: begins with a bar long rhythm (with hemiola), then half a bar, back to a bar, then 4 quavers, then 3 quavers
Rhythmic ostinato (marchlike rhythm) bar 11 - q-ss-q-q-q-q
Texture: At first separate rhythms between violins and lower parts, then join in rhythmic unison at climax - steadily thickening texture as more instruments join in from bar 11
3. What keys does the whole of scene 4 move through? Look at all modulations, not just the ones with key signature changes.
Tenors: "La Cloche": C, Em, Ab, (Db), C
Basses "Voyez": E
Sopranos: "Dans l'air": E - Ab - C#m, Eb, E
Basses "Mais nous ne voyons pas..." Fm
Carmen's recit: Fm, (Db) (Gm) Dm
Note the number of tertiary modulations (by third) and distant keys - never relative minor or dominant (characteristic of Romantic harmony)
4. Discuss the use of pitch and structure in the tenors' melody at "La cloche a sonne'".
Pitch: Wide range used (D-high Ab): the tessitura (vocal register) gradually ascends until the climax, then subsides back down.
The melody moves mainly by step, but is often decorated with chromatic notes (passing notes, neighbour notes, escape and appoggiaturas), especially at "brunes cigarieres" where the A is decorated either side with chromatic notes Bb and G#. Although it's mostly stepwise movement, there is a characteristically Romantic leap of an ascending 6th at "nous venons"... and some triadic movements in the last two phrases.
The melody quickly modulates through keys a third away: Em, then a climax on the top Ab at the modulation to Ab, then back to C.
The text is mainly set syllabically, but there is one small melisma ("murmuRANT")
Melodic structure:
The phrase lengths change: initially pairs of 2 bar phrases (antecedent consequent) but then two 4 bar phrases are used to build up to the climax.
Each pair of phrases has the same rhythm, and sometimes as well sequence is used (1st two phrases - ascending sequence; and last two phrases a descending sequence).
5. Discuss the use of texture and articulation in the sopranos' section from "Dans l'air..."
Texture: The two soprano parts begin in imitation (non-strict - each imitation slightly altered intervallically (not a canon)). They then come together in rhythmic unison (parallel thirds and then sixths) at "Monte, monte...". The same pattern is followed in the following melodic section: imitation, then coming together in parallel thirds and sixths at "Cela...". From "Leurs transports..." they begin a question and answer exchange: each time the soprano 1 melody is answered by the s2 "C'est fumee". The imitation returns, and is extended, then a longer climactic section in rhythmic unison finishes the piece - with the 2 parts dividing into 5 vocal parts in the final chord.
The accompaniment changes throughout the piece: starting with semiquaver broken chords and a simple bass, changing to staccato chords in rhythmic unison with the melody at "le doux parler", and doubling the melody in the climax with treble instruments with a more active arpeggiated bass.
Articulation: There are many contrasts between staccato and legato vocal articulation (eg leurs transports staccato answered by legato "c'est fumee"). In this middle section the orchestra also plays staccato, in contrast to legato in other sections.
6. What device is the bass of the Habanera based on?
Bass ostinato (you could also say rhythmic ostinato, or pedal note (D))
7. Discuss how Carmen's character is expressed through the use of pitch (melody, harmony, tonality) in her entire aria.
Chromatic descent in the melody and glissandos, portamentos expresses her seductive character.
The change from minor to the parallel major expresses her changeability.
Countermelody over chorus at "L'amour" is more free and improvisatory.
Climax and improvisation on top F# (prends garde) expresses her passionate character.
Simple harmonies used (despite chromatic melody) express rustic, folklike character.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
From enormous to minute - Chopin's "Minute" Valse in Db Op 64 no 1 (1847)
Romantic music went in two directions: bigger
and into miniature (minute) forms such as this, that we are looking at today:
1. Who was Chopin, where did he come from, where did he work most of his career, what sorts of pieces did he compose throughout his life and what are some of his most famous pieces?
2. What is a waltz (valse)? Where and when did it originate? What are its characteristics?
3. Describe the structure of this piece, both in terms of overall form and phrase structure.
4. Name 10 Romantic features of this piece. What is unusual (for the period) in terms of tonality?
5. Find 4 chromatic melody notes and explain their function.
6. Divide the piece up and analyse the harmony of the entire piece (won't take long...). What sorts of especially Romantic-style chords are used here?
7. Name 3 challenges for the performer here. Explain.
8. Find appoggiaturas and acciaccaturas in the melody.
9. How are dynamics used in the piece? Discuss in a couple of sentences.
10. Describe (in a couple of sentences) how a climax is created from bar 22 - 34.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Romanticism in music
We now turn to the Romantic period proper, after the transitional music of Beethoven.
1. Compare the following classical period and romantic period pieces - list differences by the 6 concepts of music. (divide yourselves by concept)
Mozart - Rondo from Piano Concerto no 16
vs
Liszt Piano Concerto no 1
Mozart "Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja" from The Magic Flute
vs
Wagner - Wotan's farewell
2. Read your textbook "The Spirit of Romanticism" 264-270
and answer questions 1, 2 & 3 on p270.
3. Read this summary of Romantic Musical Characteristics and summarise them in your book under the 6 concepts of music.
4. What new instruments became included in the orchestra during the nineteenth century? What new possibilities were available due to advances in instrument-making technology? Refer to your textbook, p268.
5. Choose a piece from the Romantic era, find a score for it (try imslp) and a recording, and write two paragraphs discussing its use of the Romantic characteristics summarised above.
1. Compare the following classical period and romantic period pieces - list differences by the 6 concepts of music. (divide yourselves by concept)
Mozart - Rondo from Piano Concerto no 16
vs
Liszt Piano Concerto no 1
Mozart Liszt
Duration
Lower strings quavers Lots of dotted rhythms
Strict tempo Rubato
Straight (regular) rhythm Tempo is variable/flexible
Rhythmic motif dotted rhythm Vast contrasts of rhythm within phrases
Rhythmically consistent Shorter subdivisions of note values, faster passages Fermatas used
Lower strings quavers Lots of dotted rhythms
Strict tempo Rubato
Straight (regular) rhythm Tempo is variable/flexible
Rhythmic motif dotted rhythm Vast contrasts of rhythm within phrases
Rhythmically consistent Shorter subdivisions of note values, faster passages Fermatas used
Pitch
Small range Enormous range in piano and orchestra
Consonant harmony Lots of dissonance - diminished chords, lots of extended, complex chromatic chords
Bassline following root of chords Much more complex voiceleading
Modulated to dominant Modulation to C major (using circle of thirds) - tertiary modulation to distant key
Simple repetitive melody Complex, long, hard to grasp, based around a motif
Small range Enormous range in piano and orchestra
Consonant harmony Lots of dissonance - diminished chords, lots of extended, complex chromatic chords
Bassline following root of chords Much more complex voiceleading
Modulated to dominant Modulation to C major (using circle of thirds) - tertiary modulation to distant key
Simple repetitive melody Complex, long, hard to grasp, based around a motif
Tone Colour
Strings, flute, horns, bassoon Bigger orchestra including piccolo, more brass, more timpanis
Warm dainty round sound Forceful, heavy, sharp, bright
Strings, flute, horns, bassoon Bigger orchestra including piccolo, more brass, more timpanis
Warm dainty round sound Forceful, heavy, sharp, bright
Texture
Homophonic Unison at beginning, homophonic but expanded
Soloist is melody over accompanying chords Piano takes much bigger role contrasting with orchestra
Chords spread over a smaller range Chords spread very densely over a very wide range
Little pedal used - dryer, clearer, more defined
Lots of pedal, stormy, turbulent, thick textures with lots of pedal on piano
Simpler texture Much more complex
Homophonic Unison at beginning, homophonic but expanded
Soloist is melody over accompanying chords Piano takes much bigger role contrasting with orchestra
Chords spread over a smaller range Chords spread very densely over a very wide range
Little pedal used - dryer, clearer, more defined
Lots of pedal, stormy, turbulent, thick textures with lots of pedal on piano
Simpler texture Much more complex
Structure
Macro
Rondo - built around a repeating refrain Through composed
Clear contrasts between sections of regular length Blurred, unpredictable movement from one idea to the next
Micro
2 or 4 bar phrases organised in antecedent consequent structure (question-answer)
Organically developing phrases built around a central motif - unpredictable phrase lengths - sometimes very short, sometimes very long phrases
Mozart based around repetition of melodies Liszt based around motivic development and embellishment of harmonies
Macro
Rondo - built around a repeating refrain Through composed
Clear contrasts between sections of regular length Blurred, unpredictable movement from one idea to the next
Micro
2 or 4 bar phrases organised in antecedent consequent structure (question-answer)
Organically developing phrases built around a central motif - unpredictable phrase lengths - sometimes very short, sometimes very long phrases
Mozart based around repetition of melodies Liszt based around motivic development and embellishment of harmonies
Dynamics
Softer Much much louder
Clear contrasts, mainly steady mf Huge contrasts, also a lot more flexilibility within phrases
Cleaner More emotional
Softer Much much louder
Clear contrasts, mainly steady mf Huge contrasts, also a lot more flexilibility within phrases
Cleaner More emotional
Expressive Techs
Articulation
Much less pedal Much more pedal
Lighter, more detached Legato, smooth, sustained, heavier
Ornaments used - trills, (turns) Extended trills used,no ornaments added
Occasional accents Much greater range of different accents, used all the time
Articulation
Much less pedal Much more pedal
Lighter, more detached Legato, smooth, sustained, heavier
Ornaments used - trills, (turns) Extended trills used,no ornaments added
Occasional accents Much greater range of different accents, used all the time
vs
Wagner - Wotan's farewell
and answer questions 1, 2 & 3 on p270.
3. Read this summary of Romantic Musical Characteristics and summarise them in your book under the 6 concepts of music.
4. What new instruments became included in the orchestra during the nineteenth century? What new possibilities were available due to advances in instrument-making technology? Refer to your textbook, p268.
5. Choose a piece from the Romantic era, find a score for it (try imslp) and a recording, and write two paragraphs discussing its use of the Romantic characteristics summarised above.
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