Week 2: Intro Video

Rondo

This week, before we start the Easter break, I would like you to do the following. I will then give you formal feedback over Easter so you can start really polishing it next term:

• Make corrections as per your feedback
• Make a list of WCT features from the brief and where they feature in your composition. This can just be a series of bullet points or a table in a Word or similar document
• Copy and paste your ABA’ after the C section. Choose at least one A section and rewrite it with a modified texture.
• Add a coda to the end (look at this handout on codas to help you)

Western Classical Tradition

1. Keep on making notes on and revising for the timed essay at the end of this week on LAST MOVEMENTS. Video Part 1 / Video Part 2
2. Complete Worksheet 2 (on Moodle) in readiness for a video and follow-up task later in the week
3. Complete the dictation exercise on Moodle
4. Watch this VIDEO that discusses answers to the worksheet and goes through the fourth movement of the Haydn
5. COMPLETE the timed essay buy the end of Friday 3rd April and submit it on Moodle.

Welcome to online learning in these uncertain times. I will keep your work for each week all in one post for simplicity but I will add signposting to new materials as we go along. Any questions, please email me or even better post in the Moodle Online Forum.

This week we are carrying on with the Rondo composition, Haydn Finale and (later in the week) doing a bit of Musical Theatre.

Watch this video first. It is a general intro to the week and has some discussion of next steps in the Rondo:

Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EY3peslKhw (warning: some dodgy editing – I’m still getting used to the software!!!)

Composition: Rondo

NOTE: if you are having Sibelius problems you could switch to Musescore. I now have this and I can also convert any Sibelius files that you need into this format. Email me.

Have another look at the brief to make sure you know what you are doing. This week, with a bit of luck for Thursday 26th on Moodle, I want you make corrections to your ABA’ opening (see feedback on Moodle) plus a first draft of your C section (which should be in the tonic minor).

There will be technical teething issues in these first few weeks. Please contact me for help! I was hoping to get free licences from Avid but as things shut down we will have to see. In the meantime you could subscribe to the free or student versions. If you can’t make this work, you can use alternative software like Musescore and Noteflight but sharing work with me will be a little bit more of a pain. Whatever, don’t worry. Stay in contact and we will find a way.

Western Classical Tradition

Do Worksheet 1 on Moodle (here on the Common Resources Moodle). This consists of some detailed questions on the score. When you have tried to answer them then you can continue.

Video 2 (watch this once you have finished Worksheet 1)

Complete the assignment on Moodle (due on Friday)

On a word document, or any format you like, put together a brief explanation of how Haydn uses interrupted cadences in the finale of 104. You need to show, with bar numbers, some of the surprises and delays that Haydn creates. You can just do it in prose, or as a poster or PowerPoint or whatever

There is also a dictation exercise on Moodle for you to complete.

Continue with making notes on the finale in the symphony. Use your Development of the Symphony essay booklet plus the notes here on alevelmusic. We will do a timed essay on finales at the end of next week.

Musical Theatre

We are doing Worksheet 48, which is in your MT Workbook 2 and also in this week’s folder on Moodle.

Video lesson part 1

Video lesson part 2

Performance

Starting on Friday 20th we are going to start recording videos of your practical programme so that we have something we can send to the board in the event that our examiner visit does not go ahead. You will have a rehearsal and, as advised by the board, a single uninterrupted recording of your programme. Schedules will be emailed and posted on the noticeboard

Composition

I would like you do create your coursework folder on your H drive before the end of Friday this week and put a draft PDF and MP3 file in it for all your compositions. I will then have something to submit even if you can no longer access the software and drives that you need. Please see the checklist file names etc. (here: https://moodle1.kedst.ac.uk/mod/folder/view.php?id=74762)
PLEASE DO THIS EVEN IF YOUR WORK IS NOT FINISHED.

1. download the log and start filling it in so you are ready to email it to me if I ask for it
2. Create a simple word document called simply “<name> To Do”.that lists the things in your piece as a bullet pointed list that you have yet to finish and place it in the same folder

Internal Composition Brief

For Tuesday 17th: Write B section and then put together ABA’ (look at brief but basically the B section fragments an idea from the A section and then ends up on a dominant pedal for 4-8 bars or so. You need to use the chords from alevelmusic really carefully to make it correct.)

See previous post below for brief, score of Haydn Rondo and other relevant documentation

Essay on Second Movements

There will be a timed essay on the development of SECOND movements on Friday 13th March. You need to prepare for this in the usual way by using your booklet in conjunction with the Development of the Symphony notes on A level music. We will touch on some key issues in class in preparation for this.

Internal Composition Brief

For Tuesday 10th: Write A’ section and if you’ve done that successfully the A section

For Tuesday 17th: Write B section and then put together ABA’ (look at brief but basically the B section fragments an idea from the A section and then ends up on a dominant pedal for 4-8 bars or so. You need to use the chords from alevelmusic really carefully to make it correct.)

This is the assessed brief handed in next term. Please see both the detailed instructions and the Haydn model below but we will be launching this formally in class so no need to start until we have talked about it.

Haydn

On the first Friday back after half term, there will be a test on Movements ONE and THREE of Haydn 104.

Make sure you use your scores and the resources on Moodle which include Quizzes and blank scores so you can practice skills (as well as notes and annotated scores).

Composition Homework

Deadline: on Moodle by the end of Friday 28th Februrary

Finish off and perfect your sonata form piece. A summary of the piece and checklist as given out in class can be downloaded here:

NOTE: You will need a LINK into the circle of fifths at the beginning of the development (which was not in my original handout)

I am happy to give feedback to students who want to email me their work at the beginning of the first week back.

Composition

1. Do corrections
2. Write a transition for the exposition which should be as follows:
   1. A 6-8 bar passage that follows the pivot chord progression from the Haydn so it should go as follows (this can be based on existing or new material but must continue from the tonic noise that you have already written):
      In home key: I – V6 / which is in dominant key I6 – vii6 – I [then you can carry on for a few bars in the new key] – note the underlined chord is the pivot chord (V6=I6 in new key)
   2. 6 or more bars of dominant pedal in the new key (use these chords) which will lead into your second subject (i.e. if you are going from D in S1 to A in S2 your dominant pedal must be E)
3. Copy and paste your first subject after this transition and then transpose it into the dominant

SO the beginning should now go (new bits in BOLD CAPS):

S1 – tonic noise – TRANSITION – DOMINANT PEDAL (OF DOMINANT) – S2 (which is S1 transposed up a fifth/down a fourth)

Test preparation

Continue preparing for test on Haydn First movement short answer AND the development of first movements in the symphony in general.

Composition

Please write two more fragments:

1. a dominant pedal to go at the end of the development. You must use some of these chords please. Really carefully check that you are getting the harmony right and writing things that fit with it!
2. a coda to go at the end of the movement in the tonic. See quick guide to codas and also use the end of Haydn 104 as a model

You should now have these fragments

S1-tonic noise || Dev 1 (circle of fifths) || Dev 2 (alternating texture) || Dev 3 (dominant pedal) || Coda (in the tonic)

WCT

On FRIDAY next week (7th February) we will have a test on the Haydn first movement AND an essay on first movements. You need to prepare for these using the resources on Moodle and your essay booklet/alevelmusic

Composition (Tuesday 28th January)

Make any corrections then write two development sketches

SKETCH 1 (circle of fifths – a bit like b. 150)

Write a circle of fifths based on a fragment of your idea. You must:

• write it in a closely related major or minor key to your tonic
• write a melodic idea that spans TWO chords (i.e. I – IV) then sequence this idea down by step to create the circle of fifths
• in  a minor key circle of fifths you should not raise the seventh in III (and you can decide whether to or not for vii)
• If you want you can add some secondary dominants and/or start with an introductory few bars (a bit like b. 145)

SKETCH 2 (alternation across texture – like bb. 131-136)

This must

• Be in another minor key
• Create a two-bar idea based on a motif from your main melody
• Hold a chord or repeated chords in the middle of the texture
• the melody should alternate between an upper instrument above and a lower instrument below (it can overlap like the Haydn or not)
• you can end with a chromatic chord into another key if you like

Appraising

Please start preparing for a timed essay on FIRST movements (Topic B)

You should also look at the annotated score of Haydn 104 first movement on Moodle and update your own score. Anything you don’t understand and/or that seems tricky and we haven’t covered in class please let me know. We will have an assessment on the first movement the week after next.

Timed Essay (C Group – Thursday / D Group Wednesday)

Prepare yourselves for a timed essay on Topic F (Development of the Orchestra) using the booklet and stuff on ALM. You might want to look at the exemplar essay for the last topic

Composition

Please have another shot at the 16-bar Compound Period following carefully the instructions here: