Composition (for end of day on Friday 2nd December)

1. Improve your minuet composition according to the feedback
2. Make sure that you have a proper chromatic chord modulation and that you have at least one more interesting chord in your dominant pedal section (see file in Minuet Composition Files)
3. Consider the tempo, particularly if you have just used the default – might it be better slower or faster?
4. Add LOTS of dynamics and articulations to the melody (at least as much as in the Haydn Symphony 104 that we are studying)
5. Using the models we looked at in class (in the Minuet Composition Files folder on Moodle) rework the texture for string quartet, again using lots of dynamics and articulations. You need a variety of textures but do not make it TOO complicated and DO NOT make up your own very complex textures.

Extension task (do one or the other )

EITHER write a trio to go with this Minuet OR re-orchestrate along the lines of one of the orchestration tasks completed a few weeks ago (Stamitz, Filtz or Haydn).

Essay (Wednesday 30th)

Write a short essay on humour in the minuet and trio with reference to three other works by Haydn.

Revision (for Monday 28th November)

On Monday there will be a brief test on your knowledge (using blank scores) of the Haydn, a set of questions on an unfamiliar piece, and a short question exploring a topic that we have covered (i.e. humour or orchestration). There is an annotated score on Moodle.

Composition (for Tuesday 22nd end of day on Moodle)

A :|| (Modulating Period) – 8 bars

• Four bars ending on an imperfect cadence (I to V)
• Four bars ending on a perfect cadence in the dominant key using one of the following progressions for bars 6-8:
  • Diminished seventh onto | V6/4-5/3 | I
    (note two chords in penultimate bar)
  • Secondary dominant onto | ii6-V | I
    (note two chords in penultimate bar)

 ||: B (A’) :|| – 16 bars

• Four bars of iii-vi-ii-V back in home key
• Four bars of Dominant pedal (four bars)
• Eight bars of non-modulating period (as A but without the modulation in the second half)

Please simplify your quartet texture so that all three lower parts simply sustain the harmonies (we will work on the texture in a final part of this task next week).

Musical Theatre (for Wednesday 23rd by the end of the day on Moodle)
Please complete a set of research notes on Word that should run to at least a couple of pages. You will need to read at least the Rodgers and Hammerstein (Sears) and Oklahoma! (Kenrick) but you might also find the more general stuff useful. 

Your research notes should summarise the historical position of Rodgers and Hammerstein, their main innovations, their most important works together and include detailed reference to at least three songs (scores and tracks of some are on Moodle but there is loads on Youtube also).

Composition Task (due by the end of Wednesday 2nd November on Moodle)
Please submit TWO files on Moodle:

1. a piano score with the melody in the treble stave and triads in the bass (not an accompaniment – just an indication of the harmony. Chord labels will also be useful but are not mandatory)
2. a string quartet score with the same melody in the first violin and a simple accompaniment in the manner of Exercise E2 in the other three parts

It is important that you include DYNAMICS and ARTICULATION, which are an important part of the musical gestures. If you do not do so you will be asked to do the exercise again. Please refer the melody-writing hand out for advice on cadences etc.

The melody must take the following form:

A – an 8 bar period (4 bars antecedent including an initial idea for 2 bars and a contrasting idea ending in an imperfect cadence / 4 bars consequent including an exact repeat of initial idea but the contrasting idea must this time finish with a perfect cadence, preferably ii-V-I or a cadential 6/4). This CAN be but does not have to be an improved version of L3 [alternatively you can use/adapt your sentence idea from J3]

B – a 4 bar idea adapting a fragment from A into a circle of fifths (iii-vi-ii-V) in which the second two bars should be an exact sequence of the first two

A’ – A repeat of the consequent phrase or slight adapting of it.

Extension tasks

• You can adapt the initial period so that it modulates to the dominant in the consequent
• You can add another four bars to B, making a longer circle of fifths (begin I-IV-vii and add an extra bar of V at a the end)
• You can vary the quartet accompaniment for the middle section / contrasting idea in period but KEEP IT SIMPLE (A6 and B1 in the Starting Points booklet offer possibilities as do ).

Revision for Test
The test on the first Monday back will include the following:

1. Basic chord analysis and labelling (see handbook)
2. Embellishment labelling and/or writing (see melody-writing handout)
3. Aural recognition of chords and cadences
4. Analysis of short piece using appropriate vocabulary (sentence, period, small ternary, binary, ternary, rounded binary)
5. Knowledge of closely related keys and modulations  (see melody-writing handout)

For Thursday 13th October (4.00)
Complete Exercise J3 (Sentence) on Sibelius and submit on Moodle. You need to show chords in the bass stave but it does not need to be an accompaniment/left hand. Please make sure that you follow the dissonance conventions very carefully – remember that we are trying to write in the Classical style. You will find this handout on melody writing useful (I will provide a hard copy on Wednesday). Make sure that the cadence follows a standard pattern as suggested on the melody handout.

The sentence should follow this pattern:

• Presentation – 2-bar basic melodic idea repeated to fit a different chord(s) as detailed in exercise J3 [4 bars in total]
• Fragmentation – sequential repetition of a fragment from presentation [2 bars]
• Cadence – a generic perfect or imperfect cadence [2 bars]

For Tuesday 18th October (4.00)
Complete Exercise L3 (Period) on Sibelius and submit on Moodle. You need to show chords in the bass stave but it does not need to be an accompaniment. As above, make sure you include dissonance conventions

The period should follow this pattern:

• Antecedent – 2-bar basic idea followed by 2 bars contrasting idea ending on imperfect cadence
• Consequent – starts the same but this time the contrasting idea (which can be different from the last time if you wish) ends with a perfect cadence

For Monday 3rd October
Please finish Exercise D2 in the Starting Points hand book to hand in during the lesson on Monday. Workshop at 12.00 on Friday for those who want some help.

For Tuesday 4th October (4pm)
Complete a melody using the steps outlined in Exercise H1/2 in the Starting Points Handbook. The melody should fit the following criteria AS WELL as following the instructions in the Handbook (here is a step by step sheet to help you if you want):

1. Presented on Sibelius
2. 12-16 bars long
3. ABA form
4. Written for a specific instrument
5. Using Dynamics and Articulation (Sibelius shortcuts – will help you put dynamics etc. in)
6. Can be slow or fast but NOT mm. 100!
7. It should end on the tonic note of the key.

Work due for Tuesday 27th/Wednesday 28th
1. Complete Exercise E2  on Sibelius and submit it on Moodle by the end of Tuesday 20th

2. Have one more go at Exercise B2 (the two bar melody) keeping in mind all the things discussed in the lesson about having correct dissonances and the second bar being like the first. You can do it on Sibelius and submit it in the lesson or print off a new sheet (click here to download)

Work Due for Friday 30th
Fill in the sheet (click here) on proposed initial performance programme with your teacher.