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:

Development of the Symphony Research (for first lesson back after Xmas)

Use the list of symphonies in your Development of the Symphony booklet plus the material on A level music (here) and any other wider reading (e.g. the Rhinegold study guide) to create a set of notes on Topic F: Development of the Orchestra. There will be a review activity and timed essay in the new year.

Composition (for Tuesday 17th)

Complete at 16-bar compound period (like the Haydn) for strings only that will lead into your tonic noise (and therefore should obviously be in the same key, tempo etc.). Remember to use the WCT Composing Hub to get ideas for textures, check your harmonic progressions make sense etc.

Structure is as follows:

• 4-bar basic idea (go back and read the advice here and remember too the DYNAMICS AND ARTICULATION are a vital part of the music)
• 4 bar cadential idea ending on an imperfect cadence. These four bars must include some parallel motion in the form of either parallel thirds or sixths OR falling first inversion chords before the cadence
• Exact repeat of bars 1-4
• Modified repeat of bars 5-8 this time ending on V that will make a perfect cadence with the beginning of your tonic noise

Composition (for Tuesday 3rd December)

Your blank six bars should be filled as follows:

1. A single bar based on the same chord that you landed on at the end of your A section (should be chord I of the dominant of your original key) leading to …

2. A partial circle of fifths in the original key as follows:

• iii – vi ii – V (one chord per bar)
• write a two-bar melody / texture that draws on your original idea in some way and fits with iii-vi and then sequence it exactly a step down for the next two bars (ii-V)

3. Finally, one bar of an augmented sixth that resolves onto the beginning of your dominant pedal

Optional extensions:

• re-orchestrate it for ‘a 8’ early Classical orchestra (strings plus two horns and two flutes or oboes)
• write a contrasting Trio in a different key that follows a similar template

Structure

• 1-8 – modulating period to the dominant (via secondary dominant) [repeat marks at the end of bar 8]
• 9 – One bar continuing in the dominant
• 10-13 – circle of fifths in original key: iii – vi – ii – V
• 14 – augmented sixth onto …
• 15-18 Dominant pedal
• 19-26 – As bars 1-8 but staying in the tonic

Haydn / Western Classical

Prepare for an essay on the development of Third Movements on Wednesday 4th. Your essay should talk about roughly three earlier symphonies, Haydn 104 and three or so later symphonies, making your references clear and accurate.