In the following booklet, you will find a page dedicated ... · The note names in Alto Clef are: 3...

In the following booklet, you will find a page dedicated to each aspect of the AQA AS Music course with tasks to complete over the summer to give you a better understanding as to how best prepare

yourself for the start of the course in September.

Unit 1 – Influences on Music Historical Study The Western Classical Tradition……………………………....page 2

Baroque Choral Music…………………………………………pages 3-4 Unit 2 – Creating musical ideas (composition)………………….pages 5-14 Unit 3 – Interpreting musical ideas (performance)……………..page 15

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AQA Music Unit 1 MUSC1 – Influences on Music Historical Study The Western Classical Tradition The set work you will study is Haydn, Symphony No.104 in D Major, 1st and 3rd Movements.

What you will do:

• Over the course of many lessons you will study and analyse Haydn’s Symphony No.104 in D Major, the 1st and 3rd Movements only.

• Throughout this study you will look at the piece in detail focusing on the main elements of music, such as melody, harmony, tonality, rhythm, instrumentation, structure and texture etc.

• You will also learn how to study scores and also gain awareness of the context in which this music was composed.

• You will do all of this through theoretical tasks, written tasks, practical tasks and independent tasks.

• For the exam you will be expected to choose 1 out of 2 essay questions based on this set work showing your detailed understanding of the music, and you will also be allowed to refer to an unmarked score.

Tasks to complete over the summer:

à Listen to Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 in D Major and really familiarize yourself with it.

Listen to movements 1st and 3rd mainly but also listen to it in full. 1st movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzoqqIdOWqk

3rd movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohBMp13IhJE

à Get familiar with the historical context of this piece.

http://www.allmusic.com/composition/symphony-no-104-in-d-major-london-h-1-104-mc0002397415

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._104_(Haydn)

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MUSC1 – Baroque Choral Music

What you will do:

• Over the course of many lessons you will study and analyse various choral pieces taken from the baroque period.

• Throughout this study you will look at several pieces in detail focusing on the main elements of music, such as melody, harmony, tonality, rhythm, instrumentation, structure and use of voices etc.

• You will look at cantatas, oratorio, anthems and masses to gain an understanding of how composers write for different ensembles within this genre.

• You will do all of this through theoretical tasks, listening tasks, practical tasks and independent tasks.

• For the exam you will be expected to choose 1 out of 2 essay questions offered. You will show your understanding of musicals by drawing on examples relevant to the questions asked. CD examples and scores will NOT be available in the exam.


1. Listen to as many choral pieces listed below as you can on YouTube.

COMPOSER PIECE Bach Mass in B minor Bach Cantatas eg 140

Handel Messiah Handel Coronation Anthem

Charpentier Te Deum Vivaldi Gloria Purcell Rejoice in the Lord always Purcell Ode for St. Cecilia Bach Jesu Mein Freude BVW227

2. Make sure that you remember/research what cantatas, oratorio, anthems and masses are and their particularities. (Use extra paper if you need to)

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CANTATAS

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ORATORIO

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ANTHEMS

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MASSES

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Composing Unit 2 MUSC2 – Creating Musical Ideas

You will have to complete both tasks:

Question 1: Harmonisation of a 16 bar diatonic melody. You are given a traditional 16 bar diatonic melody in a major or minor key and will harmonise this using four-part harmony. You may compose for a group of any four melodic instruments/voices. You will need to show an understanding of and the ability to handle: • Perfect, plagal, imperfect and interrupted cadences • Root position, 1st and 2nd inversion chords • Passing notes • Modulation to the dominant, subdominant and relative minor/major • Conventional progressions such as cadential 6/4 • Use of the dominant 7th. Question 2: Controlling Texture You are given up to 24 bars of keyboard accompaniment and should show your ability to control texture by creating a piece of music using the given chords in two parts in a style of your choice for two melodic instruments/voices. Any instrument or group of instruments or selection of electronic sound sources may be used. You should demonstrate understanding of and the ability to handle techniques such as: • Melodic writing • Use of counterpoint • Imitation.

The work completed on Unit 1 will help you with this unit too.


1 – Make sure that you read music regularly (both treble and bass clefs)

2 – familiarize yourself with the Alto and Tenor clefs:

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The Alto and Tenor Clefs have two curves that meet in the center. The line on the staff where these curves meet is the note C. These clefs are also called C Clefs for this reason. The Alto Clef is positioned on the middle line. This line becomes the note C. (This note is also Middle C.)

The note names in Alto Clef are:

3 – Complete as much as you can from the following worksheets

7 www.musictheoryhelp.co.uk !

Grade 3 Theory Paper 1

This paper contains 5 questions, all of which should be answered.

Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes

1 (a) (i) The following extract begins on the first beat of the bar.

Fill in the missing bar lines.

Sibelius: Berceuse Op. 79 No. 6

(ii) Give the meaning of:

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

(b) Which Ornamentation features on the last four quavers?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 Compose a 3 bar rhythm to complete the one below, the complete extract should be 4 bars

long.

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www.musictheoryhelp.co.uk !

3 (a) Write the following extract one octave lower in the bass clef.

Remember to write in the clef.

Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 14

(b) Complete the following scentence:

In the first bar of the extract are the notes needed to form a tonic triad of:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

4 (a) Using crotchets, write one octave ascending of the harmonic minor scale that begins on

the given note. Do not use a key signature, but write in all the necessary accidentals.

(b) Using crotchets, write one octave ascending of the major scale that beings on the given

note. Do not use a key signature, but write in all the necessary accidentals.

(c) Write in the neccesary accidentals to form a descending scale of C# melodic minor.

(b) Complete the following sentence:

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5 Name the following intervals. In your answers remember to include both the interval’s number

(eg. 3rd) and type (eg. Major).

Key: Bb Major ………………………………………………

Key: Ab Major ………………………………………………

Key: B minor ………………………………………………

Key: C major ………………………………………………

Key: E major ………………………………………………

END

10 www.musictheoryhelp.co.uk !

Grade 4 Theory Paper 1

This paper contains 5 questions, all of which should be answered.

Time allowed: 1hr 30m

1 (a) (i) The following extract, which begins on the first beat of the bar, requires

three different time signatures, one at the start of each bar. Write in three

appropriate time signatures.

Bartok: String Quartet no. 1, movement 3

(ii) Write as semibreves (whole notes) the two enharmonic equivalents of the last note of

the first bar.!

(b) Give the meaning of:

……………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………

2 (a) Write the following extract in the alto clef, so that it will sound at the same pitch.

Remember to include the clef, key signature and articulation.

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(b) (i) Give the meaning of:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

(ii) Name an orchestral instrument that uses the alto clef.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

3 Write a 2 bar rhythm to complete this phrase.

4 (a) Using crotchets, write one octave ascending of the major scale that begins on the

given note. Do not use a key signature, but write in all the necessary accidentals.

(b) Using crotchets, write one octave descending of the harmonic minor scale that begins on the

given note.

(c) Put accidentals in front of the notes that need them to form a descending scale of E melodic

minor.

(d) Write in the key signature and accidentals to form a scale of F melodic minor.

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5 Write down the names of the following intervals, include both the interval’s number

(eg. 2nd, 3rd , …) and type (major, minor, perfect, augmented, diminished).

………………………

………………………

………………………

………………………

………………………

6 (a) Identify the following chords as either: the tonic (I); subdominant (IV) or dominant (V)

of their given keys. All chords are in root position.

Key: C major Chord: …………………………………..

Key: F# minor Chord: …………………………………..

Key: Eb major Chord: …………………………………..

(b) Write down the following chords, in root position, with relation to the given key.

Key: E major Chord: Subdominant (IV)

Key: D minor Chord: Dominant [minor] (v)

END

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Section 7 (20 marks)

Look at the following piece and answer the questions opposite.

1

f

p

f

5

p

mf

9

13

p

ff

A. Titov

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Boxes for examiner’s use only

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7.1 In how many sections is this piece?

__________________________________________________________________________

7.2 In which key is this piece?

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7.3 Put a bracket (�) above the place where you can see a one-octave scale in the key of the piece.

7.4 Write an appropriate chord symbol above bar 5.

7.5 Describe the harmonic rhythm in bars 9–12.

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7.6 Name the notes that are unaccented passing notes in bar 11 (treble part).

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7.7 In which bar are there only the notes of the subdominant chord (treble and bass parts)?

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7.8 Give the number of a bar where you can see every note of the dominant 7th chord (bass part).

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7.9 Give the number of a bar where the rhythm is the same in both treble and bass parts.

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7.10 Comment on the dynamic markings in this piece.

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Performing Unit 3 MUSC3 - Interpreting Musical Ideas

You will have to give two performances:

A solo performance on an instrument or voice. AND

An ensemble performance on an instrument or voice.

Each performance needs to last 5-8 minutes. Therefore, your whole performance program should last 10-16 minutes. For each performance you may choose to do a single piece or a programme of shorter pieces, and you can also choose to perform a complete work or a single movement/s from a particular piece.

You can choose whatever pieces you like; there is no rule on choosing pieces BUT try to choose pieces that will show off your ability to a good standard. Don’t choose pieces that are too easy, try to aim for grade 5 and above if you can. However, don’t choose pieces that are too hard either! It is much better to play an easier piece you can play well, than a harder piece you know you will make lots of mistakes in.


1 - Choose and rehearse a solo piece for your instrument/voice and be prepared to perform parts of it to the class when you return in September.

2- Photocopy/print 4 sheet music that you are confident playing or would like to learn. This should be solo pieces and/or ensemble pieces for your instrument/voice. Then file these photocopies in your AS music folder so you have a good selection of music to choose from for your performance lessons starting in September.

Note: Always bring your instrument and a selection of music to play to ALL of your performance lessons.

In the following booklet, you will find a page dedicated ... · The note names in Alto Clef are: 3...

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