Music A Level Handbook Name: Teacher: Congratulations! You have completed your GCSE’s and now you’re embarking on an even more exciting and challenging journey into the depths of A level Music! Your teachers will be: You’ll find yourselves stuck at some times when composing, listening, performing or writing your essays – but do not worry! Ask your teachers for help when you need it- don’t struggle alone! If you use this book as instructed, research and read around your set works and other units, listen carefully to your teachers’ advice, you will hit your target grade or above. We hope you enjoy the course as much as we do – we’re looking forward to teaching you for two years. Good luck! 2 Contents Content Sub sections Page number 1. What exams to expect 4 2. Important Dates 5 3. Feedback from Tests 6-9 4. Specification Content 11-22 Component 1: Appraisal 11-13 Component 2: Performance 14-19 inc. Performing log Component 3 : Composition 20-22 5. Theory Content 24-56 Pre- A level theory 24-30 1: Texture 31-34 2: Instruments and the score 35-42 3: Rhythm 43 4: Harmony 44-47 5: Tonality 48-50 6: Melody 51-54 7: Form and structure 55-56 6. Marking criteria for Also including specimen questions and sample 57-86 component One answers, command words, music vocabulary and suggested further listening 7. Reading list/ Useful websites 87 8. Resources 87 9. Music Expectations at A level 88 10. Homework monitoring 89-92 11. Personal statement log 93 Minimum Target Grade Challenge Target Grade 1 2 3 3 1. What Exams to Expect As part of your A level you will be expected to develop the following skills: Theoretical understanding Listening Writing essays about music Composing Performing A Level Examinations Component 1 2 hours 30 minutes written examination Appraising Music (40% of A Level: 120 marks) Component 2 A minimum of 10 minutes solo or ensemble Performance Externally Assessed Coursework (35% of A Level: 50 marks) Component 3 Composition 1: to a brief (25 marks) Composition Composition 2: Free (25 marks) Externally Assessed Coursework (25% of A Level: 50 marks) 4 2. Important Dates Minimum target grade: Type of Specific content Date Raw Mark % Grade Assignment Theory test Performance deadline Composition deadline Year 12 Set work 1 tests and essays 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Year 12 Mock Past Paper 1 Listening Papers Past Paper 2 Past Paper 3 Mock Year 12 Mock Exam Section A: Listening – 56 marks Section B: Analysis – 34 marks Section C: Essay – 30 marks Year 13 Set work 1 tests and essays 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Year 13 Mock Past Paper 1 Listening Papers Past Paper 2 Past Paper 3 Mock A level External Section A: Listening – 56 marks exam Section B: Analysis – 34 marks Section C: Essay – 30 marks 5 3. Feedback from Tests After each test or essay, your teacher will give you written or verbal feedback, you must make a note of it here. The premise is that you will act on this feedback. We may check your actions on feedback at any time. Assessment Feedback Action Taken 6 7 8 9 4. Specification Content and Criteria Component 1: Appraisal (listening and set works) p.11-13 Component 2: Performing p.14-19 (including performance log/ feedback) Component 3: Composing p.20-22 10 Component 1: Appraisal (Set Works and Listening Paper) Students must study: Strand B (The operas of Mozart): Area of study 1: Western classical tradition 1650-1910 Le Nozze di Figaro k.492, Act 1 and choose two remaining topics. At HGS we will study: - Overture Area of Study 4 – Music for theatre - No.1 Duettino (Figaro and Susanna, including following recit.) Area of Study 5 – Jazz - No.3 Cavatina (Figaro, including the previous recit.) - No.4 Aria (Bartolo) Western classical strands: - No.5 Duettino (Susanna and Marcellina) Baroque: the solo concerto - No.6 Aria (Cherubino) Classical: the operas of Mozart - No.7 Terzetto (Susanna, Basilio, Count) Romantic: the piano music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg - No.9 Aria (Figaro) Assessment will be by written paper with some questions using Strand C (The piano music of Chopin, Brahms and Grieg): a CD of musical excerpts. The examination paper will be marked - Chopin – Ballade no.2 in F major op.38 by AQA examiners. The question paper will have three sections. - Chopin – Nocturne in E minor op/72 no.1 - Brahms – Intermezzo in A major op.118 no.2 Section A: Listening – 56 marks (65mins) - Brahms – Ballade in G minor op.118 no.3 - Grieg – Norwegian march op.54 no.2 Students must be able to listen attentively to unfamiliar music, - Grieg – Notturno op.54 no.4 from all the named artists in each of the three Western classical strands and the jazz and musical areas, to identify and accurately Section C: Essay [Jazz and Musical Theatre] – 30 marks (45mins) describe musical elements and use musical language (including One essay question will be set on one of these topics. staff notation, for tasks such as dictation). For three of the named artists from jazz and musical theatre You will need to answer one set of questions linked to AOS1: strands, students must also be able to critically appraise music Western classical, including aural dictation, one set of questions using knowledge and understanding of: on jazz and another set on musicals. Students have a CD each How the artists’/ composers’ use of musical elements and can control number of playings. for at least two published works reflects the style of the genre and their purpose and intentions for the Section B: Analysis [Western Classical Music]–34 marks (40mins) work How the style of the artists’/ composers’ music has For two of the strands, students must also be able to critically varied over time through comparison of published appraise music through analysing excerpts from the set works works using knowledge and understanding of: Musical vocabulary and terminology relevant to the The effect of audience, time and place on how the set work and Area of study. works were created, developed and performed How and why the music across the selected strand is Named artists: different How the composer’s purpose and intention for the set AOS4: Music for Theatre works is reflected in their use of musical elements - Kurt Weill Relevant musical vocabulary and terminology for the - Richard Rogers set works - Stephen Sondheim The complex interdependencies between musical - Claude-Michel Schönberg elements - Jason Robert Brown The sophisticated connections between music and its context. AOS5: Jazz Here you will answer two sets of questions – both short and long - Louis Armstrong answers on two extracts from the set works and a further two - Duke Ellington sets of questions from the two selected strands. Scores of the - Charlie Parker extracts will be included. - Miles Davis - Pat Metheny Set works: - Gwilym Simcock Strand A (Baroque solo concerto): BOTH SECTION B AND SECTION C MUST BE WRITTEN IN PROSE. - Purcell – Sonata for trumpet and strings in D major Z.850 - Vivaldi – Flute concerto in D Il Gardellino op.10 no.3 RV428 Study for all three sections will involve listening to music from - Bach – Violin concerto in A minor BWV1041 within the two AoS, study of scores and gaining an awareness of the context in which the music was composed. 11 Musical Elements you will need for your written exam: Element Type Element Melody Contour – ascending, descending, stepwise, conjunct, disjunct, scalic, triadic and arpeggio, angular Intervals, including compound intervals Phrase length – equal, unequal and balance Ornaments – trill, mordent, turn, acciaccatura and appoggiatura Passing notes – accented, unaccented and chromatic Auxiliary notes – upper, lower and chromatic Note of anticipation Echappée note Portamento Melodic devices – sequence, motif, fragmentation, repetition, intervallic augmentation and diminution. Pitch bend, slide, glissando, smear, spill/ fall-off, rip Melisma, syllabic leitmotif Harmony Consonant and dissonant Diatonic – primary and secondary triads, dominant 7th and all inversions Chromatic – diminished 7th, secondary dominant 7th, substitution chords (borrowing from opposite mode), chord of the Neapolitan, Neapolitan 6th and augmented 6th chords (Italian, German, French) Cadences – perfect, imperfect, interrupted, plagal, half close, Phrygian and tierce de Picardie Circle of 5ths progression, harmonic sequence Pedal notes – tonic, dominant, inverted and inner Suspensions (4-3, 7-6, 9-8 and bass), preparation and resolution Cadential 6/4 Power chords, sus 4th chords Chord extensions – secondary 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, added 2nd, 6th , sus 4th Chord symbols eg C/E, C7, Cø and C+. Substitution (especially triton substitution) Commonly used jazz harmony symbols Turn-around Tonality Major, minor, and their key signatures Modulation to dominant, subdominant, and their relatives, also to tonic minor, relative minor and tertiary keys Enharmonic keys Modality Blue notes Blues scale Diminished (octatonic) scale Knowledge of specific modes for modal jazz Structure Binary, rounded binary and ternary Ritornello and episode Sonata form Through-composed Introduction and coda/ outro Recitative and aria Foursquare Antecedent and consequent phrases Ostinato Bridge/ instrumental/ middle 8 Verse/ chorus 12 bar blues Song form/ standard form Head Fours break 12 Sonority Standard orchestral and vocal types (Timbre) Basso continuo Pizzicato, arco, col legno, con sordino, sul ponticello, sul tasto and double stopping Sotto voce, vibrato Una corda, pedalling Studio/ technological effects eg reverb Standard contemporary instrumental types