DESCRIPTION AND STUDY GUIDE: revised 10/97 Graduate Placement Examination in Music Theory A placement examination in music theory is required of all graduate students before their first term of enrollment. The examination is given before the beginning of each term. Students who score below the designated levels must enroll in a prescribed course or courses at the first opportunity (review courses, if prescribed, are offered in the Fall and Summer terms each year). Part One: A. Notating a familiar melody. (10 points) The names of several familiar melodies e.g., “Home on the Range,” etc.) are given. The student is asked to choose one and notate it in a designated key. Time: eight minutes.1 B. Singing a melody at sight. (tested individually, 15 points) The notation of a melody is given. After one minute of preparation and a reference pitch from the piano, the student is asked to sing the melody. Note: In this instance, the melodies are not necessarily from a familiar repertory, but are equivalent in level of complexity. A typical example: C. Identifying chords in context. (25 points) The notation of a melody is given. Two performances of the melody with supporting chords at a tempo of MM = 60 will be heard. The student is asked to name the chords at the indicated locations.2 1 Special procedure can be provided for foreign students not acquainted with the given melodies. 6 2 Identification can be made by one of three methods: a) naming the root, quality, and position (e.g. A major 4 , E minor 6, etc.); b) by Roman numeral including Arabic position numbers (e.g. IV6); c) by indicating lead-sheet symbols with “slash-chord notation” indicating the bass note (e.g.G7/B). The vocabulary of chords includes the following: diatonic triads and seventh chords (including the fully diminished seventh chord) and secondary dominants and dominant sevenths of all scale degrees (V/ii, iii, IV, etc.) Part Two: Concepts (passing score: at least 35 points) Time: 90 minutes. A. Analysis. (42 points) An excerpt from a string quartet is provided. The selection is a complete form in itself. Please do the following on the answer sheet: • Supply a Roman numeral analysis for all chords indicated by circled letters (8 points) • Mark the phrases on the schematic diagram provided (8 points) • Name the cadences by type ( perfect authentic, imperfect authentic, plagal, half, deceptive) and by the key in which each is operating3 (8 points) • Identify the phrases as parts of periods4, or phrase groups (8 points) • Use words or letters (or both) to designate the form. (10 points) 5 10 | | | | | | | | :||: | | 15 20 | | | | | | | | | | | 24 25 | | | | :|| || Identify the non-chord tones labelled a through e on the score : a. b. c. d. e. B. Notating chords. (8 points) Descriptions of eight chords are given. Notate these chords in the designated clef (treble, alto, tenor, or bass). The vocabulary includes diatonic triads and seventh chords, diminished seventh chords, secondary dominants, Neapolitan Sixth Chords, and Augmented Sixth Chords in any position.4 3 Definitions: Authentic Cadence (full, terminal, perfect): The next-to-last chord is the dominant; the last chord is the tonic. Plagal Cadence : The next-to-last chord is the subdominant; the last chord is the tonic. Half Cadence (incomplete, semi-, progressive): The last chord is the dom nant. Deceptive Cadence : The next-to-last chord is the dominant; the last chord is NOT the tonic. Sample descriptions: Major-minor seventh chord, root D, first inversion; the subdominant triad in A-flat major; German 6 in E major; VI6 in D minor. Upper case Roman numerals = major; Lower case Roman numerals = minor; o = diminished; + = augmented. Seventh chord identification requires two words, one for the triad formed by the root, third, and fifth, the other for the interval formed by the root and seventh. E.g., C-E-G-Bb: major-minor (dominant seventh chord); C-Eb-Gb-Bbb: diminished seventh chord, or full- o o 4 diminished seventh. chord. Symbol = plus appropriate Arabic numerals, as in 3 , etc. 4 A simple period contains two phrases, an antecedant and a consequent. A phrase group consists of two or more phrases that form a contextual unit, which are similar melodically, and that end with an inconclusive cadence..