GCSE Music Revision 2014

1. GCSE Music Revision 2014

2. Exam Overview • 90 minutes • Based on the 12 set works • Divided into 2 sections: A and B • Section A (8 questions. 68 Marks in total) • Section B (1 question. 12 Marks in total)

3. Section A – You will be required to identify: Melodic Devices • Ornamentation • Ostinato • Riffs • Use of Imitation • Pedal Point • Sequences • Rhythmic Devices • Syncopation • Swung rhythms • Dotted Rhythms • Triplets • Time signatures • Instruments • Differences between extracts Musical Elements • Pitch • Duration • Dynamics • Tempo • Timbre • Texture • Structure • Major, minor, modal, chromatic and pentatonic scales /tonalities • Context of composition

4. Section A – You will be required to: • Complete short exercises of melody and/or rhythm • Describe the historic & stylistic background to the actual set work • Relate a given extract to the context of Music History • Justify opinions on music hard using appropriate vocabulary(e.g. I dislike this music due to the lack of melody & irregular rhythms)

5. Section B (12 Marks) • You will choose one question from a choice of two • Section B is based on one set work • You will first be asked to place the set work in a wider context, for example: • In which country was this piece of music composed? • What style is this piece of music written in?

6. Section B (12 Marks) • You will then be asked a question which encourages you to demonstrate a more in-depth knowledge of the set work’s musical features, including: • Structure • Tonality • Texture • Instrumentation • Dynamics • Tempo • Melody • Rhythm • Technology

7. Set Works Summary 2014

8. Area of Study 1: Handel: Chorus: And the Glory of the Lord from the Messiah • Organ can be heard on the first note. There is no harpsichord. • Textures – monophony, Imitation, Homophonic ending • Vocal writing – use of melodies, counterpoint • Voice types – SATB • “Doctrine of Affection” – it’s a joyful piece, one mood throughout • Dynamics – terraced – they build up • Baroque – historical placement and basic features. • Oratorio – definition • Type of instrumental ensemble (small orchestral group with strings at the heart)

9. Area of Study 1: Mozart: 1st Movement from Symphony No. 40 in G Major • Symphony – definition, placement of the extract • Orchestra – which instrument is missing? • Instrumentation • Sonata form in some detail – identify sections aurally • Key/tonality/harmony – know the importance, not necessarily be able to identify • Textures • Dynamics • Classical – historical placement and basic features • Notation question • Cadences – all four

10. Area of Study 1: Chopin: Prelude No. 15 in D Flat Major, Op. 28 • Importance of piano writing in the romantic period • Techniques eg. pedal, sostenuto/cantabile writing • Romantic - historical placement and basic features • Rubato • Virtuosity • Pedal note • Why “raindrop” – refer to features in the music • Key/tonality of the section heard in the exam • mood • Pitch/dynamic range

11. Area of Study 2: A Schoenberg: Peripetie from Five Orchestral Pieces, Op 16 • Hexachords – a 6 note idea which can be used horizontally or vertically • Klangfarbenmelodie – melodic line snakes through the parts • Hauptestimme – principal voice and Nebenstimme – secondary voice • Transformation of the hexachord • Texture/timbre – contrasts and combinations, spot families of instruments • 20th Century orchestra • Structure – not aurally obvious, but initial horn theme comes back • Elements of music • Background to serialism to give context • Expressionism

12. Area of Study 2: L Bernstein: Something’s Coming from Westside Story • Song from a musical • Based on Romeo and Juliet • This song is sung by Tony • Mood of anticipation and optimism –how is this created? • Orchestra • Use of rhythm - syncopation • Jazz/Latin influence – WCM orchestra • Use of tritone • Structure (could fill in the blanks) • Possible melodic dictation • Ostinato/bass riff • Changing meter • Blue notes

13. Area of Study 2: S Reich: 3rd Movement (fast) from Electric Counterpoint • Minimalism techniques – note addition, layering, resultant melody (you hear something not really played), ostinatos, phasing (not really in this piece – more of a canon.) • Why “Electric Counterpoint” ? • Instrumentation • Texture • Tonality – diatonic, quite static, ambiguous at the start Gmajor ? E minor?? E minor when the bass starts, moves to C minor and back to E minor. • Time signature.

14. Area of Study 3: M Davis: All Blues from the album Kind of Blue • Meter – 6/4 (there will be a multiple choice question) • Drums played with brushes • Chord sequence – 12 bar blues with links, altered chord in 3rd line 7 #9 has major and minor 3rd simultaneously. • Texture • Riff in bass and piano • Spot the instrument • Use of trumpet mute • Improvisation • Structure • Tonality – modal • Head arrangement • C7 could be described as Gm7 ambiguous • Vocab – head, changes, front line. rhythm section, improvisation • General question about 5 elements of music, and development from blues • Where might you hear this? • Where has it come from? Influences? • Piano style – comping/vamping, not accompanying

15. Area of Study 3: J Buckley: Grace from the album Grace • Meter 6/8 • Structure • Use of effects • Drop D tuning allows easier power chords (bar over bottom 3 strings). Just tune bottom string down to D rather than the usual E • Alternative rock • Use of power chords with deliberate dissonance from upper 3 strings, goes with the chorus lyric “wait in fire” • Guitar techniques – pull-offs, string bending, slurs, hammer-ons, string bending, slides. • Repeated riff – up 2 frets followed by a power chord

16. Area of Study 3: Moby: Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad? From the album Play • Use of effects – Reverb (used to create distance), compression, EQ, delay • Structure - breakdown • Texture (opening, build up, end) • Use of samples – not cleaned up, background noise adds to emotion • Chord sequence

17. Area of Study 4: Capercaillie: Skye Waulking Song • Folk/pop fusion • Instruments – names and how played (eg blown, plucked) How does instrumentation change through the structure • Vocals – Gaelic – type of voice • What is a Waulking song? Traditionally has call and response telling story/gossip/news. Not allowed to repeat more than 1 line, so nonsense syllables give time to think. • Use of nonsense syllables • Legend/story • Structure - Intro, verses, solo, fade • Complete chord sequence for a question • Tonality – ambiguous at start, major with modal feel • Texture – heterophonic, v slight differences, starts v. thin with gradual build as instruments join • Purpose of song – how does the music fit this? • Describe the tempo • Instrumental techniques eg violin at start • identify meter – multiple choice • Mood – sad

18. Area of Study 4: Rag Desh • Instrumentation – sarod (plucked), sarangi (bowed), tabla, cymbals, Pakhanaj (double headed drum). • Vocal style – ornamented, bending notes • Different sections – recognise chracteristics • Rag deshis the tonality • Tal • Order of instrumental entries • Use of drone • Contextual placement • Comparison of 3 rags (section A question)

19. Area of Study 4: Koko: Yiri • Texture – compare the introduction to the rest • Instrumentation – spot the instrument • Possible spot the rhythm questions • Oral tradition/master drummer • Repetition/ostinato (probably a sentence completion question) • Purpose • Melody • Call and response • What is Balfan doing at the start ? = Improvising • Rhythmic devices – polyrhythms, syncopation