Music First

Please email me for your individual login for the ‘Music First’ website which includes a variety of online listening examples and resources.

Read through and listen to the material focussing on the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, found on the Short History of Music link and then complete the following questions.

Short History of Music

https://alevelmusic.com/4-short-history-of-music/

What is your favourite piece and why?

Choose something about one of the other tracks that interests you (e.g. instrumentation, harmony, rhythm). Describe this aspect of the music and why you find it interesting.

What is your least favourite track?

Describe two aspects of this track that you think contribute to your opinion:

If you had to compose a piece that took inspiration from one of these tracks, which one would you choose and why.

Listen to and read about the Baroque and Classical eras on the Short History of Music link. Identify THREE features of music that are different at the beginning of the Classical era compared to the Baroque.

Listen to and read about the Romantic period on the Short History of Music link. Then begin your own research on a Romantic composer of your choice. Write a short biographical paragraph about the composer, explaining how they are typically Romantic.

Glossary of terminology

Please refresh yourself with key terminology from our GCSE course in preparation for A Level.

Read through the list of terms. Then research and write the definition of any that you are not familiar with.

GCSE Music Terminology List Melody

• Anacrusis • Anticipation note • Conjunct (stepwise) • Disjunct (angular) • Arpeggio/broken chord • Triadic • Scalic (ascending/descending) • Low pitch • High pitch • Range • Sequence • Imitation • Repetition • Contrast • Leitmotif • Motif • Octave • Tone/ Major 2nd • Major 3rd • Perfect 4th • Perfect 5th • Major 6th • Major 7th • Semitone • Chromatic movement • Pentatonic • Blue notes • Trill/ornamentation/decoration • Countermelody • Answering phrase • Thematic • Fanfare

Tonality

• Major • Minor • Modal • Modulation to the Dominant and Relative Major/Minor

Pentatonic Harmony

• Primary chords • Secondary chords • Inversion • Diatonic • Tonic • Subdominant • Dominant (7th) • Perfect cadence • Imperfect cadence • Plagal cadence • Interrupted cadence

• Chord progression/chord sequence • Harmonic rhythm • Drone • Pedal • Dissonance • Power chords

Form and Structure

• Binary • Ternary • Rondo • Minuet and Trio • Repetition • Contrast • Theme and variations • Strophic • 32 bar song form/AABA • 12 bar Blues • Call and response • Ostinato • Bridge • Break • Loop • Improvisation • Verse • Chorus • Middle 8 • Fill • Introduction • Outro • Coda • Riff • Phrasing (regular and irregular)

Texture

• Monophonic • Homophonic • Polyphonic • 2, 3 or 4 part textures • Unison • Chordal • Imitation • Layered • Melody and accompaniment • Countermelody • Descant • Round • Canon • Drone • Alberti bass • Stab chords • Walking bass

Tempo

• Allegro/Vivace • Allegretto • Moderato/Andante • Adagio/Lento • Accelerando • Ritardando/Rallentando • Rubato • Pause

Rhythm

• Semibreve • Minim • Crotchet • Quaver • Semiquaver • Dotted • Syncopation • Swing rhythms • On the beat • Off-beat • Triplet • Associated rests • Driving rhythms • Dance rhythms • Rock rhythms

Metre

• Regular • Irregular • Accent • Simple time (2/4, 3/4, 4/4) • Duple/triple/quadruple • Compound time (6/8)

Dynamics

• Pianissimo • Piano • Mezzo piano • Mezzo forte • Forte • Fortissimo • Crescendo • Diminuendo • Sforzando

Musical Styles

• Western Classical Tradition • Baroque • Classical • Romantic • Chamber music • Jazz • Blues • Musical Theatre/Musical • Welsh folk • Cerdd dant • Film Music • Rock • Soul • Hip-hop • Reggae • Ballad • Pop • Fusion • Minimalism

Timbre Instruments, Voices and Groupings

• Strings • Violin • Viola • Cello • Double bass • Harp • Woodwind • Flute • Oboe • Clarinet • Saxophone • Bassoon • Brass • Trumpet • French horn • Trombone • Tuba • Percussion • Timpani • Drum kit • Snare drum • Cymbal • Hand held percussion • Glockenspiel • Xylophone • Keyboard • Piano • Organ • Harpsichord • Basso continuo • Classical or Spanish guitar • Electric guitar • Bass guitar • Solo • Duet • Trio • Soprano • Alto • Tenor • Bass • Backing vocals • A cappella • Chorus • Orchestra • String quartet • Basso continuo • Pop/rock group • Rhythm section • Acoustic

Technology • Synthesised/electronic • Panning • Phasing • Sample • Reverb • Echo • Amplified

Performance techniques/Articulation

• Humming • Syllabic • Melismatic • Scat • Vibrato • Falsetto • Belt • Rap • Staccato • Legato • Sustained • Accent • Pizzicato • Arco/bowed • Divisi • Double stopping • Tremolo • Distortion • Hammer on • Rim shot • Slap bass • Drum roll • Muted • Glissando/slide • Pitch bend • Plucked • Slurred • Tongued • Detached

Musical Theatre

Research the biography and key works for the following musical theatre composers:

• Cole Porter • Richard Rodgers, • Claude-Michel Schonberg • Andrew Lloyd-Webber

Please create a factsheet for each composer.

Performance

Make sure you don’t neglect your playing during this break. If you are having online lessons with your teacher, then that will obviously keep you going. If you are not, I suggest you do at least some of the tasks below to keep yourself in practice.

• prepare a new piece on your chosen instrument or a piece you are already began working on. At AS we are looking for a piece that is of a Grade 5 standard and above.

• You need to begin to prepare a programme which lasts between 6 and 8 minutes and must contain a minimum of two pieces.

• You could look at the graded lists for your instrument from exam boards such as ABRSM, LCM, Rockschool. These can be found online.

If you are unsure or have any questions then please contact me at jonesla@whitchurch.cardiff.sch.uk

Please keep a copy of all this transition work in a file in preparation for Year 12.