Standard Level (SL)
30% - Required:
Listening Paper (Exam) A listening paper consists of four compulsory questions. Three questions complete analysis and examination - Questions include auditory examples - Some questions may include written scores - Auditory examples come from a variety of world and Western European time periods. One compulsory question is based upon the Prescribed Listening scores. Questions for the required scores do not have auditory examples. These Prescribed Listening scores will be provided by our school & should be taken to the Exam. |
Higher Level (HL)
30% - Required:
Listening Paper (Exam) A listening paper consists of five compulsory questions. Three questions complete analysis and examination - Questions include auditory examples - Some questions may include written scores - Auditory examples come from a variety of world and Western European time periods. Two compulsory questions are based upon the Prescribed Listening scores. Questions for the required scores do not have auditory examples. These Prescribed Listening scores will be provided by our school & should be taken to the Exam. |
“ME-ME-HA-ME-FO-STY-CO”
This mnemonic device is a simple way of remembering the elements, form and context when listening, analyzing or writing a piece of music. Often candidates forget to write about the context, and this little device is a great way to remind yourself that you have covered some of the significant analysis.
Me – Melody (8%)
Me – Meter (8%) (incl Rhythm)
Ha – Harmony (8%)
Me – Medium (8%)
Fo – Form (25%)
Sty – Style (12%)
Co – Context (12%)
Write it on a piece of scratch paper and cross it off as you go through the extract.
Also Add in:
Tex - Texture
Instruments - Instrumentation
Dyna - Dynamics
Mo - more!
PROS:
1) A way to provide a basic outline for your answer
2) Reminds candidate to include contextual and stylistic information 3) Includes majority of the elements
CONS:
1) Missing important categories of musical terms like TEXTURE, not to mention dynamics, articulations, etc.
2) Candidates may spend the majority of their time on the first one “ME” or “melody”, and run out of time to write about structure and other elements.
Me – Melody (8%)
Me – Meter (8%) (incl Rhythm)
Ha – Harmony (8%)
Me – Medium (8%)
Fo – Form (25%)
Sty – Style (12%)
Co – Context (12%)
Write it on a piece of scratch paper and cross it off as you go through the extract.
Also Add in:
Tex - Texture
Instruments - Instrumentation
Dyna - Dynamics
Mo - more!
PROS:
1) A way to provide a basic outline for your answer
2) Reminds candidate to include contextual and stylistic information 3) Includes majority of the elements
CONS:
1) Missing important categories of musical terms like TEXTURE, not to mention dynamics, articulations, etc.
2) Candidates may spend the majority of their time on the first one “ME” or “melody”, and run out of time to write about structure and other elements.
Expanding on “ME-ME-HA-ME-FO-STY-CO”
MELODY
Range - narrow, medium, wide Shape - wave, ascending, descending Movement - conjunct/disjunct, wide leaps Contour/Range Prominent Intervals Phrases - symmetrical, asymmetrical, balanced, unbalanced Inversion/Retrograde Imitation/Sequence (melodic) Cadences Motive Motive Transformation Hocket Ostinatos (melodic) Embellishments METER Nonmetric Simple/Compound/Complex Duple/Triple Changing Additive or changing meters Rhythm Articulation Polyrhythms Syncopation - off beats Ostinato (rhythmic) Hemiola Motivic Melismatic Sequences (rhythmic) Frequent Values Anacrusis HARMONY Chords - major, minor, diminished, augmented Triads Intervals Tonic, Dominant, etc Diatonic/Chromatic/Modal Chord Analysis 12-Tone Serial Composition Planing - parallel chords Pedal Point/Drone Dissonance/Consonance Modulation Scales:Major/Minor, Blues, Whole Tone, Pentatonic, Slendro, Pelog MEDIUM Orchestral, Band, Chamber, Vocal, etc Instrumentation |
FORM
Binary AB Ternary ABA Sonata Cycle Form = FOUR movements form Exposition/Development/Recap = Sonata Allegro Form Verse/Refrain (or Chorus) Theme/Variations Minuet/Trio Rondo (or Rondeau) Concerto Symphony Through-Composed 12-Tone Serial Composition Da Capo Aria Improvisation Cyclical Structure Blues Form Passacaglia Cadenza STYLE - ? CONTEXT Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th C. Type of World Culture Fusion of what styles? Location – Country Influences Function – where and why would it be played? Composer Language of lyrics ***Additional*** TEXTURE Monophonic/Biphonic/Homophonic/Polyphonic/Heterophonic Contrapuntal Dense/sparse Chordal Soloistic Timbre DYNAMICS Dynamics Drescendo/Decrescendo DEVELOPMENT DEVICES Augmentation/Diminution Variation Extension Canon Other |