© Copyright 2014 The Royal Conservatory Examinations

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014

Total Marks

Maximum Marks

Confirmation Number

1 of 12

1. Give the musical term for ten of the following definitions. Provide one composition title for each term chosen. Composition titles must be chosen from the specific works required for this examination.

Term:

Title:

a male character in an opera, performed by a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto

Term:

Title:

the second statement of the main idea of a fugue, usually heard in the dominant key

Term:

Title:

the projection of a single mood or emotion through an entire composition or movement in Baroque music

Term:

Title:

Italian comic opera sung throughout with no spoken dialogue

Term:

Title:

a Baroque instrumental genre based on the opposition of the concertino and the ripieno

Term:

Title:

a virtuosic solo passage in improvisatory style

Term:

Title:

a style of text setting in which many notes are sung to each syllable

Term:

Title:

a multi-movement work made up of a series of contrasting dances, generally all in the same key

20

continued next page

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 2 of 12

Term:

Title:

Latin for “fixed song,” borrowed material which serves as the structural basis of a new polyphonic composition

Term:

Title:

a performance style in which the soloist alternates with the chorus

Term:

Title:

a late 18th-century literary movement that aimed to shock, frighten, or overwhelm the audience with emotion

Term:

Title:

Latin for “false music,” a performance practice whereby pitches are raised or lowered to avoid undesirable intervals

Term:

Title:

Renaissance term for an instrumental ensemble, may be “whole” or “broken”

Question 1 continued

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 3 of 12

2. For four of the following, provide the composition title and fill in the blanks. Composition titles must be chosen from the specific works required for this examination.

A Mass by Palestrina Title:

In which era was this work composed?

Which historical event inspired this work?

Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.

1.

2.

A chanson by Machaut Title:

In which era was this work composed?

What type of poetic structure is used in this work?

Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.

1.

2.

A chamber work by Schubert Title:

What are the performing forces of this work?

What is the basis of the fourth movement?

What is the form of the fourth movement?

What is the internal form of the theme in the fourth movement?

20

continued next page

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 4 of 12

A madrigal by Gesualdo Title:

In which era was this work composed?

How many voices are featured in this work?

Identify two examples of word painting in this madrigal.

1. Poetic image:

Musical depiction:

2. Poetic image:

Musical depiction:

A keyboard work by Scarlatti Title:

In which era was this work composed?

For which instrument was this work written?

What is the form of this work?

Identify two idiomatic features of the keyboard writing in this work.

1.

2.

A trouvère or troubadour chanson Title:

In which era was this work composed?

What is the texture of this chanson?

Identify and briefly explain two specific musical features of this work.

1.

2.

continued next page

Question 2 continued

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 5 of 12

A motet by Josquin Title:

In which era was this work composed?

Describe the structure of the text.

Identify two contrapuntal devices used in this motet.

1.

2.

Describe the harmonic language in this work.

Question 2 continued

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 6 of 12

3. a. Discuss two of the following topics. Provide examples where appropriate.

i. The musical features of Gregorian chant:

ii. The contributions of the Notre Dame School to the development of polyphony:

20[10]

continued next page

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 7 of 12

iii. The musical features of the Ars Nova:

iv. The contributions of the Mannheim School and its impact on the development of the sonata cycle:

Question 3 continued

continued next page

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 8 of 12

b. Identify the term to which each of the following descriptions applies by placing the appropriate letter in the space provided. You will not use all of the terms.

a Medieval bowed string instrument a. tabor

b. Offertory

c. hornpipe

d. taille

e. sarabande

f. monophonic

g. sackbut

h. monody

i. rebec

j. estampie

k. Gloria

l. terzetto

m. regal

one of the standard dances in the Baroque suite

the Medieval ancestor of the trombone

a musical number for three voices

a small portable reed organ

a large, cylindrical Medieval drum

a section of the Mass Ordinary

a single-line texture

a tenor oboe

a lively English dance in triple metre, originally associated with sailors

[10]

Question 3 continued

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 9 of 12

4. a. Describe the significance and contributions of each of the following to the development of opera.

Florentine Camerata

Claudio Monteverdi

Henry Purcell

20[15]

continued next page

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 10 of 12

Christoph Willibald Gluck

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

b. Choose one of the following operas and describe in detail the musical highlights required for this examination. Do not include a plot summary.

 The Coronation of Poppea  Dido and Aeneas  The Marriage of Figaro

[5]

Question 4 continued

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 11 of 12

5. a. Fill in the blanks for one of the following works.

Cantata no. 80

Who composed this work?

What are the performing forces of this work?

What is the name of the Lutheran chorale on which this work is based?

Who supplied the additional text for this work?

What revision did Wilhelm Friedemann make to the orchestration?

How many movements are in this work?

What is the texture of the first movement?

Which voices are the soloists in the second movement?

Describe the orchestral accompaniment in the fifth movement.

What is the texture of the final movement?

20[10]

continued next page

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014 12 of 12

The Creation

Who composed this work?

What is the genre of this work?

What are the performing forces of this work?

Name one of the literary sources of the libretto.

Name two types of recitative used in this work and cite the passage in which each is found.

1.

2.

Identify two examples of word painting found in this work. Provide both the poetic image and its musical depiction.

First image:

Musical depiction:

Second image:

Musical depiction:

b. Describe two works in detail by choosing one composition from each list.

List 1 List 2

Piano Sonata in C Minor, op. 13 (first movement only)

Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major(first movement only)

Piano Sonata in C sharp Minor, op. 27, no. 2 (first movement only)

Water Music, Suite in D Major, HWV 349(Allegro and Hornpipe)

Piano Concerto in G Major, K 453(first movement only)

Symphony No. 104 in D Major (“London”)(first movement only)

[10]

Question 5 continued

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Confirmation Number

Official Answer SheetDecember 2014

Essay responses MUST be written on both sides of the Official Answer Sheet.

Do not write below this line.

Examiner Commentary

Examiner Comments

History 2 Examination December 2014 This student paper is based on answers from actual student examinations, assembled to demonstrate the most common errors made by History 2 students. Question 1 The candidate has answered all the questions correctly and a perfect mark (20/20) has been awarded. Question 2 The candidate has answered all of the questions, but only the first four answers have been considered, as per the marking policy. This is especially unfortunate since at least one of the extra answers (Ce fut en mai) was completely correct. This highlights the importance of reading the question carefully and following the requirements outlined in the question. Pope Marcellus Mass • The question asks for the era (Renaissance), not for the century. -1 • “Gloria” identifies the section of the mass but does not constitute a musical feature. -1

Features would include: voice reduction to enhance textual clarity, a (mostly) syllabic text setting and metrical shifts.

Since I Am Forgotten (Puis qu’en oubli) • The student has confused rondeau (a 14th-century fixed poetic form) with rondo (a popular 18th-

century instrumental form). -1 • This work does not use a cantus firmus; all three parts are newly composed. -1 Trout Quintet • The student has mistakenly identified the instrumentation as “string quartet,” whereas in fact the

string instruments are violin, viola, cello and double bass, along with piano. -0.5 Moro, lasso, al mio duolo • Only one mark was awarded for the single correct answer provided. -4 The remaining answers were not marked, as explained above.

Examiner Commentary

2 History 2 Examination: December 2014 continued

Question 3 a. i. Gregorian chant A good answer was provided, outlining the genre’s most characteristic traits. a. ii. Ars Nova The student has confused the 13th century with the 1300s. Some accurate information has been provided, but other features to consider would include the complex rhythmic features, such as isorhythm and hocket, as well as the contributions of de Vitry. Although the student mentions the first complete setting of the mass ordinary, inclusion of the title—Messe de Nostre Dame—would also add depth to the answer. -2.5 b. The errors in this question were caused by confusing “hornpipe” with “sarabande” and “monody” with “monophonic.” A sarabande is a standard Baroque dance, whereas a hornpipe is a “sailor’s dance.” Monophonic is a musical texture consisting of a single line of melody. -3 Question 4 a. Excellent descriptions were provided to outline the significance and contributions of the Florentine Camerata and Monteverdi. In the case of Purcell, the description was incomplete. The answer should include reference to the influence of international musical styles. Drawing on the musical excerpts studied, references could have been made to Purcell’s use of ground bass and word painting. -2 Likewise, the answer for Gluck includes correct information, but leaves out many other important reforms, including constructing the overture from melodies heard later, blending the recitative and aria style as well as adopting a more simple homophonic texture. -2 Several good points about Mozart, but the student could also have referenced his novel approaches to musical forms. -0.5 b. In a ten-mark essay, plot details and background information are generally included. Here, the question specifically asks for a musical description of the musical highlights required for this examination. Therefore, a more detailed musical account of the Coronation Scene, Sinfonia, and final Love Duet should have been included, in place of the more general overview provided by this student. An exemplary answer here would consider textures, word painting, as well as contrapuntal devices (for example, the use of a ground bass). -3

Examiner Commentary

3 History 2 Examination: December 2014 continued

Question 5 a. Cantata no. 80 -4 • The work requires SATB soloists/chorus, strings, oboes and continuo. “Choral” does not

provide enough information about the performing forces. • Although Martin Luther (probably) composed the original chorale, Salomo Franck provided the

additional text for the cantata. • The fifth movement uses the strings and oboes in unison. They also play a melody based on the

chorale tune in diminution. • The final movement, an SATB texture, is homophonic, or a balance of homophonic/polyphonic

elements. b. Piano Sonata in C Minor, op. 13, first movement The student has provided a fine overview of the first movement of this sonata, pointing out its many innovative features. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, first movement -2 Several good points have been raised. For a more successful answer, the student might have: • considered how Bach contrasts the two groups (concertino and ripieno) with their own unique themes, • observed how the entire movement is spun out from the four motives which comprise the ritornello theme, and • considered Bach’s main objective: to explore the different coloristic possibilities achieved through the various combinations of the solo instruments.

© Copyright 2014 The Royal Conservatory Examinations

History 2: Middle Ages to ClassicalDecember 2014

Total Marks

Maximum Marks

Confirmation Number

1 of 12

1. Give the musical term for ten of the following definitions. Provide one composition title for each term chosen. Composition titles must be chosen from the specific works required for this examination.

Term:

Title:

a male character in an opera, performed by a soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto

Term:

Title:

the second statement of the main idea of a fugue, usually heard in the dominant key

Term:

Title:

the projection of a single mood or emotion through an entire composition or movement in Baroque music

Term:

Title:

Italian comic opera sung throughout with no spoken dialogue

Term:

Title:

a Baroque instrumental genre based on the opposition of the concertino and the ripieno

Term:

Title:

a virtuosic solo passage in improvisatory style

Term:

Title:

a style of text setting in which many notes are sung to each syllable

Term:

Title:

a multi-movement work made up of a series of contrasting dances, generally all in the same key

20

continued next page

- monophonic texture (single line of melody)

- melodies based on modal scales

- mostly conjunct motion with narrow leaps

- free prose rhythm follows the inflections of the text

- text setting can be syllabic, neumatic or melismatic