Music Study Questions Assignment

Music Study Questions Assignment

Choose a large musical work that you think is significant in some way. This could be from any style or genre of music–it could be an album, a Broadway musical, a movie soundtrack, a larger classical work, etc, but do not pick something that is in the textbook.

Looking at the overall work, what is its significance? It should be more than just liking the work. Some things to consider…Was this work influential in some way? Did it set a new standard or provide a great deal of influence for other works/musicians in the same genre? Did it combine genres or styles or mediums in an unexpected way? Did it break with any norms or traditions in that genre? Did it create an entirely new sound or use a new technique? Was this a landmark work for the artists/song-writers/composers in which they either departed from or arrived at their definitive sound or style? Explain the significance of the work and how these significant aspects were achieved in the music on a large scale.

Then examine one or two individual movements, songs, scenes, etc. and discuss the musical characteristics and musical elements of each. Describe the characteristics of the melody, harmony, rhythms, meter, texture, performing forces, timbres, form, the overall mood, etc. Try to describe the music in a way that I could understand what it sounded like even if I’d never heard it. You will probably pick something that you have already listened to multiple times and are familiar with, so trust your ear.

Read through Ch. 13 before you begin writing. This chapter has some great approaches and examples of how to write about what you hear. You don’t always have to be technically analytical, but, musical or not, you can be descriptive about what you hear. So gather up those adjectives! Is the music chaotic, frantic, cacophonous?

Is it peaceful, subdued, transcendent?

Maybe it is playful, cheery?

Is the melody disjunct or conjunct?

Are the harmonies dissonant or consonant?

Are they rich and warm or bitter and cold?

Is the texture homophonic or polyphonic?

What is the form like?

Are the rhythms punctuated or syncopated?

Are the sounds dense and heavy or thin and sparse?

Does the music reflect what’s in the text or the story?

What are some of the stylistic influences? What is the tempo like?

How do the dynamics change in the music? What instruments are being used?

Write 1.5 to 2 pages, double-spaced. (Start at the top of the page, not halfway down the first page!) Begin with an introductory paragraph that explains what work you chose, the composer/performer, the overall style, the performance medium, the date it was written/released, etc. The body of the assignment should have at least two paragraphs to talk about the overall work and its significance. Then you can have a paragraph each for the 1-2 songs/movements you choose to break down in more detail.

I do not intend for this to be a research paper. You may cite from another source if you want, but it should not constitute a large part of your writing. I am more interested in hearing your thoughts about the music than quotes from another source.

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