Assignments for this course include a progression of exercises and readings to accompany each unit in the class schedule, and a listening assignment in the MIT Music Library.
Exercises and Readings
Assignments for each unit are drawn primarily from the following sources, along with supplemental handouts.
Duckworth, William. A Creative Approach to Music Fundamentals. 9th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Schirmer, 2007. ISBN: 9780495090939.
Kodály, Zoltán. 333 Reading Exercises. New York, NY: Boosey & Hawkes, 1972. ISMN: M060035661.
| UNITS | ASSIGNMENTS |
|---|---|
| I. Elements of music | Duckworth - Chapter 1 |
| II. Rhythm + pitch = melody |
Duckworth - Chapters 2-4, 7 Kodály - Exercises #1-19, 48-55, and 215-333 |
| III. Major scales | Duckworth - Chapter 5 |
| IV. Major key signatures | Duckworth - Chapter 6 |
| V. Major-minor key relationships | Duckworth - Chapter 8 |
| VI. Minor scale types | Duckworth - Chapter 9 |
| VII. Foundations in tonal harmony | Duckworth - Chapters 11-14 |
Listening Assignment Essay
A number of musical works have been placed on reserve for you in the MIT Lewis Music Library; see the listening assignment selections table below. You are to listen to the work(s) assigned and submit a typed essay of three pages in length in which you detail your experience with the composition(s) assigned.
Listening Procedure
You are to listen to the composition at least three times.
First time: Listen for pure enjoyment.
Secondly: Listen to see what observations you can make from hearing.
Thirdly: Listen to the composition(s) while reading the score.
Essay
-
When you write about a composition, remember to identify it by composer and title.
-
Make note of and write about the following.
—Your original feelings and thoughts about the composition.
—The observations you made on the second hearing.
—The discoveries you made about your observations when you studied the score.
—Your level of ease (or difficulty) when listening with score in hand.
—Your ability to hear specific elements in action-meters, timbres, textures, form and the like. -
Using a music dictionary, translate all foreign terms which serve as directions in the score(s), so that you will understand the composer’s intentions. You may submit the list of terms.
-
Conclude with a biographical paragraph about the composer.
In your Bibliography and Discography, list all materials used.
Listening Assignment Selections
| WORKS | RECORDINGS | SCORES |
|---|---|---|
| Polonaise in G minor from the Anna Magdalena Notebook of Johann Sebastian Bach, BWV Anh. 119. (Composer unknown; commonly attributed to C.P.E. Bach) | Igor Kipnis. The Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach. Nonesuch, 1992. Disc 1, Track 10. | Klavierbüchlein für Anna Magdalena Bach, 1725 / hrsg. von Georg von Dadelsen. Kassel, Germany: Bärenreiter, 1981 (reprint of 1959 edition). p. 54, piece no. 10. |
| Bach, J. S. Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582. | Great Organ Works / J. S. Bach. Peter Hurford, organ. Recorded [1979-1981?]. London/Decca, 1995. | Johann Sebastian Bach’s Kompositionen für die Orgel. Edition: Kritisch-korrekte Ausg. von Friedrich Conrad Griepenkerl und Ferdinand Roitzsch. Leipzig, Germany: C. F. Peters, [no date]. p. 76. |
| Bach, J. S. Prelude and fugue no. 1 in C major; Prelude and fugue no.2 in C minor. From The Well Tempered Clavier (Das Wohltemperierte Klavier). |
Version 1: Ralph Kirkpatrick, harpsichord. The Well Tempered Clavier. Recorded 1965. Archiv Produktion, 2001. Version 2: Kenneth Gilbert, harpsichord. The Well Tempered Clavier. Recorded 1983. Archiv Produktion, 2003. |
The well-tempered clavier: Books I and II, complete. New York, NY: Dover Publications, 1983. ISBN: 9780486245324. |
| Beethoven, Ludwig van. Bagatelle for piano in A minor (Für Elise). | Anatol Ugorski, piano. Für Elise: Romantic Piano Pieces. Deutsche Grammophon, 2001. | Klavierstücke / Beethoven. Munich, Germany: G. Henle, 1978. p. 165. |
| Beethoven, Ludwig van. Urians Reise Um Die Welt (“Wenn jemand”), Op. 52, no. 1. | Peter Schreier, tenor; Adele Stolte, soprano; Walter Olbertz, piano. Beethoven Lieder. Berlin Classics, 1995. | 67 Songs with Piano Accompaniment. English version by H. Stevens. London, UK: Augener, [no date]. |
| Berg, Alban. 7 Early Songs (Sieben Frühe Lieder). | Brigitte Balleys, soprano; Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin (RSO), Vladimir Ashkenazy. Altenberglieder: 7 frühe Lieder; 3 orchesterstücke, op. 6; 3 stücke aus der “Lyrischen Suite.” Recorded Feb. 1992. London/Decca, 1993. | 7 [i.e. Sieben] frühe Lieder, 1907. English version by Eric Smith, for voice and piano. Vienna, Germany: Universal Edition, 1955. |
| Britten, Benjamin. The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. | Dame Edna Everage, narrator; Melbourne Symphony Orchestra ; John Lanchbery. Peter and the wolf / Prokofiev; The story of Babar the little elephant / Poulenc; The young person’s guide to the orchestra / Britten. Naxos, 1998. | The young person’s guide to the orchestra; variations and fugue on a theme of Purcell, Op. 34. Minature score with commentary by Eric Crozier. London, UK: Boosey & Hawkes, 1947. |
| Debussy, Claude. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faun). | Orchestra Symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit. La mer; Images; Nocturnes; etc. London/Decca, 1999. | Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. An Authoritative Score; Mallarmé’s Poem; Backgrounds and Sources; Criticism and Analysis. Edited by William W. Austin. New York, NY: W. W. Norton, 1970. ISBN: 9780393099393. |
| Debussy, Claude. Preludes (piano), Vol.1. | Gordon Fergus-Thompson. Complete Piano Music / Debussy. Recorded [1989?]. Academy Sound and Vision, 2004. | Préludes book 1. Munich, Germany: G. Henle Verlag, 1986. |
| Dvorak, Antonin. Symphony no. 9 in E minor “From the New World.” | Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Vaclav Neumann. Symphony no. 9 in E minor “From the New World.” Recorded 1982. Supraphon 33C37-7702, 1986. | Symphony no. 9 (From the New World). Forward by Gerald Abraham; miniature score edition no. 433. New York, NY: Edition Eulenberg, [no date]. |
| Handel, George Frederic. Messiah. | Elizabeth Harwood, Janet Baker, Paul Esswood, Robert Tear, Raimund Herincx; Ambrosian Singers and the English Chamber Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras. Messiah. Recorded in London, 1966. EMI/Angel, 2000. | Messiah: An oratorio. Miniature score. New York, NY: Kalmus/CPP Belwin, [no date]. |
| Haydn, Joseph. Minuet from String Quartet op.17 no.2 (Menuetto: Allegro) | Kodály Quartet. Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 17, nos. 1, 2, and 4. Recorded September 7-9, 1996. Naxos, 1999. | String Quartets, Op. 17 (complete) / Joseph Haydn. Edited by Wilhelm Altmann. New York, NY: Dover Publications, 2000 (reprint of Eulenberg edition). |
| Mozart, Wofgang Amadeus. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. | New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein. Symphony no. 36; Symphony no. 40; Serenade in G major; “Eine kleine Nachtmusik.” Sony Classical, 1993. | Eine kleine Nachtmusik (serenade) in G Major, K. 525. Edited by Rudolf Gerber. London, UK: Edition Eulenberg, [no date]. |
| Mozart, Wofgang Amadeus. Piano Sonata in A, K. 331. | Alicia de Larrocha, piano. Mozart Piano Sonatas. Recorded Dec. 9-11, 1989. RCA Red Seal, 1990. | Mozart: Sonatas and Fantasias for the piano. Prepared by Nathan Broder. Bryn Mawr, PA: T. Presser Co., 1960. |
| Purcell, Henry. Dido’s Lament (“When I am laid in earth”), from Dido and Aeneas. | Jessye Norman, Marie McLaughlin, Thomas Allen; English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard. Dido and Aeneas. Recorded May 1985. Philips, 1990. | Dido and Aeneas. Edited by Ellen Harris. New York, NY: Edition Eulenberg, 1987, p. 87, no.43. |
| Ravel, Maurice. Bolero. | Philadelphia Orchestra, Riccardo Muti. Boléro / Ravel; Les préludes / Liszt; Overture “1812”, op. 49 / Tchaikovsky. Recorded 1982-1983. EMI, 2005. | Boléro / Marice Ravel. Miniature score. Paris, France: A. Durand, 1929. |
| Schubert, Franz. Die Forelle. |
Version 1: Renee Fleming, soprano; Christoph Eschenbach, piano. The Schubert Album. Recorded June 2-6, 1996. London/Decca, 1997. Version 2: Cheryl Studer, soprano; Irwin Gage, piano. Lieder / Franz Schubert. Recorded June 1990. Polygram, 1991. |
Version 1: 200 Songs, in Three Volumes, for Voice and Piano / Schubert. Edited by Sergius Kagen; English translations by Gerard Mackworth-Young. New York, NY: International Music Co., 1961. Vol. 1, p. 195. Version 2: Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung / nach den ersten Drucken revidiert von Max Friedlaender. New York, NY: C. F. Peters, [no date], p. 197. |
| Schubert, Franz. Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen. |
Version 1: Renee Fleming, soprano; Christoph Eschenbach, piano. The Schubert Album. Recorded June 2-6, 1996. London/Decca, 1997. Version 2: Cheryl Studer, soprano; Irwin Gage, piano. Lieder / Franz Schubert. Recorded June 1990. Polygram, 1991. |
Version 1: 200 Songs, in Three Volumes, for Voice and Piano / Schubert. Edited by Sergius Kagen; English translations by Gerard Mackworth-Young. New York, NY: International Music Co., 1961. Vol. 1, p. 214. Version 2: Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung / nach den ersten Drucken revidiert von Max Friedlaender. New York, NY: C. F. Peters, [no date], p. 216. |
| Schubert, Franz. Der Lindenbaum. |
Version 1: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, baritone; Jörg Demus, piano. Winterreise, D 911. Recorded May 1965. Deutsche Grammophon, 1996. Version 2: Roman Trekel, baritone; Ulrich Eisenlohr, piano. Winterreise, D 911. Recorded October 1998. Naxos, 2000. |
Version 1: 200 songs, in Three Volumes, for Voice and Piano / Schubert. Edited by Sergius Kagen; English translations by Gerard Mackworth-Young. New York, NY: International Music Co., 1961. Vol. 1, p. 65. Version 2: Gesänge für eine Singstimme mit Klavierbegleitung / nach den ersten Drucken revidiert von Max Friedlaender. New York, NY: C. F. Peters, [no date], p. 67. |
| Schubert, Franz. Quintet, Op. 163, D. 956, in C Major. | Cleveland Quartet with Yo-Yo Ma. Quintet in C Major. CBS Masterworks MK 39134, 1984. | Quintet in C Major. Miniature edition. New York, NY: Eulenburg, [no date]. |
| Strauss, Johann. The Blue Danube Waltz (An der schönen, blauen Donau), Op. 314. | New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein. Strauss / Royal Edition, Vol. 85: Waltzes/Polkas/Radetzky March. Sony Classical SMK 47627, 1993. | Drei Walzer. Leipzig, Germany: Aug. Cranz, [no date]. |
| Strauss, Johann. Frühlingsstimmen, Op. 410. | New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein. Strauss / Royal Edition, Vol. 85: Waltzes/Polkas/Radetzky March. Sony Classical SMK 47627, 1993. | Voices of spring (Frühlingsstimmen valse), Op. 410. Edited by Andor Pintér. New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1916. |
| Strauss, Johann. Küntslerleben, Op. 316. | New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein. Strauss / Royal Edition, Vol. 85: Waltzes/Polkas/Radetzky March. Sony Classical SMK 47627, 1993. | Künstlerleben (Artists’ life) / Johann Strauss. Concert paraphrase by Leopold Godowsky. New York, NY Southern Music Publishing, 1939. |
| Strauss, Richard. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30. | Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati. Also Sprach Zarathustra. Recorded in Detroit, Oct. 1982. London/Decca, 1983 (reissued 1991). | Also sprach Zarathustra: Tondichtung (frei nach Friedrich Nietszche): for full orchestra: Op. 30. London, UK: Editions Eulenberg, 1932. |
| Tchaikovsky, Peter. “Waltz of the Flowers,” from The Nutcracker Ballet. | New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein. The Nutcracker Suite. Recorded May 1960. Sony Classical, 1998. | Suite from the ballet ‘The Nutcracker,’ for full orchestra, Op. 71a. Foreword by Dr. Max Unger; miniature score edition no. 824. New York, NY: Edition Eulenberg, [no date]. |
| Vaughn Williams, Ralph. The Lark Ascending. | Israel Philharmonic, Dalia Atlas, Zina Schiff. The Lark Ascending. Stradivari Classics SCD 8011, 1989. | The Lark Ascending. Miniature score. New York, NY: Edition Eulenberg, 1982 (reissue of 1925 edition). |
