Midterm
 
Oral and Aural Assessment

Step 1 

  • Use the following Dropbox Link to practice pronunciation for the following words

  • Record yourself demonstrating pronunciation for the following words

  • Upload your recording in the Midterm section of your Jimdo

 

  1. Rhythm

  2. Timbre

  3. Polyphonic

  4. Aulos

  5. Lyre

  6. Kithara

  7. Medieval

  8. Neumes

  9. Troubador

  10. Modal

  11. Guidonian Hand

  12. Renaissance

  13. Motet

  14. Madrigal

  15. Lute

  16. Baroque

  17. Oratorio

  18. Concerto

  19. Fugue

  20. Aria

  21. Recitative

  22. Bach

  23. Handel

  24. Vivaldi

  25. Purcell

 
  1. Step 2 
  • Use the following examples to prepare for the Aural Assessment below

 

Example 1 Ancient Times

Example 2  Euripides Chorus 408 B.C.E.

Example 3 Gregorian Chant

Example 4 Medieval English Rota

Example 5 Renaissance Estampie 

Example 6 Thomas Morely Madrigal

Example 7 John Dowland Lute

Example 8 Handel Chorus from the Messiah

Example 9 Bach Toccata and Fugue

Example 10 Vivaldi Spring from Four Seasons

 

Step 3

  • Match the composers/titles to the examples located in this Dropbox Link

1.        A.  Ancient Times

2. F         B.  Euripides Chorus 408 B.C.E.

3.         C.  Gregorian Chant

4. B         D.  Medieval English Rota

5.        E.  Renaissance Estampie 

6.  J          F.  Thomas Morely Madrigal

7.       G.  John Dowland Lute

8. A         H.  Handel Chorus from the Messiah

9.  E         I.  Bach Toccata and Fugue

10.    J.  Vivaldi Spring from Four Seasons

Book, Score & CD Tour 

Step 1

  • Spend a class exploring various books, scores and CD's from the following periods

  1. Antiquity

  2. Medieval

  3. Renaissance

  4. Baroque

 

Step 2

  • Comment on 4  favorite resources you found 

  1. Title

  2. Description

  3. Reasons Why

 

Name Of Resource

Description

Why I chose it

Messiah (Novello Handel Edition)

I picked up the score of Handel’s Messiah, edited by Watkins Shaw. The Messiah is a sacred oratorio for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soli, SATB & orchestra. This is the vocal score.

I chose this score because we got to listen to Handel’s Messiah in this class, and have become pretty familiar with “hallelujah”. I was also attracted to the picture on the cover of the man playing an instrument that looks to be a Lyre.

J.S Bach Inventionen Und Sinfonien

This is a score of Bach’s inventions. The Inventions and Sinfonias also known as the Two- and Three-Part Inventions, are a collection of thirty short keyboard compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750): 15 inventions, which are two-part contrapuntal pieces, and 15 sinfonias, which are three-part contrapuntal pieces. They were originally written as musical exercises for his students.

I chose this score because I gained a lot of knowledge while reading the preface of the score. The preface explains a lot of music’s evolution and impact during the baroque period. It explains that scientific musical research unearthed a wide range of works of the 17th and 18th centuries, which really shed light predominantly on Bach himself. It also says that “Anyone interested in music today is able to collect plenty of information regarding the technique of the Continuo, the execution of the embellishments and the general articulation peculiar to the baroque period” from works such as Bach, which I thought was pretty interesting.  

The A Cappella Singer

Edited by  H. Clough- Leighter

Preface by Augustus D. Zanzig

This score is a collection of motets, madrigals, chansons, carols, ayres, ballets, etc all arranged for a cappella mixed voices.

I chose this score because I am in an A cappella group and it intrigued me. I enjoy looking at more “early” acapella voicings. In the preface section, “To The Reader”, the editor explains why many high school, college, and church groups chose to sing in acapella groups. It explains the grace of a madrigal, Ayres with their lyrical charms. Some a cappella arrangements of the baroque period, as listed in the book, are some of the best choral pieces in the world.

Pop Sonnets, By  Erik Didriksen

This book puts a Shakespearean spin on favorite songs, such as taylor swift, journey, the beatles, green day, nicki minaj, madonna, katy perry, and bruno mars.

The reason I chose this book is, honestly because it looked like a very funny read. Trying to imagine Taylor Swift saying “”when yesternight our courtship freshly fail’d thou saw’st the cue to take it from the top” makes me crack up. This poet is very clever.

 

Content & Midterm Reflection 

Step 1

  • Where is Early Music(Antiquity, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque) 'Alive and Well'? Provide Examples. 

 Early music is alive in well in many chamber groups, such as Julie's recorder ensemble. There are also many music festivals, such as the Amherst Early Music Festival, where music nerds can get together and play all sorts of kinds of music from different periods. 

Step 2

  • Review the Benchmark Goals you set for yourself in Unit 1, what is it that you hope to know and/or be able to do at the conclusion of the course?

A. What were your intended results? My intended results were that I would have more knowledge and facts about music history in my tool belt, and that I would gain a greater appreciation for music history itself. 

B.  What were your actual results? I definitely have learned a lot since the beginning of the course, but the biggest goal that I have already reached is that I have gained a greater respect for music history with the knew knowledge I now have about the subject. 

C.  What caused your results? I think learning about how music affects the brain and tying that together with early music concepts really has helped me have a deeper appreciation for the subject. 

D.  What will you do the same next time? I will continue to go as deep as I can into the subject to gain more respect for the topics. 

E.  What will you do differently? I will try more to memorize facts so it doesn't just go through one ear and out the other. 

 

Step 3

  • Review your Getting Started  Self Regulation Inventory & Work Habits 

A.  Comment on the outcome of these self assessments as it relates to the quality of your work flow thus far. My work habits have been pretty consistent throughout the course. I have not done as much work outside of class as I had anticipated just because the nature of senior fall. 

B.   What has been your greatest strength? I feel my strength is the quality of my work and the amount of effort I have put into my jimdo. 

C.   How can you compensate for weaknesses? I need to manage my time better outside of class, especially since I lose a C block every Tuesday for the internship. If I make more microplans, I think I could stay ahead of the schedule. 

D.   In what ways might you modify your approach to the class during the second part of the semester? As said, I will make more of a microplan for what I'd like to get done, and really front load the work on the weekends so I don't have to worry as much 

 

Step 4

  • Complete the Work Habits Self Assessment either in Notability or paper version to reflect your current areas of strengths and areas of needed improvement for the second half of the semester

 

Download
Work Habits '16 (2) (1).pdf
Adobe Acrobat Document 329.4 KB

Step 5

  • Briefly review the assignments you have submitted for Units 1-5

A.  Comment on the quality of work reflected in your ePortfolio relating to areas of strengths as well as areas of needed improvement. I think my jimdo looks very aesthetically pleasing, and I also feel the quality of my work has been pretty solid as well. 

B.  Will you continue to sculpt the work refelcted in your ePortfolio as you did for the first half of the course or do you plan on making changes for the second part of the semester? I might try to label things more clearly and make it cleaner, but other than that generally the same. 

 

Step 6

  • Please help us sculpt the next phase of the course by providing feedback, suggestions, etc. related to Unit Content, Listen, Launchpad, Wix, On-Campus, ePortfolio, Work Flow, etc. Everything for this course is very good, I personally don't love readings so unit 4 was pretty rough since there was so much, but I think having one reading with the quizzes is helpful instead of just a bunch of readings. 

HONORS TRACK

Program Review

Step 1

Research a recent concert program given by a University or College of your choice to answer the following

  • Where and when did this performance take place: A recent University program I saw was the Umass Amherst Multibands performance, which took place October 19th in the Umass fine arts center. 

  • What types of performing forces were featured on this program? (choir, band, orchestra, jazz, etc.) In this program, there was an array of different performances, including small chamber groups (french horn ensemble, trombone ensemble, saxophone ensemble, chamber choir), the Jazz ensemble, the dance company, and even the marching band. 

  • Provide a description of the songs presented including title, composer, genre, style, etc. Each ensemble played a variety of different genres, as they emphasized the point that they want their music students to be exposed to all aspects of music. Songs heard during this show ranged from complex pieces that did not make much sense tonally, to classic pieces such as works from Leonard Bernstein's Candide , to Danny Boy by Frederic Weatherly. 

 

Step 2

Research a recent concert program offered by a local venue(Sage City Symphony, Manchester Music Festival, Taconic Chamber Players, Grace Church in Rutland, First Congregational Church Manchester, Bennington Baroque, Counterpoint, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, The Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro, etc.)to answer the following

  • Where and when did this performance take place? The Umass Honors Chorus Festival took place October 20th, 2018 in the Umass Fine Arts Center. 

  • What types of performing forces were featured on this program? (choir, band, orchestra, jazz, etc.) This choral festival featured high schools from all over the northeast, who sang alongside the choral members of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. 

  • Provide a description of the songs presented including title, composer, genre, style, etc. We sang Schubert's Mass in G, which featured Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. We also sang "If Music Be The Food of Love" arranged by David C Dickau.