MUSICIANSHIP 4

MUS ___

The College of New Jersey [Professor’s name:__________]

__________________________________________________________________________________________

BASIC INFORMATION:

Purpose: To develop compositional, analytical, and aural skills in the study of music. These are indispensable, “core” tools to have to be a fully rounded and knowledgeable performer, composer, theorist, musicologist, conductor, or music educator.

Description: Musicianship 4 is the fourth semester of a four-semester course in music fundamentals, basic two-part counterpoint, four-part “Common Practice” era harmony, Twentieth-Century techniques, creative composition projects, harmonic and formal analysis, and aural skills.

Course Prerequisites: Musicianship 3.

LEARNING GOALS:

Content: The core concepts are structural in nature regarding the understanding of music through study of overall musical form, harmonic and contrapuntal concepts and procedures, beginning compositional skills, and comprehensive aural perception of these attributes of musical composition. These skills are learned gradually over the four semesters. By the end of Musicianship 4, the student will have a deep understanding of:

o All functional harmonic compositional skills of both major and minor keys through the harmonization of both figured bass and soprano lines learned in Musicianship 1, 2, and 3, utilizing the tonic and dominant chords, all aspects of the dominant 7^th, leading tone, leading-tone 7th, subdominant, subdominant 7^th, supertonic, supertonic 7^th, mediant, submediant, secondary dominant and secondary leading tone chords, modulation to related and distant keys, modal borrowing between major and minor keys, the Neapolitan Sixth and Augmented Sixth chords, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth chords, embellishing chromatic chords, harmonic sequences, chromatic variants of diatonic chords, and advanced late nineteenth-century ultrachromaticism in both the written assignments and musical examples to be analyzed (see next bullet); all non-harmonic tones will be employed, as was done in previous semesters.

o Continuing analysis of scores, including contrapuntal, harmonic, and basic formal analysis of short excerpts of music literature as well as study of complete movements in sonata, sonata-rondo, concerto, and other extended forms, especially in late nineteenth century altered forms and their adaptation to some twentieth-century works.

o Brief compositions in various twentieth-century modes, employing “impressionistic,” polytonal, bitonal, quartel/secundal, free atonal, serial atonal, aleatoric, and minimalistic techniques and introducing some elements of tonal “pop” harmony. (See Weekly Schedule below.)

o Aural perception of all the above materials via sight singing, using the movable-do solfege system and continuing all the skills learned in Musicianship 1, 2, and 3, as well as introducing non-tonal chromatic techniques in both sight singing and melodic and harmonic dictation.

Predictable misunderstandings: In written work, students often take for granted that the rules learned one week will not need to be reviewed in consequent weeks, when yet newer and more complicated rules, chords, and progressions will be introduced. This also applies to twentieth-century writing techniques, especially regarding atonal serial technique. Constant review of both old and new material must be conducted and conscientiously applied to all homework and exam. exercises in order to succeed in this discipline. It is much like geometry, with its accumulating and related theorems or a language with its grammatical and idiomatic rules, declensions, and conjugations, all of which cannot be ignored or half-learned to succeed in those subjects. The student must accept from the start that this subject demands constant effort, review, memorization of rules, and careful application of the rules to the assignments. To achieve this, well-organized and consistent study habits must be developed at the outset. The student is allotted seven days to competently complete one or two written assignments per week. Procrastination in commencing these assignments creates many technical errors due to the hurried, and usually unstudied, conditions that accompany a last-minute effort (i. e., the student who puts assignments off until the last day, or even just a few minutes before the due-day class meeting begins, usually receives a C or lower on the homework due to the multiple mistakes that occur). Accompanying procrastination is the likelihood of allowing the required rules to slip as well. Students who fall into this pattern quickly discover that their grade average falls to C or lower, they fall hopelessly behind in class, and often have to repeat the course. Both sight singing and dictation homework demand a similarly consistent and daily routine. Otherwise, tests in both areas immediately expose a lack of practice and result in poor grades as well. For the best results, the student must arrange his/her study time in written and aural skills on a daily basis. A little bit each day is far more effective than last-minute, unprepared, unstudied attempts to “cram” the essentially unlearned material into mediocre or poor quality work. Be responsible! Be professional!

The following technical knowledge will be acquired in Musicianship 4:

o Continuing improvement in fluency of sight singing melodies in any major or minor key which include any intervallic leaps created by any diatonic triad or seventh chord, or secondary dominant or leading tone chord, augmented sixth chord, or Neapolitan sixth chord in the key; modulation to related and unrelated keys; and non-tonal, highly chromatic music.

o Taking down in dictation major- and minor-key melodies, rhythmic exercises, and harmonic progressions (soprano and bass lines with proper numerals), as well as non-tonal, highly chromatic music, as described in the first bullet above.

o Accurately recognizing such general musical attributes in musical scores, whether visually studied or heard without scores present, as phrase endings, cadences, key, meter, melodic direction, rhythmic

motives, returning elements, conspicuous chromatic harmonies, modulations, etc., and twentieth-century

modes of writing.

o Harmonizing soprano and figured bass lines using all the harmonic materials in the first bullet above, applying all forms of modulation (including diatonic pivotal, enharmonic, and chromatic types, among others), and incorporating all of the non-chord tone types.

o Composing short pieces in late nineteenth-century ultra-chromatic harmony and twentieth-century styles and techniques.

o Analyzing the phrase structure, functional harmonies, non-harmonic tones, or, in twentieth century works, use of new types of harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic practices, including serial technique in atonal compositions, and form of brief musical excerpts and complete extended works in sonata form, rondo, sonata-rondo, concerto forms, and others in both late nineteenth-century and twentieth-century applications, as time allows.

Required texts (nos. 3-6 carried over from Musicianship 1, 2, &3):

1) Materials and Techniques of Twentieth-Century Music, 2^nd ed., by Stefan M. Kostka (Prentice Hall, 1999,

ISBM 0139240772)

2) Anthology of Twentieth Century Music, by Mary Wennerstrom (Prentice Hall, 2^nd ed., ISBN: 0-13-

038498-4)

3) Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music, by Robert Gauldin (Norton, 2^nd ed., ISBN 0-393-97074-4)

4) Work Book for Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music, by Robert Gauldin (Norton, 1997 ISBN 0393970752)

5) Music for Sight Singing, by Thomas Benjamin, Michael Horvit, and Robert Nelson (Wadsworth, 2000,

ISBN 0534532993)

6) Music for Ear Training: CD-Rom and Workbook, by Michael Horvit, Timothy Koozin, and Robert

Nelson (Wadsworth, 2001, ISBN 0534572677)

Recommended supplemental text: Bridge to Twentieth-Century Music: A Programmed Course (Revised Edition), by Greg A Steinke & Paul O. Harder (Prentice Hall, ISBN 0205287581)

NOTE: There is also much important study material to be downloaded and printed out from SOCS. This should be done at the beginning of the semester and placed in the student’s Musicianship notebook for frequent reference as directed by the professor.

PERFORMANCE:

The above areas of technical knowledge require a variety of daily tasks in order to be mastered:

o In the area of written and analytical skills, the student will need to take careful notes during the class lectures and from the assigned textbook chapters. Both relay necessary rules that must be memorized and carefully applied to written exercises. This is a stage-by-stage process from which the student must not veer. Most of the exercises are assigned from those appearing at ends of chapters in the Kostka textbook (see above).

o For ear training, the student must practice weekly assigned pages from the sight singing text and the dictation workbook and accompanying interactive computer software program.

In order to gain this technical knowledge, the student will have to develop certain routines (such as assigned daily tune-up exercises for sight singing or daily review of written rules), analytical procedures (studying the key and phrasing of a given score, written exercise, or ear training exercise, then its smaller details, such as its melodic motifs, cadence endings, harmonic progressions, etc., before beginning a written exercise, sight-singing a melody, analyzing a work’s structure, or taking down a melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic progression in dictation), and consistent methods of study and drill that will be exhibited by the professor in class.

All of the above areas of knowledge, technical skills, procedures, and methods are strongly dependent upon each other in the attainment of written, analytical, and ear training skills. For example, one has to have a strong grasp and quick memory for fundamental materials, such as intervals, key signatures, scales, and functional harmonies in order to analyze a score, write a coherent piece, correctly harmonize a melody or figured bass, plot the permutations and transpositions of the twelve-tone set in a serial atonal work, or intelligently take down a harmonic dictation; in return, a good sense of the sounds of chords and harmonic progressions are necessary to make aural sense of a harmonization of a melody beyond simply applying visually learned rules (otherwise, the student is learning to write music but does not know what it sounds like, the ultimate absurdity in this field); and the ability to visually analyze a melody’s key, meter, phrasing, and implied harmonies is extremely important in the effort to sing the correct notes and rhythms of that melody (understanding the gestalt of larger segments of the piece allows the smaller elements, i. e., the notes, to be more accurately sung than if one were simply trying to go from note to note in his/her aural concept).

STUDENT ASSESSMENT:

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

o Regular and punctual attendance at all class meetings

o Participation in class discussions and skills exercises

o Taking notes from lectures, textbooks, and material on the marking board

o Handing in written homework and computerized ear training dictation quizzes on time

o Regular daily work habits in ear training and written and analytical skills

o A mature and positive attitude towards hard work and the determined pursuit of knowledge and skills

o Punctual and regular attendance for all examinations

These are the necessary attributes for any student who hopes to succeed in a competitive field such as music and who wishes his/her musical education to be well rounded and worthy of being awarded a professional degree. Possession of these traits indicates a person who loves the subject and is well suited to the high demands in effort and hours of hard work on many fronts required to gain the multiple achievements represented by this degree and subject. Anyone entering music as a profession should carefully assess his/her motivation and abilities to succeed in it and whether all of this hard work is ultimately worth it to him/her. Music theory is a core area of knowledge in music and must not be taken lightly in its daily demands. Deficiencies in any of the above performance indicators should be corrected at once in order to succeed in this subject.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS:

o Regular weekly written homework assignments will normally be corrected by the professor outside of class and will receive traditional letter grades (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, F). Evaluative criteria: Harmonizations in late tonal ultrachromatic venue and free use of tertian and extended tertian structures, and creations of pieces using various twentieth-century devices and techniques (as described above). These will all be judged according to how carefully and correctly the student has applied the required compositional rules to them as taught in lectures and the textbook. Homework will be collected, corrected, and graded by the professor outside of class, though occasional random assignments are, with students’ permission, projected from the classroom document viewer and critiqued for the benefit of learning for all the class. Students who are having difficulty with these pursuits are encouraged by the professor to seek help from him during office hours and/or with suggested classmates. Students are also encouraged to form study groups to further help each other out in more difficult assignments.

o Reports of study groups’ findings of special lab. analysis assignments (see Weekly Schedule below).

o Regular sight singing assignments will be given each week and students will be called upon to sing them in class, often for traditional letter grades (this also is factored into their class participation grades). Evaluative criteria: students are called upon to sing both assigned pages from the sight singing text and prima vista melodies of the same level of difficulty, both as a class and as individuals. They are also asked to sing duets, trios, quartets, etc., from the textbook or other sources. Professor feedback to students: students receive immediate feedback on the correctness of their performances and are given guidance in how to improve their aural perception through various suggested methods and techniques. Students having particular difficulties are encouraged to seek further help from the professor during office hours.

o Regular dictation workbook/CD assignments will be given each week. Evaluative criteria: the quizzes that accompany these exercises are checked in class at the end of each dictation test period. Students are expected to give daily time to the exercises and required quizzes in the CD/workbook, since much drill and practice beyond what can be given in class is necessary to develop this challenging skill. This is preparation for occasional class exams., which will reflect current levels in the workbook exercises. Professor feedback to the students: During this preparatory period, the professor gives dictation on the level of difficulty in the workbook, plus additional “enriching” exercises, as time allows, and suggests procedures and methods to help facilitate these pursuits. Students often have problems with this area of ear training and are encouraged to “buddy up” with more capable students in doing their CD/workbook exercises to monitor their work. They are also encouraged to see the professor during office hours for further help and pointers.

o Rotating tests in written and analytical skills, individual sight singing, and aural dictation will be given most weeks and will receive traditional letter grades for sight singing and numerical grades for the other tests and final exams. Evaluative criteria: The level of achievement and competency attained in the homework itemized above fully determines how well the student will do on examinations. Professor feedback to the students: All tests will be reviewed at the next class, and test items in which the tests reveal a general deficiency on the part of student performance will be given special attention in the review before new material is introduced. Those who have difficulties in other areas of the tests are encouraged to see the professor during office hours and/or seek tutoring for extra help.

GRADING:

All sight singing tests and classroom performances, written homework, dictation software assignments, and the final class participation grade will be graded by letter while written and dictation tests will be scored numerically. Grading of written homework will be as follows: 1 or no mistakes: A; 2 mistakes, A-; 3 mistakes, B+; 4 mistakes, B; 5 mistakes, B-; 6 mistakes: C+; 7 mistakes: C; 8 mistakes: C-; 9 mistakes: D; 10 or more mistakes: F. The teacher reserves the privilege of making a certain amount of subjective judgments on these assignments, however, which will either raise or lower the resulting grade to a small degree. Otherwise, all numerical and letter grades equate to each other as follows: 93-100 = A, 90-92 = A-, 88-89 = B+, 83-87 = B, 80-82 = B-, 78-79 = C+, 73-77 = C, 70-72 = C-, 68-69 = D+, 63-67 = D, 60-62 = D-, 59 and lower = F. At the end of the semester all of these grades for each of the above categories will be numerically averaged and then all categories will be averaged together after being proportionally weighted, as shown below, for the final semester grade. NOTE: In keeping with TCNJ Music Department official grading policies, a final averaged grade of D+ (i. e., 69 in this class) or lower is failing and the student will have to repeat the subject.

The various areas of required student performance will be weighted as follows for the final semester grade:

1) Class participation (steady attendance required!

Roll taken at every class meeting; this also includes participation

in analysis study groups: 10% of semester grade

2) Written homework (including special composition projects): 30% of semester grade

3) Music for Ear Training software quiz scores 10% of semester grade

4) All classroom tests: 30% of semester grade

5) Final written/analysis examination: 20% of semester grade

Attendance policy: Absences are taken very seriously and greatly endanger one’s progress in this skills-based course. The final class participation grade for the semester will be lowered one point per two absences. This could make the difference between a final semester grade of A or B, B or C, etc. Excused absences include documented illness and serious family emergencies. Oversleeping and leaving ones abode too late to be on time for class are not excusable. See above regarding policy for missed tests. If multiple absences begin to occur beyond the student’s control, for any reason, excused or unexcused, s/he is strongly urged to withdraw from the course by the drop/add deadline and plan to take it at a later, more convenient time. It is easily possible to fall hopelessly behind in a course of this nature. Poor attendance quickly leads to missed information, confusion, incompetent or missed homework assignments, and low test grades.

It will be noted that heavy emphasis is put on homework in the weighting of various required segments of the course for the final grade. This is because the daily encounter with written and aural assignments is absolutely vital to the mastery of all these skills. Homework is the lifeblood of this course and is comparable to the need to practice one’s major instrument every day in order to become competent in that area and pass final juries. Therefore, even in the unlikely event that a student gets 100 percent on all tests (not likely because his/her theory placement tests during the Department audition day would have put him/her in a higher level of Musicianship if s/he were that capable) but chooses not to do the homework, the highest grade s/he can hope for is 65 (which constitutes failing the course), assuming that s/he has received a perfect class participation grade (also not likely without the day-to-day knowledge and skills gained through steady attendance and homework). This is in keeping with the policies of other skills-based and studio-related subjects in the Music Department and reflects the constant vigilance needed to succeed in all areas of this profession. Musicianship (comprised of what is commonly known as music theory and ear training) is an acknowledged major core course in the Music major both at TCNJ and music schools everywhere and is an indispensable aid to the understanding, as well as memorization, of repertoire, and the full understanding and aural perception of music literature in general, thus being important in the required music literature courses in the major as well. To this end, students must develop regular and well organized, not to mention varied, study and drill habits to succeed in this course. The knowledge and skills gained in Musicianship, and their importance in the formation of a complete musical education, are consistent with the Music program goals, as stated in the first sentence of the TCNJ Music Department Mission Statement: “The Department of Music is dedicated to the advancement of the knowledge of music in its many forms.”

LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

As indicated in several places above, the main learning activities are:

o Written homework in ultrachromatic harmony and twentieth-century compositional styles, following the directives of the required texts, supplementary materials in SOCS, and class lectures.

o Sight singing homework and class work, following the sequence of materials, drills, and learning techniques supplied in the sight singing text, class lectures and demonstrations, and supplementary materials in SOCS.

o Aural dictation homework (through a software program and accompanying workbook) and class work, also following the sequence of materials, drills, and learning techniques supplied in the dictation workbook (coordinated with the sequence of materials introduced in the sight singing text), class lectures and demonstrations, and supplementary materials on SOCS.

o Analysis of music scores and excerpts of scores, done largely through student-directed lab study groups.

o Tests in Written/Analysis, Sight Singing, and Dictation skills, along with submission of assigned dictation workbook quizzes.

All of these materials are interrelated and will be learned concurrently in careful stages following the Weekly Schedule below. The main goal is to gain compositional and analytical skills and knowledge through concurrent training of the mind and the ear. In addition to adhering to the Weekly Schedule, the student must follow the “four commandments” of music theory learning to succeed at this task:

1. Never miss a class (and please come on time, preferably without food)

2. Never miss a test

3. Never fall behind in assignments. Establish a regular daily routine of about two hours for Musicianship written and aural homework.

4. Seek help from the professor or other reliable source at the first sign of any problems with assignments.

MUSICIANSHIP 4 WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Class times will be divided into lecture, drill, student study group projects, and tests most weeks.

Week	Reading & Written Homework Requirements from: Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music (HPTM) Workbook for Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music (WHPTM) Materials and Techniques of Twentieth-Century Music (MTTCM) Students are always expected to bring their textbooks and workbooks to every class for frequent reference by the professor. Written assignments in italics. Due the first class of the next week.	Sight Singing Homework from Music for Sight Singing The pages given constitute a range of exercises. The student should try to master at least several of them chosen at random from all the assigned pages in preparation for each sight singing test and routine classroom challenges	Ear Training CD Program Homework from Music for Ear Training The units consist of mixtures of practice exercises in rhythm, melody, harmonic progression, and music literature. The student should try to master as many of the practice exercises as possible until s/he feels prepared enough to take the unit quizzes.	Ear Training CD Quizzes From Music for Ear Training Always due on day of class dictation tests. Checked in class. Don’t forget to bring quizzes with you on dictation test dates! Necessary in order to receive credit!	Study Group Projects from MTTCM & using Wennerstrom These are taken mostly from the “Fundamentals” and “Analysis” exercises at the ends of chapters in MTTCM . The study groups will work on these during designated study group class periods and present their findings in that or a later class meeting. Specific assignments will be given by the professor from the pages given below.	Tests Written/Analysis, Sight Singing, Dictation Written and dictation tests will occur at the beginning of the last class meeting of designated weeks. Sing singing tests will be held privately in the professor’s office and will occupy an entire class period.
1	HPTM, Ch. 39, Symmetrical Divisions of the Octave WHPTM, Ch. 39, exx. 1A, B, p. 225	Ch. 19, Irregular Meters, Diatonic Modes, pp. 254-57, 266-61	Unit 16. Quintuple Meter, Neapolitan 6^th chord, augmented sixth chords, and modulation to distantly related keys (review from Musicianship 3)
2	HPTM, Ch. 40, At the Limits of Tonality: Berg’s Four Songs, Opus 2 WHPTM, Ch. 39, ex. 5, p. 21	Ch. 20, Changing Meters, Pandiatonicism, pp. 269-72	(continue)
3	MTTCM, Ch. 1, The Twilight of the Tonal System Ex. 5, p. 21	Ch. 21, Syncopation Including Irregular and Mixed Meters, Extended and Altered Tertian Harmony, pp. 282-83, 284-85	(continue)	Unit 16: Rhythm 1, Melody 1, Harmony 1	MTTCM, pp. 15-20	Dictation Test 1
	Reading & Written Homework	Sight Singing Homework	Dictation Homework	CD Quizzes Due	Study Group Projects	Tests
4	MTTCM, Ch. 2, Scale Formations in Twentieth-Century Music Ex. C5, p. 46 Ch. 3, The Vertical Dimension: Chords and Simultaneities Write a short piece using one of the harmonic types described in Ch. 3.	(Continue), pp. 287-88	Unit 17. Examples from Music Literature		MTTCM, pp. 39-45, 68-73
5	MTTCM, Ch. 4, The Horizontal Dimension: Melody and Voice Leading Ch. 5, Harmonic Progression and Tonality Ex. C, any one., p. 111-12	Ch. 22, Exotic Scales, pp. 292-93	(continue)		MTTCM, pp. 92-95, 109-10	Sight Singing Test 1
6	MTTCM, Ch. 6, Developments in Rhythm Ex. C, any one, p. 137 Ch. 7, Form in Twentieth-Century Music, pp. 138-44, Binary and Ternary Forms	(Continue), pp. 296-97	(continue)		MTTCM, pp. 134-35, 154-55
7	MTTCM, Ch. 8, Imports and Allusions Write blues piece Ch. 7, pp. 143-45, rondo and other part forms	Ch. 23, Complex Divisions of the Beat, Quartal Harmony, pp. 302, 304	(continue)	Quiz 1, nos. 1, 2	MTTCM, pp. 173-74	Dictation Test 2
8		(Continue), pp. 303, 305	(continue)			Mid-term Written/Analysis Test (both class lecture periods)
9	MTTCM, Ch. 9, Nonserial Atonality Ex. C, any one, p. 195	Ch. 24, Polyrhythms and Polymeters, Polyharmony and Polytonality, pp. 316, 320-21	(continue)		MTTCM, pp. 191-94
10	MTTCM, Ch. 10, Classical Serialism Ex. C, 1 and 3 or 4 or 5, due in two weeks	(Continue), pp. 317, 322-23	(continue)	Quiz 1, nos. 3, 4	MTTCM, pp. 213-18	Dictation Test 3
11	MTTCM, Ch. 13, Serialism after 1945 [Week 10’s assignment due at end of this week]	Ch. 25, Interval Music [atonality], pp. 328-29	(continue)		MTTCM, pp. 276-77
12	MTTCM, Ch. 11, Timbre and Texture: Acoustic Ch. 12, Timbre and Texture: Electronic Ch. 7, pp. 146-47, sonata form Begin composing a one-page piece in the style of your choice from Ch. 11, 14, and 15. Due end of week 13.	(Continue), pp. 332-33	(continue)		MTTCM, pp. 239-41
	Reading & Written Homework	Sight Singing Homework	Dictation Homework	CD Quizzes Due	Study Group Projects	Tests
13	MTTCM, Ch. 14, The Roles of Chance and Choice in Twentieth-Century Music Ch. 15, Minimalism and Neoromanticism Ch. 7, pp. 147-53, other forms	Ch. 26, Serial Music, pp. 337-38	(continue)	Quiz 2, nos. 1, 2	MTTCM, pp. 294, 310	Dictation Final Exam.
14	Review					Sight Singing Final Exam.
FINAL WRITTEN/ANALYSIS EXAM. to be given during exam. week; consult College web page near end of semester for day and time

Professor’s Office Hours: Rm. __; ext.: [days, hours]

Other times can be arranged according to individual needs if the above ones are not possible (consult my teaching schedule on SOCS). Do not hesitate to see me for help if you are having any difficulties.