A Level course description & paperwork:


Listening and Appraising

Section B

As you should know, Section B of the exam deals with your set works. For this reason there is limited access to past papers. HOWEVER, a little logical thought will allow you to transfer skills and knowledge and anticipate the style of questions likely to be asked.  The following is designed to give you an idea of the level of detail required to do well in these questions.

PRACTICE:

AOS1 Past Paper Question 3a

Area of Study 1: Instrumental Music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven A full score for Extract 3 is in the Insert. The extract is part of the prescribed movement from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Eroica. There is a recording of this extract on your CD (track 4). 

Describe the treatment in this extract of ideas presented earlier in the movement.

You could certainly take this question and try it with a development section from the Beethoven Violin Concerto.

Here is a mock answer with comentary:

Notice that with very little effort this candidate could have been more precise in referring to parts of the theme (bar numbers? phrases?) and definitely made more of bar numbers in using the score provided for the development.  They are clearly looking for you to show how familiar you are with the key themes.

TAKE SOME ACTION

Try writing out each theme from memory

Play starts/stops: type up the theme on Sibelius and then hide at least half the bars, print it and try to fill in the gaps accurately

SOLFA it!!!

Make some coloured cards that represent the thematic material and pick up the correct colour as you listen to the material being developed

Try a bar-by-bar description of the two main themes (heard in the bassoon, beginning on the third degree of the scale this melody ascends by step)

Get in the habit of stating bar number and instrument as a matter of course for every single note you refer to!


AOS1 Past Paper Question 3a

Explain briefly how Beethoven’s symphonies differ from symphonies written by Haydn and/or Mozart.

Well! This could be a question ANY year!  But let's assume that we could simply substitute the word 'string quartets' where it currently reads 'symphonies'.

Here is a sample answer with commentary:

Notice that the inclusion of a little more general knowledge of these composers is the missing ingredient here.

TAKE ACTION...

Arm yourself with secure knowledge of early, middle and late styles for each composer and be aware of any key comments by scholars or terms which are specific to these (Sturm und drang? Style gallant? etc) Try Butterworth for egs?

Make an anthology of at least two quartets by each composer (one early eg, one late)

STUDY THESE with reference to all the musical elements.


AOS2

Here is a rough idea of some of the types of question topics seen in previous papers relating to Popular Song

Discuss the role

Explain techniques

Outline techniques

Assess the contribution

Assess the skills required

Compare 2 performances

Explain the qualities that led to success (artist or composer or arranger)

Describe the business

Comment on quality of recordings

What technology impacted this

Vocal Techniques

Harmony & tonality

Here is a previous mark scheme for AOS2 type of questions (you can update it to reflect current topics)