Answering Unfamiliar-Piece Skeleton-Score Questions

The unfamiliar-piece question

In Section A you hear a piece you have never studied, only "closely related to" the set works, and answer for 8 marks using a printed skeleton score: an outline of the main melody, sometimes with a bass line, that you follow as you listen. The marks come from describing what you hear precisely, using the elements of music:

Match each element to what it describes

Texture

Texture is a favourite of the examiners, and the three answers differ by how many independent lines you can hear: - Monophonic: one melodic line, no accompaniment at all. - Homophonic: one tune, with chords underneath supporting it. - Polyphonic: two or more independent melodies woven together at once. Homophonic is the commonest answer and the one most often confused with polyphonic: chords under a tune are accompaniment, not a second melody.

Match each texture to its meaning

Name the texture

A solo flute plays a tune completely on its own, with nothing else sounding. What is the texture?

• Monophonic
• Homophonic
• Polyphonic
• Harmonic

Tempo and dynamics

Two more sets of terms, often given in Italian: - Tempo (speed): *Adagio* (slow), *Andante* (walking pace), *Allegro* (fast). - Dynamics (volume): *piano* (quiet), *forte* (loud), *crescendo* (getting louder), *diminuendo* (getting quieter).

Which are dynamics?

Select the THREE terms that describe dynamics (volume).

• Piano (quiet)
• Forte (loud)
• Crescendo
• Allegro
• Adagio
• Andante

Metre and time signature

The time signature shows the metre: the top number is how many beats are in each bar. - 2/4 = two beats per bar = duple metre. - 3/4 = three beats per bar = triple metre (a waltz feel). - 4/4 = four beats per bar = quadruple metre (the most common).

What metre?

A piece is written in 3/4 time. How many beats per bar, and what metre is that?

• Three beats per bar: triple metre
• Two beats per bar: duple metre
• Four beats per bar: quadruple metre
• Six beats per bar

Tonality

Tonality is whether the music is built on a major or a minor key, or is modal. Naming the tonality AND its effect is easy marks, and the two are described in opposite terms:

Describe what you hear

A piece marked *Allegro* is being played at a _____ speed. If it grows louder through a phrase, the term for that is _____. A single melody with chords underneath has a _____ texture. And a piece in a minor key is most likely to sound _____.

Answer the question

You are answering the 8-mark unfamiliar-piece question. Choose the best approach at each step.

• As the music plays, what should you do?
• How should you describe what you hear?
• To reach the top marks, each point should be...

Describe the extract

You hear a short extract: a solo cello plays a slow melody alone, then a piano joins underneath with quiet chords, growing louder towards the end. The key sounds dark. Describe the extract as you would in the 8-mark question.

• Name the timbre: which instruments, and when each enters
• Name the texture, and say how it CHANGES during the extract
• Name the tempo, the dynamics and the tonality, using the correct terms
• Say what the overall effect is, rather than only listing the features

Listening summary

In the unfamiliar-piece question you follow a _____ score while listening. Describe the sound using the elements of music: _____ is the tone colour, dynamics is how _____ it is, and a piece in a _____ key often sounds sad.