UHS Musicianship I

Course Syllabus

Unit I: Musicology - Prehistory through the Neolithic Period

Listening and Writing 1

What is Music?

Lesson 1: Music Theory - Intervals and Scales/Worksheets 1-1, 1-2

Audiation: Rhythmic Patterns/Rhythmic Dictation/Aural-Oral/Verbal & Symbolic Association

Tune of the Week: UHS Alma Mater

Unit I-2: Music of the Neolithic Period

Traditional and National Music

Music becomes Task-Driven

Elements of Music

Pentatonic Scale

Call and Response

Archaism of the Periphery

Music Theory Lesson 2: Minor Scales

Natural, Melodic and Harmonic minor scales

Tetrachords

Enharmonic Equivalence

Worksheets 2-1 and 2-2

Intervals in Solfeggio

Rhythmic Dictation in duple meter

Tune of the week: Heman Dubh (Oran Luaidh)

Musicology Unit 2-1: Medieval and Early Gothic Periods

Texture: monophony, polyphony, homophony

Ars Antiqua

Ars Nova

Life and Works of Hildegard von Bingen

Theory Lesson 3

Key Signatures

Relative and Parallel keyalities

Modal Tonalities

Musicology Unit 2-2

Middle Gothic Period

Polyphonic Organum

Perotin Magister

Types of Melodic and Harmonic Motion

Use of a Cantus Firmus

Troubadours, Trouveres and Minnesingers

Bernard de Ventadoorn

Theory Lesson 4: Triads and Triad qualities

Scale Degrees and Figured Bass

Musicology Unit 2-3

Late Gothic Period

Guillaume de Machaut

Isorhythm

Harmonic and non-Harmonic tones

Theory Lesson 5: Inversions of triads

Melodic Dictation

Musicology: Late Gothic

Theory Lesson 6: 1st Species Counterpoint

Implied Functions of Triads w/figured bass

Tonal patterns in solfeggio

melodic dictation

Musicology: Analysis I

Theory Lesson 7: 2nd Species Counterpoint

Composition I

Final Exams, Semester I

Music theory – 4th species counterpoint, syncopation, suspension and resolution, composing counterpoints in 4th species to a given cantus firmus. Melodic dictation in minor tonality, implied functions. Fauxbourdon technique, the development of tertian harmony and music of the early Renaissance. Analysis project: a piece by Gillaume Dufay, chant paraphrase, mosaic treatment, use of texture as a compositional determinant, application and practice of musica ficta.

Music theory – 5th species counterpoint, idiomatic use of eighth notes in two-part polyphonic texture, composing counterpoints in 5th species to a given cantus firmus.

Melodic dictation and identifying functions in major and minor tonalities. Musicology: analysis of music by Josquin des Prez; use of melismatic and syllabic declamation, motivic cells, texture and imitation as compositional determinants, concrete and abstract word and text painting.

Composing Name Songs using soggetto cavato or other techniques.

Music theory – dominant 7th chords and their figured bass in 4 part (SATB) closed and open voicing. Diatonic 7th chords in 4 part closed and open voicing. Resolution of dominant 7th to tonic in 4 voices using correct voice leading. Singing tonal patterns in solfeggio that emphasize the dominant 7 to tonic functions. Melodic dictation including implied dominant 7ths. Musicology: analysis project: the music of Josquin des Prez, music and meaning in the Renaissance, further use of motivic cells, microcosm/macrocosm, texture, concrete and abstract text painting, keyality relationships and canons as compositional determinants to create the internal logic/strategic planning that demonstrates higher order musical thinking in the works of Josquin and other Renaissance masters.

Music theory – types of cadences, borrowed (secondary) dominants and modulation. Singing tonal patterns in solfeggio and tunes that contain secondary dominants. Melodic dictation with implied modulatory functions (accidentals not occurring in the key signature). Musicology: music of the late Renaissance. Analysis project: a representative piece by Palestrina. The perfection of species counterpoint and the use of imitation, cadences, word/text painting and stretto as compositional determinants.

Review and final exams in audiation, musicology and music theory.