The Yolanda and David Katz Faculty of the Arts, The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music

Course: Fundamentals of Musical Styles and Forms I

Annual, 2019-2020

Lesson - Exercise, 4 semester hours

Lecturer: Mr. Israel Sharon

Email: israelshar@gmail.com      

Reception time: by appointment.

Course description

The two-year course is aimed at developing basic skills in writing, figured bass realization, model-based improvisation and analysis of works in various traditional tonal styles. Students will acquire a basic command of counterpoint and harmony as well as knowledge of musical forms. The first year will focus on fundamentals of harmony as well as an introduction to music analysis.

Requirements

Regular attendance, active participation, regular submission of homework, written tests during the year, final written and practical examination (according to the course’s progress).

Prerequisites

Knowledge of basic musical terminology according to the list of music terms specified below. Students will be tested on these terms at the beginning of the course.

Grades

40% - submission of homework and written tests;

60% - final written and practical examination.

Final Examination

The written examination will include writing and analysis assignments. The final examination will further include a practical component (according to the course’s progress) involving realization of harmonic progressions at the keyboard.

Bibliography

E. Aldwell & C. Schachter, Harmony and Voice Leading, 2^nd Edition (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers, 1989) – Textbook and Workbook.

Music terms

Information regarding the following basic musical terms may be obtained from the online edition of the Grove Music Lexicon accessible at all TAU computers through the following link: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.

1. General music terms:

a capella

acoustics

alla breve

articulation

basso continuo, figured bass

beat

chamber music

chord

consonance

counterpoint

cycle of fifths

dissonance

dominant

duet

duplet

dynamics

harmony

homophony

key, scale, diatonic scale, whole tone scale, chromatic scale, major mode, minor mode, pentatonic scale

libretto

melody

meter

mode

modulation

monophony

motif

musical phrase

mute, sordino

orchestration

overtone

polyphony

range, e.g. vocal range, ambitus

rhythm

sequence (harmonic/melodic)

subdominant

syncope, syncopation

tempo

tonality

tonic

triad

trio

triplet

tutti

unison

upbeat

2. Essentials of music notation:

accidentals

arpeggio

articulation signs

fermata

glissando

mordent

old and modern clefs

pedal

repeat and orientation signs

rests

rhythmic values

score

tie

tremolo

trill

up-bow, down-bow

3. Performance directions (tempo, articulation, dynamic, expression etc.)

accelerando

ad libitum

Adagio

allargando

Allegretto

Allegro

Andante

arco

crescendo

diminuendo, decrescendo

forte

fortissimo

Larghetto

Largo

legato

marcato

mezzo forte

mezzo piano

Moderato

pianissimo

piano

pizzicato

portamento

Prestissimo

Presto

ritardando/ritenuto

rubato, tempo rubato

sforzando

sostenuto

staccato

tenuto

4. Musical instruments and types of ensembles (knowledge of the standard instruments in each category required):

instruments: bowed string instruments, woodwind instruments, brass instruments, percussion instruments, plucked string instruments, keyboard instruments

vocal types and ranges

symphony orchestra

chamber orchestra

oratorio choir

chamber choir

5. Standard musical forms and genres:

allemande

aria

ballet

canon

cantata

chorale

coda

concerto

concerto grosso

courante

fugue

gigue

Lied, art song

march

mass

minuet

motet

opera

oratorio

prelude

recitative

sarabande

scherzo

serenade

sonata

suite

symphony

theme and variations

waltz