Senior Comprehensive Examination - Spring 2001 - Written Portion: General Questions
l. (History) Write a paper on your piece that deals with the following topics:
A. Historical data and critical literature.
(When, where, and why was the piece written? When and by whom was it first performed, first published? Does an autograph exist? What editions are available, and which of these comes closest to an "authentic" text? Did the composer ever discuss the piece? What is the most important critical literature that deals with the piece? Would any of this literature be valuable to you in preparing a performance of the piece?)
B. Historical traditions and background.
(How would you describe the piece or movement in the context of a historical survey of other pieces of the same type - by the same composer or by other composers? What musical or historical aspects of the piece set it apart from or relate it directly to other pieces of the same type? Are there considerations of performance practice that you would like to elucidate in a performance of the piece?)
II. (Theory) Explore in depth the following topics:
Form; harmonic organization and pacing; and melodic, motivic, rhythmic, and phrase structure.
Be prepared to translate some of the ideas expressed in your written exam into performance. You will be asked to perform (or to coach a performance of) the piece during a part of the oral exam to be held in conjunction with this written exam.
Your paper is to be typed, double-spaced, WITH PAGE NUMBERS.
The organization of your paper need not, of course, reflect the order and sequence of the questions as they are presented here. While you may discuss some of these questions in more depth than others, you must deal with all of them to some extent.
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Updated 9 March 2001