Examiner Report - Theory of music

August 2007

Grade One Theory

Q1: Pitch

  1. Candidates lost marks if words were not used for sharp, flat, natural as required by the question.
  2. Candidates must always read the question carefully as wrong note values cost marks. In this case, notes were to be written as crotchets. Care with the placement of sharp, flat and natural signs should also be encouraged as signs on the wrong side of the particular note, also lost marks. Candidates lost the full mark if the note was written but without the required accidental.

Q2: Keys and scales:

  1. One of the main problems here was writing the B flat key signature for F major as it would appear in a treble, not bass, clef. The usual errors in scale writing prevailed: use of the wrong clef and/or note values; direction the opposite to what was required; tones and semitones mixed or omitted.
  2. The question required adding a clef and accidental to make a G major scale and most candidates were able to successfully cope with the task.
  3. Not all candidates realise that scale degree numbers are cardinal, not ordinal numbers. Marks were not removed but this should be noted for future.

Q3: Intervals and chords

  1. Writing intervals above a given tonic note was mostly well-handled; candidates who wrote the interval below the note received no mark.
  2. The answer to naming intervals often produced the opposite of naming scale degree numbers, ie candidates wrote cardinal, not ordinal numbers. "By number" means eg. 6th, 2nd etc. Again, whilst marks were not removed, candidates should take care in future.
  3. Writing key signatures and tonic triads was mostly well answered.

Q4: Time and rhythm

  1. Candidates who wrote notes instead of the required rests lost the mark for that particular question as did those who wrote rests after the given notes instead of before. In simple quadruple time, either 2 crotchet or 1 minim rest was accepted. In simple triple time, the correct answer was 2 crotchet rests, preceding the given crotchet.
    Another problem was the positioning of the minim rest; it sits on the 3rd line of the staff, not filled in between the lines or turning up in several other places!
  2. Completing the bars with quavers: at times the question was misread, with candidates using notes of a different value. Marks were lost accordingly.
  3. Adding the correct time signature caused little problem to candidates.

Q5: Folk songs

Time and key signatures must be correctly positioned at the start of the folk song with the key signature before the time signature and with the time signature appearing once only. Many candidates misplaced the phrasing. Wherever the last bar finishes, the double bar line should follow immediately, which may not necessarily be at the actual end of the staff.

Q6: Transposition

A few candidates transposed the melody in the wrong direction to that required and/or repeated the F major key signature even though transposing into C major. Transposing the notes into the bass was accepted, as long as the individual pitches were correct.

Q7: Terms and signs

  1. The acceptable English meaning of Presto is 'very fast', not just 'fast'. Giving the meaning of the sign under the first note trapped a lot of candidates who confused it with the slur under the first 2 notes. It simply referred to p - ie 'soft'. Overall, most candidates were able to correctly identify the other terms and signs.
  2. Of the ten terms requiring English meanings, ritenuto and allegro caused the most problems. Candidates should refer to the list of terms and meanings in the AMEB Manual for acceptable definitions.

Grade Two Theory

Q1: Intervals

  1. The most common error was to omit the Bb above F for a perfect 4th.
  2. It is important to remember that the number and quality of any given interval is constant. Some thought the 7th above F could be either a major or minor 7th. Major intervals are easily identified as they occur in the major scale - a semitone smaller is the corresponding minor interval.

Q2: Keys and scales

  1. The scale of A major with two octaves ascending requires fifteen notes only, not sixteen.
  2. Marking tones in E harmonic minor scale descending caused a problem as some counted the top note a 1 rather than 8. Several marked the augmented 2nd as a tone and others forgot to include D# as the raised leading note.
  3. G major was readily identified, but quite a few missed marking the semitones, or again counted from the top note.

Q3: Chords

Triads were mostly correct, but sometimes the key signatures were omitted or the bass clef was not noted.

Q4: Memory

Generally the tune was neatly written. Bars 2 and 6 were sometimes confused. There are always some who do not bother to learn the tunes.

Q5: Time and rhythm

Instead of completing each bar with correctly grouped quavers, some supplied rests - not reading the question!

c. Again, the question was not read carefully: i.e. to write and name the note for a whole bar of 6/8 time. The semibreve rest was incorrectly given.
d. Time signatures were to be identified as simple or compound, duple, triple or quadruple; C was sometimes given as common time but not as simple quadruple as requested.

Q6: Transposition

This was well done on the whole, but some forgot to add the F# key signature for the transposed melody in E minor.

Q7: Creative

A few placed the upright line after the accended words in the couplet of poetry; some just marked the accents without placing upright lines before the words.

Q8: Terms and general knowledge

No great problem here. The fermata/pause was sometimes mistaken for a mezzo staccato on a single note. On marking the main sections of the form, it was expected that the letters A and B be placed at the start of each section above the anacruses.

On the whole, the standard was very good. Several candidates gained 100% and many achieved Distinction or Honours in their results

Grade Three Theory

Q1: Keys and scales

  1. Most common errors here were in the semitone patterns for a descending major scale, or writing the scale ascending instead of descending.
  2. Leaving out the leading note accidental from this minor scale was the main problem as usual. Some candidates misinterpreted the instruction "write two octaves going up", instead writing one octave ascending twice (at the same pitch).
  3. This question specifically asks for the named note – triads are not acceptable here.
  4. When identifying a key, always specify major or minor.

Q3: Chords and cadences

  1. Errors here mostly involved missing leading notes and confusion with first inversions. A common error here was to build the 6-3 shape over the root note.
  2. Very poorly handled on the whole. Candidates must pay closer attention to all instructions to ensure that silly errors are avoided. Most common errors here involved not using minims (or problems with the stems when used), and writing the opposite of what was required (ie vocal style instead of piano style or writing a perfect cadence where plagal was required and vice versa). For too many candidates the loss of marks here could easily have been avoided with a little more care and attention.

Q4: Time and rhythm

  1. (ii) 3/4 written instead of 6/8 was the most common error. The separate quavers show this grouping to be incorrect for 3/4.
  2. (i) This time signature was often given as simple quadruple instead of simple duple.

Q5: Folk songs and transposition

b. Transposition is another area which requires the utmost of care to avoid unnecessary loss of marks through careless mistakes. Lost marks were generally due to either starting on the wrong note (often down instead of up), incorrectly adjusting the accidentals in the new key, or forgetting to add or change the key signature.

Q6: Creative

Rhythmic pattern: Many answers were extremely repetitive, either giving the most basic speech rhythm possible (the same pattern four times over) or two phrases exactly the same. To earn full marks for this question, the answer should suit the flow of the text and be interesting. A little bit of variety is all that is required between the first and second phrase in order to do so. Those who struggle with the accent patterns in the English language may find the option of melody writing a more rewarding exercise both musically and in terms of exam marks.

Melody writing: The same old formulae make their regular appearances time and time again, but the main thing required here is that the melody flows in a lyrical way with a good sense of musical direction and balance. The better melodies managed to avoid awkward leaps and had a decent range, while the weaker answers tended to be rather angular or sat within a very narrow pitch range.

Q7: Terms and general knowledge

  1. Aside from a few superhuman Alto ranges, the answers were generally correct or very close.
  2. (iii) opus: to answer this only as "a group of works" suggests the candidate may not realise that a single work can be an opus in itself. The all-inclusive definition "a work or group of works" covers all possibilities.
  3. Form was generally well handled. Some candidates need to take more care with placing the letters above the first note of the section, especially where anacruses are involved. Identifying the sequence which ran across the barline was a problem for many.

Grade Four Theory

Overall, most questions were well done with minimal problems.

Q1: Creative

Although most candidates completed the 8 bars in the keys requested, very few were really melodic. Scales and arpeggios were the basis of most. Many had two perfect cadences in the tonic key and others presented a weak melody line, often using many inappropriate repetitions.

Q4: Time and rhythm

b. (ii) The correct response here, 6/4, was rarely given

Q5: Chords and harmony

  1. Several had troubles with these, particularly the submediant chords
  2. Several had troubles with these, particularly the submediant chords
  3. The spacing, especially between alto and tenor was very badly handled by many. The bass line was often too low, down at times to low C. Some poor chord progressions were evident and parts often had wide leaps, consecutive octaves and fifths. The concept of SATB writing was alien to many.

Q7: Terms and general knowledge

b. Candidates often did not mention form
d. (iii) Approximately 90% of candidates opted for viola, which showed very little study of the string family

Grade Five Theory

Q1: Keys and scales

b. The most common error was incorrect placement of the A# in the key signature

Q2: Intervals

b. Writing intervals below the given note caused confusion for some

Q3: Modulation

Some candidates have a problem with terminology: eg. "relative dominant"

Q4: Harmony

  1. Most errors appear to be the result of candidates not "hearing" what they are writing – eg leading note leaps, consecutive/exposed 5ths and octaves. Polyphonic textures were not always grasped – this takes lots of practise. Listening to and copying Bach Chorales is recommended.
  2. Candidates who understood the modulations generally managed this question well. Cadences – some bizarre modulations here. The accidental in Db major was not carried through. The use of Ic was often faulty.

Q5: Creative

The choice of matching melody with words was mostly well done, with a sense of atmosphere. Phrasing was sometimes omitted. The alternative given theme had lots of potential. Few recognised the clues in rhythm and shape and misunderstood "balance" and "phrasing" concepts.

Q6: Instruments

  1. Scant coverage of construction caused the greatest mark loss. Generally, the range was very well learned
  2. Mostly good but the syllables "tu-ku" were sometimes erroneously cited for flutter-tonguing

Q7: Forms

  1. Mostly well studied. Examples of Recitative types expected from Mozart compositions, not Handel.
  2. The word "describe" caused some loss of marks in not being fully addressed, with explanations of technique limited to few words. Few gave examples of variations

Grade Six Theory

Q1: Four-part harmony

Many are still struggling with basic chord progression. The modulations were a challenge, more needs to be learnt about use of indirect cadences in confirming modulations. Opportunities for cadential 6/4 missed.

Q2: Two-part writing

Most candidates missed the opening opportunity for imitation. The basic concept of rhythmic imitation between parts has still to be grasped. There was a lack of confidence in the use of the melodic minor scale.

Q3: Creative

The set text proved to be difficult for the minority of those who attempted it. Completion of the given melody needed a first modulation to be completed by the end of the second phrase. Again, use of the melodic minor scale to avoid augmented intervals was not often enough done.

Q4: Set Work

  1. (i) A number of candidates omitted reference to keys.
    (ii) Mostly known.
    (iii) Mostly known.
  2. (i) Most candidates showed a good knowledge of the instrument used.
    (ii) This question produced very few correct answers, ie mentioning pizzicato 3 bars with bassoons, followed by 3 bars of upper strings.

Q5: Form

  1. Most had prepared a sonata movement.
  2. A minority omitted consideration of concert overture as a separate work.
  3. A substantial number of candidates omitted to observe that cadenzas can be improvised or written out by a composer.

Q6: Instruments

  1. Mostly correct
  2. Generally good knowledge of the trombone as valveless brass, but a significant minority omitted to mention the role of embouchure in obtaining pitches, while understanding 7 chromatic slide positions.

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