Order Description
write about some feeling about the song, and follow up the Response paper guidelines.Response paper guidelines:
1. Attach your ticket and program to your paper.
2. Length ? a minimum of two full pages and not more than three pages, double-spaced, with 1? margins using a standard 12-point font such as Arial or Times New Roman.
3. Descriptions and word choice:
a. When discussing the performance, use the words concert, performance, event, musical event, but not show.
b. Song refers to a composition for solo voice, usually with piano accompaniment. When discussing the music, you may refer to the composition, musical selection, piece, work, or musical work. You may prefer to refer to the music by its genre; for instance, ?The symphony began with a brilliant brass section with all trumpets playing loudly.? It would not be appropriate, in this case, to write that ?The song began?? or ?The show began??
4. Title format:
a. For short, individual musical pieces, enclose the title in quotes: ?Silent Noon?
b. For larger, generic pieces, like symphonies, concertos, or sonatas, capitalize the title: Symphony No. 5
c. For descriptive titles of larger works, italicize the title: Symphonie Fantastique or The Nutcracker, or Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.Response Paper format:Heading: Your name, date, course title, and course number.Paragraph 1: Answer the who, what, when, where questions. Include the date, time and location of the performance. Identify the performers, conductor, and the titles of the music performed. (If there are many (20-30 pieces on the program, you do not need to list them all. Also, do not list the names of everyone in a large ensemble.)Paragraph 2: Describe the first piece performed. Using musical terminology, consider the relationship among the musical elements in this composition. Are one or two musical elements particularly prominent? What caught your attention? You may consider the following questions that will help you to listen actively and intentionally. NOTE: You do not need to address all of the things listed below, but it would be wise to address some of these questions.Rhythm: driving, heavily accented, syncopated, regular, unobtrusive, changing meters or tempos, different rhythms simultaneously or all forces playing or singing the same rhythm
Melody:Does the melody contain large or small skips or steps, long or short phrases, or clear antecedent and consequent phrases? Is the melody memorable (a tune you could sing)?
Harmony: Which instruments or voices play a harmonic role? Do harmonies change rapidly (on every beat) or slowly (every few bars)?
Form: Can you identify any of the forms we?ve studied? Is the form repetitive? How? Do particular instruments or voices emphasize repetitive or contrasting sections?
Texture: What role do changing textures play in this work? Can you identify monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic textures? If you?re listening to a solo recital with piano accompaniment, what role does the accompanying instrument play? (Does the accompanying part include the melody? Is the accompaniment in the background or do the instruments share equal roles?)
Dynamics: What role do dynamics play in this composition? How do dynamic changes affect the drama and emotion of the piece?
Timbre: Are different tone colors contrasted or combined? What is the result or what mood do the different combinations create?Do NOT write that the music was nice, pretty, good, bad, or ugly. Focus on musical elements by using the questions listed above. You are welcome to describe how the music affected you or the audience?s reaction to it, but the majority of the review should focus on the music itself.Paragraphs 3-4: Discuss additional works performed following the format described for paragraph 2.Paragraph 5: Describe how the concert ended. What was the final composition and how did the audience respond? Discuss several musical elements of the final piece following the format described in paragraph 2.Paragraph 6: How was this concert similar or different than other concerts you?ve attended? Did you experience anything new by attending this performance? Was this a natural context in which to experience the style of music performed? What did you enjoy the most and the least about this concert?