Theory Placement Exam 1 Full Name: This exam begins with melodic and harmonic dictation, and then covers some basic music theory, analysis, and writing skills. I. Melodic Dictation You will hear an excerpt from a symphony (track 1) and from a German Lied (track 2). Track 1. Notate the violin melody on the staff below. The first note is provided for you. Play track 1 no more than five times! Track 2. Notate the soprano melody on the staff below. The first note is provided. Play track 2 no more than eight times!
Theory Placement Exam 2 II. Harmonic Dictation You will hear excerpts from two German Lieder. Track 3. Notate the bass line and indicate chords using Roman numerals and figures. Specify the key before writing your Roman numerals (for the key of A minor, you would write a: and if it were in A major, you would write A: just preceding the Roman numerals). If any bass note is unclear, pick a note that makes sense in the context of the chord progression. Play track 3 no more than five times! Track 4. Notate the bass line and chords as you did for the previous harmonic dictation. Please note that this excerpt modulates. Please reflect the change in key with your Roman numerals. Play track 4 no more than five times!
Theory Placement Exam 3 III. Spelling Seventh Chords Below are the first three staves from a fake-book version of How High the Moon with music by Morgan Lewis (lyrics by Nancy Hamilton, not shown). Directions: The chords shown above the second and third staves are listed below. Spell each chord in the blank provided. For instance, a C7, or C dominant-seventh chord would be spelled as follows: C E G Bb. 1. Fmaj 7 (or F 7 ) 6. D 7 2. F -7 (or Fm 7 ) 3. B@ 7 7. G -7 (or Gm 7 ) 8. A ø7 (or A- 7@5 ) 4. E@maj 7 (or E@ 7 ) 9. F# o7 5. A -7 (or Am 7 )
Theory Placement Exam 4 IV. Embellishing (Non-Harmonic) Tones In the score below, five notes have arrows that point to them. Identify each of these embellishing, or non-harmonic tones. Play track 5 to hear the excerpt. Haydn, String Quartet in Eb major, op. 76, no. 6, Adagio: 1 3 5 Directions: Fill the blanks below using terms from the following list: passing tone, neighbor tone, suspension, appoggiatura or incomplete neighbor tone, accented passing tone Identify note 1, the D# in m. 2 of the first violin part: Identify note 2, the B# in m. 3 of the viola part: Identify note 3, the B in measure 4, the first violin part: Identify note 4, the G# in measure 4, the second violin part: Identify note 5, the C# in measure 8, the first violin part:
Theory Placement Exam 5 V. Cadences and Periods What is the first cadence that occurs in the excerpt from Haydn s String Quartet in Eb major, which is shown again below? (Circle one.) a. Perfect authentic cadence b. Imperfect authentic cadence c. Half cadence d. Deceptive cadence e. Plagal cadence What is the second cadence that occurs in this excerpt? (Circle one.) a. Perfect authentic cadence b. Imperfect authentic cadence c. Half cadence d. Deceptive cadence e. Plagal cadence What feature of this excerpt makes it a period? Choose the one, most essential quality. a. It displays sentence structure. b. The similarity of the melodies. c. The strength of the final cadence. d. It includes two phrases. VI. Basic Chord Identification Arrows point to nine chords in the excerpt below. Place Roman numerals and figures below the arrows to identify the chords. The key is B major. Haydn, String Quartet in Eb major, op. 76, no. 6, Adagio:
Theory Placement Exam 6 VII. Writing Diatonic Chord Progressions in Four Parts Write the chord progressions indicated by the Roman numerals and figures for SATB choir. Create a phrase on the first system that ends with a half cadence and a phrase on the second system that ends with a perfect authentic cadence. Include the following: a. at least two passing tones b. at least two suspensions c. at least one neighbor tone G major: I vii o y Iy VJ I IV cadential k V I vii o H I VH vi iij V 4-3 I
Theory Placement Exam 7 VIII. Minuet Analysis You will be asked a number of questions about form, cadences, and chords in the minuet from Haydn's String Quartet in G minor, Op. 20, No. 3 (Hob.III:33). The score appears starting on the next page. To hear the music, play track 6. Form 1. The Menuetto is in rounded binary form. It is called rounded because of one significant event. Give the measure number in which this event begins. 2. What compositional technique does Haydn employ in mm. 11-16 (immediately following the double bar)? Circle one. a. imitation b. double counterpoint c. sequence d. modulation e. pedal tones Cadences The four questions that follow ask you to locate cadences in the Menuetto. Cadences involve motion from one chord to another. Give the measure number in which the final chord of the cadence occurs. For example, if the tonic chord of an authentic cadence were to occur in measure 50, you would locate the cadence by typing 50 in the space provided. 1. Provide the measure number for a perfect authentic cadence in G. 2. Provide the measure number for a perfect authentic cadence in D minor. 3. Provide the measure number for a perfect authentic cadence in B-flat. 4. Provide the measure number for a cadence on root-position V in G minor. Chords Identify each of the chords marked by an arrow in the score (on the next two pages). If a modulation takes place, indicate the key and label the chord in terms of the new key.
Theory Placement Exam 8 Haydn, String Quartet in G minor, op. 20, no. 3 (Hob. III.33), Menuetto: Allegretto
Theory Placement Exam 9
Theory Placement Exam 10 IX. Melody Harmonization with Chromatic Chords Directions: Below are two phrases of melody, portions of which have been harmonized. Complete the harmonization of the melody. In the first phrase (mm. 1-4), include the following: a vii o6 /ii chord a chord borrowed from the parallel minor (modal mixture) a German augmented sixth chord In the second phrase (mm. 5-8), include the following: a vii o7 /ii chord a pivot-chord modulation to C# minor a Neapolitan sixth chord in C# minor a perfect authentic cadence in C# minor Provide Roman numerals and figures below the bass line. Analyze the pivot chord in terms of both E major and C# minor.