Unit name | Technical Studies I: Harmony and Harmonic Analysis |
---|---|
Unit code | MUSI10047 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Dr. Tarrant |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of Music |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Inevitably, some students come to University with more experience and understanding of harmony than others. The purpose of this unit is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to develop a basic grasp of the subject that will enable them to deal confidently with the various composition and analysis courses that are offered in subsequent semesters. Key compositional techniques and a wide range of chords will be explored in the music of the classical and early romantic periods.
Aims:
This unit aims to introduce the principal techniques of tonal harmonic composition, including a thorough investigation of the basic building-blocks of Western tonal music (including melody, consonance/dissonance, simple voice-leading patterns, phrase and cadence schemes, rhythm, motive, chord grammar, key, modulation, etc.), and reductive analysis techniques in relation to music of the 18th century, providing a foundation for the understanding of baroque compositional styles to be investigated in Technical Studies II.
Successful completion of this unit will enable students:
The skills taught in this unit provide a necessary foundation for later studies not only in pastiche composition (baroque, classical and romantic) but also in analysis.
Weekly hour-long lectures, weekly hour-long back-up sessions, and sign-up tutorial sessions in the tutor’s weekly consultation hour.
Weekly exercises for credit
Final project (100%)
Learning outcomes 1 and 4 will be demonstrated through the analytical essay; outcomes 2 and 3 are demonstrated in the related technical/composition assignment
Prescribed scores to be identified during the unit, but including simple dance movements for keyboard mainly from the middle years of the 18th century.