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Lesson 1: Practice Exam Question, Black Earth

Practice Exam Question:

HSC Music 2 (2008, Q4 - modified)

Choose any TWO concepts of music and compare their treatment in:  

  • Rush - Matthew Hindson 

  • Dawn Mantras - Ross Edwards 

  • ONE other work from the Additional Topic (and name this work) 

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Refer to your list of excerpts (compiled from HW) 

 

Discuss your response as a class.  

Black Earth (1997) - Fazil Say 

  • Follow the score as you listen to this solo piano work

  • Highlight at least 5 areas to discuss 

  • Individual Analysis. Focus on

    • Extended Techniques 

    • Tone Colour 

    • Repetition 

    • Motifs 

    • Pitch 

    • Dynamics and Expressive Techniques 

  • Discuss your response as a class

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Black Earth - Fazil Say
00:00 / 05:28

In this video, Fazil say performs his work. 

Pay close attention to the technique performed in the beginning.

  • How is it achieved?

  • Describe the tone colour it produces. 

  • If possible, demonstrate it on the piano

  • Can you think of any other instrument that produces a similar tone colour?

Continue working your your compositions from your previous class. 

They will be due for homework. Once complete, write an analysis of your composition discussing your different textural layers and how you have used each one. 

Your composition portfolio should include: 

  • A transcription of each individual layer

  • Score 

  • Annotations on your score highlighting how each layer has been used 

  • Analysis 

  • You are encouraged to document your compositional process and any influences
    in your portfolio 

Post a score, audio file and analysis under the Blog Post 'Composition 2' 

You will showcase your composition at the beginning of the next class. 

Lesson 2: Black Earth

Showcase your compositions and provide some peer feedback. 

Can you identify the different layers in your peers' compositions?

Read the composer notes. Highlight any important/interesting information. 

Aural Skills:

Dictation 7

Aural Skills:

Sight Singing Exercise 14

Kara Toprak - Aşık Veysel
00:00 / 04:06

Compare Black Earth with Kara Toprak, a popular Turkish folk song that was an inspiration for Say's work. 

  • What are some similarities you can hear? 

  • Which musical features did Say imitate and how was it achieved? 

Jazz Influences 

  • Can you identify which section of Black Earth is influenced by the genre of jazz? 

  • What features are used to create this effect? 

Black Earth Excerpt
00:00 / 00:30
175-1755624_swipe-arrow-left-right-finge

  • The chords will be demonstrated and played on the piano

  • Sing and outline the chords 

  • Identify and name the chords

  • What do you notice about the bass line? 

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The bass line is constructed from three main compositional techniques that have also been frequently used in Hindson's Rush. 

  • Name these three techniques 

  • Find examples of these techniques in Black Earth.

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