Practicing Music Analysis
Project: Understanding sonata form in the classical and romantic eras
Portfolio Assessment
Answer both of the following questions
Question one
Analyse the expositionof the following piece, applying the relevant theory covered in class:
Mendelssohn, String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Opus 44, No. 1, Opening Movement
- Your analysis should provide a detailed account of the exposition's syntax
- Your analysis should consider the inter-thematic functions of the exposition, the cadences that articulate the structure, and an account of the intra-thematic functions of the themes, using the theories set out by William Caplin, Janet Schmalfeldt, and James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy
- Your analysis should be presented both on the score (an annotated score), and should include an accompanying essay of 1500 words explaining the results of this analysis
Question two
Consider your analysis from question one against the standard textbook sonata form. In 500 words reflect critically on the issues this analysis presents.
Examples of what you could include:
- In what way is the exposition different from the standard textbook model?
- How does the thematic syntax compare against classical syntax, and in what ways does Mendelssohn transform classical syntax?
- In class we have discussed several of Mendelssohn's string quartets: in what way is this movement similar/different to the other examples we explored, and what does this tell us about Mendelssohn's compositional style?
General Guidelines
You should construct the1500 word essay in question one as a detailed analytical account. Avoid including a history of the composer, the piece, or the genre.
You may not be able to detail every aspect of the analysis in the commentary. You should provide a detailed analysis on a printed copy of the score (by inserting the labels for each inter/intra-thematic function and the cadences at the relevant place). Your commentary should then present an overview of the key points that this analysis revealed.
You should include footnotes and a bibliography of all sources used. You should try to consult William Caplin's theory of formal functions, James Hepokoski and Warren Darcy's Sonata Theory, and Janet Schmalfeldt's functional transformation. All footnotes and bibliographical citations are in addition to the word count for each essay.
You should expressly engage with the theories that we have covered in class. There may be other methods of analysis that could be applied to these pieces, but your focus should be on those that we have covered during the course.
Harvard Style