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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
MUSI D004B
Course Title (CB02)
Comprehensive Musicianship II (Second Quarter)
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2021
Course Description
This course covers principles, literacy, and parameters of music including writing musical scores, comprehensive and aural analysis, sight-singing, rhythmic training, ear training, and keyboard work, exploring the chromatic practice and the limits of the tonal system including a review of diatonic practice.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course is a major preparation requirement in the discipline of music for at least one CSU or UC. This course is required for the A.A. Music degree. This course is part of the core six-quarter group of courses, each of which is required. The student needs this course to graduate or be transfer ready as a music major. This course introduces the student to diatonically responsible chromaticism and the limits of tonality.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU
C-IDArea(s)StatusDetails
MUSMusicApprovedMUSI D004A & MUSI D004B & MUSI D004C required for C-ID MUS 140 and C-ID MUS 145 and C-ID MUS 150 and C-ID MUS 155

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours3.57.0
Laboratory Hours1.50.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
42.0
Laboratory
18.0
Total
60.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
84.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
84.0

Prerequisite(s)

MUSI D004A or by audition

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

(Student must audition or meet course prerequisite(s).)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned material

Discussion and Problem solving performed in class

Quiz and examination review performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

Collaborative Projects

Assignments

  1. Composition of four part vocal texture pieces featuring as pivotal:
    1. Modal borrowing
    2. Neapolitans
    3. Augmented sixth chords
    4. Circle of chromatic major third relations
    5. Circle of chromatic minor third relations
    6. Mutation from major and minor triads to quick conclusion
    7. Mutation from diminished and augmented triads to quick conclusion
    8. Mutation from fully diminished 7th chords to quick conclusion as well as subsequent mutation as chromatic process
    9. Mutation from dominant 7th chords to quick conclusion as well as subsequent mutation as chromatic process
  2. Analysis of all levels of four part chorales
  3. Composition of simple piano accompaniments to simple diatonic tunes aimed at appropriateness
  4. Composition of two part tonal counterpoint excerpts
  5. Readings in the principal text as well as of various handouts
  6. Computer lab work on assignments both specific to a particular week and in pursuit of quarter length goals distributed at the beginning of the quarter
  7. Demonstrate an understanding of introductory structural analysis (pre Schenkerian) through:
    1. Analysis of pieces for potentially structurally significant chords
    2. Analysis of pieces for rates of authentic implication satisfaction as a means of identifying where in the evolution of tonal materials a particular piece fits
  8. (Optional) Suggested extra credit assignments in pursuit of the performance or study of any style of music from any culture, especially those not presented to any significant extent at the college and linked to the course by the student

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Direct observation of student in class board work evaluated for the extent to which the student is making progress towards the minimum 70% accuracy required to be deemed successful
  2. Computer lab work for skill development, effort evaluated for the extent to which the student is making progress towards the minimum 70% accuracy required to be deemed successful
  3. Individual sight singing/rhythmic training final exam graded on a percentage accuracy with 70% accuracy being the minimum standard for success
  4. Final written exam including writing music, dictation, and pre Schenkerian analysis
  5. Periodic and final in class melodic and rhythmic dictation evaluated for the extent to which the student is making progress towards the minimum 70% accuracy required to be deemed successful
  6. Written assignments (2-3 per week) evaluated for the extent to which they are above, at, or below the established standard predicting success in the element of the standard
  7. Individual keyboard final assessment including a statement projecting placement on a transfer placement exam given progress to date

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • Music manuscript paper
  • Access to a keyboard instrument
  • Access to a computer laboratory containing music notation and ear training software
Essential College Facilities:
  • Classroom with enough staff lined boards to allow all students to work simultaneously, piano, multiple media sound playback equipment with adequate speaker system
  • Computer lab facility suitable for Comprehensive Musicianship instructional and notational software

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
*Benward, Bruce. "Music in Theory and Practice - Vol II". Boston: Mc Graw Hill, 9th edition, 2014.
*Sadie, Stanley Ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians London: Grove Press, 2nd edition, 2001.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Berkowitz, Charles et al. "A New Approach to Sight Singing". New York: W.W. Norton, 6th edition 2017.
Burkhart, Charles. "Anthology for Musical Analysis". New York: Holt, Rinehart, Winston, 7th edition 2012.
Sadie, Stanley Ed. "The Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music", New York: W.W. Norton, 2003.
Starer, Robert. "Rhythmic Training". New York: MCA Music, 1969.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Discuss the interaction of musical parameters in pieces having obscured tonality and non song form melodics and periodicity such as some of the intermezzos of Brahms and Wagner's Tristan Prelude
  • Demonstrate intermediate to advanced sight singing, rhythmic training, and ear training skills
  • Play and devise and play, at the keyboard, basic chord progressions (modulating and non modulating) which include all diatonically responsible uses of extended chord vocabulary as well as small scale examples of chromatics including functional mutation both as process and as harmonically functional
  • Analyze and compose in four part chorale texture as well as other textures: all diatonically responsible uses of extended chord vocabulary as well as small scale examples of chromatics including functional mutation both as process and as functional harmony
  • Participate in activities leading to a mid term exam which is an example of an actual Music Major Transfer Exam and which covers, essentially, the material from Music 3A, B, and C and Music 4A as well as material on tonal counterpoint
  • Produce an analysis of a piece from a recording including transcription into a score including, at a minimium, principle linear elements and bass
  • Demonstrate an understanding of introductory structural analysis (pre Schenkerian)

CSLOs

  • Apply the stylistic principles of and normative adherence to the rules of diatonically responsible chromaticism in writing both 4-part and melody plus accompaniment textures.

  • Analyze pieces accurately and comprehensively at the level of complexity of Brahms Intermezzos.

Outline

  1. Discuss the interaction of musical parameters in pieces having obscured tonality and non song form melodics and periodicity such as some of the intermezzos of Brahms and Wagner's Tristan Prelude
    1. Given a piece demonstrating tonal center ambiguity, the student will, in an analysis of the piece, discuss the nature of the ambiguity, the devices used, the arguments for different possible key determinations, and state and justify a final conclusion.
    2. Given a short excerpt from the beginning of a piece, write a passage to successful closure which includes ambiguity and obscured modulation through at least one intermediate key utilizing a process learned in the class
  2. Demonstrate intermediate to advanced sight singing, rhythmic training, and ear training skills
    1. Sight Sing, individually and in groups, simple diatonic tunes at sight including all tempo, dynamic, and articulation indications
    2. Sight Sing diatonic and conjunctly chromatic melodies including chromatic non chord tones as well as extended chord vocabulary chord tones while keyboard or other interference is going on
    3. Perform at sight, rhythms which include changing subdivisions and multi meter schemes
    4. Perform polymeters and rudimentary polyrhythm in small groups
  3. Play and devise and play, at the keyboard, basic chord progressions (modulating and non modulating) which include all diatonically responsible uses of extended chord vocabulary as well as small scale examples of chromatics including functional mutation both as process and as harmonically functional
    1. Given a suitable notated sonority, the student will play various called for functional mutations and then conclude to normative immediate and ultimate tonal destinations.
    2. Given one measure of notated chromatic process, the student will devise a continuation of the process, a means for leaving the process to create a normative diatonically responsible chromatic practice ending and will then play the whole at the keyboard at a subsequent session while describing what is being played.
  4. Analyze and compose in four part chorale texture as well as other textures: all diatonically responsible uses of extended chord vocabulary as well as small scale examples of chromatics including functional mutation both as process and as functional harmony
    1. Analyze and or compose a passage utilizing modal borrowing as pivotal in modulating from any key to any key
    2. Analyze and or compose a passage utilizing a Neapolitan (N) or N6 as pivotal in modulating from any key to any key
    3. Analyze and or compose a passage utilizing the augmented sixth chord group (and their enharmonic equivalents as appropriate and applicable) as pivotal in modulating from any key to any key
    4. Compose short passages wherein various authentic impliers are mutated to other authentic impliers and then taken to various diatonically responsible destinations as directed
    5. Compose short passages wherein various authentic impliers are mutated to other authentic impliers and then taken by various diatonically responsible means through at least two intermediate keys in modulating from the initially implied key to any other key
    6. Compose short passages demonstrating A) complete major and minor circles of chromatic third relations and B) incomplete or extended major and minor circles of chromatic third relations for modulations to and from distantly related keys as directed
  5. Participate in activities leading to a mid term exam which is an example of an actual Music Major Transfer Exam and which covers, essentially, the material from Music 3A, B, and C and Music 4A as well as material on tonal counterpoint
    1. In class Bach and Bachlike chorale analysis aimed at greatest possible efficiency and analytical priority building
    2. In class composition of simple piano accompaniments to simple diatonic tunes aimed at appropriateness
    3. In class composition of two part tonal counterpoint excerpts
    4. Melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic dictation
  6. Produce an analysis of a piece from a recording including transcription into a score including, at a minimium, principle linear elements and bass
    1. Notate the melody (or principle linear elements) without assistance from others
    2. Render the harmonies with roman numerals as appropriate without assistance from others
    3. Analyze the piece at least in general terms for instrumentation
    4. Analyze a piece for all parameters of music without assistance from others
  7. Demonstrate an understanding of introductory structural analysis (pre Schenkerian)
    1. Participation in class discussions of passages first analyzed in the traditional low level functional method (Pistonian) for foreground and at least one middle ground level in the structural analysis (Schenkerian) approach
    2. Participation in class discussions and activities on chord grammar, octave coupling, simple prolongation and elaboration, and Klang concepts
    3. Analysis of pieces for a systematic differentiation of differing results of authentic implication as well as identity of potentially structurally significant chords from the Schenkerian perspective

Lab Topics

  1. Computer assisted instruction: Melodic dictation
  2. Computer assisted instruction: Harmonic dictation
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