Question 3
Josquin des Prez, W. C. Gluck, John Tudor, W. A. Mozart, Paul Hindemith, L. V. Beethoven, Bela Bartok, Joseph Haydn, Arnold Shoenberg, Orlandi di Lasso.
- Group the Western composers listed above under the following periods of music history:
(i) Renaissance;
(ii) Classical; and
(iii) 20th Century
- State any five characteristics of the music of the twentieth century period.
Observation
Despite the question was popular among the candidates, the overall performance was average. Most of the candidates who attempted the question were unable to place the composers in the appropriate historical period. This resulted in them losing some obtainable marks. They were expected to respond to the question as stated below:
- Renaissance – John Tudor, Josquin des Prez, Orlando di Lasso. Classical – W. C. Gluck, Joseph Haydn, W. A. Mozart, L. V. Beethoven .
20th Century – Bela Bartok, Arnold Schoenberg, Paul Hindemith.
- Characteristics of Twentieth Century Period
- The use of polymeter.
- The use of polyrhythm.
- The use of polychord.
- Frequent use of composite meter.
- Absence of tonal centre (atonality).
- Frequent use of serialism.
- Frequent use of pointillism and pandiatonicism.
- Frequent use of Parallelism.
- Cluster chords (especially in Jazz).
- Frequent use of forth chord.
- The use of bitonality.
- The use of refined form of modes.