HW_01.

2 - Theory_IV - MUS THEO 2140 – Swilley Name:________________________

Purpose => Pertinent Learning Outcome(s):

_demonstrate a foundational knowledge of theoretical concerns associated with the diverse
compositional practices of the 20th/21st centuries.

__understand the concepts and compositional trends of 20th/21st centuries approaches to

Cadence, Tonality, Function, Pitch Centricity, Post-Tonal, Atonality, Serialism, and Aleatoricism.

__understand how contemporary music obtains cohesion through the use of limiting materials
(mode, harmony, texture, motive, gesture, set, order, transformation, etc.).

__demonstrate a foundational knowledge of Set Theory and its use in analyzing and
categorizing the materials of non-tonal music.

Rationale => competence in the following tasks (and related knowledge) is central to
understanding the music of Debussy and other impressionists as well as the works of many
other composers of the 20th century.

Task I => Modal Scales. Write the scales for the following modes scales (ascending only),
WITHOUT using key signatures. Evaluation => for full credit, completion with high degree of
accuracy.

1. C Dorian (alto clef)

2. B Phrygian (bass clef)

3. Bb Lydian (treble clef)

4. Eb mixolydian (treble clef)

Task II => Set Theory. On the blank staff, write each three-note group in normal order, so that
the pitch classes are ascending within the span of an octave, and within the smallest spanning
interval. (If you find a tie between two ordering that are both the “most compact,” choose the
one that has the smallest intervals on the left side, i.e. at the bottom.) One the “___” space
below each set, write the prime form of the set with parentheses: e.g. (012). If you wish, you
can check your answer on p. ~362 of the textbook by verifying that the prime forms are listed
under “trichords” in the second column. Evaluation => for full credit, completion with a high
degree of accuracy.

_______________ _______________ ________________

Task III => Analysis. Study the score and listen (several times) to the Debussy piece Sarabande
from Pour le piano. Answer the following questions. Here is a link to a score scrolling vid =>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLicw5ryMpQ&t=227s. I attached the score as well.
Evaluation => for full credit, completion with a high degree of accuracy.

1. What is the overall key of the piece, how and where is it first established, and is it a major or
minor key or one of the modes? (Consider the scale of mm. 1–8.)

2. Mm. 1–2: What is the harmonic/voice-leading technique? Comment about root relationships.
3. M. 7: Describe the harmonic/voice-leading technique. What is the contrapuntal motion that
generates the harmony?

4. Mm. 23–28: What type of chord is used in this passage?

5. Mm. 46–49: What is the key of this phrase? What scale degree (Roman numeral) does it end
on harmonically, and what is unusual about this ending from a tonal point of view?

6. Mm. 63–65: What is the prevalent sonority in this passage?

Task IV => (Optional) Listen/Analyze. Select one (a new one) of the Debussy Piano pieces from
the chapter and pick a random 30 seconds or so section to study. Use the score following video
links in the resources folder for unit I. You should select something that we didn’t discuss in
class. Try to observe both aurally and in the score instances of pitch centricity, motivic unity,
use of collections (diatonic or pentatonic), planning (diatonic or chromatic), quartal/quintal
harmonies, added tone harmonies, and pandiatonicism. List these observations below as
bullets points with the location in the piece (timings or measure numbers). Evaluation => for full
credit, completion.