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Optional Areas of Study (Appraising)

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What musical features of early twentieth-century music, including impressionism, does the WJEC Into the Twentieth Century area of study expect you to recognise and analyse in its set works?

Into the Twentieth Century area of study: the features of early twentieth-century music including impressionism (whole-tone and modal scales, parallel chords, blurred tonality, rich colour) and neoclassicism, analysed through set works by Debussy and Poulenc.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of the Into the Twentieth Century optional area of study: impressionism (whole-tone and modal scales, parallel chords, blurred tonality, orchestral colour) and neoclassicism, analysed through the Debussy and Poulenc set works for the Appraising exam.
14 min answer →

What features of contemporary art music does the WJEC Into the Twenty-first Century area of study expect you to recognise and analyse in its set works?

Into the Twenty-first Century area of study: the features of contemporary art music including complex rhythm and metre, post-tonal and eclectic harmony, extended techniques, varied textures and the mixing of styles, analysed through set works by Thomas Ades and Sally Beamish.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of the Into the Twenty-first Century optional area of study: complex rhythm and metre, post-tonal and eclectic harmony, extended techniques and varied textures, analysed through the Thomas Ades and Sally Beamish set works for the Appraising exam.
14 min answer →

What are the musical features and styles of jazz that the WJEC Appraising exam expects you to recognise and describe in listening extracts?

Jazz area of study: the features of jazz including swing rhythm, improvisation, the head-solos-head structure, extended and altered chords (sevenths, ninths), the walking bass and comping, blues influence, and the main styles, recognised in listening extracts.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of the Jazz optional area of study: swing rhythm, improvisation, head-solos-head structure, extended and altered chords, walking bass and comping, the blues influence and the main jazz styles, for recognising and describing the style in the Appraising listening exam.
13 min answer →

What are the musical features and song types of musical theatre that the WJEC Appraising exam expects you to recognise and describe in listening extracts?

Musical Theatre area of study: the song types (solo number, duet, ensemble, chorus), the use of music to convey character and drama, leitmotif and underscoring, the pit-orchestra forces and the conventions of the genre, recognised in listening extracts.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of the Musical Theatre optional area of study: the song types (solo, duet, ensemble, chorus), music conveying character and drama, leitmotif and underscoring, the pit orchestra and genre conventions, for recognising and describing the style in the Appraising listening exam.
13 min answer →

What are the musical features of rock and pop that the WJEC Appraising exam expects you to recognise and describe in listening extracts?

Rock and Pop area of study: the musical features of rock and pop, including verse-chorus structure, chord-based harmony and riffs, the standard band line-up, vocal and instrumental styles, and production, recognised and described in listening extracts.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of the Rock and Pop optional area of study: verse-chorus structure, chord-based harmony and riffs, the standard band line-up, vocal and instrumental styles, and production, for recognising and describing the style in the Appraising listening exam.
13 min answer →