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The Western Classical Tradition (Area of Study A)

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do harmony and tonality work in the Classical and early Romantic symphony, and how do you describe the chords, cadences and key relationships in the WJEC set works?

Harmony and tonality in the symphony: diatonic functional harmony, chords and inversions, cadences, modulation to related keys, the tonic and dominant axis of sonata form, and chromatic colour, applied to the Haydn and Mendelssohn set works.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of harmony and tonality in the symphony: diatonic functional harmony, chords and inversions, the four main cadences, modulation to related keys, the tonic-dominant axis of sonata form, and chromatic colour, applied to the Haydn and Mendelssohn set works for the Appraising exam.
15 min answer →

What are the key features of Haydn's Symphony No. 104 in D major (the London Symphony) that the WJEC Appraising exam expects you to analyse across its four movements?

Haydn Symphony No. 104 in D major, the London Symphony (set work): the four movements, the slow introduction and sonata-form first movement, the songful slow movement, the minuet and trio, and the rondo-sonata finale, with their structure, orchestration and harmony.
A WJEC A-Level Music set-work analysis of Haydn's Symphony No. 104 in D major, the London Symphony: the slow introduction and sonata-form first movement, the lyrical slow movement, the minuet and trio, and the finale, with their structure, orchestration and harmony for the Appraising exam.
15 min answer →

What are the key features of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major (the Italian Symphony) that show early Romantic style for the WJEC Appraising exam across its four movements?

Mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 in A major, the Italian Symphony (set work): the four movements, the energetic sonata-form first movement, the processional slow movement, the graceful third movement, and the saltarello finale, with their structure, orchestration, harmony and early Romantic features.
A WJEC A-Level Music set-work analysis of Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4 in A major, the Italian Symphony: the energetic sonata-form first movement, the processional slow movement, the graceful third movement, and the saltarello finale, with their structure, orchestration and early Romantic style for the Appraising exam.
15 min answer →

How did the symphony develop from 1750 to 1900, and what features of form, orchestration and harmony define the Classical and Romantic symphony for the WJEC set works?

The development of the symphony 1750 to 1900: the rise of the four-movement Classical symphony, sonata form, the growth of the orchestra, and the move towards the larger, more expressive Romantic symphony, the compulsory Area of Study A context for the WJEC set works.
A WJEC A-Level Music study of the development of the symphony from 1750 to 1900: the four-movement Classical plan, sonata form, the growing orchestra, and the shift to the larger, more expressive Romantic symphony, the context for the Haydn and Mendelssohn set works in Area of Study A.
14 min answer →