Listening exercises

Part 1 - Musical content

1. Listen to Track 1 (the theme).

   1. Is the theme a single musical idea or does it divide into sections?  If so, how many sections does it divide into?

   2. How are these musical sections arranged to make the complete theme?
      (for example, A-B, A-B-A, A-B-C-A etc.)

2. Listen to Track 5 (Variation IV, W.M.B.)

   1. How many basic musical ideas are presented in this variation?

   2. How are these ideas arranged?

   3. How does the melody of the start relate to the theme?

3. Listen to the start (the string theme) of Track 10 (Variation IX, Nimrod).

   1. How does the opening relate to the opening of Track 5 (W.M.B.)?

   2. Melody apart, how else has Elgar altered the music compared with the original theme.

4. Listen to the whole of Track 10 (Variation IX, Nimrod).

   1. How many basic musical ideas are presented in this variation?

   2. How are these ideas arranged?

5. Listen to Track 8 (VII, Troyte)
   It may at first seem complicated but this variation comprises two basic musical ideas which have been organised quite simply .

   1. What is the overall scheme of this movement?

   2. Are the repetitions of the material exact or varied?

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© English Classical Players 2005