Question 1
- MELODY WRITING
Either
Continue the melody below to form a passage of not less than 12 and not more than 16 bars. Modulate to the relative minor in the course of the passage and return to the home key.
Observation
The overall performance for this question was below average. Most candidates were unable to exhibit a thorough knowledge of balance in melody writing as well as form and modulation to the dominant key. However, a few candidates made attempt to modulate but lacked the adequate knowledge in their modulation. Also, some candidates notes were shapeless, wrongly directed and almost all candidates failed to show any phrasing in the melody. These wrong responses made the candidates to lose substantial marks.
OR
- Set the text below to a suitable melody. Indicate the tempo, phrasing and dynamics marks. Credit will be given for originality of the composition and proper alignment of texts to the notes.
Kwame had a little lamb,
Its fleece was black as charcoal,
And wherever Kwame went,
Always the lamb followed him.
A few candidates who attempted the question were unable to set the given texts to a suitable melody. Some candidates assigned two or more syllables to a single pitch, while some set the text without recognising their importance in the melody. These led to poor performance in the question.
- TWO PART WRITING
Add an independent Alto part to the given melody below.
Candidates performed poorly in this question, they failed to show independence in melodic curves as well as melodic interest and the counter melody did not stand on its own. These led to poor performance in the question.
- FOUR PART HARMONY
Harmonize the bass part below by adding Alto, Tenor and Base parts.
Candidates’ performance in this part was also very poor. Most candidates showed poor understanding in the harmonic interest (progression), final cadential progression, phrase marks and alignment were poorly done. Candidates who were unable to do this lost enormous marks.