Music Final Exam (Listening Examples)

Question 1

Anonymous
Medieval
Three phrases, each sung three times (A-A-A B-B-B C-C-C’)

Answer 1

Gregorian Chant: Kyrie

Question 2

Henry Purcell
Baroque
Strophic form, with instruments, solo voice, then chorus

Answer 2

Dido and Aeneas, Act III, Opening

Question 3

George Frideric Handel
Baroque
Three part (da capo, A-B-A′), with shortened last section; instrumental introduction (ritornello)

Answer 3

Messiah, No. 18

Question 4

Antonio Vivaldi
Baroque
Ritornello acts as a unifying theme; alternates with contrasting episodes

Answer 4

Spring, from The Four Seasons

Question 5

J.S. Bach
Baroque
Fugue in three parts: exposition, middle entries, closing section

Answer 5

“Little” Fugue in G Minor
BWV 578

Question 6

Joseph Haydn
Classical
Simple rondo (A-B-A-C-A + coda) with a rounder binary main theme

Answer 6

String Quartet in E-flat Major

Question 7

Joseph Haydn
Classical
Theme (in binary form) with four variations and coda

Answer 7

Symphony No. 94 in G Major (Surprise), II

Question 8

W.A. Mozart
Classical
Sonata-allegro form in three sections: exposition-development-recapitulation

Answer 8

A little Night Music

Question 9

L.V. Beethoven
Classical
Modified song form; strophic with two strophes separated by a developmental section

Answer 9

Piano Sonata in C-sharp Minor

Question 10

Franz Schubert
Romantic
Through-Composed

Answer 10

Elf King

Question 11

Frédéric Chopin
Romantic
Modified strophic form (A-A′), with variations, and coda

Answer 11

Étude, (Study) Op. 10, No. 12 (Revolutionary)

Question 12

Hector Berlioz
Romantic
Sonata-like, with two themes introduced, developed, then recapped

Answer 12

Symphonie fantastique

Question 13

Peter Tchaikovsky
Romantic
Three-part (A-B-A)

Answer 13

The Nutcracker

Question 14

Claude Debussy
Romantic
Loose A-B-A′ structure

Answer 14

Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”

Question 15

Scott Joplin
Modern
Dance made up of four sections (strains), each 16 measures and repeated: A-A-B-B-A-C-C-D-C

Answer 15

Maple Leaf Rag

Question 16

Igor Stravinsky
Modern
Sectional, with opening section recurring several times (A-B-A′-C-A-D-E-F-G-A″-F′)

Answer 16

The Rite of Spring

Question 17

Duke Ellington Orchestra
Modern
32-bar song form (A-A-B-A) for each of three choruses, with introduction and coda

Answer 17

Take the A Train

Question 18

George Gershwin
Modern
Recurring themes and motives, some similarities to Baroque ritornello form

Answer 18

Rhapsody in Blue

Question 19

Aaron Copland
Modern
Theme and five variations, on a traditional Shaker song

Answer 19

Appalachian Spring

Question 20

Leonard Bernstein
Modern
32-bar popular-song form

Answer 20

West Side Story

Question 21

John Williams
Modern
Theme and variations

Answer 21

Imperial March, from
The Empire Strikes Back