The textbook provides relatively little guidance on listening to melodies. Listen to the eight excerpts below, each two phrases long, then select the sentence that best describes the relationship between the two phrases. You will probably want to listen to each example at least twice, perhaps using the first listening to locate the phrase endings or (cadences).

        a. The two phrases are exactly parallel or identical.
        b. The two phrases form a sequence.
(Two phrases form a sequence when they are nearly identical in terms of rhythm and melodic shape, but they differ because the second phrase is higher or lower in pitch than the first.)
        c. The two phrases are contrasting; they contrast sharply, and have little in common.
        d. The two phrases form an antecedent and consequent pair. (The phrases but end differently, with the first phrase seeming less conclusive than the second. Antecedent/Consequent pairs often sound like question/answer or open/closed.))

Listen to a short song by Robert Schumann, "Ich grolle nicht." There will be a number of questions about the piece on the first exam. Begin to prepare by listening repeatedly to the song, concentrating on the two elements that we've dealt with so far, rhythm and melody. The following questions will serve to get your ears working, but it is by no means exhaustive. Try to discover as many interesting things about the work as possible.

• What is the most significant alteration that Schumann makes to Heine's poem? Is there a musical reason?
• How many large sections are there in the song?
• How many phrases are there in each section?
• How do the phrases relate to one another? (Identical, sequences, antecedent/consequent, contrasting?)
• Are phrases the same length? Different lengths? Both?
• Do you hear any sequences?
• What role do motives play in the song?
• Are the motives always presented literally, or are they varied?
• What relationships do you find between the piano and voice?
• Ignore the voice and listen only to the piano accompaniment; do you hear any important musical ideas?
• When the singer sings "ich grolle nicht" (I bear no grudge) at the beginning of the song, are you prepared to belive him? When he repeats those same words twice at the end of the song do the identical words convey the same message? How does the music either reinforce or undercut the words of the song?

*End of Listening Assignement #1*

Remember, my office is Bixler 229 and my extension is 5677. Don't hesitate to drop in or call if you have difficulty with any of the exercises after repeated hearings.

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