Last modified on August 4, 2023
This week, everyone will analyze part of Franz Schubert’s “Tragic” Symphony, to review our techniques for tonal music.
Table of Contents
Group work
I have divided everyone into groups based on your general availability.
Your groups should use Slack to collaborate. You can upload documents there. Each group has its own channel, named based on the date of the meeting.
I can view your channel but I will not be receiving notifications from it, so ping me (using the @ symbol) if you have a question.
Individual analysis
Preparation
- You will be analyzing either the 1st or the 4th movement of Schubert’s “Tragic” Symphony. Split up and choose one movement, as you did with the last symposium.
- Listen to the music while looking at this piano reduction, or you may prefer to look at the full score. In either case, listen to the Vienna Phil performing this symphony. Movement I is at the beginning of course; Movement IV begins at the timestamp 23:54.
- Analyze these sonata-form movements using both hypermeter and sonata theory. Note that both of these movements are on a much larger scale than the Beethoven sonata you analyzed in Week 4. Be prepared for a lot more weirdness! But I promise that each movement can still be analyzed through Sonata Theory and hypermetrical analysis. Some thoughts to inspire you:
- How does Schubert play with the hypermeter throughout this movement?
- How does the hypermeter interact with the form of the piece?
- What Type of sonata do you think this is (Type 1, Type 2, etc.)?
- Did you have trouble locating the MC/EEC/ESC? If so, why?
Submission
- Distill your findings to the most important and interesting points. Create a one page outline that explains your analysis, and share it with your group on Slack. You may also want to send an annotated score.
- You have to complete your individual work early enough that your group members will have a chance to look at your stuff before the meeting! Arrange a due date for this amongst yourselves.
- In addition to sharing it with the group, please upload it on Blackboard. This will be your individual grade. View the rubric to see how you will be evaluated.
Meeting
Preparation
- Read through your peers’ analyses. Make sure you are also familiar with the movement you did not analyze.
- Prior to the meeting, make sure you are able to use Webex and that your camera and audio are set up.
Discussion
- On our meeting day, you will receive an email from Webex with a meeting number and code to join.
- In our discussion, I’ll lead with questions such as these:
- What did you notice that you had in common?
- Where did you differ (especially from the other person who analyzed the same movement as you)?
- What unity is there between these pieces?
- You should have coherent and thoughtful responses to these questions if you have read your peers’ work.
- You will be given a grade based on your participation in this meeting.
Optional: Revisions (due Sunday)
If you would like to revise your individual analysis in light of the group discussion, you may do so! I will accept your revision, grade it by the same rubric as before, and your final grade will be an average of both attempts. Upload your revision in the same place you submitted originally.