Two Performance Reports: Write Two 2-3 Page Critiques Of Liv ✓ Solved
Two Performance Reports: Write two 2-3 page critiques of liv
Two Performance Reports: Write two 2-3 page reports critiquing performances. First report: Mozart: Symphony No. 40; Bach: Cantata BWV 113; Brahms: Violin Concerto Op. 77. Second report: Bach: Cantata BWV 140; Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1; Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 95.
Plagiarism is prohibited; cite sources with footnotes or endnotes if quoted or paraphrased.
Guidelines: Describe what you heard using musical terms and concepts discussed in class. Include: genre, stylistic period, mood, pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tone color, mode, harmony/melody, motives/themes, texture, form. Assess overall performance quality, how rhythm and intonation sounded, and which piece you liked best and why.
Outside Research (optional): briefly research the pieces’ context: composer background, major works, birth/death dates, historical period, and influence. Structure your report with a clear introduction, analysis, and conclusion; include in-text citations as appropriate.
Paper For Above Instructions
Introduction and Purpose. This paper translates the cleaned assignment instructions into a concrete, actionable approach for completing the two performance reports described in the cleaned prompt. The purpose of these reports is to cultivate disciplined listening, careful observation of performance practice, and clear, evidence-based written communication about music. By selecting two distinct works from the given lists—one from the first set and one from the second set—students will compare interpretive decisions, technical execution, and communicative intention across genres, periods, and performance contexts. The process aligns with major scholarship in music analysis and perception (Taruskin, 2009; Levitin, 2006) and with established pedagogy on listening and writing about music (Small, 1998; Benward & Saker, 2018).
Planning and Scope. For each report you should begin with a concise context paragraph that situates the work historically and stylistically, noting the composer, date or period of composition, and the typical form or structure of the piece. Then, present a detailed analysis of the performance itself, addressing aspects such as tempo choices, articulation, dynamic shaping, ensemble balance, tuning, phrasing, and the rhetorical goals of the performer(s). Your discussion should move from observable performative features to musical meaning: how choices in tempo, rubato, and attack contribute to mood and expressive trajectory, and how timbre and balance illuminate texture and texture-related concerns (monophony, homophony, polyphony).
Content and Organization. Each report should include the following elements, organized into clearly labeled sections: Introduction; Performance Context; Musical Analysis (with subsections on pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tone color, mode, harmony/melody, motives/themes, texture, and form); Interpretive Judgment (what aspects worked well, what could be improved, and why); Outside Research (optional, if included, with proper citation); Conclusion. Where you quote or paraphrase program notes or other sources, indicate this with footnotes or endnotes to satisfy academic integrity requirements.
Analytical Framework. Describe what you heard using the following musical terms and concepts: Genre, Stylistic period, Mood; Pitch; Rhythm; Dynamics; Tone color; Mode; Harmony/Melody; Motives/Themes; Texture; Form. In addition, discuss performance aspects of tempo and rhythmic stability, intonation, balance among voices and instruments, and the relationship between the musical line and its accompaniment. Consider how the performer’s interpretive choices shape listener perception and affect the piece’s formal and emotional arcs. In articulating your analysis, connect musical details to broader expressive goals and historical context (Taruskin, 2009; Meyer, 1956).
Research and Citations. If you engage in outside research, provide essential background information on the composer and works, including major works, birth/death dates, and the historical or stylistic period to which the composer belongs. Use in-text citations for all facts drawn from secondary sources, and provide a full references list at the end. Footnotes or endnotes should be used for direct quotes or close paraphrase; otherwise, cite sources parenthetically as appropriate.
Ethical and Academic Considerations. Plagiarism is prohibited; proper attribution is required for all non-original ideas, data, or quotations. The reports should reflect your own analysis and interpretation, supported by evidence drawn from the listening experience and, optionally, from credible scholarly sources.
Expected Output and Quality. Each report should be approximately 2-3 typewritten pages, well organized, clearly written, and free of mechanical errors. The writing should demonstrate ability to observe performance details, connect those details to musical structure and expressive goals, and present a reasoned, evidence-based assessment. Instructors may assess clarity of argument, accuracy of musical terms, and the depth of comparative reasoning across the two chosen works.
Note: The above instructions are designed to guide the preparation and writing of the two performance reports. They emphasize critical listening, contextual understanding, and disciplined writing, aligned with foundational music-theory pedagogy and the expectations of scholarly music criticism (Cook, 2013; Small, 1998).