Essay

 
This activity will enable you to evaluate an example of music using a modified critical analysis outline.

Choose one of the musical selections to analyze critically. You may access these pieces through the YouTube website:

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Bernstein—Baviera 1/6) [Video file][9 min 10 sec]
Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (attr. J. S. Bach) [Video file][8 min 33 sec]
The Prayer (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Foster, Bocelli, Dion; Live NYC Central Park, 2011) [Video file][5 min 18 sec]

After choosing and listening to one of the selections, conduct research on one of the composers before writing your critical analysis outline. A minimum of two sources are required for this assignment.  Because musical terminology can be difficult for those who have not had substantial training, use as a guide the modified critical analysis outline below rather than the one at the conclusion of Chapter 5. You may want to refer to Chapter 5 and the accompanying PowerPoint for any terms or concepts necessary in the analysis. Be sure to include all of the following points:

Classical form
Composer or vocalist biography (brief)
Background of the selection
Dynamics
Message or intended effect
Use of instruments or voices
Your personal response

Be sure to include a convincing, inclusive conclusion at the end of your critical analysis and a bibliography of at least two sources that you used to prepare your analysis, one of which may be the class text. Do not use and cite Wikipedia. Instead, visit the Excelsior College Library to learn about academic sources. The page on Evaluating Information Evaluating Information (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. includes helpful sections on “Print vs. Web Resources,” Evaluation Criteria,” Evaluation Scenarios,” and “Media Literacy.”
Write a 500-750 word critical analysis. Follow the APA style, using the Excelsior College Library resources on learning to use APA Style. Excelsior College Library resources on learning to use APA Style (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.