REVISION GUIDE FOR IB LISTENING EXAM Nov

2014
REMEMBER:
SECTION A = SET WORKS Yellow river & Classical
Symphony
SECTION B = UNPREPARED PIECES..(could be
anything!!!)
SECTION C = Higher Level Essay
SECTION A = SET WORKS
1) YELLOW RIVER BASED ON THE RIVER CANTATA BY
XIAN XINGHAI
2) CLASSICAL SYMPHONY BY PROKOFIEV

You will primarily need to know about the HISTORY

& ORIGINS, the INTENTIONS of the composer, the
STRUCTURE & INSTRUMENTATION and the MUSICAL
EFFECTS, PROGRAMME MUSIC ASPECTS (images
suggested by sound)

The Yellow River piece is far more about the use of

sound to describe places and events (PICTURE
MUSIC) and the Classical Symphony is more about
detailed structure and comparing music written in
the same style. I would recommend choosing a
question about the Yellow River if possible, as there
will be less detailed analysis and musical expertise
required..

ADVICE No. 1 Listen to the pieces as you revise other

subjects. Listen to them as often as you can. You will
know them much better when you sit the exam if you
have heard the pieces 10 times each. This will also
help you choose which question to answer in Section
1) The Yellow River
IMPORTANCE:

The Yellow River concerto and the Butterfly Lovers' Violin

Concerto, are two internationally known Chinese works that
combine Western music methods with Chinese source
materials.
*This is something you should not forget The piece is a strange
mixture of western classical music styles mixed with traditional
Chinese folk music, some involvement of Chinese instruments and
has been revised by various different composers/musicians

Instrumentation: The concerto is scored for a solo piano

and orchestra of piccolo, dizi (Chinese flute), 2 flutes, 2
oboes, 2 clarinets (in B-flat), 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2
trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, triangle, cymbals
(suspended), harp, pipa (though not all editions of the
score show this), and strings.
HISTORY & ORIGINS:
The piece was written by a collaboration of musicians and is based
on the YELLOW RIVER CANTATA by Xian Xinghai. It is a PIANO
CONCERTO first and foremost and a PIANO CONCERTO is a
virtuosic piece of music in which a solo performer has the chance
to show his or her skill on the instrument with the backing of an
orchestra.
*Other examples of concertos you can compare with to show
historical knowledge would be: PAGANINI Violin Concerto No. 5
composed in 1830 (Romantic Period)
& CHOPIN Piano Concerto No. 2 composed in 1830 (romantic
Period)
The piece has political attributes and has been the subject of
prohibition in China due to its historical and political significance.
It was written during the war with Japan in the 1930s and 1940s
and he used as his stimulus traditional folk melodies from
Chinese Culture and the Yellow River itself as a symbol of
power and defiance against the Japanese invaders.

Later when China started to ban all western music and western-style
compositions, this was banned from public performance. Although
it has Chinese folk music as an influence, it is essentially a
Western hemisphere piece of Classical Music similar to the music of
the late Romantic Period.
Now comes a structural summary of the piece with
important information to revise and learn.
Originally the Cantata was in 8 sections, but as different
musicians revised the music, the piece finished up in the traditional
western 4-movement structure.

1) Prelude: The Song of the Yellow River Boatman

"The Song of the Yellow River Boatmen" describes the momentum of
the terrifying waves of the Yellow River and uses the rapid chromatic
crescendo and long rolls of the timpani and cymbals to represent
the crashing of the water.
The opening of the piano is also a dramatic up and down waterfall
of notes. This virtuosic opening is typical of piano concertos and is a
way of introducing the brilliance of the pianist.
The next important point is the Chinese folk melody, which begins at
38 seconds and there is some call and response ideas between
piano and orchestra leading to a restatement of the folk melody at
1:00 at a faster speed.
Chinese and oriental music is based on Pentatonic scales and the
use of 4th and 5th intervals between notes. There is so much
evidence of this in the opening section. These intervals give the
music its Chinese sound.
At. 1:50 you can clearly hear another waterfall/wave crashing
descending pattern on the piano as the music reaches a climax.
At 2:10 a new folk music melody appears and is played in unison on
a flute and a traditional instrument before being repeated by the
piano.
The movement ends with a sudden dramatic section based on the
opening melodies and the exact same ups and downs on the piano
as we heard at the beginning.
STRUCTURE: Rondo Form This is a form in which melodies
come and go and is repeated throughout the piece.
IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: The piece suggests water, waves
and waterfalls and is very dramatic. Could this piece
represent the dangers and adventure of boatmen trying to
cross the river?

2) Ode to the Yellow River

The original heroic solo melody of the "Ode to the Yellow River" is
sung in praise of the history and presence of the Yellow River,
signifying the cultural pride of the Chinese. This melody actually was
the Chinese National Anthem for many years and has been classed
as an Anti-Japan theme.
It is very late-Romantic Period in style with sweeping melodies and
crescendos throughout.
STRUCTURE: Almost no repeated material just a linear melody that
progresses along its course (like a river?)
IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: As a theme that was once a National
anthem it suggests pride and power. This is represented by the
strong melody that increases in drama and volume through the
movement.
3) The Wrath of the Yellow River
The longest movement so far (7 minutes) "The Wrath of the Yellow
River ", which was originally sung by soprano solo, begins with
a dizi solo accompanied by the piano. This is obviously inspired by
the Jiangnan melody of the Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto, but
rewritten in a folk style. In the third movement, we hear different
themes and it is unclear which is the main theme. This is mainly
because this movement is constructed from 3 themes of the original
Cantata.
It is also very Romantic-Period in style, sweeping melodies
with crescendos and slowing down/speeding up sections.
At 3:35 it is interesting to hear the piano imitate the string
instruments of China by repeating notes as fast as possible. This is
another example of the folk influence of the music being
applied to Western Classical Music.
STRUCTURE: Essentially ABA (ABA means 1st idea/new
ideas/1st idea again)
IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: This is the least clear of the
movements to interpret or understand. It is called the
WRATH OF THE YELLOW RIVER, yet it sounds essentially like
the previous movement and is a very Romantic theme
played by piano and orchestra and builds to a climax from
start to finish. You might want to think about why the word
WRATH is in the title and where the WRATH actually is in the
music?
4) Defend the Yellow River

Various experts disagree on the structure of this piece. Is it another

Rondo form (repeated melodies) or is it Theme and Variation form?
(Melodies repeated in different ways) Either answer is a good one,
so lets look at the title and first try to explain how the title of the
piece is represented by music.
This movement contains the Socialist melody East is Red this
melody is like a national anthem and obviously suggests socialism
due to the color Red in the title.
What is clear is that the melody keeps reappearing and each time
slightly differently. This to me suggests Theme & Variation form.
Start to 0:48 seconds Intro and presentation of East is Red
Melody
0:48 to 4:35 8 variations on the theme. (See analysis papers)
4:35 to end East is Red theme in climactic romantic style with
piano accompanying. Sounds very Rachmaninov (Russian
Romantic)
STRUCTURE: Theme & variations
IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: East is Red theme again, suggests
national Pride, power and defiance. Combined with the
techniques and power of late Romantic Period musical
techniques it is an interesting pastiche of cultures and
musical influences.

2)

Prokofiev Classical Symphony

IMPORTANCE:
This piece was written in 1916/1917 and belongs to the LateRomantic or Nationalistic Period of music history (before 20th
century weirdness started) Despite being written at the beginning
near the beginning of the 20th century, it is written in the style of a
Symphony from the Classical Period (1750-1830) principally in the
style of Haydn & Mozart.

The secret to answering question on this piece is to recognize which

aspects of the piece are similar to symphonies written in the
Classical Period, which aspects of the music are typical of
Nationalistic/Socialist music which aspects are typical Prokofiev and
which aspects are typical of 20th Century music. The piece is, after
all a mixture of all of those aspects.

Here is an easy (as possible) to understand analysis of the

piece
Even if you dont understand everything written below and
detailed analysis of these pieces is too difficult for you
Read through the notes and try to remember as much as
possible!
Each fact is marked with a * for easy studying
*It is scored for a classical period orchestra consisting of 2 flutes, 2
oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and
strings.
*Symphonies tend to have the meatiest material in the first
movement, fleshed out in a dissertation sized development section,
with the most impressive intellectual skills of the composer
displayed.
*The second movement is slow or rather lyrical and the length of
it compared to the first movement can vary greatly.
*The third is a dance in a 3-beat meter, such as minuet and
eventually scherzo, and finally
*The finale (4th movement) is quick, light, and shorter than the first
movement.
*Compare the lengths of each movement with a very famous
Symphony from the Classical Period Joseph Haydns
London Symphony No. 95:

Prokofiev Classical Symphony No.1

Movement
Movement
Movement
Movement

1:
2:
3:
4:

4:28
3:58
1:35
4:24

Haydn London Symphony No. 95

Movement
Movement
Movement
Movement

1:
2:
3:
4:

6:28
4:17
4:58
3:43

*Although coming almost 130 years later, Prokofiev has actually

shortened the lengths of the movements. Times were short in the
Classical Period but compositions in the 20th Century were
sometimes very short indeed, so here is a clear example of mixing
old and new influences.
MOVEMENT 1
*In the first section of movement 1, the key area shifts from D to C
to D to B to E. That isnt to say the key signature changes, but the
thematic material is presented each time transposed into each of
these keys. Although the theme is presented in a traditional
exposition format of the classical period, this rapid change of
tonality is modern.
*Before each of these key changes, a single bar in 2/4 time is
inserted. Time signature changes in the Classical Period were very
rare indeed.
*Composers in the Classical period (especially Beethoven & Mozart)
did a lot of development with very little material. They could make a
short idea last for 10 minutes. Prokofiev also does this, possibly
paying tribute to those composers.

This very short motif makes up most of a 5-minute movement!

Structure:
The structure of the 1st movement is SONATA FORM. This is very
typical of the Classical Period and this is what that structure actually
means.
You present your ideas (exposition) develop them (development)
and then go back at the end at remind everyone of the original
ideas (recapitulation)

Movement 2:
The 2nd movement of a Symphony is traditionally slow, sometimes
relaxing and often the most romantic of the movements.
Here is how the Classical Symphony measure up against traditional
movements:
*Slow intro in strings before melody appears (similar)
*Very high descending melody with fast trills (different)
*Fast pizzicato section, almost jazz bass (different)
*Rapid and very smooth changes of key signature (different)
*Crescendo to main melody (similar)
*Repeat of main melody (approx. 2:15) (similar)
*Accompaniment with a bouncing rhythm in strings/winds (similar)
*Finishing as it started and with 4 tonic chords (similar)
Movement 3: (Gavotte)
A Gavotte is a French dance typical of the 19th Century and used in
Classical Symphonies. The 3rd movement was always a traditional
dance movement, sometimes a Waltz or Minuet/Trio and sometimes
a Gavotte or Gigue.
*This movement is very short! (Similar, but almost to short!)
*The bouncing dance rhythm of the opening (similar)

*The actual chord combination used is too advanced for Classical

Period (different)
*The 2nd passage in the winds starting at 0:40 is typical, (similar
taking turns strings & winds))
*A lot of rubato (around 1:00) - too much for the classical Period.
There are only a few signs that this movement is later than
the Classical Period. (advanced chords, rubato & far too
short) Otherwise this movement is arguably the MOST
Classical of the 4

Movement 4: Finale
The FINALE is always the most dramatic movement
after the 1st, but is usually shorter and much faster.
Traditionally the idea was to blow away the
audience with a finale that left them on a high and
ready to applaud at the great finish!
*Very fast/Molto Vivace A very fast and frantic movement
(similar)
*Almost entirely in the Major key (no minor modulation)
(different)
*The piece is technically far more difficult than anything
you would expect from the classical period (different)
*The cadences (ends of phrases) are usually Perfect and
typical of the Classical (similar)
*The modulations are very smooth but again, too
advanced for the Classical (different)
*The melodies are at times very typical; short ideas
repeated and passed around the orchestra, call and
response style (similar)
*The movement finished with a crescendo and a loud
crash of chords in the tonic key (D major) (similar)
Summary:
This Symphony is an early 20th Century Composition
written in dedication to the music of the Classical Period
100 years before. It combines the music of that period
with the music of the early 20th century.

It is not however supposed to be copying the style

completely. It is more of a tribute, with Prokofievs own
style shining through regularly.
Prokofiev said, This piece is what I think Josef
Haydn would have composed if he had lived
another 100 years