Performance Review Guidelines

Your assignment is to watch at least 40 minutes of video performances of musical works by historically important composers, and  then write a review of them.  You may  choose any  composer(s) discussed in the  course textbook, but  you may  not review pieces  for which  there are  listening guides in the  text. You must list  in your paper the  URL addresses of each  video that you review. If you are  unsure of whether a particular video qualifies for this paper, please consult with Dr. Lajoie before beginning your  work.   This  assignment constitutes 20% of your  final  grade.

Due Date:    Friday, April  30, 2021.

Format:       Three to five typed and  double-spaced pages, plus  a cover page One-inch margin on top, bottom, and  sides  of each  page Provide a cover page  (it does not have to be elaborate)

Discuss in detail at least 40 minutes of music

Write your  paper in narrative form

Grading:      Content (80%); Spelling (10%); Grammar (10%) At minimum, you must exhibit these qualities:

For a D:  Minimum length, on the  subject, readable and  neat

For a C:  Accurate and  organized

For a B:  Clear, coherent and  logical

For an A:  Comprehensive, in-depth and  creative

In the  paper, you must discuss:

Name of the  artist(s) or ensemble(s) Instrumentation of the  ensemble Title of each  piece

Introduction to Music, Performance Review Guidelines, Spring 2021,  page  2

Composer of each  piece

Tempos of each  piece

The style period of each  piece

Distinctive features of tone  color, melody, harmony, rhythm and/or form

Whether the  group was  successful in what it set  out to do

Your opinion of the  performance

Give clear reasons for all stated opinions

Avoid excessive and/or unqualified praise

Grammar is important.  Please keep  in mind, for example, that trumpets don't play, but  trumpeters do.  “The trumpet played loudly”  sounds as though the  instrument did the  work  without someone playing it.  “The trumpeter played loudly”  is correct.

Abbreviation key for instructor comments:

sp. = spelling error

¶ or P = start a new paragraph awk.  = awkward expression unc.  = unclear expression

cap. = capitalization error

tense = improper use  of past, present, or future tense sing.  = singular

pl. = plural

agr.  = agreement problems leg. = legibility

neat. = neatness pass. = passive voice

w. w. = wrong word  or inappropriate choice of word i. i.; irr.  = irrelevant information

c. s. = choppy  sentence verb.  = verbosity