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