Music 2115 Study Hints

Music 2115: Survey of Music from Antiquity to c. 1750

Fall Semester 2009--CRN 94514
2:30-3:20 MWF--Squires Recital Salon
Prof. John R. Howell

Study Hints for Music 2115

This page has been updated for Fall 2009.

Listening Assignments

The Course Calendar lists the recorded examples using the Index Numbers that you will find in the Recording Index, not the Track Numbers found on each CD.
- The examples listed for each class preparation in the Course Calendar are not assignments. They are suggestions as to which tracks you should listen to as you are reading the assigned pages for that class preparation, but you will not necessarily be responsible for knowing all the examples, just for those in boldface type on the Recording Index page.
Listening Quizzes for each Chapter will be given on Blackboard. Use the Course Calendar to see when each Quiz will be available to you, and the deadline for completing it. These are open book quizzes designed to help you learn. I expect you to score 100%.
The listening examples you will be quizzed on are the ones in boldface type in the Recording Index. Note that in some cases you will have a Listening Quiz on a Chapter before some of the examples come up in the Course Calendar, but you will still be responsible for being able to identify all the boldface examples in that Chapter.
Listening Quizzes will generally cover several of the assigned examples.
- You will need an up-to-date version of QuickTime to play the exampl
- Each example will be played from the beginning, for 30 to 60 seconds.
- You may listen as many times as you wish.
- In preparation, identify one or more things about the beginning of each example that makes it unique and recognizable. In many cases that will be the words themselves. For most early music vocal pieces the name of the piece is simply the first word or several words.
- You are responsible for knowing the title of the piece, the name of the composer (if known), the type of piece (usually listed in the Recording Index), and the time period or country of origin of the piece.
- Your score will be available on Blackboard.

Reading Assignments

The Stolba textbook is well organized, well written, and easy to read. (If you don't think so, you haven't tried the alternatives; I have!) The reading assignments are generally 10 pages or less for each class. Don't fall behind! The Terms Quizzes on each Chapter are intended to help you keep up, and to prepare for the Unit Quizzes. Those Terms Quizzes are also given on Blackboard.
Start each Chapter by reading the Summary at the end of the Chapter. Get the technical terms used there in mind. Use the Virginia Tech Glossary of Musical Terms to make sure you understand each term. (The link is on the 2115 Home Page.) There is also a limited Glossary at the back of the textbook, starting on p. 663.
Most Chapters have a Timeline in the first few pages. Study that Timeline. Make sure you understand the time spans involved (which may change from Chapter to Chapter). Make sure you also understand how the Timeline in each new Chapter may overlap the preceding chapters.
Now you're ready to start reading.
- The Introduction to each Chapter puts it in historical perspective.
- Each major section starts general and becomes more detailed.
- If any section gets too detailed for you, skip to the next major section.
- When you review for each Chapter Terms Quiz and each Unit Quiz, repeat the process.
The Terms Quiz on each Chapter will usually ask about several terms, names, or concepts.
- Sometimes a Terms Quiz is scheduled before the entire chapter has been covered in class to ensure that you do not have to take more than one Blackboard quiz for every class meeting.
- The Terms Quizzes are posted on Blackboard. Use the Course Calendar to see when they will be available to you, and when the deadline is for completing them.
- Your scores will be available on Blackboard.

Unit Quizzes

Each of the six Unit Quizzes covers a logical grouping of two to four Chapters.
There will be both Terms questions and Listening questions.
All Unit Quizzes are multiple choice, and you will enter your answers on an opscan sheet.
Scores for each Unit Quiz will be reported and recorded as grade percentages. In other words, even though they might have more or fewer questions, each Unit Quiz counts exactly the same, 100% for a perfect answer sheet.
Your scores will be either posted on the 2115 Web Page or emailed to the class as soon as I receive the scores from the grading office and enter them in my gradesheet.

Study Aids

On this website, Chapter Study Guides for the Introductory Unit and each Chapter.
On Blackboard, copies of the PowerPoint Class Presentations.
On Blackboard, PDF copies of the Class Presentation formatted to download, print, and bring to class.
On Blackboard, review copies of the early Listening Quizzes and Terms Quizzes that may be taken as many times as you want. Most usefull as review toward the end of the semester.