I.    BASIC ELEMENTS OF MUSIC THEORY*                                                        20%

      A.   Acoustical Properties of Music*

            1.   Pitch*

            2.   Duration*

            3.   Volume (dynamics)*

            4.   Timbre (tone color)*

             

      B.   Formal Properties of Music*

            1.   Rhythm and meter*

            2.   Melody*

            3.   Harmony*

            4.   Texture*

            5.   Form*

                  a)   Binary form (AB)*

                  b)   Ternary form (ABA)*

 

      C.   Voices and instruments*

            1.   The four voice parts*

            2.   Brass instruments*

            3.   Woodwind instruments*

            4.   Stringed instruments*

            5.   Percussion instruments*

            6.   The piano*

 

II.   INTRODUCTION                                                                                         2% 

      A.   Tripartite Musical Culture: Indigenous, European, and African

            1.   Pre-Columbian music

            2.   Church music

            3.   Music of African slaves

            4.   Nineteenth- and twentieth-century immigration: introduction of new musical
                  traditions

 

 

III.  LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT                               10%

     

      A.   Independent Research Topic: Aztec Society*

            1.   Use of term "Aztec"*

            2.   Tenochtitlán*

            3.   Role of religion in Aztec society*

            4.   Role of war in Aztec society*

            5.   Role of music in Aztec society*

 

      B.   Independent Research Topic: Spanish Colonialism*

            1.   Everyday life in the Spanish colonies*

            2.   Colonial government*

            3.   Social structure and demographics*

            4.   Role of Church*

            5.   Religious conversion of indigenous population*

            6.   Use of music in conversion*

 

      C.   Independent Research Topic: Independence Movements*

            1.   Independence movements in Latin America*

                  a)   Impetuses for these movements*

                  b)   Agents of change*

            2.   Concept of nationhood in Latin America*

            3.   Connection between music and nationalism*

     

      D.   Contemporary Latin America

            1.   Population and demographics

            2.   The Church in Latin America after independence

 

 

IV. THE MUSIC OF MEXICO                                                                            29%

     

      A.   Pre-Columbian Music

            1.   Aztec music

                  a)   Music and society

                  b)   Musical instruments

                  c)   Listening selection: "Copal Offering to the Four Directions" – Xavier Quijas

                        Yxayotl

            2.   Maya music

                  a)   Music and society

                  b)   Musical instruments

 

      B.   Colonial Music

            1.   Renaissance music: representative composers and works  

                  a)    Hernando Franco (1532–85)                      

            2.   Baroque music: representative composers and works

                  a)    Ignacio Jerusalem (1707–69)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Kyrie" from Mass in D Major – Ignacio Jerusalem

                  b)   Manuel de Zumaya (c.1678–1755)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Sol-fa de Pedro" – Manuel de Zumaya

            3.   Classical music: representative composers and works

 

      C.   Nationalism and Twentieth-Century Mexican Music

            1.   Mexican independence and the formation of a national music

                  a)    Music associated with Mexican independence

                  b)   Approaches to establishing a Mexican national music

            2.   Representative composers and works

                  a)    Manuel Ponce (1882–1948)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Campo" from Sonatina meridional – Manuel Ponce    

                  b)   Carlos Chávez (1899–1978)

i)    Listening selection: Sinfonía India – Carlos Chávez

                  c)    Silvestre Revueltas (1899–1940)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Sensemayá" – Silvestre Revueltas

 

      D.   Traditional and Popular Mexican Music     

            1.   Representative genres

                  a)    Mariachi

                        i)    History of mariachi

                        ii)   Instruments of the mariachi

                        iii)  Genres of mariachi music

                        iv) Listening selection: "Las Mañanitas" – Mariachi Aguilas de Chapala

                        v)   Mariachi and society

                  b)   Norteño: borderland music

                  c)   Corrido: popular song

 

 

V.   MUSIC OF CENTRAL AMERICA                                                                 7%

 

      A.   Art Music

            1.   Sacred music

                  a)   Genres

                  b)   Representative composers and works

                  c)   Role of sacred music in Central American society

            2.   Secular Music

                  a)   Genres

                  b)   Representative composers and works

                  c)   Role of music in society

 

      B.   Traditional and Popular Central American Music

            1.   Guatemala

                  a)    Marimba

                        i)    Origin and history of the Guatemalan marimba

                        ii)   The instrument

                        iii)  Music of the Guatemalan marimba

                        iv)  Listening selection: "Small Marimba" – Tzutuzil Indians

            2.   Nicaragua: Son nica

 

 

VI. The MUSIC OF SOUTH AMERICA                                                              24%

 

      A.   Pre-Columbian Music

            1.   Inca music

                  a)   Music and society

                  b)   Musical instruments

 

      B.   Colonial Music

            1.   Sacred music

                  a)   Genres

                  b)   Representative composers and works

                  c)   Role of music in society

            2.   Secular music

                  a)   Genres

                  b)   Representative composers and works

                  c)   Role of music in society

 

      C.   Nationalism and Twentieth-Century South American Music

            1.   Music and nationalism

                  a)   Independence movements in Latin America and the formation of national
                        identities

                  b)   Role of music in national movements

            2.   Twentieth-century developments in music

                  a)   International compositional techniques of Europe and North America

                  b)   Latin American contributions to New Music

            3.   Representative composers and works

                  a)   Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Aria" from Bachianas brasileiras No. 5 – Heitor Villa-

                              Lobos

                  b)   Alberto Ginastera (1916–83)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Scherzo" from Sonata Op. 47 – Alberto Ginastera

                  c)    Astor Piazolla (1921–92)

                        i)    Listening selection: "Verano Porteño" – Astor Piazolla

 

      D.   Traditional and Popular Music

            1.   Argentina

                  a)    Tango: The development of the Argentine social dance

                  b)   Cuarteto: Musical genre of Córdoba, Argentina

            2.   Brazil

                  a)   Samba: Popular music of Brazil

                  b)   Bossa nova: Origin and history

                        i)    Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927–94)

                  c)    Capoeira: Brazilian fight-dance

                  d)   Choro: Brazilian popular music and music revival

                        i)    Listening selection: "Samba Urbano" – Songs and Dances of Brazil

            3.   Colombia and Venezuela

                  a)   Cumbia: Colombian national dance

                  b)   Llanero music: Venezuelan "cowboy music"

            4.   Peru and Bolivia

                  a)   Huayno: Andean music of Peru and Bolivia

                  b)   Panpipes of the Andes

                        i)    Listening selection: "Los Jilacatas" – Panpipes from Chimo

            5.   Chile

                  a)    Nueva canción: Political music

 

 

VII. MUSIC OF CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA                                                  8% 

     

      A.   Caribbean Art Music

            1.   Sacred Caribbean Art Music

                  a)   Genres

                  b)   Representative composers and works

                  c)   Role of music in society

            2.   Secular Caribbean Art Music

                  a)   Genres

                  b)   Representative composers and works

                  c)   Role of music in society

 

      B.   Traditional and Popular Caribbean Music

            1.   Cuba

                  a)   Son (Son Cubano)

                  b)   Rumba: Afro-Cuban music of Cuba

                  c)   Cha-cha-chá: Latin dance music

                        i)    Listening selection: "Brand New Cha Cha" – Xavier Cugat

            2.   Puerto Rico

                  a)   Bomba: Afro-Puerto Rican dance

                  b)   Plena: Puerto Rican folkloric music

                  c)   Seis: Puerto Rican dance music

 

 

 

*Asterisks indicate topics that students will need to research independently. Information on these research topics can be found in most general music history textbooks, the USAD Music Research Guide, the USAD Music Basic Guide, encyclopedias, and on the Internet.

 

 

NOTE: Each of the fourteen listening selections noted in the above outline will be included on the USAD Music CD.