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Victoria Williams LmusTCL BA(Mus)

Grade 8 Music Theory Trinity

This Grade 8 Music Theory video courses covers the Trinity syllabus in full.

Form

  • The concerto — the number and type of movements likely to be found in Baroque, Classical and Romantic concertos — definitions for each as defined in the workbook

  • The cadenza

  • Étude

  • Nocturne/Song without words

  • The Lied

  • Mazurka

  • Prelude

  • Waltz

Composers and General Knowledge

Romantic period as defined in the workbook

Read more

Grade 8 Music Theory Trinity

This Grade 8 Music Theory video courses covers the Trinity syllabus in full.

Form

  • The concerto — the number and type of movements likely to be found in Baroque, Classical and Romantic concertos — definitions for each as defined in the workbook

  • The cadenza

  • Étude

  • Nocturne/Song without words

  • The Lied

  • Mazurka

  • Prelude

  • Waltz

Composers and General Knowledge

Romantic period as defined in the workbook

Serial technique as defined in the workbook

Composers of particular relevance to this grade are those writing in the Romantic period (approximately 1830–1900), e.g. the later works of Beethoven and works by Brahms, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Schumann

Pitch

  • Recognising and writing all Dorian mode and whole-tone scales

  • Recognising and writing all Mixolydian mode scales

  • Identifying an extract written using Mixolydian mode

  • Recognising and writing serial tone rows (and their retrogrades)

  • Writing a melody of 12 or 16 bars in length using notes from the major, minor, pentatonic major, pentatonic minor, blues or whole-tone scales or using notes from the Aeolian, Dorian or Mixolydian mode or a serial tone row

  • Writing an effective modulation through a pivot chord

  • Recognising and writing passing 6/3 and 6/4

  • Recognising and writing chromatic chords — the Neapolitan 6th, augmented 6th chords (Italian, French and German), secondary dominants, borrowed chords from the tonic minor key

  • Recognising and writing suspensions

  • Harmonising two phrases of a chorale in an appropriate style (no bass line given and modulation will normally be necessary)

  • Recognising features of Romantic piano/orchestral composition as defined in the workbook

  • Transposing music for any transposing instruments for the grade (transposing interval to be known include those for Grades 6 and 7 and also piccolo, cor Anglais, cornet in Bb, xylophone and glockenspiel)

  • Ranges of piccolo, cor anglais, cornet in Bb, tuba, xylophone, glockenspiel, as defined in the workbook

  • Layout of Romantic scores (for orchestra/concertos) as defined in the workbook

  • Musical terms and symbols

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Pass trinity grade 8 music theory with distinction!
  • Build on your knowledge of how music works, and how to pass the trinity exam
  • Further your skills in composition and harmony
  • Practise your skills with the included pdf, exercises and tests!

Syllabus

Introduction
Scales, Keys and Key Systems
Trinity Grade 8 Music Theory Introduction
Parallel Keys
Read more
Mixolydian Mode
Serialism and Tone Rows
Serialism - How to Sound Atonal
Serialism - How to Compose
Chords
Extended Dominants
Chromatic Chords
Neapolitan 6th (♭II)
Secondary Dominants
Augmented 6ths
Borrowed Chords
Chord ♭VI (Flattened Submediant in Major Keys)
Chord iv (Minor Subdominant in Major Keys)
Chord ii° (Diminished Supertonic in Major Keys)
Other Chromatic Chords
Voice Leading
False Relations
Chord Progressions and Modulation
Passing Chords
Passing 6/4
Distant Modulation
Identifying the Prevailing Key
Decoration
Harmonic Analysis with Decoration
SATB
Harmonising a Chorale Melody (with Modulation)
Orchestration and Transposition
Describing Sound
The Woodwind
More About Woodwind
The Brass
More About Brass
The Percussion
Transposing
Writing an Orchestral Score at Concert Pitch
Note Names in Other Languages
Style and Form
The Romantic Era
Identifying the Era of a Score
The Baroque Concerto
The Concerto
The Etude
The Nocturne
The Lied
The Mazurka
The Prelude
The Waltz
Composition
Grade 8 Composition Marking Criteria
Grade 8 Composition Walkthrough
Musical Terms
Practice Test
Grade 8 Practice Test

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Trinity Grade 8 Music Theory with these activities:
Review Grade 7 Music Theory
Solidify your understanding of Grade 7 music theory concepts to build a strong foundation for the more advanced topics in Grade 8.
Browse courses on Music Theory
Show steps
  • Review key signatures and scales from Grade 7.
  • Practice identifying intervals and chords.
  • Complete practice exercises on harmonization.
Create a Glossary of Musical Terms
Reinforce your understanding of musical terms and symbols by creating a comprehensive glossary.
Show steps
  • Gather all musical terms and symbols from the course materials.
  • Define each term and symbol clearly and concisely.
  • Organize the glossary alphabetically or by category.
Read 'Harmony' by Walter Piston
Deepen your understanding of harmony and voice leading, which are crucial for success in the Grade 8 music theory exam.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read chapters on chromatic harmony and modulation.
  • Analyze musical examples from the book.
  • Complete the exercises at the end of each chapter.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Harmonize Chorale Melodies
Improve your ability to harmonize chorale melodies in the style of Bach, a key skill for the Grade 8 exam.
Show steps
  • Find chorale melodies online or in music books.
  • Harmonize the melody in four parts (SATB).
  • Check your work for correct voice leading and harmony.
Compose a Short Piece in Serial Style
Gain practical experience with serial composition techniques, as covered in the course.
Show steps
  • Create a tone row using all 12 chromatic pitches.
  • Compose a short melody or piece using the tone row and its transformations.
  • Analyze your composition for serial consistency.
Explore 'Analysis of Tonal Music: A Schenkerian Approach' by Allen Forte and Steven E. Gilbert
Enhance your analytical skills by learning Schenkerian analysis, which can help you understand the deeper structure of musical works.
Show steps
  • Read the introductory chapters on Schenkerian analysis.
  • Analyze simple tonal pieces using Schenkerian techniques.
  • Apply Schenkerian analysis to pieces from the Romantic era.
Create an Orchestral Score Excerpt
Practice writing an orchestral score at concert pitch, incorporating knowledge of instrument ranges and transpositions.
Show steps
  • Select a short musical excerpt (e.g., from a piano piece).
  • Orchestrate the excerpt for a small orchestra, considering instrument ranges and timbres.
  • Write out the full score at concert pitch, ensuring correct transpositions.
  • Review the score for accuracy and clarity.

Career center

Learners who complete Trinity Grade 8 Music Theory will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Trinity Grade 8 Music Theory.
Introduces Schenkerian analysis, a method for understanding the underlying structure of tonal music. While advanced, understanding Schenkerian principles can provide deeper insights into harmony, voice leading, and form, particularly relevant to analyzing Romantic-era compositions. This book is more valuable as additional reading to expand understanding of musical structure.

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