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OCR AS Level Music Tips

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I found it a bit difficult. The two pieces were the two I definitely DIDN'T want to come up, so it was basically my nightmare paper. XD I think it was OK but I found it pretty hard. :/

Reply 21

jmet117

That's a shame :frown:

sounds like you were a bit unlucky... If it's any consolation, I found the paper really hard when I did it for the first time last year, but I've found having the extra year to practise and then retaking has made it more manageable

Reply 22

jazzypeas

I thought it was ok, I really didn't like the Mozart questions though - really struggled to get 8 points on the comparison between the two recordings. What did you guys put for that? Oh and I did 1A because I thought it was a recorder and went "yeah the rest is probably fine".
I did the performance comparison essay question with the Handel and the Beethoven, definitely only got a max of about 15 for that though I reckon :P

Reply 23

jmet117

Yeah I thought it was ok on the whole. I think I found enough points for the Mozart comparison – stuff like that the tempo was about the same but one had a rit. in the middle, one was a period orchestra and natural horn whereas the other was all modern instruments, one was at period pitch whereas the other wasn't, they put in slurs at different places...stuff like that. That question is marked using bands though so I don't think you actually need a full 8 points as long as you've backed up the things you say with bar numbers and specific detail?

I did 1B because it only had one melodic dictation and I hate those questions! I did the same essay as you but I did it for the Beethoven and 'Round Midnight (strange mix I know but those were the two I thought I could say the most about with that qu). Think it was a decent essay but I didn't have time to check it so I don't really know!

Reply 24

jazzypeas

Ohhh a period orchestra! dammit of course. Yeah I didn't put that haha.. I think I got some of the other stuff though.
I actually really like dictation so 1A was good for me, except one was bass which I'm definitely worse at! I guess that's the deal with playing violin though haha. For the essay for the Beethoven, did you talk about the first performance or just performance circumstances in general? I'm a bit worried I focused too much on the first performance concert :s

Reply 25

jmet117

Oh sorry I misread your other post, didn't actually do that essay, I did the one about 'innovative and unusual use of timbre and sonority'. But I think you'll be fine focusing on the first performance because there's a lot to say about that and the problems with it...