Eduqas Music A level 2024

Eduqas A-level Music Component 3 (A660U30-1) - 10th June 2024 [Exam Chat]

Welcome to the exam discussion thread for this exam. Introduce yourself! Let others know what you're aiming for in your exams, what you are struggling with in your revision or anything else.

General Information
Date/Time: 10th Jun/ PM
Length: 2h 15m (approximately)
Good luck!
Click here to find exam discussions for other A-level subjects

@Evil Homer

(edited 11 months ago)

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Reply 1

emilymonk

Hiii here are my thoughts for this year's paper:

•

For Haydn movement guessing either movement 1 or 2, since the papers for the past 2 years have been movement 4 and 3, and it seems to go without repetition

•

20th century I'm 99% certain it will be Nuages. It has alternated between Poulenc and Nuages for the past 5 years, and last year was Poulenc. If they change it, that would be extremely mean.

•

Haydn question: guessing either 2nd or 3rd movement, but not positive. Guessing this because it has rarely been a 'movement' question, and has previously focused on elements instead (then again might be something silly like texture or rhythm!!)

I also live and breathe Tom Pankhurst videos and content. I'll link his website here in case anyone hasn't already found his stuff because it's incredible.

•

https://alevelmusic.com/

Hope this helps!

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 2

grilledkidney

Original post by emilymonk

Hiii here are my thoughts for this year's paper:

•

For Haydn movement guessing either movement 1 or 2, since the papers for the past 2 years have been movement 4 and 3, and it seems to go without repetition

•

20th century I'm 99% certain it will be Nuages. It has alternated between Poulenc and Nuages for the past 5 years, and last year was Poulenc. If they change it, that would be extremely mean.

•

Haydn question: guessing either 2nd or 3rd movement, but not positive. Guessing this because it has rarely been a 'movement' question, and has previously focused on elements instead (then again might be something silly like texture or rhythm!!)
I also live and breathe Tom Pankhurst videos and content. I'll link his website here in case anyone hasn't already found his stuff because it's incredible.

•

https://alevelmusic.com/

Hope this helps!

What essays do u think will come up? I’m thinking melody

Reply 3

kimaro

Original post by grilledkidney

What essays do u think will come up? I’m thinking melody

We were thinking melody, texture or inner movements. Melody would be ideal though

Reply 4

emilymonk

We think a movement question just because it hasn't been done for a while, but melody is definitely a possibility! If so there's quite a lot to talk about. It has previously been movement 4 though so wouldn't focus on that movement.

Reply 5

naddy_208

How is everyone revising their scores, examples for the 15 marker and musical theatre?

Reply 6

Boscozzzz

Original post by emilymonk

Hiii here are my thoughts for this year's paper:

•

For Haydn movement guessing either movement 1 or 2, since the papers for the past 2 years have been movement 4 and 3, and it seems to go without repetition

•

20th century I'm 99% certain it will be Nuages. It has alternated between Poulenc and Nuages for the past 5 years, and last year was Poulenc. If they change it, that would be extremely mean.

•

Haydn question: guessing either 2nd or 3rd movement, but not positive. Guessing this because it has rarely been a 'movement' question, and has previously focused on elements instead (then again might be something silly like texture or rhythm!!)
I also live and breathe Tom Pankhurst videos and content. I'll link his website here in case anyone hasn't already found his stuff because it's incredible.

•

https://alevelmusic.com/

Hope this helps!

I wish we could have u in our college, our so called music teacher sucks ngl. He basically just listed out every single topic that came up in the previous years and said what was left. I almost thought I was taught by an AI. Sorry for being rude but i feel like an AI would be even better than our music teacher.

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 7

emilymonk

Original post by naddy_208

How is everyone revising their scores, examples for the 15 marker and musical theatre?

Scores - mindmaps with bar numbers, blurting key features in certain bars, listening A LOT
15 marker - focusing on only a few topics that could come up but in lots of detail, essay plans and listening
(i do rock and pop and i will NOT be revising that apart from looking at mark schemes!)

Reply 8

jacobp3946

Original post by emilymonk

any tips on the dictation question and the unseen 20th century listening?

Reply 9

Boscozzzz

Original post by jacobp3946

any tips on the dictation question and the unseen 20th century listening?

For the dictation question, before the audio is played, I recommend trying to spot where the semitone intervals are. Technically it helps you to spot the error for the wrong note, if the error is designed to be just a semitone up or down. And fro the rhythmic error, try to spot if there’s any melodic sequence. And if some part doesn’t match that, it potentially can be an error. Also, try to listen if there’s any syncopation in the audio but not on the scores.

Reply 10

emilymonk

Original post by jacobp3946

any tips on the dictation question and the unseen 20th century listening?

For unseen 20th century im picking at least 2/3 pieces that i can reference that are from different styles e.g. NeoClassical, Impressionism and Expressionism, and analysing them through DR SMITH.

Reply 11

jacobp3946

thank you!! we haven’t been taught what expressionism is….. what is it?

Reply 12

naddy_208

Original post by jacobp3946

thank you!! we haven’t been taught what expressionism is….. what is it?

It is a style of 20th century music that’s was made to express intense emotion. Some notable composers are Webern, berg and Shoenberg. It consists of extreme dissonance and chromaticism and some sprechstimme (singing with Harmonics).

Reply 13

air-dryer

Hi, I do Rock and Pop, 20th Century and Mendelssohn for set work, here are my predictions

They have already asked 2 on instrumentation so I think that is unlikely to come up again. Same with form and structure (overall form, and final movement) so it seems unlikely that they would again... However, minuet form is definitely worth revising because they could ask on that. I think this year they are likely to ask on either, melody, humour, or rhythm and metre. Overall though, one shouldn't gamble - the exam boards can do anything, and repeat at any time - but if you are on a late revision grind, these are my predictions. Let me know what you think...?

For the Mendelssohn set work question I have no idea which one it will be, there has been an even spread of questions asked on the movements over the years. I think revision form and structure for each movement is pretty essential as there is normally a question on one of them. To be honest, I normally just rely on my ability to find the essentials in exams and mainly revise form and structure.

For AosE I am almost positive the question will be on Debussy, for the past 5 years they have switched between the two. This is unfortunate because I have always scored full marks on Poulenc, however it would be naive just to revise Nuages - the exam board as I said, is so unpredictable.

My last Area is Rock and Pop, to be honest, I will not be touching revision for this at all unless someone has something helpful to revise for it, I don't see the point.

Let me know your ideas!

Reply 14

emilymonk

Original post by air-dryer

Hi, I do Rock and Pop, 20th Century and Mendelssohn for set work, here are my predictions
They have already asked 2 on instrumentation so I think that is unlikely to come up again. Same with form and structure (overall form, and final movement) so it seems unlikely that they would again... However, minuet form is definitely worth revising because they could ask on that. I think this year they are likely to ask on either, melody, humour, or rhythm and metre. Overall though, one shouldn't gamble - the exam boards can do anything, and repeat at any time - but if you are on a late revision grind, these are my predictions. Let me know what you think...?
For the Mendelssohn set work question I have no idea which one it will be, there has been an even spread of questions asked on the movements over the years. I think revision form and structure for each movement is pretty essential as there is normally a question on one of them. To be honest, I normally just rely on my ability to find the essentials in exams and mainly revise form and structure.
For AosE I am almost positive the question will be on Debussy, for the past 5 years they have switched between the two. This is unfortunate because I have always scored full marks on Poulenc, however it would be naive just to revise Nuages - the exam board as I said, is so unpredictable.
My last Area is Rock and Pop, to be honest, I will not be touching revision for this at all unless someone has something helpful to revise for it, I don't see the point.
Let me know your ideas!

Agree with everything said (especially rock and pop!!) — though i do think a movement question is possible for Haydn. Also humour would be horrible.

Reply 15

air-dryer

Original post by emilymonk

Agree with everything said (especially rock and pop!!) — though i do think a movement question is possible for Haydn. Also humour would be horrible.

Yes, humour would not be desirable at all. I think if they did ask it they would be likely to combine it with more musical features as humour is (mainly) restricted to Haydn. Here are some notes I have that might be of some use...

Symphony No. 45 ‘Farewell’ symphony:
At the end of this symphony, it ends with a duet viola and violin. The textures slim down from a full orchestra and gradually decreases to two instruments. Traditionally, the end of a symphony would normally see an almost full orchestra and a big chord 1 times 4 ending. Marked ‘nicht mehr’ after the performers have finished, they blow out the candles and leave the stage.

Symphony No. 47 ‘Palindrome’ symphony:
The palindrome is in the 3rd movement. The traditional minuet form is seen, perhaps the audience wouldn’t get the humour. Haydn would write this music for other musicians and his own entertainment.

Symphony 94 ‘Surprise’ symphony:
The second movement repeats exactly the same of the first movement. This monothematic idea is surprising for audience. As well as this, Haydn offers more humour in his sudden loud ‘stab’ chord, that come unexpectedly, this adds a surprising element to the symphony.

Reply 16

emilymonk

Original post by air-dryer

Yes, humour would not be desirable at all. I think if they did ask it they would be likely to combine it with more musical features as humour is (mainly) restricted to Haydn. Here are some notes I have that might be of some use...
Symphony No. 45 ‘Farewell’ symphony:
At the end of this symphony, it ends with a duet viola and violin. The textures slim down from a full orchestra and gradually decreases to two instruments. Traditionally, the end of a symphony would normally see an almost full orchestra and a big chord 1 times 4 ending. Marked ‘nicht mehr’ after the performers have finished, they blow out the candles and leave the stage.
Symphony No. 47 ‘Palindrome’ symphony:
The palindrome is in the 3rd movement. The traditional minuet form is seen, perhaps the audience wouldn’t get the humour. Haydn would write this music for other musicians and his own entertainment.
Symphony 94 ‘Surprise’ symphony:
The second movement repeats exactly the same of the first movement. This monothematic idea is surprising for audience. As well as this, Haydn offers more humour in his sudden loud ‘stab’ chord, that come unexpectedly, this adds a surprising element to the symphony.

Thank you! Do you have any notes on rhythm, tempo and metre for Mendelssohn 4? I can't find anything anywhere!

Reply 17

naddy_208

someone told me that if you don’t don’t do well in the test, your grade goes down. Is this true?

Reply 18

grilledkidney

Original post by naddy_208

someone told me that if you don’t don’t do well in the test, your grade goes down. Is this true?

Not that I am aware. Everyone has different strengths within music as someone may be an amazing performer however lack insight on the theory based side, so it would be unfair to mark them down for that.