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Elevate Your Level of Readiness: A Method for Effective Score Study

Digging Deeper advanced forms.) To mark form within the score, use a
We begin the process by reading every word in the blue pencil and ruler and delineate sections. (Example 1) I
score. What do we learn from this? We might discover: recommend using Roman numerals or capital letters. Don’t
• Title be intimidated by this part of the process; remember what
• Historical information and time period you learned from your undergraduate Form and Analysis
• Date of composition course to piece this together.
• Composer biography Third, we analyze key areas and important cadences,
• Instrumentation and orchestration which indicate peaks, valleys, and other emotional arrivals
• Score layout and order of instruments within the work. Understanding key centers, scales, and
• Transposed Score or Score in C? modes used in the work can also help the conductor with:
• Key and time signatures • Chordal or vertical intonation
• Solo/soli versus Tutti markings • Linear intonation within the melody
• Mutes or extended/special performance techniques • Student pitch tendencies
• Is the piece programmatic? Does it tell a story? • Chromatic alterations, otherwise known as “color notes”
• Reason for the commission or creation of the work I recommend that conductors, especially less experienced
Next, we explore form and structure. Knowing the ones, spell chords in concert pitch (in traditional black
form can assist in rehearsal planning by suggesting smaller pencil), which can help to solidify transpositions. You
sections to work on throughout the rehearsal process. Some should also consider whether Roman numeral analysis
may refer to this as “chunking.” Marking “chunks” within is more beneficial in your preparation than strict chord
a piece can make works of any size more approachable analysis, similar to jazz notation. (Example 2) If you feel
and help everyone involved in the rehearsal prepare in that it is necessary to understand the function and motion
a more tactical way. Furthermore, understanding overall of a certain chord sequence, then Roman numeral analysis
architecture can inspire more musical decisions throughout is the way to go, but no rule says you have to do this. In
the rehearsal process. For example, if Chunk C is an exact simpler terms, ask yourself, “Will it help me teach this
recurrence of Chunk A, there should be implications for piece?” If so, do it!
a conductor related to tempo, style, and dynamics. In the Example 2: Chord analysis
same vein, understanding form can help us determine if the
structure is predictable or innovative, allowing us to share
the craft of composition with our students. (Incidentally,
remember that more advanced pieces often have more
Example 1: Marking form

Bandmasters Review • April 2018 24 Texas Bandmasters Association