Music History Department
Academic Studies Division
The Hartt School, University of Hartford

Guidelines for Graduate Music History
Placement Examination

	Application Requirements by degree
	Master of Music
	Master of Music Education
	Graduate Professional Diploma
	Artist Diploma
	Doctor of Musical Arts
	Doctor of Philosophy
	Additional Info
	Music History Study Guide
	Music Theory Study Guide
	Performance 2020
	Required Exams

This examination does not test music terminology, but knowledge of it is assumed and is, in fact, required to interpret some of the questions, as it is indeed used in graduate course work without explanation. Students who are deficient in their knowledge of musical terminology are at a distinct disadvantage, not only in taking this exam but also in doing graduate course work in general. A good way to review basic music terminology is to browse the glossary of any recent edition of Grout’s History of Western Music or similar text or to review the appropriate topics in any standard musical dictionary. (For a good sampling of such terms, see the description of Part III of this examination below).

Part I of the examination consists entirely of multiple-choice questions. The student is advised to review principles, forms, and major trends rather than to try to learn repertoire and isolated facts hurriedly. The questions in Part I all have this format:

Which of the following is/was NOT concerned with the art of music criticism?
(Choice e is the appropriate one.)

Joseph Haydn figures most prominently in the development of which of the following?
(Choice c is the appropriate one.)

Part II is a listening identification section consisting of several excerpts. Some of these are taken from from the standard concert repertory. You will not be asked to distinguish Haydn from early Beethoven or Ravel from Debussy, for example, but will be asked to suggest a possible composer and an approximate year of composition for each excerpt.

Part III of the exam includes excerpts for score analysis. For each you must estimate the date of composition and suggest a possible composer. More importantly, you must give reasons for your choices by commenting on the score and citing features which make your choice a logical one. Features of style might include such aspects as atonality, Sprechstimme, symmetrical phrase lengths, bitextuality, stretto, polymeter, chromaticism, modality, homophony, imitative counterpoint, thematic development, ostinato rhythm, whole-tone scales, word-painting, etc.

Any of several general histories would be appropriate for study in preparation for the examination. Among those recommended are Mark Evan Bonds, A History of Music in Western Culture (Prentice Hall, 2003), Donald Grout, A History of Western Music, 6th ed. (Norton, 2001) and Douglas Seaton, Ideas and Styles in the Western Musical Tradition (Mayfield Pub. Co., 1991).

Among anthologies of music recommended for score study are Mark Evan Bonds, Anthology of Scores to A History of Music in Western Culture. 2 vols. (Prentice Hall, 2003); Claude Palisca, Norton Anthology of Western Music, 4rd ed. 2 vols. (Norton, 2001) [this is designed to accompany Donald Grout, A History Of Western Music, 6th ed. (Norton, 2001)], and Sarah Fuller, The European Musical Heritage 800-1750 (Knopf, 1987). All of these contain scores, translations, commentary, and stylistic analysis. Companion sets of recordings are also available for each.

Given below in random order is a highly selective list of musical topics represenative of those appropriate for review.