SR15(IJ)
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GCE Advanced Subsidiary Level
General comments
In this first session of the AS Music, all candidates opted for Option A (40% written paper and 60%
performing).
Examiners were pleased to note the satisfactory standards of scripts and performances in this session, and
while there were no results of outstanding quality, most written papers achieved comfortable pass marks.
Examiners wish to remind Centres and candidates that in the practical components candidates need to
display thorough command of the relevant musical skills and techniques. In the written paper effective
preparation in terms of aural training and detailed knowledge of the Prescribed Works and related repertoire
is essential if candidates are to achieve high marks.
Papers 8703/11 and 8703/12
Written
General comments
This paper produced a wide range of marks and answers were divided almost equally between candidates
who chose the Classical/Early Romantic option and those who answered on 20th-century music extracts.
Candidates who performed well did so because they were able to show detailed knowledge of the prescribed
repertoire and their writing indicated a strong degree of personal familiarity with relevant repertoire. There
were, however, a number of scripts which suggested that some candidates had listened to very little music in
their preparation for this paper. Wide listening is a primary requirement here and it is absolutely essential if
candidates are to become familiar with stylistic conventions of the respective periods.
Comments on specific questions
Part A
Side A Item 1
Many candidates answered the opening questions accurately, revealing a good understanding of the tonal
centres of the recorded extract (the second movement of Beethoven’s Symphony no.8). Answers requiring
consideration of Beethoven’s use of motifs in the extract (Questions 5 (b) and 7) were less well done, with
many candidates providing very little specific musical evidence in their answers.
Examiners were very pleased to note that the majority of answers completing the violin melody (Question 6)
were completely accurate.
Question 11 provided the most disappointing answers in this section. Relatively few candidates were able
to display an awareness of features that were typical of Classical symphonic writing. Details such as the use
of double woodwind, lyrical melodic lines, “standard” tonal relationships, lack of virtuosity and the small size
of the instrumental group should all have been familiar to candidates who had acquired a real “feel” for the
style of the period, but relatively few answers were able to focus on such detail in their answers.
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Side B Item 1
The clearly audible use of an orchestral whip at the start of the recorded extract (the first movement of
Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G) was not recognised by many candidates. However the opening questions in
this section were quite well answered in general, with many candidates securing full marks for the rhythm of
the accompanying string chords (Question 15).
Questions requiring candidates to draw out comparisons of Ravel’s use of material linking sections were less
well answered, and very few candidates mentioned details of harmonic effects such as the use of modal
melodic lines or false relations (A-natural contrasting with A-sharp, for example).
Question 24 produced many generalised answers and only a few candidates were able to mention specific
musical details and relate these to ideas heard earlier in the extract. It was disappointing that so few
answers noted the restatement of the theme printed at bar 75 in the skeleton score.
Part B
Section 1
In this section it is assumed that candidates will have studied the Prescribed Work in close detail, working
from both recordings and scores. Examiners were therefore disappointed that so many details of basic
musicianship were not apparent in many scripts. Only a small number of candidates were able to transpose
the horn parts in the Beethoven and Gershwin works with complete accuracy (Questions 26 (b) and 27 (c)).
It was also noticeable that questions requiring candidates to draw on broader knowledge of the works
(Questions 26 (f) and 27 (f)) frequently produced answers that lacked sufficient focus on specific detail. In
this section of the paper it is important for candidates to be able to show that they have a secure and
thorough understanding of prescribed scores. Vague generalisations will not help candidates to gain high
marks.
Section 2
Questions 28, 29 and 31 proved to be the most popular choices in this paper, but there was a very wide
range of response to these. Answers that concentrated only on general observations unsupported by
evidence of first-hand familiarity with the repertoire did not receive high marks because candidates were
frequently unable to supports points of judgement by detailed musical references. Some answers also
suffered from a lack of appropriate focus: for example, Question 28 required candidates to show how the
music of Beethoven’s time reflected the development and expansion of the symphony orchestra, but some
answers went into lengthy explanations of structural changes to sonata form rather than specific details of
instrumentation and scoring.
Centres are advised that they should help candidates to acquire a good working knowledge of relevant
repertoire related to the Prescribed Works so that in their essays candidates are able to identify appropriate
musical examples and stylistic characteristics in support of their written observations. Background
knowledge from standard textbooks is useful as a starting point, but the primary emphasis should be to
enable candidates to gain experience by first-hand contact with the music through attentive listening.
Papers 8703/21 and 8703/22
Performing
General comments
Examiners were pleased with the overall standard of performing in this session, and all candidates achieved
comfortable “pass” marks in this component. In general Centre administration was carried out effectively.
Most recital programmes allowed candidates to display evidence of good performing skills and an awareness
of appropriate stylistic conventions, but in some cases performance on a second instrument was of a much
lower standard than that of the Section A performing.
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Recital pieces should always be selected with the performing strengths and interests of the individual
candidate in mind, and Examiners were encouraged to see some performances on unusual instruments,
notably the Shona (an African baritone marimba). This performance recording was accompanied by helpful
notes from the Centre about the instrument, its capabilities and idiomatic features of its repertoire, which was
much appreciated by the Examiners. Similarly, copies of music should be provided in cases where
candidates perform items from unusual or contemporary repertoire.
Centre administration was carried out well, and cassette tapes were suitably marked. This was very helpful
at the moderation stage, and Examiners are grateful to Centres for their co-operation in this area.
Some Centres provided recordings on videotape, and in such cases it is important that the sound quality is
checked to ensure that the video recorder microphone does not distort the sound level when there are
sudden changes of dynamics. Centres may also choose to submit performance recordings in CD or minidisk
format, both of which transmit high levels of sound quality.
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