Course Outline for Music Literature 2D
Harmony and Musicianship IV

Effective: Fall 2022
SLO Rev: 12/09/2016
Catalog Description:

MUSL 2D - Harmony and Musicianship IV

4.00 Units

Study of advanced chromatic harmony, 20th century harmonic practices, large musical structures, style composition, harmonic, structural, and stylistic analysis, and musicianship skills including sight singing, rhythmic training, ear training, dictation, and keyboard realization of chromatic and 20th century materials.
Prerequisite: MUSL 2C.
1004.00 - Music
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 3.00 54.00 108.00 162.00
Laboratory 1.00 54.00 0.00 54.00
Total 4.00 108.00 108.00 216.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. write and identify in context advanced chromatic harmony including borrowed chords, Neapolitans, augmented-sixth chords, 9th, 11th, and 13th chords, added sixth chords, and altered dominants;
  2. conduct harmonic analysis of highly chromatic and 20th Century musical examples;
  3. conduct structural analysis of music compositions using larger musical structures such as theme and variation;
  4. define, analyze, and/or write examples of 20th century techniques such as: Impressionism, tone rows, set theory, pandiatonicism and polytonalism, and advanced approaches to meter and rhythm;
  5. compare and contrast various 20th Century harmonic practices and compositional approaches;
  6. demonstrate the ability to hear music with understanding, recognizing patterns and musical function, by aurally identifying and transcribing harmonic progressions utilizing secondary/applied chords, mode mixture, non-dominant 7th chords, Neapolitan and augmented 6th chords, extended and altered chords, and modulation to distantly-related keys;
  7. harmonize chromatic melodies using chromatic harmony;
  8. harmonize melodies using 20th Century harmonic practices;
  9. compose music that exercises the principles of chromatic harmony and the various 20th Century harmonic practices, and employs larger music structures such as theme and variation;
  10. demonstrate advanced musicianship skills including sight singing, rhythm reading, aural recognition, dictation, and keyboard realization using highly chromatic and 20th Century materials including irregular beat divisions, poly rhythms, diatonic modes, modulation to distantly-related keys, and post-tonal melodies.
Course Content:

Course Content (Lecture):
  1. Borrowed chords and modal mixture
  2. Chromatic mediants
  3. Neapolitan and augmented-sixth chords
  4. 9th, 11th, and 13th chords
  5. Altered chords and dominants
  6. Enharmonic reinterpretation and modulation
  7. 20th century techniques
    1. Impressionism
    2. Serial techniques and 12-tone music
    3. Set theory
    4. Pandiatonicism and polytonalism
    5. Synthetic scales
    6. Advanced approaches to meter and rhythm


Coures Content (Labratory):

  1. Romantic and Post-Romantic Techniques
    1. Analysis
    2. singing
    3. dictation
    4. advanced chromatic melodies 
      1. modulations
    5. Harmonic dictation
      1. secondary/applied chords
      2. mode mixture
      3. non-dominant 7th chord
      4. Neapolitan and augmented 6th chords
      5. extended and altered chords
      6. modulations to distantly-related keys
  2. Impressionism and Modality
    1. Aural identification and singing of the diatonic modes
      1. Ionian
      2. Dorian
      3. Phrygian
      4. Lydian
      5. Mixolydian
      6. Aeolia
      7. Locrian
    2. Aural identification and singing of non-diatonic and synthetic scales
      1. whole-ton
      2. pentatonic
      3. octatonic
    3. Sight singing, performance, and dictation of melodies in the diatonic modes and/or other scales
    4. Analysis and dictation of chord progressions in the diatonic modes
  3. Twentieth-Century Techniques 
    1. Analysis, performance, and dictation of pitch sets, tone rows, and post-tonal melodies
    2. Performance of melodies featuring irregular beat divisions and polyrhythms and/or in asymmetrical or mixed meters
    3. Dictation of rhythms featuring irregular beat divisions and polyrhythms and/or in asymmetrical or mixed meters
  4. Sight singing and performance of music in multiple parts
    1. Canons
    2. Duets
    3. Chorales
  5. Performance of rhythm and sight singing exercises while conducting.
  6. Exercises to detect errors in rhythm, pitch, harmony, and/or solfeggio.
  7. Exercises at the piano keyboard
    1. Playing chord progressions while singing any part or arpeggiations of the chords.
Methods of Instruction:
  1. In-class written demonstration of concepts by students
  2. Lecture/Discussion
  3. Demonstration/Exercise
  4. Laboratory
  5. Distance Education
  6. Solfeggio and ear training
  7. Written exercises
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Reading 1: Read the chapter on chromaticism via contrary motion. Be prepared to discuss how V7 can be expanded chromatically.
  2. Reading 2: Read the chapter on augmented 6th chords. Be prepared to define the Gr6/5, Fr4/3, and It6/3. Be prepared to discuss their voice leading requirements.
  3. Writing, problem solving, performance 1: Write a harmonic analysis of Debussy’s "La Cathedrale engloutie" and identify the uses of the various impressionist devices, both scalar and harmonic.
  4. Writing, problem solving, performance 2: Compose a 12-tone row. Write out all its reflections (I0, R0, RI0).
  5. Lab, field activity, product or report: Sing and conduct the composite rhythm from the opening of the "Dance Sacrale" from Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du Printemps."
  1. Quizzes
  2. In-class student demonstration of written musical exercises
  3. Midterm Examination
  4. Final Examination
  5. Homework
  6. Sung musical exercises
  7. Lab Activities
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Compose music using 20th and 21st century theoretical concepts and techniques.
  2. Demonstrate advanced musicianship skills including sight singing, rhythmn reading, aural recognition, dictation, and keyboard realization.
  3. Understand and use the modern, Western system of notating music.
  4. Understand the historical aspects of the development of the theoretical concepts discussed throughout the course.
  5. Understand, recognize, and apply advanced 20th century Western theoretical concepts.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Kostka, Stefan and Dorothy Payne (2017). Tonal Harmony (textbook & workbook) (8th). .
  2. Ottman, Robert (2019). Music for Sight Singing (10th). .
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Study of advanced chromatic harmony and 20th century harmonic practices. Musicianship skills include sight singing, rhythmic training, ear training, dictation, and keyboard realization of chromatic and 20th century materials.
Prerequisite: MUSL 2C.