Aural Syllabus for Practical Exams

Rhythm/Clapping

Pitch/Intervals

Melody

1. Clap along with beats of passage

in 2 or 3 beat time.
2. Examiner plays 2-bar passage,
candidate claps passage.

Identify which of two notes is

higher or lower.

Examiner plays 5 or 6
note phrase, candidate
sings on each note.

Clap passage up to four bars,

including dotted minims.

Sing the tonic at the end of an

unfinished phrase.

Sing a phrase of up to
four bars.

Same as Grade 1 but always four

bars, including dotted crotchetquaver patterns in simple time, and
dotted quaver-semiquaver patterns
& anacruses.

Sing higher or lower of two notes

played together, either a 3rd or 5th
apart from middle C

Same as Grade 1 but

including dotted rhythms,
semiquavers and larger
intervals.

Same as Grade 2, but slightly more

complex and candidate must also
identify duple or triple time.

1. Sing higher or lower of two

notes played together, interval
within an 8ve from middle C
2. Sing & identify major/perfect
intervals of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th.

Same as Grade 2 but

more notes, more
complex.

Grade 4

Same as Grade 3 but includes

groupings of 1 quaver attached to 2
semiquavers.

1. Sing the higher or lower part

of a two-part progression.
2. Sing & identify any interval of
the major scale.

Identify and sing the

middle note of a major or
minor triad in any
inversion.

Grade 5

Same as Grade 4 but more complex,

includes triplets & some longer
anacruses.

1. Same as Grade 4 but threepart progression.

2. Same as Grade 4.

Sing notes of
major/minor triad in any
inversion, ascending or
descending.

Preliminary
Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Harmony

Memory

Rhythm/Clapping Pitch/Intervals

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Melody

Harmony

Memory

1. Same as Grade 5 but four-part

progression.
2. Same as Grades 4 & 5 but
including harmonic minor
intervals

1. Identify root position or

inversion of major triad
2. Identify perfect or plagal
cadence in a piece in a
major key.

Sing higher or lower part of six-part

progression (very similar to Grade 7
below).

1. Same as Grade 6, but also

identify whether major or
minor
2. Same as Grade 6 but also
interrupted cadence.

One minute to memorise a

2-bar melody away from
instrument, then play or sing
from memory.

Sing or play the lower part of a twopart phrase (could be listed under
melody category).

1. Same as Grade 7 but also

identify diminished triad
2. Same as Grade 7 but also
imperfect cadence.

Same as Grade 7 but one and

a half minutes to memorise a
3 to 4 bar melody.

Scales

Musicianship Grade 4

Musicianship Grade 5

Musicianship Grade 6

MUSIC CRAFT Grade 4

Major, harmonic minor

Major, harmonic minor, melodic

minor

Major, harmonic minor, melodic

minor

Major, harmonic minor, melodic minor

Modes

Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian

Intervals/scale
notes

Major intervals only

Intervals of the C major scale below

C only

Notes from major or minor scale,

above or below key note

All diatonic intervals including major and min 7ths, tritone

Triads

Major and minor triads in

root position

Major and minor triads in root

position or inversion

Major and minor triads in root

position or inversion, diminished
triads in root position only

Major and minor triads in root position and first inversion,

diminished and augmented triads in root position.

Time and metre

Simple duple, simple triple,

compound duple

Simple duple, simple triple,

compound duple, compound triple

Rhythm dictation

Three bars in simple time

Four bars in simple duple/ triple

Four bars in compound duple time

Up to four bars simple or compound time

Form

Recognise Binary and

Ternary

Motion/Modulation

Recognise similar, contrary,

oblique

Expression & Mood

Mark dynamics, articulation,

cadence points

Melodic dictation
Cadence
recognition

Perfect, Imperfect

Recognise melodic repetition and contrast (using A/B)

Recognise modulation from major
to dominant or relative minor

Six crotchets within major scale

Four bars in simple duple or triple

Up to four bars in simple or compound time (rhythm and

melody combined)

Perfect, Imperfect, Interrupted,

major keys only

Perfect, Imperfect, Interrupted,

major or minor keys

Authentic, Plagal, Half, Deceptive, Phrygian

Antecedent and
consequent

Describe which of these is repeated

Texture

Recognise canonic/non-canonic

Instrument
recognition

Recognise: Timpani, bass drum, snare drum, cymbals,

triangle, tambourine, glockenspiel, xylophone, gong

Timbre

Recognise any instrumental timbre of any instrument of

the orchestra covered in MC up to Grade 4

Set works

3 folk songs

3 works: Lieder and Chamber music

2 complete works

5 works

BlitzBooks Aural Tutorial Grade 4 Musicianship CD

Scales
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Major
Harmonic minor
Harmonic minor
Major
Major
Harmonic minor

Intervals above E flat

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Perfect fifth (B flat)

Major second (F)
Major sixth (C)
Major seventh (D)
Perfect fourth (A flat)
Perfect octave (E flat)

Triads
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Major
Minor
Major
Minor
Minor
Major

Motion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Similar
Contrary
Oblique
Similar
Oblique
Contrary

Cadences
1. Imperfect
2. Perfect
3. Imperfect

Time
1. Simple Duple (2/4)
2. Compound Duple (6/8)

Rhythm dictation

Expression and Mood

Answers for these six examples can be found in the M4 Answer Book

Form
1. Binary
2. Ternary

Aural Tests I & II

Answers for these two aural exams can be found in the M4 Answer Book

BlitzBooks Aural Tutorial Grade 4 Musicianship CD

Page 2

BlitzBooks Aural Tutorial Grade 5 Musicianship CD

Scales
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Melodic minor
Harmonic minor
Major
Harmonic minor
Major
Melodic minor

Intervals (Scale Notes) below C

N.B. the quality of interval has not been given here, simply the note played.
1. E
2. A
3. D
4. F
5. B
6. G

Triads
1.
2.
3.
4.

Major, First inversion

Minor, Root position
Major, Second inversion
Minor, Second inversion

Melody dictation

Cadences
1. Perfect
2. Interrupted
3. Imperfect

Time
1. Simple Duple (2/8)
2. Compound Triple (9/8)

Rhythm dictation

Aural Tests I & II

Answers to these two aural exams can be found in the M5 answer book.

BlitzBooks Aural Tutorial Grade 5 Musicianship CD

Page 2

Intervals Songs (these really help!!!)

Song for Major intervals (ascending)

Song for Minor 3rds and 6ths (ascending)

Song for Minor intervals (descending)

Melodic References
Here is a list of associations between intervals and triads and famous pieces/songs. You may
not be familiar with some of the pieces listed, so there are plenty of options for each
interval and triad. If you DO recognise and use these, it makes life so much easier!

ASCENDING INTERVALS:
Minor 2nd
The Entertainer, start of chromatic scale.
Major 2nd
Happy Birthday, start of major and minor scales.
Minor 3rd
Greensleeves, Romeo & Juliet, Supercalafragilistic, Smoke on the Water.
Major 3rd
Blue Danube, When the Saints Go Marching In, Kumbaya.
Perfect 4th
Away in a Manger, Advance Australia Fair, Amazing Grace, Star Wars, Love Me Tender, Auld
Lang Syne.
Augmented 4th
The Simpsons (opening vocal), Maria (West Side Story).
Perfect 5th
Twinkle Twinkle, The Last Post, Lavenders Blue.
Minor 6th
Love Story (descending then ascending), third interval in The Entertainer, Chopin Waltz op.
64 no.2.
Major 6th
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, Jingle Bells verse.
Minor 7th
Somewhere (West Side Story), Star Trek.
(continued next page)

Major 7th
There are no famous melodies that begin like this. It is extremely dissonant!
Perfect 8ve
Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Stranger on the Shore, Lonely Goat-herd (Sound of Music).

DESCENDING INTERVALS:
N.B. Descending Major and Minor 7ths are the only intervals not listed below.
The best way to identify these is that they are very large and very awkward
sounding intervals!
Minor 2nd
Fur Elise.
Major 2nd
Mary had a Little Lamb, Three Blind Mice, Yesterday (The Beatles).
Minor 3rd
Girl from Ipanema, This Old Man, Morning (Peer Gynt), Little Brown Jug, Hey Jude, Baby
Face, Oranges and Lemons.
Major 3rd
Summertime, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Goodnight Ladies, Beethovens 5th Symphony,
Tchaikovskys Piano Concerto no. 1.
Perfect 4th
Born Free, Old McDonald, Ive been working on the Railroad, Clementine, Food Glorious Food.
Augmented 4th
Mistake sound in game shows
Perfect 5th
Bachs Minuet in G, Feelings, Flinstones, Swan Lake
Minor 6th
Love Story, Arthurs Theme.
Major 6th
Music of the Night (Phantom), Nobody Knows the Trouble Ive Seen
(continued next page)

Perfect 8ve
The Young and the Restless

TRIADS (MAJOR):
Root position (ascending)
The Blue Danube, Kumbaya, Morning Has Broken.
Root position (descending)
Oranges and Lemons, Silent Night, This Old Man.
1st inversion
Born Free, Chopin Military Polonaise, first descending chord from Clocks (Coldplay).
2nd inversion
My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, Liebestraume, My Way, sustained chord at beginning of
Simpsons theme.

TRIADS (MINOR):
Root position
Swan Lake, Summertime, Scarborough Fair, Feelings, third descending chord from Clocks
(Coldplay).
1st inversion
Theme from Phantom of the Opera, Pathetique Sonata (Beethoven), Funeral March (Chopin).
2nd inversion
Love Story, second descending chord from Clocks (Coldplay).

Mozart String Quintet in E flat major K 614

First movement: Allegro di molto
This movement is in Sonata form. Many thanks to David McKay for his input into this analysis. Please visit
his website at www.aussiemusician.blogspot.com for great teacher and student resources.
Exposition
The first subject begins in E flat major and is stated by first viola, with descending answering phrases from
1st violin.
A bridge passage, played by 2nd viola begins in bar 20. It quickly moves from E flat major to C minor,
passes through B flat major (bars 24-25) and F major (bars 26-38), which functions as chord V of B flat
major, the dominant chord of the dominant key of the movement. Throughout bars 31-38 there is a dominant
pedal point (F) of the dominant key.
This leads into the statement of the second subject in B flat major, which is begun in bar 38 by the first
violin, and then taken up by the cello at bar 46.
There is a brief modulation to C minor at bar 66, but by bar 72 we are back in B flat major and a short
codetta concludes the Exposition, with a call and response reference to the first subject in the last 9 bars.
Development
The development section begins with a C minor dominant pedal, but then by way of an interrupted cadence
moves to A flat major for bars 90-94. We hear subject material based on the descending violin arpeggio
figure in bar 16 of the first subject. In bars 96-99 we then hear material from the opening bars of the first
subject, in G minor.
With the exception of bars 100 105, the first subject material is the focus for the rest of the Development
section, with playful call and response between the upper parts, resembling the codetta at the end of the
Exposition.
The keys in this section centre around C minor and G minor (relative minors of the tonic and dominant
keys). The dominant key of B flat major returns in bar 116 and leads to the dominant 7th chord of E flat
major in bar 124.
Recapitulation
The Recapitulation commences at bar 125 with a resolution to the tonic key of E flat major and the first
subject once again shared between first viola and first violin. The violins responses are slightly varied
rhythmically and melodically.
A bridge passage from bar 144 begins in E flat major and passes through A flat major (bars 146-47), F
minor (bars 148-51), C minor (bars 152-53) and B flat major (bars 154-164). We once again have an
extended pedal point passage in preparation for the second subject, this time in B flat major leading to the
tonic key of E flat major.
In bar 165 the viola states the second subject (as opposed to violin in the Exposition) in the tonic key (as is
usually the case in the Recapitulation in Sonata form). The theme is then taken up by first violin (as opposed
to cello in the Exposition).
The bridge passage begins with the viola in bar 180 and remains mostly in E flat major except for a brief
modulation to F minor in bars 193-196.
Codetta/Coda
Bars 205-215 form a codetta similar to that in the Exposition, leading to the substantial coda from bar 216 to
the end, which features some new thematic material such as sustained notes and upward scale passages from
the violins, and the cello taking up the trill motif for the first time in the movement.
In bar 180, the first subject returns and is the basis of the lengthy Coda of the movement.