INSTRUCTIONS
You may write your essay on one of the topics listed below:
- The Doctrine of Affections
- Historical Pitch, Tuning and Temperament
- The Importance of the Chorale in Sacred Music
- The Similarities and Differences between Italian and French Baroque Opera
- Your Instrument’s Predecessor (i.e. Baroque Violin) and Its Unique Features (Baroque vs. Today)
Discuss the chosen topic in the context of the Baroque period, paying particular attention to the following (if they apply to your topic):
- Historical development (during the Baroque period), performance contexts and economic factors, where appropriate;
- Key composers, composition schools and regional differences, where appropriate; and
- Compositional elements, stylistic features and performance conventions, where appropriate.
In your essay, you must reference at least 3 representative works, using specific musical examples to illustrate the points you argue in your essay. It is important that all 3 works you use must not be included in the listening list for your tutorials and further listening, which is on page 2 of this Unit outline.
In the conclusion of your essay, include a discussion of the Baroque genre and its significance within the broader context of the Baroque aesthetic. This discussion must be related to your chosen topic.
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Musical Examples
Ideally, musical excerpts should be scanned and inserted within the text. Alternatively, photocopied excerpts may be included on inserted pages or grouped in an Appendix at the end of your paper.
Wide-Ranging Research
Your research of the secondary literature should range beyond the articles in Grove Music Online to include at least three other books and three other articles (the more the better!).
Be sure to include a bibliography (formatted in Chicago style) and to reference appropriately using footnotes (in Chicago style).1
Useful starting points for these additional resources can be found the articles in the Harvard Dictionary of Music, Grove Online and the series of volumes in the series Anthology of Music, ed. K. G. Fellerer (C/AY ANT).
Referencing
Reference using footnotes and a bibliography in Chicago style. This is the referencing style used in music.
Refer to: Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007) for assistance on Chicago style referencing. This book has been placed on reserve.
A useful online resource can also be found at http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Chicago- Turabianstyle.pdf.
Length
2000 words (marks will be deducted for essays that are either too short or too long)