Bach-Busoni Chaconne

discuss the analysis of Bach-Busoni Chaconne

Musical Material — Music analysis as evidence in musicological research

Select a musical work of which you can access either a) a score or, b) a recording.

It should ideally be short rather than long: for example, a single movement, rather than a

Symphony; a song, rather than a song cycle, or pop album.

Analyse the musical work, bearing the following questions in mind:

How did you decide what approach to take to analyse the work?

Why was that approach appropriate?

What approaches would be inappropriate and why?

What does your analysis of the work tell us? How might it be used as evidence in

scholarship?

Your report on the blog should explore on the following points in relation to your analysis:

the decisions you made in performing the analysis,

what the analysis demonstrates

what its limitations are (i.e. what it cannot demonstrate)

and, difficulties you faced

Please bring along the score/recorded material and your analysis to class (in week 8, on 8

November). Although the analyses will not form the basis of discussion, we may explore one

or two examples in more detail, if time allows.

We will also discuss points made in the following reading (you might wish to make a précis

of each, and bring questions/comments relating to them):