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GCSE
MUSIC
Component 1 Understanding music
2024_AQA-GCSE Music – Component 1:
Understanding Music
(Merged Question Paper and Marking Scheme)
Monday 17 June 2024
Monday 17 June 2024 Afternoon Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
Materials
For Examiner’s Use
You will not need any other materials.
Question Mark
Instructions
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. You may use pencil for music notation. 1
• Fill in the boxes at the top of this page. 2
• Answer all questions in Section A.
3
• Answer Question 09 in Section B.
• Answer one question from Questions 10 to 12 in Section B. 4
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write 5
outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
6
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s). 7
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be 8
marked. 9
Information 10
• The marks for questions (or part questions) are shown in brackets. 11
• The maximum mark for this paper is 96.
• There will be suitable pauses for you to read and answer the questions. 12
• You will be assessed on your ability to: TOTAL
– use good English
– organise information clearly
– use specialist vocabulary where appropriate.
• You have three minutes to read through the paper before the excerpts are played.
,GCSE Music: Component 1 - Understanding Music Summary
The GCSE Music Component 1: Understanding Music exam, scheduled for June 2024, will assess
students' knowledge and understanding of musical elements, contexts, and how to analyze and evaluate
music. The exam will require students to demonstrate their ability to recognize and understand music
from different genres, periods, and cultures, as well as their ability to apply musical concepts in analysis.
This component focuses on both theoretical knowledge and the ability to listen critically to music.
Key Areas Covered:
1. Musical Elements
Rhythm and Metre:
o Understanding time signatures, rhythmic patterns, and note values. Students should be
able to recognize different types of rhythms and how they contribute to a piece of music.
o The role of syncopation, polyrhythms, and cross-rhythms in different genres.
Melody and Harmony:
o Understanding melodic structures such as scales, intervals, and phrasing.
o Knowledge of harmony including chords, key signatures, tonality (major/minor), and
modulation (change of key).
o How melody and harmony work together to create emotional and musical impact.
Texture:
o Recognizing different textures such as monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic, and
heterophonic textures.
o Understanding how layers of sound (instruments, voices) are used in music to create
depth and complexity.
Timbre:
o Understanding timbre (tone color) and how it distinguishes different instruments and
voices.
o Identifying different instrumental families (strings, woodwind, brass, percussion) and
the role of each in a composition.
Dynamics and Articulation:
o Understanding dynamic markings (e.g., piano, forte, crescendo, diminuendo) and their
impact on the expressiveness of music.
o Recognizing articulations such as staccato, legato, and accent.
Form and Structure:
o Recognizing different musical forms such as binary, ternary, sonata form, rondo, and
theme and variations.
o Understanding how composers organize musical material in sections and movements.
2. Music in Different Contexts
Historical and Cultural Contexts:
o Understanding the role of music in various historical periods (e.g., Baroque, Classical,
Romantic, 20th Century, Contemporary).
o Knowledge of different genres and styles such as jazz, pop, classical, folk, and world
music.
o Understanding how music reflects the cultural, social, and political contexts of its time.
Music for Different Purposes:
o Recognizing music written for different contexts, such as film scores, ceremonial music,
religious music, dance music, and music for theatre.
o Understanding the function of music in these different settings, such as enhancing the
atmosphere, conveying emotion, or supporting narrative.
3. Listening Skills
, Analyzing Musical Works:
o The exam will include listening to various pieces of music from different genres and
periods.
o Students will be asked to identify musical features in these pieces, including the use of
instruments, structure, harmony, rhythm, and melody.
Comparison of Styles:
o Students should be able to compare and contrast different styles or pieces of music,
understanding how each piece utilizes the musical elements to create a specific effect or
achieve a certain purpose.
o They may be asked to identify similarities and differences between pieces based on
musical features such as rhythm, texture, instrumentation, or mood.
4. Understanding Composers and Their Works
Key Composers:
o Knowledge of important composers from different musical eras (e.g., Bach, Beethoven,
Mozart, Stravinsky, Shostakovich), their key works, and their contribution to music.
o Understanding the impact of different composers on the development of music in their
time.
Influences on Music:
o How composers are influenced by the cultural, social, and technological contexts of their
time.
o The impact of technological advances (e.g., the development of the piano, recording
techniques) on music composition and performance.
5. Performance and Composition (Practical Knowledge)
While this exam is theory-based, a foundational understanding of performance and composition
will be helpful, particularly in terms of recognizing how the musical elements discussed are
applied in practice.
6. Music Technology (Modern Trends)
Electronic Music:
o Understanding the role of electronic instruments (synthesizers, drum machines) and
music production software in contemporary music.
o Knowledge of the use of recording techniques and the impact of technology on music
*JUN248271W01*
IB/G/Jun24/G4004/E9 8271/W
, 2
Do not write
outside the
Section A: Listening box
Answer all questions in this section.
0 1 Area of study 1: Western Classical Tradition 1650–1910
You will hear two excerpts.
Each excerpt will be played three times.
Excerpt A
You may find it helpful to tick a box each time you hear the excerpt.
0 1.1 Which type of voice is heard at the start of this excerpt?
[1 mark]
Circle your answer.
alto bass soprano tenor
0 1.2 What is the time signature of this excerpt?
[1 mark]
0 1.3 Identify two different textures used in this excerpt.
[2 marks]
1
2
*02*
IB/G/Jun24/8271/W
