Write Like Mozart - Week 1

Over the last three weeks I have been taking part in a free online course available on coursera.org called Write Like Mozart. It is a six-part course with video lectures and supporting documents provided by Dr. Peter Edwards of The National University of Singapore, with each part released on a weekly basis. The benefits to myself of a course titled Write Like Mozart needs no explanation, and I'll briefly write up what I've learnt each week into this blog.

Week 1

Week one of the course was mostly revision for me, as the topics dealt with I have covered previously in grades six and seven music theory. I always appreciate revision however, and enjoyed reinforcing my knowledge of the basic triads of harmony, seventh chords, ways of voice leading, and texture types. At the end of the week was an assignment whereby we were required to harmonise a melody using the given root position chords, and using correct voice leading.

I didn't find this assignment a problem, and was careful to look for voice leading problems such as consecutive fifths and octaves.

Learning points in brief:

• A progression will usually start with chord I, and the end goal is always chord I.
• The circle of fifths is a common and important progression.
• Some chords a third apart can be substituted in the progression; such as ii for IV or vii for V.
• With voice leading, keeping common tones between chords is advantageous.
• Generally, you should move by step or by the smallest possible interval.
• The leading note if found in an outer voice must go to the tonic.
• Utilising contrary motion will avoid many voice leading problems, such as consecutives.