2023 CCEA GCSE Music 7010 Practice Paper with Answers

The third movement of Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4 is written in rondo form, in which a recurring main theme (the 'refrain') returns between contrasting episodes.
Final answer: rondo form.

Correct answer — rondo (form) [1].

This movement is written in compound duple time, 6/8, which gives the main theme its lilting, hunting-call character.
Final answer: 6/8.

Correct answer — 6/8 [1].

The solo part throughout this movement is played by the horn (French horn), a member of the brass family.
Final answer: brass (horn).

Correct answer — brass/horn [1].

Coates composed this march as the main title/march music for the 1955 film The Dam Busters, so it was originally written as film music.
Final answer: film music (for the film The Dam Busters).

Correct answer — film (music)/for the film The Dam Busters [1].

The bold, memorable main theme of the march is most closely associated with the brass family, often in unison with upper woodwind.
Final answer: brass.

Correct answer — brass [1].

A side drum (snare drum) is a type of percussion instrument commonly used in marches to reinforce a steady, marching pulse.
Final answer: side drum (snare drum).

Any valid marching percussion instrument, e.g. side drum/snare drum/bass drum [1].

A harp provides a prominent, rippling arpeggiated accompaniment throughout much of 'Cosmic Love'.
Final answer: harp.

Correct answer — harp [1].

The gradual increase in dynamic level and thickening of texture towards the climax of the song is a crescendo (a dynamic and textural build-up).
Final answer: crescendo/build-up.

Correct answer — crescendo/build-up [1].

'Prelude Polkas' is performed by Beoga, an Irish traditional (folk) band.
Final answer: Irish traditional band.

Correct answer — Irish traditional/folk band/ensemble [1].

A polka is a lively dance typically written in simple duple time, 2/4.
Final answer: 2/4.

Correct answer — 2/4 [1].

The soloist frequently plays arpeggio-based figures drawn from the notes of the harmonic series, imitating traditional hunting-horn calls.
Final answer: horn calls/hunting-horn figures.

Correct answer — A (horn calls / hunting-horn figures) [1].

This movement is marked Allegro vivace, so its tempo character is lively and fast.
Final answer: lively/fast.

Correct answer — B (lively/fast) [1].

'The Dam Busters March' has a bold, majestic, confident character, typical of a British march of this kind.
Final answer: bold and majestic.

Correct answer — A (bold and majestic) [1].

'Cosmic Love' features a solo female lead vocal (Florence Welch), with layered backing vocals added later in the song.
Final answer: solo female lead vocal.

Correct answer — A (solo female lead vocal) [1].

In Irish traditional dance music, the button accordion typically both states the melody and provides chordal accompaniment.
Final answer: melody and/or chordal accompaniment.

Correct answer — A (melody and/or chordal accompaniment) [1].

The orchestra, made up largely of strings with pairs of oboes and horns, provides the main harmonic and rhythmic accompaniment beneath the soloist. The oboes at times double the solo horn's melody or answer short fragments of it, adding colour to the texture. Between the soloist's episodes, the full orchestra restates the rondo's main theme (functioning as a ritornello), so that the movement alternates between solo passages, where the horn is prominent above a lighter accompaniment, and fuller tutti passages where the whole orchestra plays together.
Final answer: strings provide the main accompaniment, oboes double/answer the melody, and the orchestra alternates between accompanying the soloist and restating the main theme in full tutti passages.

Any four valid, distinct points about the orchestra's accompanying role (e.g. strings as main accompaniment; oboes doubling/answering the melody; orchestra restating the theme between solo episodes; solo/tutti alternation) [1 mark each, max 4].

Coates builds a bold, majestic character through several complementary features: the main theme is strong and memorable, with a confident, striding melodic shape well suited to the brass instruments that lead it; the dynamic level is predominantly loud (forte), giving the music weight and grandeur; the theme is scored for full orchestra, with brass and upper woodwind stating the tune in unison over supporting strings and lower brass; and a steady march pulse, reinforced by percussion such as the side drum, underpins the melody throughout, giving the music its confident, marching stride.
Final answer: a strong, rising, memorable melody, loud dynamics, full brass-led orchestration and a steady, percussion-reinforced march pulse together create the bold, majestic character.

Any four valid, distinct points describing how the majestic character is created (e.g. strong/memorable melody; loud/forte dynamics; full, brass-led orchestration; steady march pulse/percussion) [1 mark each, max 4].

The song begins in a relatively sparse texture, with the lead vocal supported mainly by the rippling harp part. Drums then enter, building a driving, insistent, tribal-sounding rhythmic pulse beneath the voice and harp. Strings are added to thicken the texture further, contributing sustained harmonic support. As the song approaches its climax, the overall dynamic level increases, and layered backing vocals, singing in harmony with the lead line, are added, creating a fuller, more powerful sound than the opening.
Final answer: the texture builds from sparse vocal-and-harp, through the addition of a driving drum pulse and strings, to a full, loud texture with layered backing vocals at the climax.

Any four valid, distinct points describing the build-up of texture/dynamics (e.g. sparse vocal-and-harp opening; drums building a driving pulse; strings thickening the texture; increased dynamic/layered backing vocals at the climax) [1 mark each, max 4].

Beoga create a lively, energetic character through several features: a fast tempo and a strong, steady dance pulse (maintained by instruments such as the bodhrán and the chordal accompaniment of the accordion) drives the music forward; the melody is heavily decorated with idiomatic Irish ornamentation such as rolls and cuts, adding rhythmic energy and virtuosity; and the texture and volume build across the medley as further instruments join the ensemble for later tunes.
Final answer: any two valid features, e.g. a fast, driving dance pulse and ornamented (rolls/cuts) melodic playing.

Any two valid, distinct features contributing to the lively character [1–2 marks each as appropriate, max 3].

The gradual increase in volume used to build tension towards the climax is called a crescendo.
Final answer: crescendo.

Correct answer — crescendo [1].

The ascending fanfare-like figure that builds towards the climax is played by the brass family, entering in close harmony.
Final answer: brass.

Correct answer — brass [1].

A sustained, rapid repetition of a note on a drum such as the timpani is called a (drum) roll.
Final answer: (timpani) roll.

Correct answer — roll/drum roll [1].

The use of basso continuo and sudden, 'terraced' changes in dynamic level are both characteristic features of the Baroque period.
Final answer: Baroque period.

Correct answer — Baroque (period) [1].

The basso continuo is typically formed from a chordal instrument, such as harpsichord, and a bass string instrument, such as cello, both heard providing the continuous bass line here.
Final answer: harpsichord and cello.

Correct answer — harpsichord and cello/bass string instrument [1].

The repeated chordal accompaniment pattern at the opening is played on an acoustic guitar.
Final answer: acoustic guitar.

Correct answer — acoustic guitar [1].

A memorable, easily-recognised melodic or lyrical idea of this kind is called a hook.
Final answer: hook.

Correct answer — hook [1].

This unaccompanied slow air is performed on the uilleann pipes.
Final answer: uilleann pipes.

Correct answer — uilleann pipes [1].

At the climax, a wordless choir doubles the orchestral melody, rather than singing text.
Final answer: wordless choir doubling the orchestra.

Correct answer — B (wordless choir doubling the orchestral melody) [1].

As each string part enters in turn with the same melodic idea, this creates a contrapuntal texture built from imitative polyphony (points of imitation).
Final answer: contrapuntal (imitative polyphony).

Correct answer — B (contrapuntal/imitative polyphony) [1].

Towards the end of the extract, the backing vocals sing in close harmony with each other and with the lead vocal.
Final answer: close harmony.

Correct answer — B (close harmony) [1].

A single, unaccompanied melodic line, as heard throughout this extract, is described as a monophonic texture.
Final answer: monophonic.

Correct answer — C (monophonic) [1].

The composer builds anticipation and triumph through a clear, staged process: the extract opens softly and sparsely, with only a sustained string chord and a rising horn melody; as the scene builds, additional brass instruments enter in close harmony and cymbal/timpani rolls are added, gradually thickening the texture and increasing the dynamic level even though the tempo stays constant; this cumulative build-up resolves at the climax, where the full orchestra plays a broad, major-key theme, doubled by a wordless choir an octave above, giving the loudest, fullest and most triumphant sound of the extract.
Final answer: the music moves from a soft, sparse opening through a steady dynamic/textural build (added brass, rolls) to a full-orchestra, choir-doubled, major-key climax.

Any four valid, distinct points describing the build to the climax (e.g. soft/sparse opening; gradual entry of brass/rolls building texture and dynamics; major-key full-orchestra climax; choir doubling the melody) [1 mark each, max 4].

Dynamics in this extract change suddenly between louder and quieter passages rather than gradually — this 'terraced dynamics' approach is typical of the Baroque period because instruments such as the harpsichord could not easily produce a gradual crescendo or diminuendo, so composers instead alternated between clearly contrasted dynamic levels. The texture is contrapuntal, built from points of imitation as the opening melodic idea passes from the first violins to the second violins and then the violas, each entering with the same material in turn; underneath this, the basso continuo (harpsichord and cello) provides a continuous, moving bass line that supplies constant harmonic and rhythmic support, another hallmark of Baroque orchestral writing.
Final answer: terraced (sudden) dynamics, typical since Baroque instruments could not easily produce gradual changes, combined with an imitative, contrapuntal texture over a continuous basso continuo bass line.

Correct description of terraced dynamics [1]; correct explanation of why this is typical of the Baroque period [1]; correct description of the imitative/contrapuntal texture [1]; correct reference to the continuous basso continuo bass line [1].

The texture begins relatively thin, with only the solo acoustic guitar's chordal accompaniment supporting the lead vocal. On the second phrase, the texture thickens as an electronic drum-machine beat and a sustained synthesizer pad are added underneath the existing guitar and vocal layers, giving the music a fuller rhythmic and harmonic foundation. Towards the end of the extract, the texture thickens further still with the addition of layered backing vocals, singing in close harmony, which reinforce the song's main melodic hook and give the final texture the fullest, richest sound of the extract.
Final answer: the texture builds in three stages, from acoustic guitar plus vocal, to guitar/vocal plus drum machine and synth pad, to a full texture including layered close-harmony backing vocals.

Any four valid, distinct points describing the layered build in texture (e.g. thin guitar-and-vocal opening; drum-machine beat added; synthesizer pad added; layered close-harmony backing vocals added later) [1 mark each, max 4].

The melody is performed with a free, flexible rhythm (rubato), without a strict, regular pulse, which is typical of the slow-air style within Irish traditional music and allows the piper considerable expressive freedom. The melodic line is decorated with idiomatic Irish ornamentation, including quick rolls and cuts around main melody notes, and long, expressive slides (slurs) connecting some pitches, both of which add expressive detail without disrupting the overall shape of the tune. Because the piece is performed entirely unaccompanied by a solo instrument, the texture throughout is monophonic, placing the full expressive weight of the piece on the single melodic line.
Final answer: a freely-timed (rubato), highly ornamented (rolls, cuts, slides) unaccompanied melody, producing a monophonic texture throughout.

Any four valid, distinct points about melodic style/ornamentation (e.g. free/rubato rhythm; rolls; cuts; expressive slides; unaccompanied monophonic texture) [1 mark each, max 4].

Indicative content:
Melody:
• The opening choral phrase, 'For unto us a child is born', is stated first by the sopranos in a bright, largely syllabic style well matched to the celebratory Nativity text.
• The same short melodic idea then passes through the other voice parts in turn (alto, tenor, bass), so that each part enters imitating the phrase already heard.
• Certain key words, such as 'wonderful', are given melismatic treatment (several notes sung to one syllable), adding musical emphasis and virtuosity to important words.
• The melodic writing is largely diatonic and major in character throughout, contributing strongly to the joyful, celebratory mood of the movement.
Texture:
• The chorus alternates between imitative, contrapuntal passages, where the four voice parts enter one after another with the same melodic idea, and homophonic passages, where all four voices move together in the same rhythm.
• Homophonic, chordal writing is used at points of particular textual emphasis (for example 'and the government shall be upon His shoulder'), giving these declamatory moments added weight and clarity.
• The orchestra (strings and continuo, with oboes) largely doubles and supports the vocal lines rather than providing independent melodic material of its own, which is typical of Baroque choral writing of this kind.
• The texture remains continuous and driven throughout, without extended instrumental interludes, keeping the choir at the centre of the musical argument at all times.
Tempo and Dynamics:
• The tempo is lively and fairly quick, appropriate to the joyful character of the text and contributing to an overall sense of celebration.
• Dynamics change suddenly between louder, fuller-textured passages and quieter passages, in the terraced-dynamics manner typical of Baroque music, rather than through a gradual crescendo or diminuendo.
• Busy, continuously moving quaver and semiquaver figuration in the vocal and instrumental parts helps sustain a strong sense of rhythmic energy and drive throughout the movement.
• The chorus ends with a confident, full-textured cadential passage, bringing the movement to a firm, decisive close.
Final answer: a well-organised account covering the imitative, largely diatonic melody with melismatic emphasis on key words (melody); the alternation of imitative and homophonic textures over a supportive, doubling orchestra (texture); and the lively tempo with terraced dynamics and driving rhythmic figuration (tempo and dynamics) — with at least four valid, distinct points made for each of the three elements.

Level 4 (10–12 marks): Four (or more) valid, well-explained points made for each of the three elements (melody, texture, tempo/dynamics), showing excellent, detailed knowledge of the set work and highly accurate use of specialist musical vocabulary; the response is clearly organised and coherent.
Level 3 (7–9 marks): At least three valid points made for most of the three elements, showing good knowledge of the set work and appropriate use of specialist musical vocabulary; the response is reasonably well organised.
Level 2 (4–6 marks): At least two valid points made for some of the three elements, showing satisfactory knowledge of the set work and some use of basic specialist musical vocabulary; the response shows some organisation.
Level 1 (1–3 marks): At least one valid point made, showing limited knowledge of the set work and limited use of specialist musical vocabulary; the response may lack clear organisation.
Level 0 (0 marks): No creditworthy content.