…with the sound of ME BEING FINISHED! And music, obviously.
Well. That was something, wasn’t it?
The past week was the longest 7 days ever to exist. I honestly felt that Music would never arrive, that I’d be trapped in this sort of “almost-finished-not-quite-there-yet” time warp thing forever. Evidently, I am not. Music has been and gone, and I have to say it was a challenging enough paper.
Listening:
Question 1 = Deane! Predictions came through! The world rejoices! It wasn’t too bad of a question either. I had to guess the question about the rhythmic figure in Excerpt 2 though, because I’d honestly never seen/heard of it before. The final question about the name of the work (Seachanges) came out of the blue, but I recalled reading something about it in some notes our teacher gave us – so thanks Miss! Mozart, Berlioz and the Beatles were really lovely. The Mozart one could have been tricky, but I listened that particular movement this morning and something struck me about that part so I was covered. I think I have a 5th sense 😛
Irish music…I really hate that question most of the time, and I still dislike it. The third excerpt (traditional/classical fusion) was hard – what features? Where? I stuck down something about it being a traditional Irish tune played by classical instruments, they can be happy with that.
My psychic abilities also came into play with the Aural Skills question. Just yesterday I quizzed my teacher on us having a pop music question, since most of the other years were classical. Guess what – pop! I had to stifle laughter when “It’s Not Unusal” played. Why? I have no idea. Seemingly, I was a rollercoaster of emotions – I almost burst into tears at “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. Really, I don’t know why. *shrugs* Overall, I thought that was easier than many of the past Aural Skills questions, feel free to disagree!
Composing:
Q1: Melody
As predicted, a minor melody. Key was G minor, I think? This went ok for me, I made a silly mistake though which I know is going to haunt me all summer. Instead of putting a sharp accidental in front of the Te, I put a natural sign. I know this totally changes the sound of the note, but hopefully I won’t lose too many marks for doing that. It’s absolutely killing me. 🙁
Q5: Harmony
This was difficult! No apparent cadences except the one at the end! I was unpleasantly surprised. Luckily cadence chords fit in at a few other places so in the end I had a couple more possibilities. I was utterly meticulous with this harmony. I checked and re-checked notes and chords and mused over chord progressions for AGES. Fingers crossed it was alright.
I finished my paper, handed it up and walked out of the exam hall. Funnily enough, I don’t feel relieved. I guess a part of me has started worrying about the results, and it won’t let me rest. Nevertheless, I am ecstatic to be finally finished. It’s the strangest feeling. Blogging this year has been a source of comfort to me, and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. I will probably blog coming towards the results so you haven’t heard the last of me yet 😀
Happy summer everyone! I love ye all! (Even the ones who don’t love me…)
Valerie
It’s 10.20am, I was out til 3 last night, I’m up since 9am and have the bathroom cleaned and a start made on my bedroom already.
…Leaving Cert withdrawal symptoms are proving the causation of many incongruous actions over which I have no control. 🙁
…Feck it, I’m finished! We’re finished! 🙂
Getting ready to go out again tonight. Enjoy the taste of freedom everybody! Which will probably translate as the taste of copious volumes of alcohol for most people 😉
Music was a beauty wasn’t it ? I am just delighted to be finished and I would say the invigilator has never seen a reaction like mine to finishing a last exam! I was the last person in the exam hall… Calmly packed up my bits and bobs, thanked her calmly and walked out the door. SUMMMMMMMMERRRRRR … She came out and I was in a heap on the floor laughing my head off with my entire music class staring at me like I was in serious need of psychiatric help! BUT CAN YOU BLAME ME ?
Oh! I recall telling you of a fire alarm during my Art History Paper… Well it seems the demons that exist in our school really want me to fail my exams. I say this because our tape started skipping :O It was a pretty surreal moment… Just as Paul Simon was building up to the EPIC finish on his Bridge Over Troubled Water and I was having a DIVA off with my friend across the room (YYYEEEEEEESSSSSS… I was actually full out mouthing the words with all the Whitney Houston hand movements, fully aware of it being a Paul Simon song) when out of no where “Bridge Over Troubled Water” became BRI.BRI.BRI.BRI.BRI.BRI.TROU.BRI.BRI.BRI.TROU.WA.WA.WA.WA.WA. *silence* Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep Question 6. Well I nearly fell off my chair with complete shock. As well as my DIVA moment being completely ruined, this was my Leaving Cert Music exam and this should not be happening! Yes it was an easy question on that part BUUUUUT still…
We are finished people and really there are only AMAZING THINGS TO COME 😀
@Orla: I just finished clearing out my wardrobe. I was out until 3 am last night, and I got up at 10. Moving on to my sink next. What the hale?! What’s more, I was so excited to do this bit of cleaning. I have to be going crazy.
@baldbaldapple: You guys seem to have all the bad luck! I was enjoying Bridge Over Troubled Water so much, I really don’t know why considering it’s like the CHEESIEST song ever but there it is. I was surprised at that last question I thought it would be trickier, but straight away you could hear the differences…Woo!
Will you write another blog soon, Valerie? Pleeease!
I’m getting quite bored of all this manic cleaning 😉
Y’know Orla, I was thinking about that recently – but then I said I’d spare ye my mini-panic attacks about the results and musings on Inception (which is awesome, btw.)
But since you asked…