MUZA99 Listening Practice Exam Questions
1. Symphony No. 5, I: Allegro con brio (Beethoven)
Q1: In which year was this piece composed?
A. 1728
B. 1808
C. 1888
D. 1928
✅ Correct: B
Q2: What is the genre/subgenre of this piece?
A. Baroque
B. Romantic
C. Classical / Classical Period
D. Jazz Combo
✅ Correct: C
Q3: Which musical form does this piece use?
A. Strophic
B. Sonata Allegro
C. AABA
D. 12-Bar Blues
✅ Correct: B
Q4: Which best describes the melodic motion in this piece?
A. Conjunct
B. Ascending only
C. Disjunct
D. Static
✅ Correct: C
2. Carmen, Habañera (Georges Bizet)
Q1: When was this piece composed?
A. 1775
B. 1825
C. 1875
D. 1925
✅ Correct: C
Q2: What is the genre/subgenre?
A. Baroque / Sacred
B. Classical / Romantic
C. Opera / 20th Century
D. Classical / Classical Period
✅ Correct: B
Q3: What melodic scale is used?
A. Major
B. Chromatic
C. Minor pentatonic
D. Whole-tone
✅ Correct: B
Q4: What ensemble performs this piece?
A. Jazz combo
B. Power trio
C. Orchestra
D. Synth-based ensemble
✅ Correct: C
3. St. Louis Blues (Bessie Smith)
Q1: When was this piece released?
A. 1909
B. 1929
C. 1949
D. 1969
✅ Correct: B
Q2: What is the tempo of the piece?
A. Allegro
B. Largo
C. Andante
D. Presto
✅ Correct: C
Q3: What is the form of this piece?
A. AABA
B. 12-bar blues
C. Verse-chorus
D. Sonata-allegro
✅ Correct: B
Q4: What genre does this piece belong to?
A. Pop
B. Jazz
C. Blues
D. Folk
✅ Correct: C
4. Yardbird Suite (Charlie Parker)
Q1: What is the form of this piece?
A. AABA
B. Verse-chorus
C. Strophic
D. Sonata Allegro
✅ Correct: A
Q2: What is the tempo marking for this piece?
A. Largo
B. Moderato
C. Presto
D. Adagio
✅ Correct: C
Q3: What is the genre and subgenre?
A. Jazz / Swing
B. Classical / Romantic
C. Jazz / Bebop
D. Pop / Soul
✅ Correct: C
Q4: Which of the following is a de ning instrumental technique in this piece?
A. Drone
B. Walking Bass
C. Syncopation
D. Leitmotif
✅ Correct: B
5. 4’33” (John Cage)
Q1: What is the genre/subgenre?
A. Classical / Romantic
B. Classical / 20th Century
C. Electroacoustic
D. Experimental Jazz
✅ Correct: B
Q2: What instrument(s) are used in this piece?
A. Full orchestra
B. Synthesizers
C. Any instrument(s)
D. Piano only
✅ Correct: C
fi
Q3: How many movements does this piece contain?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
✅ Correct: C
Q4: What is the metre of the piece?
A. Duple
B. Triple
C. Mixed metre
D. Ametric
✅ Correct: D
6. Mack the Knife (Ella Fitzgerald)
Q1: What instrumental technique does the bassist use in this piece?
A. Stationary Bass
B. Skipping Bass
C. Walking Bass
D. Running Bass
✅ Correct: C
Q2: What is the rhythmic feel of the piece?
A. Conjunct
B. Disjunct
C. Harmonic Rhythm
D. Swing Rhythm
✅ Correct: D
Q3: What term describes the notes before the downbeat in the melody?
A. Frontbeat
B. Sidebeat
C. Backbeat
D. Upbeat
✅ Correct: D
Q4: Which common jazz chord progression is used in this piece?
A. ii-V-I
B. 967-1111
C. I-V-I
D. 12345
✅ Correct: A
7. I of IV (Pauline Oliveros)
Q1: What kind of instruments are used?
A. Orchestra
B. Synthesizers
C. Electronics
D. Strings and percussion
✅ Correct: C
Q2: What is the melodic characteristic?
A. Disjunct
B. Conjunct
C. Amelodic
D. Ascending
✅ Correct: C
Q3: What is the performance technique present?
A. Staccato
B. Drone
C. Swing rhythm
D. Walking bass
✅ Correct: B
Q4: What is the genre/subgenre?
A. Classical / Romantic
B. Jazz / Cool
C. Classical / 20th Century
D. Electroacoustic
✅ Correct: C
8. The Wind Cries Mary (Jimi Hendrix)
Q1: What is the ensemble for this piece?
A. Power trio
B. Orchestra
C. Jazz big band
D. String quartet
✅ Correct: A
Q2: What genre/subgenre is this?
A. Jazz / Swing
B. Rock / Classic Rock
C. Hip-Hop
D. Classical / Romantic
✅ Correct: B
Q3: What instruments are primarily used?
A. Electric guitar and electric bass
B. Synthesizers
C. Violin and cello
D. Saxophone and trumpet
✅ Correct: A
Q4: What is the form of the piece?
A. Strophic
B. Verse-refrain
C. AABA
D. Through-composed
✅ Correct: B
9. River (Joni Mitchell)
Q1: What is the time signature?
A. 3/4
B. 6/8
C. 4/4
D. 5/4
✅ Correct: C
Q2: What genre is this piece?
A. Pop
B. Rock
C. Folk
D. Blues
✅ Correct: C
Q3: What is the harmony?
A. Atonal
B. Minor key
C. Modal
D. Major key
✅ Correct: D
Q4: What is the tempo?
A. Allegro
B. Presto
C. Moderato
D. Adagio
✅ Correct: C
10. Águas de Março (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
Q1: What is the metre of the piece?
A. 2/4
B. 4/4
C. 3/4
D. 5/4
✅ Correct: B
Q2: What form is used in the piece?
A. AABA
B. Strophic
C. Verse-chorus
D. Through-composed
✅ Correct: B
Q3: What is the genre/subgenre?
A. Jazz / Bebop
B. Classical / 21st Century
C. Jazz / Bossa Nova
D. Folk
✅ Correct: C
Q4: What language is the lyrics primarily in?
A. Spanish
B. English
C. Portuguese
D. French
✅ Correct: C
11. Patria: Princess’s Aria (R. Murray Schafer)
Q1: What is the original context of this piece?
A. Chamber music
B. Music-theatre
C. Concert opera
D. Symphony
✅ Correct: B
Q2: What genre/subgenre does this fall under?
A. Classical / 20th Century
B. Electroacoustic
C. Romantic / Art Song
D. Pop / Opera Fusion
✅ Correct: A
Q3: Which of the following is most closely associated with Schafer’s ideas?
A. Deep Listening
B. Acoustic Ecology
C. Leitmotif
D. Tonic modulation
✅ Correct: B
Q4: Which technique is likely present in the stage context?
A. Indeterminacy
B. Mickey Mousing
C. Site-speci c performance
D. Minimalism
✅ Correct: C
12. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston)
Q1: In which year was this piece released?
A. 1977
B. 1987
C. 1997
D. 2007
✅ Correct: B
Q2: Which harmonic progression is used in this piece?
A. ii-V-I
B. I-vi-IV-V
C. I-IV-V-I
D. I-V-vi-iii
✅ Correct: B
Q3: What genre does this piece belong to?
A. Pop
B. Funk
C. R&B
D. Hip-Hop
✅ Correct: A
Q4: What kind of instruments are featured in this piece?
A. Acoustic strings
B. Synthesized
C. Brass and reeds
D. Traditional jazz combo
✅ Correct: B
fi
13. Can I Kick It? (A Tribe Called Quest)
Q1: What is the genre of this piece?
A. Hip-Hop
B. Jazz
C. R&B
D. Funk
✅ Correct: A
Q2: What is a key production element in this piece?
A. Drone
B. Sampling
C. Leitmotif
D. Strophic variation
✅ Correct: B
Q3: What is the metre?
A. 3/4
B. 6/8
C. 4/4 with backbeat
D. Ametric
✅ Correct: C
Q4: What is the melodic quality?
A. Ascending
B. Chromatic
C. Amelodic
D. Major scale
✅ Correct: C
14. Anthracite Fields, IV. Flowers (Julia Wolfe)
Q1: What is the melodic scale used?
A. Minor
B. Major
C. Chromatic
D. Whole-tone
✅ Correct: A
Q2: What is the harmonic context?
A. Atonal
B. Dissonant clusters
C. Minor key
D. Major key
✅ Correct: C
Q3: When was this piece composed?
A. 1994
B. 2004
C. 2014
D. 2024
✅ Correct: C
Q4: What is the genre/subgenre?
A. Jazz / Cool Jazz
B. Classical / 21st Century
C. Experimental Hip-Hop
D. Folk Revival
✅ Correct: B
15. Mehcinut (Jeremy Dutcher)
Q1: Who composed this piece?
A. Julia Wolfe
B. Jeremy Butcher
C. Tia DeNora
D. R. Murray Schafer
✅ Correct: B
Q2: What is the genre/cultural tradition?
A. Jazz / Swing
B. Classical / Romantic
C. Indigenous, Classical
D. Rock / Classic Rock
✅ Correct: C
Q3: What is the melodic motion at the outset of the piece?
A. Conjunct
B. Ascending
C. Disjunct
D. Chromatic
✅ Correct: B
Q4: When was this piece composed?
A. 1968
B. 1978
C. 2008
D. 2018
✅ Correct: D
