The origin of the attempt to distinguish early from modern music and t

Question

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Passage # 02, Date: 01-Apr-2020
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The origin of the attempt to distinguish early from modern music and to establish the canons of performance practice for each lies in the eighteenth century. In the first half of that century, when Telemann and Bach ran the collegium musicum in Leipzig, Germany, they performed their own and other modern music. In the German universities of the early twentieth century, however, the reconstituted collegium musicum devoted itself to performing music from the centuries before the beginning of the “ standard repertory, ” by which was understood music from before the time of Bach and Handel.

Alongside this modern collegium musicum, German musicologists developed the historical  subdiscipline  known as “performance practice,” which included the deciphering of obsolete musical notation and its transcription into modern notation, the study of obsolete instruments, and—most importantly because all musical notation is incomplete—the re-establishment of lost oral traditions associated with those forgotten repertories. The cutoff date for this study was understood to be around 1750, the year of Bach’s death. The reason for this demarcation was that the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and their contemporaries did call for obsolete instruments and voices and unannotated performing traditions. Furthermore, with a few exceptions, late baroque music had ceased to be performed for nearly a century, with the result that orally transmitted performing traditions associated with it were forgotten. In contrast, the notation in the music of Haydn and Mozart from the second half of the eighteenth century was more complete than in the earlier styles, and the instruments seemed familiar, so no “special” knowledge appeared necessary. Also, the music of Haydn and Mozart, having never ceased to be performed, had maintained some kind of oral tradition of performance practice.    1 
 A 
 1. It can be inferred that the “standard repertory” ( Highlighted ) might have included music

(A) that called for the use of obsolete instruments.
(B) of the early twentieth century.
(C) written by the performance practice composers.
(D) written before the time of Handel.
(E) composed before 1700.

2 
 D 
 2. According to the passage, performance practice in the early twentieth century involved all of the following EXCEPT

(A) deciphering outdated music notation.
(B) studying instruments no longer in common use.
(C) reestablishing unannotated performing traditions.
(D) determining which musical instrument to use.
(E) transcribing older music into modern notation.

3 
 B 
 3. According to the passage, German musicologists of the early twentieth century limited performance practice to pre-1750 works because

(A) special knowledge was generally not required to decipher pre-1750 music.
(B) unannotated performing traditions had been maintained for later works.
(C) generally speaking, only music written before 1750 had ceased to be performed.
(D) the annotation for earlier works was generally less complete than for the works of Bach and Handel.
(E) music written prior to 1750 was considered obsolete.

4 
 C 
 4. The author refers to performance practice as a “subdiscipline” ( Highlighted ) probably because it

(A) was not sanctioned by the mainstream.
(B) required more discipline than performing the standard repertory.
(C) focused on particular aspects of the music being performed at the German universities.
(D) involved deciphering obsolete musical notation.
(E) involved performing the works that were being transcribed at the universities.

Source:  Master GMAT 
Difficulty Level:   700

Sajjad1994 · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation

1. It can be inferred that the “standard repertory” (Highlighted) might have included music

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

It is reasonably inferable from the  first paragraph  as a whole that the  “standard repertory”  mentioned in  line 8-9  refers to the music of Bach and Telemann as well as to other ( “modern” ) music from their time (first half of the eighteenth century).

In the  second paragraph , the author mentions that the music of Bach, Telemann, and their contemporaries called for obsolete instruments  (lines 19–22) . Thus, the standard repertory might have included music that called for the use of obsolete instruments, as  choice (A)  indicates.

The correct answer is (A).

2. According to the passage, performance practice in the early twentieth century involved all of the following EXCEPT

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

Although the passage does indicate that early music often called for the use of obsolete instruments, the passage does not state explicitly that performance practice involved determining which musical instrument to use.

The correct answer is (D).

3. According to the passage, German musicologists of the early twentieth century limited performance practice to pre-1750 works because

Difficulty Level:   700

According to the passage, the German musicologists did not study the music of Mozart and Haydn (post-1750 music) because, among other reasons, their music,  “having never ceased to be performed, had maintained some kind of oral tradition of performance practice”   (Last 3 lines . Unannotated music is music that is not written, but strictly oral.  Choice (B)  restates the author’s point in these lines.

The correct answer is (B).

4. The author refers to performance practice as a “subdiscipline” (Highlighted) probably because it

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

According to the passage, performance practice was developed alongside the modern (early twentieth-century) collegium musicum, which was part of the German university. While the modern collegium musicum performed music from before the time of Bach and Handel, scholars in the field of performance practice studied certain aspects (e.g., choice of instruments, deciphering notation) of music from the same time period.

The correct answer is (C).

Hope it helps

BlueBook · Answer

1) From the 1st paragraph, ‘standard repertory’ music is music before the time of Bach and Handel. Bach and Handel composed music in the first half of the 18th century therefore music before their time must have been before 1700 which makes the answer E).

2) Performance practice included:
• Deciphering obsolete musical notation.
• Transcription of obsolete music notation into modern notation.
• The study of outdated instruments.
• Re-establishment of lost oral tradition with forgotten repertoires.
• Unannotated performing traditions. The music and Bach and Handel was classified as Performance practice because it called for this.
All the choices are mentioned in the first half of the 2nd paragraph except choice D).

3) POE can be used to arrive at the answer. The analysis and answer can be found in the 2nd paragraph.
A) Special was knowledge was actually required to decipher pre-1750 music because it was considered obsolete in contrast to music from the latter half of the 18th century. This is explained from the 2nd paragraph in the line beginning with:  “In contrast,….”   Incorrect. 
B) There is no evidence of this. All we are told is that music with unannotated performing traditions was considered obsolete and we are given the example of Bach, Handel and Telemann.  Incorrect. 
C) The answer is wrong because of the word ‘only’. There is no evidence directly given that only music performed before 1750 had ceased to be performed.  Incorrect. 
D) This answer is contrary to the info given in the passage. We are told that Bach and Handel’s music did actually contain unannotated performing traditions.  Incorrect. 
E) This answer directly ties in with the definition of performance practice as defined in analysis of question 2 above.  Correct.

4) A) There is no mention of what is mainstream or not.  Incorrect. 
B) There is no mention of how ‘disciplined’ one has to be to perform performance practice compared to standard repertory.  Incorrect. 
C) There is no mention of performance practice being performed at German universities.  Incorrect. 
D) This is probably why it is a historical sub discipline because it requires special attention due to its obsolete nature in its musical notation, use of instruments and annotation.  Correct. 
E) We are not told anything about performing the works.  Incorrect

Gowtham91 · Answer

Q1. Option E. From 1st paragraph we can infer that 
 1. The attempt to performance practice started in 18th Century
 2. In 1st half of 18th century Telmann and Bach performed their own music
 3. In Early 19th century - collegium started performing music before the standard repertory
 4. Standard repertory is the music from centuries (plural) before Bach and Handel
This means the standard reportory is atleast 2 centuries older than 18th century. Option E is in line with this inference.

Q2. Option D. This can be directly understood from the lines 3-7 of para 2.

Q3. Option B. We can understand from para 2 that 
 1. Bach died in 1750
 2. Bach's music called for unannotated performing traditions. (Reason for choosing 1750 as cutoff date)
Hence, we can infer that music post Bach death DID NOT CALL for unannotated performance and it is already maintained.

Q4. Option D. From the passage we can understand that performance practice is nothing but re-performing the old music. This means it is NOT original/ authentic. Hence it is called as subdiscipline by the author.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello all, OAs of this RC are posted now you can tally your answers

1. A
2. D
3. B
4. C

BlueBook

Good effort +Kudos to you, i will post Official explanations soon you can check where you made error.

Gautam12121991

You result is 50/50. Improvement is needed.

Good Luck.

tanto64 · Answer

1. P1: Standard repertory music = music during the time of Bach and Handel, P2: "The reason for this demarcation was that the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and their contemporaries did call for obsolete instruments" --> standard repertory music = calling for obsolete instruments

Ans: A

2. No ambiguity on this one "Alongside this modern collegium musicum, German musicologists developed the historical subdiscipline known as “performance practice,” which included the deciphering of obsolete musical notation and its transcription into modern notation, the study of obsolete instruments, and—most importantly because all musical notation is incomplete—the re-establishment of lost oral traditions associated with those forgotten repertories"
Ans: D

3. "The reason for this demarcation was that the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and their contemporaries did call for obsolete instruments and voices and unannotated performing traditions." --> Inference: there was no need to study it afterwards because they included it (as an example, if we were specifically studying nervous people prior to 1750, we stopped when in 1750 once we realized that all people were nervous)

Ans: B

4. "...German musicologists developed the historical subdiscipline known as “performance practice,” which included the deciphering of obsolete musical notation and its transcription into modern notation, the study of obsolete instruments, and—most importantly because all musical notation is incomplete—the re-establishment of lost oral traditions associated with those forgotten repertories."

Tricky inference here: author is describing different aspects of music such as transcription, notation and re-establishment of oral tradition

Ans: C

ayushgarg32 · Answer

Can you please upload the Detailed answer, I really want to know why did you go for B in question 3. ??

Rocknrolla21 · Answer

Hi, can someone please explain why answer choice D doesn't fit for Q1?

Although I marked the right answer, I was really confused between choice A and D. The last line of the first paragraph says that 'standard repertory by which was understood music from *before* the time of Bach and Handel'.

Thanks!

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OAs are posted here, please follow below link. https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-origin-o ... l#p2487158 Good Luck

ujain · Answer

Experts: in Q4 option D and E are eliminated because it is focussing on the subpart (the historical subdiscipline known as “performance practice,” which included the deciphering.......) not as a whole; whereas option C is including all the subparts. Right?

rajamech · Answer

Here is my attempt:
1: Option A
2: Option D
3: Option B
4: Option C

harsh154 · Answer

For the given RC,

In Q1, why can't the answer be D, as it is mentioned in last line of para1 that Standard repartory include music from time of Handel and bach

Regards,
Harsh.

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

Hi Harsh

Paragraph 2 of the passage states: "...the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and their contemporaries..."

From this, we gather that Bach, Handel and Telemann were contemporaries ie; belonged to roughly the same time period. Therefore, the "standard repertory" should refer to music belonging to this period.

Option (D) states: Written before the time of Handel.

This would refer to music written  before  the time of Bach etc. and hence, to a time period  before  the "standard repertory". Hence this cannot be the correct answer.

Hope this helps.

Mansha02 · Answer

Good morning sir
Sir I not able to relate 1st question's answer after reading thrice as to what is inferred from the word standard repertory. According to me ans was d)written before the time of Handel.I m not able to understand what this line means..devoted itself to performing music from the centuries before the beginning of the “standard repertory,” by which was understood music from before the time of Bach and Handel…how it is referred to as music belonging to this(Bach n Handel) period and not before. If I understand that standard repertory is Bach, Handel's period then I will be able to relate the 2nd part that the music of Bach, Handel, Telemann, and their contemporaries did call for obsolete instruments and voices and unannotated performing traditions. Please help

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Please read the Official Explanation here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-origin-o ... l#p2487158 Regards

Mansha02 · Answer

According to OE(Original Explanation)"It is reasonably inferable from the first paragraph as a whole that the “standard repertory” mentioned in line 8-9 refers to the music of Bach and Telemann as well as to other (“modern”) music from their time (first half of the eighteenth century)." 
Sir in this it is directly mentioned it refers to the music of Bach and Telemann and music from their time but I m not able to infer the same..I thought before the time of Bach and Handel..I m sorry for bothering but i couldn't understand.
Also I will be really obliged if you explain me this line and as I m not able to figure out where I m going wrong.."..devoted itself to performing music from the centuries before the beginning of the “standard repertory,” by which was understood music from before the time of Bach and Handel"…how it is referred to as music belonging to this(Bach n Handel) period and not before.Thanks.

Aryan0909 · Answer

sir im a undergrad student i need to ace gmat rc can you give me some tips

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Follow below links for RC. https://gmatclub.com/forum/topic315998.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/topic302904.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/topic301219.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/topic300886.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/topic273038.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/topic287783.html Thanks

richirish · Answer

Definitely a tough passage , took me 10 mins to read and answer all questions correctly even though I am good at RC. Happy to help if needed! Thanks  SajjadAhmad  for the passage and difficulty levels.

EP2620 · Answer

Hello  CrackVerbalGMAT ,

Thanks for the post!

I marked option D in question 1 because of the last line of passage 1, which says:
 In the German universities of the early twentieth century, however, the reconstituted collegium musicum devoted itself to performing music from the centuries before the beginning of the “standard repertory,” by which was understood music from before the time of Bach and Handel

In this sentence,  what does the phrase  by which was understood music before the time of Bach and Handel  modify?

My inference was that the phrase modifies standard repertory, and hence I marked option D (written before the time of Hendel)

The origin of the attempt to distinguish early from modern music and t

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The origin of the attempt to distinguish early from modern music and t

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