This is a resource and listening list for the Royal Conservatory examination, which briefly covers western music from the Baroque period to the 20th century.
Book Suggestions
- The Royal Conservatory, Theory Syllabus (latest edition). Tells you what you need to study.
- Janet Lopinski et al. Explorations (vol. 1). A rather expensive workbook for its length, but useful for test preparation as it follows the RCM syllabus exactly. Expect test questions to be in the same format.
- RCM official examination papers (any year). Get one or two to try before the actual exam.
- Mark Evan Bonds, A History of Music in Western Culture. Anthology available. Standard university textbook, short but to the point, and very accessible. I prefer the brevity, personally.
- Joseph Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music. CD available. Another university textbook, similar to the Bonds without material on Greco-Roman music of antiquity, but with chapters on music appreciation. Get the newer, shorter editions (11th) unless you want a brick.