Western Music — Syllabus & Chapters

The complete syllabus for Western Music — every chapter you need to study, and how the exam paper is structured.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Four-Part Harmony and Chords
Chapter 2: Dominant Seventh Chords, Inversions and Modulation
Chapter 3: Figured Bass, Unfigured Bass and Phrase Construction
Chapter 4: Melody Writing, Rhythmic Structure, Phrasing and Harmonic Analysis
Chapter 5: Beethoven: Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36
Chapter 6: Bach: Prelude and Fugue No. 16 in G Minor, Book I
Chapter 7: Schubert: Erlkönig (The Erl King)
Chapter 8: César Franck: Violin Sonata, Last Movement
Chapter 9: Rhythm Dictation
Chapter 10: Melodic Dictation
Chapter 11: Diatonic Interval Recognition
Chapter 12: Cadence Recognition
Chapter 13: Principal Chord Recognition
Chapter 14: Simple Modulation Recognition

Frequently asked questions

How many chapters are there in Western Music?

The Western Music syllabus has 14 chapters, listed in full above. Cover the high-weightage chapters first using the exam pattern as a guide.

How do I know which Western Music chapters carry the most marks?

Compare the chapter list above with the exam pattern and the last few years of question papers — the topics that appear most often and the units with the highest marks are where to focus first. Always confirm weightage against the official syllabus for your exam year.

Has the Western Music syllabus changed this year?

Boards occasionally revise the syllabus or remove topics for a session. Always download the official syllabus for your exact exam year from the official ICSE & ISC portal rather than relying on an older copy or a social-media list.

How can I prepare for Western Music faster?

Begin with the most-frequently-asked topics and the last few years of question papers, then test yourself under timed conditions. If you want guided help, you can use the free AI study tutor for Western Music — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused Western Music study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.