How to effectively answer 'evaluation' essay questions? (example Q-"Evaluate Portman's use of instrumentation, melody and harmony in the music for 'The Duchess', in relation to the film's historical subject matter.) )

Before writing the essay It is essential to roughly plan your essay, which will provide effective framework to your ideas and analysis. Write down three other relevant musical works that can be used throughout your essay to justify and contextualise your key points.IntroA brief overview of the context of the work and composer, followed by the main points you will consider in order to evaluate the work.For example- 'The Duchess' is an account of the life of Georgina Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. Portman generally avoids specific pastiche is her score but provides, for the most part, attractive background music that is vaguely suggestive of the refinements of past times with "an overall sense of florid Englishness" (Jonathon Broxton). In this essay I am going to consider how Rachel Portman used instrumentation, melody and harmony to create an atmospheric backdrop to the historical subject-matter of the film. Main paragraphsUse the question to assist in structuring your essay. For instance in this case, my first body paragraph would be the evaluation of instrumentation, P2-evaluation of melody and P3- evaluation of harmony. In this way, the examiner has a much easier job of working out where to award marks. Remember to embed all analytical points within the context and angle of the question.Example paragraph- As is the case with her score for 'Emma' (also reflecting historical subject matter), Portman uses a fairly limited orchestral palette, with instruments that might have made up orchestras at the time the film was set (late Classical, Early Romantic). The textures are dominated by the string section, leaving the woodwind and horns to provide harmonic filling. In section B of 'The Duchess (Opening)' there is a violin solo, but like most parts in the score, this is restrained and non-virtuosic. By contrast, classical violin concertos such as Mozart's Violin Concerto in D major are virtuosic, their cadenzas often containing fast arppegiaic semiquaver passages, high-tessitura playing and triple stopping. ConclusionAs time is usually tight in the exam, it is fine to just briefly summarise and conclude the essay in a few short sentences. But, it is essential to link back to and refer to the question. For example- Therefore, Portman's handling of instrumentation, melody and harmony shares many similarities with music from the Classical and early-Romantic periods, effectively enhancing the historical subject-matter of the film.