romantic piano summary

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Melody

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Melody

• Frequent use of motif (dotted motif) + moves through different parts

• Frequent use of scalic movement

• Mainly conjunct

• Some use of sequence

• Element of note + phrase repetition - repeats but on different octave - b168

• Some use of ornamentation - b40

• Large pitch range - full piano range

• Irregular + long phrasing

• Climaxes - highlighted by dynamics, hugh pitch, key change, breaks - b110

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Structure

A: A B A B B - b46: C B' A - b82: A' B' (Gm) D

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Harmony

• Mainly diatonic + functional - section A

• Use of pedal notes (mostly dom) - b70

• Frequent perfect cadences + emphasis on I + V

• Lots of chromaticism - section B - more dissonant eg ½dim7 - b60-61

• Extended chords: V7d - b114 (in E), I7d - b154, French augmented 6th - b184 + 196

• Changes in harmonic rate - b170

• Circle of fifths - b170

• Suspension - b25-26

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Tempo + Metre + Rhythm

• Section A: andantino

• Section B: presto con fuoco

• 6/8 - lilting

• Siciliano - dotted motif - section A

• Section A: mostly crotchet + quaver movement

• Section B: mostly semiquaver movement

• Cross rhythms - section B

• Syncopation - section B

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Dynamics + Articulation

• Wide range in dynamics

• Section A: piano/pianissimo

• Section B: forte/fortissimo

• Use of dim + cresc

• sfz chord - b196 to pp (contrast)

• Mainly legato

• Some staccato

• Some accented - b183

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Tonality

• F major

• A minor - relative minor of dom

• C - dom - b24-25

• Touches on: Gm - b37, Dm - b62, A♭m - b68, D♭ - b97, G♭ - b103, B♭m - b110, E - b114

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Intrumentation

• Piano: Use of sustain pedal

Chopin: Ballade No. 2 in F Major Texture

• Melody dominated homophony

• Starts sparse (in octaves) then gradually thickens

• Chordal in section A

• Arpeggiated/broken chordal in section B

• Octaves in bass in section B

• Thick RH chords - b63-71

• Contrary motion

• Dense chords - b108 - thickest area

• 10 note chord - b196 followed by contrast (bare octaves)

• Motif moves through different parts

Chopin: Ballade No.2 in F Major Mood + Genre + Context

• Ballade 2 of 4

• Dedicated to Schumann

• Later in the Romantic period

• Written after period of development of the grand piano - pedals, wider pitch range, wider range of dynamics

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Melody

• Two subjects/themes

• Mainly conjunct

• Use of accented passing notes - b4

• Some chromatic movement

• Use of ornamentation: acciaccatura - b2 + 31 + 34, fioratura - b35, trill - b31, mordent - b33

• More decorated in the return of section A

• 5 octave pitch range

• Climax - b37-38

• Simple lyrical melody

• Some use of sequence - b16-17

• Varied phrasing

• Expansive melodic lines

• Rhythmic augmentation - b26-27

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Structure

A B A' coda or Exposition - 1+2, recap - 1+2, coda or A B A' B' 3 bar coda

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Harmony

• Mainly diatonic + functional

• Some chromaticism

• Use of pedal notes - tonic - section B, 12 bar tonic pedal at end

• Changes in harmonic rate

• Emphasis on I + V

• Avoids clear perfect cadence - b1-9

• Variety of chord inversions

• Extended chords: Dim7 - b5 + 7, aug6 - b6, dom7

• Use of suspensions - b20

• Tierce de Picardie - b46

• False relation - b21

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Tempo + Metre + Rhythm

• Andante ♩=69

• Rubato

• Common time

• Constant triplet quavers - LH

• Some dotted rhythms

• Demisemiquavers

• Mainly crotchets, minims and quavers

• Semiquaver rest - b40 - rhythmic interest

• Cross rhythms - b4 + 16

• Rhythmic augmentation - b26-27

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Dynamics + Articulation

• pp-f

• Theme starts quiet then gets louder

• Use of cresc + dim - b5

• Calando (dying away) - b56

• Mainly slurred

• Accents - b10 + 19

• Some staccato - b41

• Accent on final chord

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Tonality

• E minor

• B minor - dom minor

• G major (1 bar) - relative major

• C major - subdom of G

• D minor

• E major + B major when subjects return

• Mostly Em, Bm, B, E

• Ends in E

• Tonality underpinned by pedals

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Instrumentation

• Piano: Use of sustain pedal

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Texture

• Melody dominated homophony

• Opening bar in monophonic

• Constant triplets arpeggiated in an unvaried pattern in LH

• Melody in parallel 3rds in section B

• Repeat of melody (b10) in octaves - b39-40

• Thinnest at b56

• Contrary motion - b36-37

Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Mood + Genre + Context

• Romantic piano music

• Nocturne - 1 of 21

• Inspired by John Field

• Written before ballade, published after death

Grieg: Notturno Melody

• Mainly conjunct - highlights bigger intervals

• Chromatic auxiliary passing notes

• Descending chromatic bass

• Ornamentation: acciaccatura, trills, appoggiatura, accented passing notes

• Bird song motif is lower at the end

• Simple, lyrical

• Irregular, varied phrasing

Grieg: Notturno Structure

A Codetta - b15 B - b21 A - b34 Codetta - b55

Grieg: Notturno Harmony

• Mainly functional but with juxtaposition of many unrelated keys + use of some chromaticism

• Mainly root position but some inversions

• Use of tritone - b8

• Frequent extended chords

• ½dim chord - b5-8 - gives feeling of circle of fifths

• German augmented 6th - b8

• Neapolitan feel - b10

• Changes in harmonic rate - section B vs b52

• Reprise of A explores flatter keys

• Ending sounds like V-I but is IIIb-I but the inversion puts G in the bass

Grieg: Notturno Tempo + Metre + Rhythm

• Andante

• Adagio - b62

• Lots of rubato

• 9/8 - compound triple time

• 6/8 - section B

• 3/8 - silent bars

• Feeling of 3/4 - b31-32

• Use of cross rhythms - b7 + 9

• Pulsating quaver movement in LH with ties giving syncopated feel

• Prevalent quaver movement

• Dotted rhythms

• Semiquaver movement - section B

• Triplet semiquaver movement/motif - b15

• Hemiola effect - b54

Grieg: Notturno Dynamics + Articulation

• Generally quiet - section A

• Climax to forte - b12

• Very quiet - section B

• Climax to fortissimo - b46

• Ends quietly

• Frequent tenuto markings, mainly slurred

• Accent - b2, staccato - particularly section B

Grieg: Notturno Tonality

• C major

• G major - dominant - b14

• E major - b21

• Touches on: A♭, D, G, Dm

• C major - b34

• Touches on: G - b43, Fm - b59

• C major - finishes

Grieg: Notturno Instrumentation

• Piano: Use of sustain + soft pedals

Grieg: Notturno Texture

• Melody dominated homophony

• Mainly block chords - section A

• Mainly arpeggiated chords - section B

• Melody is mostly one line - section A

• Melody is more chordal - section B

• Silent bars - b33 + 58 + 61

• Texture thins at b31-32

Grieg: Notturno Mood + Genre + Context

• Grieg's only notturno

• Inspired by Schumann

• Influenced jazz + 20th century composers (because of his harmonies)

Grieg: Norwegian March Melody

• Mainly middle range - section A

• Extended range - section B

• Grieg motif - 2nd followed by 3rd

• Mainly conjunct with some leaps of 3rds + 4ths

• Dance-like, march-like, lyrical

• Based on halling

• Based on pitches of fiddle - avoids the 4th

• Ornamentation: mordents

• Use of sequences - b19-21 + 22-24

• Octave descent in tenor line - b1-7

• Descent of 4 octaves - section B

• Melody in octaves in bass - b61

• Little sense of melody - section B

Grieg: Norwegian March Structure

A - 1 + 2 - b25 B - b41 A - 1 - b81 + 2 - b92 (enters sooner) B - b107 Coda - b147

Grieg: Norwegian March Harmony

• Mainly diatonic + functional but unconventional

• Tonic + dominant pedals

• Extended chords: maj7, 7, dim7, 9, ½dim, 11, etc

• 2nd inversion chords

• Circle of fifths - b29

• Bare fifths used frequently

Grieg: Norwegian March Tempo + Metre + Rhythm

• Allegretto marcato - b1

• Poco rit - b153

• 6/8 - duple compound time

• Feeling of 2 in a bar - emphasised by inner parts

• Dotted rhythms used

• Use of syncopation - b3

• Mainly quavers + dotted crotchets - section A

• Semiquavers + quaver rests in second idea of A

• Quaver + semiquaver movement - section B

Grieg: Norwegian March Dynamics + Articulation

• Wide range

• Slurs

• Accents

• Staccato

Grieg: Norwegian March Tonality

• Mainly C major

• A minor

• C minor

• G major

Grieg: Norwegian March Instrumentation

• Piano: Use of sustain pedal, mimics fiddle

Grieg: Norwegian March Texture

• Melody dominated homophony

• 4 part texture

• Tonic pedal + open fifths - act as a drone

• Tenor + alto parts move in parallel 6ths

• Antiphony - b18-25

• Change in texture - b26

• Sparse texture - b35-38

• Hands/parts switch - b112

• Ends with sustained chords

Grieg: Norwegian March Mood + Genre + Context

• Based on a Halling (Norwegian folk dance)

• Romantic

• 2 of 6

• Hardanger fiddle

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Melody

• Melody harmonised on 3rds + 4ths

• 3 motifs - p320

• Use of accented passing notes

• Retrograde movement

• Motif A inverted - b35-36

• Chromatic movement - b15

• Irregular phrase shaping - b16-29

• Use of repetition

• Rising + falling scale - b31-34

• Sequence

• Canon between melody + bass - opening of B

• Highest - C♯ - b59

• More chordal - b57

• Single melodic line - b23-24

• Use of echappée - 2nd note

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Structure

A: A B A' B' B: A B A' A

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Harmony

• Mainly diatonic + functional

• Use of variety of inversions

• Extended chords: 7, 13, neapolitan 6th - b7, German aug6

• Use of suspensions - b8 + b11

• Chord IV used often - b78 - pull to subdom

• Chromatic harmonies

• Tonic + dom pedals - p1

• Some use of perfect cadences - but they're also avoided - b37-38

• Changes in harmonic rate

• Use of imperfect cadences - b64

• Enharmonic chord/change - A♯-B♭ - b59

• Tierce de picardie - b56

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Tempo + Metre + Rhythm

• Andante teneramente

• Calando - b34

• Più lento - b47

• Rit - b60

• Rubato

• 3/4

• Feeling of 6/8 vs 3/4 - b26

• Anacrusis opening

• Mostly crotchet + quaver / crotchet + quaver movement

• Cross rhythms - b51

• Dotted rhythms

• Triplets

• Hemiola - b39

• Syncopation

• Metric displacement + ambiguity - b17 - emphasis on 3rd beat

• Homorhythm - b57-64

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Dynamics + Articulation

• Frequent use of cresc + dim

• Mostly quiet with two climaxes - b30 + b69

• pp to f - b69

• Dolce - b12

• Mostly legato

• Frequent use of slurs

• Use of accents - b46-47

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Tonality

• A major

• E - dominant

• C - touches on - flattened 6th of dom

• Section B: F♯m, C♯m - dom

• Returns to A

• b31-34 - chromatic descent

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Instrumentation

• Piano: Use of sustain pedal

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Texture

• Melody dominated homophony

• 6 part texture - b3

• Single note melodic line - b23-24

• Thin texture - b23-24

• Use of inner pedal - b31

• Arpeggiated vs chordal - b56 vs b57

• Canon between melody and bass - opening of B

• Homorhythm - b57-64

• Fuller texture - return of A - b82-83

Brahms: Intermezzo in A Major Mood + Genre + Context

• 2 of 6

• Inspired by Bach harmonies

• Intermezzo - 'between'

• Romantic

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Melody

• Starts with anacrusis

• Motif A - rising quavers (anacrusis) + dotted minim - A - also used in inversion

• Mainly conjunct - some leaps - b70

• Ornamentation: appoggiatura - b71

• Irregular phrasing

• Descending melodic minor scale

• Anacrusis has extra note + 3rd higher - b27

• Imitation - b71-72

• B melody returns in coda - b114

• Bold energetic mood - A

• Reflective mood - B

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Structure

A: A (1-10) B (11-22) A (23-32) Coda (32-40) B (41-72): A B A C A B A Link (72-77) A (77-107): [A B A]-copy of 1-31 Coda (108-end)

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Harmony

• Mainly diatonic + functional - but also uses unrelated chords

• Circle of fifths - frequent - section A

• Use of perfect cadences - anacrusis into b1

• Variety of inversions - but mostly root position in opening 10 bars

• Pedals - tonic pedal - b32-37

• 4 chord changes - b3 - contrasts the pedals

• Diminution - b1-2 vs b3

• Frequent use of 7ths

• dim7 - b19

• Neapolitan 6 - b75

• Suspensions - b15-16

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Tempo + Metre + Rhythm

• Allegro energico

• Cut time - feels like 2 or fast 4

• Chordal quaver movement - inner parts

• Constant quaver movement - section B

• Dotted crotchets + quavers - section B

• Dotted rhythms

• Syncopation - b22

• Diminution - b1-2 vs b3

• Feeling of metric displacement - b45-46

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Dynamics + Articulation

• Starts forte

• sf - b22

• p - b10

• Detailed dynamics - b14-16 - meticulous writing

• pp - b41 - section B

• Accents + staccato - section A

• Legato - section B

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Tonality

• G minor - section A

• B major - section B

• Touches on: D - b5, E♭ - b12, Dm - b29, F♯ - b45, D♯ - b47, A♭ - b75

• Tertiary modulations

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Instrumentation

• Piano: Use of sustain + una corda pedal

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Texture

• Melody dominated homophony

• Block chordal

• Arpeggiated spanning two octaves - thinner - B

• RH harmonised in 3rds and 6ths - section B

• b40 - only LH - very sparse

• Thins out - b110-112

• Use of inverted pedal

• Sparse end

Brahms: Ballade in G minor Mood + Genre + Context

• Romantic piano music

• 3 of 6