romantic piano summary

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