Music History Final Study Guide

Program Music

Music meant to tell a story or go along with something else.

Absolute Music

Music that exists for its own beauty, independent of external references.

Niccolo Paganini

Transformative violin player known for his superhuman ability and showmanship.

Unattainable Artistic Heights

A driving goal shared by composers of program and absolute music.

Showmanship

The use of dramatic effect in musical performance, exemplified by Paganini.

The Devil's Violinist

Film depicting Paganini's historical concert performance style.

Virtuoso

A performer with extraordinary technical skill, as seen in Paganini.

Tchaikovsky

Composer who excelled in both program and absolute music.

1812 Overture

A programmatic work by Tchaikovsky depicting Napoleon's defeat.

Violin Concerto in D

A Tchaikovsky work that exemplifies absolute music and sweeping melodies.

Ballets

Works like Swan Lake and The Nutcracker that blend program and absolute elements.

Johann Brahms

Composer known for his commitment to absolute music and organic unity.

Orchestration

The art of combining different instruments to create new sounds.

Manipulating Time

Brahms' technique of obscuring beats and time signatures.

Romantic Opera

Transitional music style emphasizing nationalism from classical opera.

Nationalism in Music

The use of music to express national identity and pride.

Verismo Opera

A style focusing on real-life situations, often amplified and exaggerated.

Exoticism in Music

Incorporating elements from foreign cultures into compositions.

Bel Canto

An operatic singing style emphasizing control, phrasing, and expression.

Giuseppe Verdi

Prolific Italian composer focused on verismo and emotional storytelling.

Richard Wagner

Composer known for his total artist philosophy in opera and long operas.

Leitmotif

A recurring musical theme associated with characters or ideas in Wagner's operas.

Opera Singers as Athletes

Opera performers develop physical skills like athletes for training and performance.

Atonality

Music without a tonal center, moving beyond major/minor keys.

Tristan Chord

A chord from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde that creates unresolved tension.

Cultural Elements

Diverse influences present in the music of the late 19th century.

Emergence of New Technologies

Technological advancements that allowed for sound recording and distribution.

Jazz

A musical genre emerging from diverse cultural influences in America.

Franz Liszt

Hungarian composer known for his virtuosic piano techniques and showmanship.

Chopin's Rubato

A technique allowing performers to vary tempo according to expression.

Louis Moreau Gottschalk

American composer who blended diverse musical traditions into his compositions.

American Folk Songs

Lively melodies encapsulating themes of cultural experience and storytelling.

Tin Pan Alley

A location and style characterized by catchy, popular music aimed at mass appeal.

Brass Band Music

A popular form of music led by John Philip Sousa symbolizing 19th century America.

Scott Joplin

The preeminent ragtime composer known for his virtuosic piano works.

British Light Opera

A lighter form of musical entertainment distinctly different from traditional opera.

Gilbert and Sullivan

Creators of British light opera known for their humor and satire of society.

Dmitry Shostakovich

Composer navigating creative expression under the constraints of Soviet ideology.

Socialist Realism

An art form promoted by the Soviet government emphasizing realistic representation.

Film Music

Music grounding in classical tradition while embracing popular aesthetics.

Expressionism

The musical movement focusing on exaggeration and emotional intensity.

Neoclassicism

A movement reviving classical forms with modern reinterpretations.

The Rite of Spring

Stravinsky's groundbreaking ballet representing conflict between humans and nature.

Music of the Interwar Period

The music reflecting societal struggles and creative responses to political ideologies.

Lili Boulanger

Pioneer composer who blended modern and traditional styles, influential in the 20th century.

Erik Satie

Composer associated with ambient music and playful irreverence toward composition.

Modernism in Music

A movement focused on progress and innovation, reflecting societal changes.

Avant-Garde

Experimental music exploring new frontiers in sound and structure.

Micro-polyphony

A texture created by dense, overlapping sounds resulting in a unified effect.

Terry Riley

Key minimalist composer known for process-oriented techniques in music.

Steve Reich

Composer associated with phasing and minimalism, known for rhythmic complexity.

Jazz Standards

Recognizable pieces in jazz that serve as frameworks for improvisation.

Collective Improvisation

An ensemble performance technique where musicians improvise together.

Swing Music

A jazz style emphasizing rhythmic feel between simple and compound meters.

Cool Jazz

A relaxed form of jazz characterized by subdued tempos and emotive color.

Contemporary Jazz

A blend of jazz with other genres, continuing to evolve and innovate.

Postmodernism in Music

A movement deconstructing norms and emphasizing individuality in composition.

Neo-Romanticism

A musical movement revisiting Romantic ideals while incorporating modern styles.

John Williams

Renowned film composer known for his neo-romantic style and thematic scores.

Aaron Copland

American composer known for embodying the American sound in classical music.

George Gershwin

Composer known for integrating jazz into classical forms, notable for Rhapsody in Blue.