Music Appreciation Exam 4

Classical Era

Absolute Music

Music with no prescribed story or text, opposite of program music.

Theme

A musical idea that serves as a building block for a composition.

Motive

A short melodic or rhythmic fragment of a theme, the smallest unit of a theme.

Sonata

An instrumental work for one or two instruments, usually with three or four contrasting movements.

Scherzo

A lively, playful movement, often replacing the minuet in the Classical and Romantic periods.

What were the years of the Classical Period?

1750-1825

Historical, political, and economic elements

• Aristocratic rulers such as Louis XV, Frederick the Great, Maria Theresa, and Catherine the Great

• The Industrial Revolution led to scientific advances and new economic power.

• The rise of the middle class and public concerts.

Why is Vienna important?

It was the center of musical life, home to major composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

What was the most important element of absolute music?

Form and structure, as it relies purely on musical development rather than a narrative.

Opportunities for women in music

• Professional opera singers

• Court Instrumentalists

• Music teachers

• Some, like Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart and Maria Theresia von Paradis, became noted musicians

What did the rise of the middle class lead to?

The rise of public concerts and a demand for new music

Composers of the First Viennese School

Hadyn, Mozart, Beethoven

Difference between classical and Classical music

• classical (little “c”) refers to Western art music in general.

• Classical (big “C”) refers specifically to the era from 1750-1825.

Musical characteristics of Classical style

• Clear, symmetrical melodies

• Homophonic texture

• Diatonic harmonies

• Balanced phrases and steady rhythm.

Most important organizing element in Classical music

Form (such as sonata-allegro form)

Favorite chamber ensemble of the Classical era

String quartet

Form of each movement in a multi-movement Classical work

• 1st movement — Sonata-allegro (fast).

• 2nd movement — Theme and variations or ternary (slow).

• 3rd movement (optional) — Minuet and trio or scherzo and trio (dance-like).

• 4th movement — Sonata-allegro, rondo, or sonata-rondo (fast).

General characteristics of each movement of a symphony

• 1st. Fast, dramatic, structured

• 2nd. Slow, lyrical

• 3rd. Dance-like (if present)

• 4th. Lively, energetic

Instrumentation of a string quartet

Two violins, viola, cello.

Nucleus of the Classical orchestra

Strings

Changes in orchestration from Baroque to Classical

• Standardized instrumentation

• Larger orchestras

• Expanded woodwinds, brass, and percussion sections.

Instruments replaced by strings

Continuo instruments like harpsichord and basso continuo.

Haydn’s nicknames

“Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet”

Three main sections of sonata-allegro form

Exposition, Development, Recapitulation.

Two meanings of “symphony”

• A musical genre

• The type of ensemble performing it (symphony orchestra)

Two things that differentiate musical periods

• Changes in instrumentation

• How instruments were used in compositions.

Was Mozart a prodigy?

Yes, he was one of the most gifted child musicians in history.

Who was Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart?

Mozart’s sister, a talented pianist and composer.

Haydn and Mozart’s relationship

They were friends, and Mozart sent his compositions to Haydn for feedback.

Was Mozart a successful freelance musician?

He struggled financially as a freelance musician despite his talent.

City where Mozart spent his last 10 years

Vienna

Meter of a minuet

Triple meter (3/4 time).

Composer who transitioned into the Romantic period

Beethoven

Ailment Beethoven suffered from

Progressive hearing loss (deafness)

Importance and characteristics of the motive in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5

• Famous “Fate knocking at the door” four-note motif.

• Used cyclically throughout all four movements

• short-short-short-long

When did trombones, piccolo, and contrabassoon appear in a symphony?

• Trombones: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5

• Piccolo and contrabassoons: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

How did Beethoven support himself?

• Teaching aristocrats

• Commissions for compositions

• Publishing his works

How many compositional periods did Beethoven have?

Three (early, middle, and late).

What aided Beethoven’s compositional career?

• Modified patronage system.

• His reputation as a virtuoso pianist.

• Innovations in musical form and expression.

How many symphonies did each composer write?

• Haydn: Over 100

• Mozart: 41

• Beethoven: 9

Haydn — String Quartet, Op. 33, No. 2 (Joke), IV

String Quartet

Haydn — Symphony No. 94 in G Major (Surprise), II

Symphony

Mozart — Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525, I and III

Serenade

Beethoven — Piano Sonata in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2

Piano Sonata

Beethoven — Symphony No. 5 in C Minor

Symphony