rcm history

era: the sonata cycle served as the primary form for instrumental music

classical

era: the english oratorio orginated

baroque

era: rocket themes were often used as the dramatic opening of movement during this era

classical

era: lectronic instruments like the synthesizer were used in instrumental works

modern

era: nationalism and exoticism emerged as important currents

romantic

era: composers used non-traditional scales, including modes, whole-tone, and pentatonic scales

modern

era: composers of this era absorbed popular music and jazz into their works

modern

era: composers employed ritornello form in concertos

baroque

era: equal temperament emerged as a preffered tuning system for keyboard

baroque

era: newly emergerging genres included the symphony and string quartet

classical

era: minimalism emerged as an important current in this era

modern

era: compositions are characterized by elegance, balance, and restraint

classical

era: movements were often dominated by a single “affect”

baroque

era: composers of the viennese school favored absolute music in this era

classical

era: the lied was an important genre, capturing the spirit of this era

romantic

era: the broadway musical originated in this era

modern

era: composers cultivated several genres of program music, including the program symphony and symphonic poem

romantic

era: elements of the musical style included chromatic harmony, virtuosity, and lyrical melodies

romantice

ra: this era saw the use of expanded rhythmic elements, including polyrhythm and changing meter

modern

era: figured bass provided the structure for guided improvisation

baroque

basso continuo (Sinfony, Messiah)

a baroque performance practice involving two performers, one playing the notated bass line and one realizing the harmonies

primitivism (The Rite of Spring)

a musical effect created largely through strong accents, heavy syncopation, polyrhythms, and an expanded percussion section

development (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik)

the second main section in sonata form, involving frequent modulations and the manipulation of previously introduced themes

ornamentation (birds in the 1st movement of The four SEasons)

musical embellishment that decorates a melody line

hemiola (West Side Story “America”)

a temporary shift of the metric accents, notes grouped in threes are momentarily grouped in twos or vice versa

exoticism in music (Carmen)

fascination with foreign lands and cultures evoked through melody, rhythm, harmony, and orchestration

whole tone scale (Prelude a l’apres midi d’un faune)

a non traditional scale consisting of six different, equally spaced pitches

pedal point (suggestion of bag pipes 3rd movement of The Four Seasons)

a note that is sustained while the harmony changes in other parts

chamber music (Emperor Quartet)

music composed for a small ensemble of two to ten players, usually performed without a conductor

durchkomponiert (Erlkonig)

a song structure that does not repeat entire sections of the music, thereby allowing for a close relationship between the test and music

symbolism (Prelude a l’apres midi d’un faune)

a french literary movement of the late 19th centure in which authours sought to suggest images rather than depict them directlyr

rounded binary form (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik)

a two part form in which opening material from section a returns after b material

dies irae (Symphonie fantastique)

a monophonic chant melody dating from the late Middle Ages drawn from the Roman Catholic Mass for the dead

the four seasons, vivaldi, baroque, c# minor, the goat herd sleeps in a meadow beside his dog (V1 solo melody). leaves rustle gently (violins dotted-note figure in parallel thirds)

Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Debussy, Modern, symphonic poem, pastoral poem by Mallarmé, harp glissando

Emperor Quartet, Haydn, Classical, theme and variations (4), homophonic texture, nickname derived from elegant theme used in 2nd mvmt as the basis for a set of variations, including the national anthem for Austria (God Save Emperor Francis)

Symphonie fantastique, Berlioz, 5th mvmt, Dies irae, bassoons, ophicliéde, repeated by brass choir in diminution, idée fixe

Prelude and Fugue in Bflat Major, J.S. Bach, Baroque, Bflat major, broken chord passages played in breathless 32nd notes and treated sequentially, tocatta-like style with rapid cadenza-like runs that emerge from arpeggiated seventh chords

Polonaise in Aflat major, Chopin, romantic, ABA with introduction and coda, passage is in E major (enharmonic respelling of Fflat major, flattened 6th key of A flat major), left hand plays ostinato pattern, proud martial character acheived through dotted rhythms and chordal texture.

Symphony No 5, Beethoven, Classical, ABA-scherzo and trio, four note motive (short-short-short-long) stated by clarinets and strings in 1st mvmt then repeated sequentially in descending statements, rocket theme initiated in third mvmt by the low strings, fermatas in 3rd mvmt add to mystery and suspense

Charles Jennens

librettist of Messiah (Handel)

Franz Xaver Sussmayr

student who completed Mozart’s Requiem Mass (Mozart)

George Sand

Aurore Dudevant, novellist, Chopin wrote many significant works while in a relationship with her (Chopin)

Stephen Sondheim

lyricist for West Side Story (Bernstein)

Prince Nicolas Esterhazy

last patron of Haydn where he was free to discover his artistic voice and creative freedom (Haydn)

Esprit Orchestra

Louie was a founding director of Esprit Orchestra, devotion to Canadian composers and premieres of new works, husband Pauk is conductor (Louie)

Sergei Diaghilev

director of Ballets Russes in Paris, collaborated with Stravinsky, commissioned early works (Stravinsky)

Conservatorio Ospedale della Pietà

charitable institution in Venice for abandoned girls’ music training, where Vivaldi was violin master and choir master (Vivaldi)

Hector Berlioz

Romantic era, born in france, cultivated the program symphony (symphonie fantastique) and concert overture (waverley/King Lear), vivd and orginal approach to orchestration, often employing unusual effects, embraced chromatic harmony, thematic transformation and cyclical forms

John Adams

Modern era, born in America, cultivated orchestral music (Short Ride in a Fast Machine) and chamber music (Shaker Loops, Nixon in China), frequently uses ostinato patterns, syncopation, and complex polyrhytms, orchestral works lean towards programmatic elements including evocative titles

Ludwig van Beethoven

Classical era, born in Germany, cultivated Symphonies (no 5, op 67) and piano sonatas (Moonlight, Pathetique), thematic material often grewout of short incisive motives, exploited the new features and improvements in the piano of his day

J. S Bach

Baroque era, born in Germany, cultivated keyboard works (TWTC) and passions/vocal works (St Matthews Passion), absorbed influences of international styles, demonstrated contrapuntal mastery in his fugues

this composer wrote three types of opera: opera seria, opera buffa, and singpsiel

mozart

this french composer explored western and non-western scale systems, including whole tone, pentatonic and modal scales

debussy

this viennese classical composer frequently esperimented with fugal writing in his late works

beethoven

this composer was influenced by the bel canto style of bellini and donizetti’s operas

chopin

the composer of over 600 lieder was influenced by german romantic poetry

schubert

this composer of over five hundred concertos contributed to the development of ritornello form

vivaldi

this american composer represents the “next generation” of minimalists

adams

this composers early musical style included elements of russian nationalism and primitivism

stravinsky

this composer of more than forty operas was drawn to storylines with exotic settings

bizet

this composer was regarded as the father of both symphony and string quartet

haydn

this composer alternated homorhythmic and contrapuntal textures in his choruses

handeli

this composers contemporary language combines traditional asian music with elements of western style

louie

this master of contrapuntal writing dedicated all his works “to the glory of god”

bach

this composer was influenced by johann christian bach in his development of the piano concerto

mozart

this composers musical style integrated american, hispanic, and jewish elements

bernstein

this composer of programmatic works employed an expanded orchestra and created unusual orchestral effects

berlioz

this innovative composer was influenced by impressionist painters and sympbolist poets

debussy

this innovative composer replaced the menuet and trio with a scherzo and trio

beethoven

this german composer wrote italian operas and english oratorios

handel

this polish nationalist wrote almost exclusively for piano

chopin

atonality

total absence of any tonal centre characterized by unresolved dissonances (“changes” music for piano, louie)

coda

latin for “tall”, concluding section reaffirming tonic key (symphony no 5, op 67, beethoven)

col legno

italian for “with the wood”, novel effect used by berlioz, players tap on the strings with wooden parts of their bows (symphonie fantastique, op 14, berlioz)

episode

passage within a fugue in which neither the subject or the answer is present (prelude and fugue in b flat major, bwv 866, wtc book 1, bach)

exposition

first main section in a sonata, two contrasting themes, first in tonic, second in dominant/relative (1st mvt, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Mozart)

hemiola

temporary shift of metric accents, notes usually grouped in threes momentarily in twos or vice versa (music for piano, changes, louie)

libretto

text of an opera, oratorio, or cantata, written by someone other than the composer (Carmen, Bizet)

motive

short melodic or rhythmic idea, smallest unit used in building or developing a melody

pedal point

note or series of notes sustained throughout harmony changes in other parts (The Four Seasons, Spring, 3rd mvt, Vivaldi)

polytonality

simultaneous use of two or more tonal centres (The Rite of Spring Part 1, Stravinsky)

ripeno

italian for “full”, denotes the use of the full orchestra in the Baroque concerto (The Four Seasons, Spring, Vivaldi)

rondo

classical formal structure often used in sonata cycle, section A recurs with alternating sections to create contrast, ABACA or ABACABA (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik 2nd mvt Romanza, Mozart)

habanera

a cuban dance song in duple meter (Carmen, Bizet)

fanfare

a loud ceremonial tune or flourish that features brass instruments (Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Adams)

sonata cycle

a multi movement structure demonstrated in the classical sonata, concerto, or symphony (String Quartet in C major op 76 “Emperor Quartet”, Haydn)

ostinato

a rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period (Carmen, Habanera, Bizet)

symphonic/tone poem

a single movement orchestral work with literary or pictorial associations (Prelude a l’apres-midi d’un faune, Debussy)

aria

a solo song in an opera or oratorio (Messiah, Rejoice Greatly, Handel)

durchkomponiert

through composed, a song structure that dos not repeat entire sections of music (Erlkonig op 1 D 328, Schubert)

fugue in b flat major no 21, j.s. bach, polyphonic, baroque, three voices, WTC book 1

symphony no 5 in c minor op 67, beethoven, ABA (ternary), classical era, rocket theme introduced by low strings (viola, cello, double bass)

Carmen, Bizet, lyric opera, romantic era, represents fate linking carmen and don jose

string quartet in c maj op 67 “emperor quartet” 2nd mvt, haydn, theme and variations (4), classical era, hymn text by austrian poet Haschka, string quartet (violin, viola, cello)

eine kleine nachtmusik serenade for strings, mozart, chamber music, classical era, ABA (menuet and trio), absolute music

The four seasons “spring” , vivaldi, solo violin concerto, baroque era, ritornello form, nymphs and shepherds dance to the sound of rustic bag pipes

the baroque era style features

basso continuo: one player playing notated bass line, one realizing harmonies indicated by figured bass, harmonic framework, harmonies usually played on harpischord or organ

polyphonic texture: combination or two or more melodic lines

representative genre: oratorio

the classical era style features

sonata cycle: multimovement structure demonstrated in symphonies, sonatas, and concertos

rondo form: section A recurs, with alternating sections creating contrast (ABACA or ABACABA)

representative genre: serenade

the romantic era style features

rubato: rhythmic flexibility, expressive device for interpreting music, enhance emotional expression

chromatic harmony: extensive use of notes outside the prevailing key signature, used for heightened expression

representative genre: solo piano work