EXAM 4: Music Appreciation

Nikki Gross Auburn University

Classical music period years

1750-1825

Historical elements

Age of enlightenment, ancient greek and rome

Political elements

democracy, civic virtue, and the importance of the common good, as well as the rise of city-states and philosophical thought on political structures

economic elements

free markets, limited government intervention, and the pursuit of individual self-interest, econimic security, functional social framework

Why is Vienna Important?

Mozart, Haydn, and Marianna Martinez created music here and lived here

What’s the most important element of absolute music?

Form and structure

What opportunities were there for women in music?

Under the patronage system, middle class women were in operas and ballets or instrumentalists and music teachers

The rise of a middle class gave rise to what in music?

increased demand for public music performances, larger ensembles, and a shift towards music that appealed to a broader audience, including the development of genres like the sonatas, symphony, and concerto

What composers comprised the first Viennese School?

Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven. 

What is the difference between classical and Classical music

"classical music" is a broad term referring to Western art music, encompassing various periods from the medieval era to the present, while "Classical" specifically denotes the period of music history roughly from 1750 to 182

musical characteristics of classical style

Melody, repetition and sequence, harmonies are clear and diatonic, rhythm and meter, steady tempo, form, well-defined sections, absolute music

What is the most important organizing element in Classical style music?

musical form, especially sonata form

What was the favorite chamber ensemble of the Classical era?

the string quartet

string quartet consisted of?

2 violins, a viola, and a cello

First movement form

Sonata

sonata

drama between two contrasting key areas

second movement form

ternary, theme and variation, sonatina, or five part rondo

third movement form

minuet or trio

fourth movement form

rondo, sonata, or sontata-rondo form

first movement characteristics

fast tempo (allegro), longest, SLOW

second movement characteristics

slow and lyrical, (a-b-a), FAST

third movement characteristics

DANCE, optional, allegro, scherzo

fourth movements characteristics

fast and energetic, FAST, finale

what group of instruments comprised the nucleus of the Classical orchestra

strings; violins, violas, cellos, and double basses

How did the instrumentation of the orchestra change from the Baroque to the Classical period?

expanded in size and became more standardized, conductors got off their harpsichords and started conducting with a stick, string remained the core but brass and woodwind sections grew in importance

What instruments were replaced by strings?

Harpsichord, viol, lute

Haydn’s nicknames?

Papa Haydn, Father of the Symphony,

the three main sections of sonata-allegro form and where that form is often found

exposition, development, and recapitulation; found in first movements

What two ways is the term symphony used?

genre AND refers to the type of ensemble - symphony orchestra

What two things help to differentiate musical periods?

instrumentation and orchestration

Was Mozart a prodigy?

Yes, Child prodigy

Who is Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart?

women of note, prodigy like her brother just was a woman

Haydn and Mozart’s relationship

had a friendship, wrote letters to one another, Mozart sent Haydn his compositions for critique and feedback

Could Mozart be described as a successful freelance musician

Yes, travelled a lot for music from a young age

In which city did Mozart spend the last 10 years of his life?

Vienna

What is the meter of a minuet?

triple meter, usually ¾ time

What composer wrote in the classical style and then transitioned into the Romantic period with his composing?

Beethoven

From what ailment does Beethoven suffer?

liver disease (possibly cirrhosis), hepatitis B, a genetic predisposition to liver disease, and likely lead poisoning

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

short-short-short-long rhythm, fate knocking at the door, unified piece with repetition and development

trombones first appeared in…

1808, Beethovens No. 5 Symphony

Contrabassoon and piccolo first appeared in..

the fourth movement of Beethovens No. 5 Symphony

How did Beethoven support himself?

teaching music lessons, publishing his compositions, and giving public concerts

How many compositional periods did Beethoven have?

Three

What aided Beethoven’s compositional career?

his natural talent, musical training under renowned teachers like Haydn and Neefe, and his ability to transform personal struggles, including deafness, into profound artistic expression

How many symphonies did Haydn compose?

104

How many symphonies did Mozart compose?

41

How many symphonies did Beethoven compose?

9

Absolute music

no prescribed story or text

Theme

musical idea, building block

motive

melodic or rhythmic fragment of a theme

scherzo

quick-paced dance, a variant of the minuet