Music Appreciation Test 3

Classical Period

1750-1820

“Faith” in the power of reason

“Age of Enlightenment” - writers, philosophers - Voltaire, Diderot

“Progress” and “Reason” (not custom and tradition) were best guide for human conduct

Violent political and social upheavals

• Seven Years War

• American, French Revolutions

• Napoleonic Wars

Classical Style

Rococo style in art = Galant style in music

• color, curves, lightness

• lighter and more simple

recapture the noble simplicity - ancient greece

firm lines

clear structure

proportion and balance

Characteristics of Classical Music

move away from baroque aesthetics

• less ornamentation, more simplicity and clarity - more controlling/less improv

• emphasis on balance and symmetry

contrast of mood

flexibility of rhythm

mostly homophonic with frequent shifts in texture

melody

• tuneful, easy to remember

• borrowing of popular tunes

• balanced and symmetrical phases

dynamics

• emotions expressed

• gradual dynamic changes (crescendo and decrescendo)

• related to development of piano (soft/loud)

end of basso continuo

concerto flourishes - soloists accompanied by orchestra

The Classical Orchestra

size increased - standard of 4 sections

• strings: 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double bass

• woodwinds: flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons (2 of each)

• brass: french horns, trumpets (2 of each)

• percussion

emphasis on individual tone colors

special roles for each section

• strings most important - violins take melody

• woodwinds for contrasting tone

• horns and trumpets for powerful loud passages

• timpani for rhythmic emphasis

Composer, Patron, and Public

Classical Period

changing society affected musicians

• Haydn: worked 30 years for aristocratic family

• Mozart: began at court, went freelance, died broke

• Beethoven: successful as an independent musician

prospering middle class wanted aristocratic pleasures (theatre, literature, music)

• public concerts became very popular

• demand for printed music, instruments, and music lessons

• incorporation of folk and popular music

Vienna

Classical Period

musical capital of Europe

musicians came to study and seek recognition

aristocrats wintering there would bring their orchestras

musicians (incl Mozart and Beethoven) frequently played gigs in wealthy homes

many musicians also worked in serenading street bands

Sonata Form

Classical Period

typically movement 1 of multi movement work and last one

also called sonata - allegro form

refers to form of a single movement

Ternary form (A B A) - 3 sections

• exposition

  • theme 1 - primary key —- conflict between themes

  • theme 2 - secondary key

• development

  • develop themes

  • move through different keys

  • introduce new section

• recapitulation

  • return to themes 1, 2 in primary key

• often concludes with a “tag” or “tail” - Coda (Codetta)

  • maybe 12-30 measures

  • shows it’s at the end

Theme and Variation

Classical Period

take a theme and alter it - melody, harmony, or rhythm

Minuet and Trio

Classical Period

Minuet — A

Trio — B - Contrast

Minuet — A

each have ABA within it

ternary form based upon stately court dance of the baroque

typically third movement of multi movement

trio is typically quieter than minuet section

each ternary part in itself ternary

Rondo

Classical Period

has repeated theme and contrast

ABACABA → 7 part rondo

A is Rondo theme

Classical Symphony

a primary genre of classical period

extended composition lasting 20-45 mins

instrumental work in 4 movements

• 1st - fast, frequently sonata form

• 2nd - slow, often sonata form, sometimes theme and variations

• 3rd - dance, usually minuet and trio or scherzo form

• 4th -fast, frequently sonata or rondo form

• themes in 1 movement rarely appear in another movement

great contribution of classical period to orchestral music

number of symphonies they wrote

• Haydn 104

• Mozart 40+

• Beethoven 9

extended ambitions composition

exploiting expanded range of tone color

The Classical Concerto

Concerto - solo instrument accompanied by orchestra

work for instrumental soloists and orchestra lasting 20-45 mins

usually 3 movements

• 1st - fast, frequently sonata with double exposition

• 2nd - slow, lyrical, uses a variety of forms

• 3rd - fast, frequently sonata or rondo form

combines soloist’s virtuosity with power and timbres of orchestra

break near end of 1st and sometimes last movement called cadenza

• showpiece for soloist (orchestra waits)

• originally improvised, classical composers seldom notated cadenzas

Classical Chamber Music

small room, intimate music

small number of players - 1-5 (up to 9)

types

• string quartet

• sonatas

• trio - piano with 2 strings, piano with string and clarient

• art songs

designed for the intimate setting of a room rather than a concert hall

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Classical Period

early and mid classical period Austrian composer

Esterhazy’s composer for 30 years

wrote in many genres

spent time in London, where he was adored

musical style:

• folk inspired melodied and rhythms

• masterful and thematic development

• credited with inventing the string quartet form

pioneer in development of symphony and string quartet

music is robust, direct, radiates optimism

folk flavor

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Classical Period

1756-1791

most versatile

ease, grace, spontaneity

masterpiece in all forms

concertos are high point greatest works

musical prodigy by 6 years old

father was court musician

traveled with father - played for kings, queens, aristocracy

archbishop = tyrant - didn’t give Mozart any respect

mid classical austrian composer

at 25, freelance musician in vienna

final piece was a Requiem that was frustrated by one of his students

very prolific (600+ compositions) despite short life span

wrote in all classical genres

Musical Style:

• marries ease, grace, and spontaneity with balance, restraint, and masterful craftsmanship

• highly lyrical melodies

• gift for drama (opera characteristics shows humanity)

Ludwig van Beethoven

1770-1827

late classical period, German composer

believed in period’s societal changes

financially successful as freelance musician

started to grow deaf at 29

wrote in all classical genres

musical style:

• precursor to romanticism (bridge between classical and romantic)

• perfectionist, constantly revising works

• large dynamic range

• expands and innovates on traditional forms (sonata, scherzo, rondo)

• strong rhythmic motives

• inventive use of harmony and modulations

Romanticism

1820-1900

cultural movement stressed: emotion, imagination, individuality

international in scope

romantics explored their inner lives - fantasy, unconscious, irrational

Nature was important inspiration for Romantic Art

rebellion against neoclassicism

stressed emotion, imagination, individualism

emotional subjectivity

common subjects:

• fantasy and the supernatural

• Middle Ages: concept of chivalry and romance

• nature as mirror of the human heart

period of the Industrial Revolution

• resulted in social and economic changes

• romantic artists recorded the social realities

Romanticism in Music

continued use of classical forms, expanded use of emotional intensity

greater range of tone color, dynamics, and pitch than in classical period

expanded harmont, complex chords

linked closely to literature

greater tension and less emphasis on balance and resolution

Characteristics of Romantic Music

individuality of style

expressive aims and subjects

• melancholy, rapture, unpredictability, intimacy

nationalism and exocitism

program music

expressive tone color

colorful harmony

expanded range of dynamics, pitch, and tempo

forms: minature and monumental

Romantic Composers and Their Public

freelance, rather than exclusive patronage

mindful of legacy

wrote primarily for middle class audience

music conservatories catered towards aspiring musicians

composed pieces that required dazzling virtuosity

composition alone rarely provided a full livelihood

• virtuoso - like the Beatles at Wembley

Art Song

The Romantic Period

vocalist and piano — equally as important

piano interwoven with text and feeling

mostly poetry

strophic - music is same every stanza

through composed - music changes every stanza

develoepd song cycle - songs put together, related in some manner

Franz Schubert

Romantic Period

1797-1828

Austrian, early romantic composer

struggled financially despite being admired

prodigious output

• when 18, wrote 183 songs

• at 19, wrote 179 works

• wrote Lieder (over 600 songs), symphonies, string quartets, other chamber music, masses, operas, and piano works

Musical Style:

• gift for melodic inventiveness

• imaginative harmonic approach

• relentless rhythms that repeat

Robert Schumann

Romantic Period

1810-1856

German, early to mid romantic composer

wanted to be piano virtuoso but problems with hand ended his ambition

temperamentally unsuited for some of the musical positions he attempted

wrote piano pieces, art songs, and later symphonies

musical style: autobiographical, personal works full of extra musical references

Frederic Chopin

Romantic Period

1810-1849

Polish born, early to mid romantic composer

moved to Paris

Piano Virtuoso

• poet of the piano (beautiful tone, rhythmic flexibility, and extensive use of piano pedals)

• virtuoso technique

• avoided concert halls, preferred salons

Musical Style:

• evokes a variety of moves

• captured the spirit of polish people

• wrote only for the piano

• extensive use of the rubato

• innovative harmonic approach

Franz Liszt

Romantic Period

1811-1886

hungarian, middle to late romantic composer

inspired by Paganini - great violinist

touring concert pianist until 36

• incredible performer and showman - “rockstar”

• found new ways to exploit the piano

• admired by general public and colleagues

Musical Style:

• extremely controversial

• broke away from strict classical forms

• created symphonic poem (tone color) - program music

• unprecedented range of dynamics

• unified moods through thematic transformation

Program Music

Romantic Period

instrumental music associated with story, poem, idea, or scene

in contrast to absolute music

common types:

• program symphony: multimovement/orchestral

• concert overture: modeled a opera overture

• symphonic poem

• incidental movement

Hector Berlioz

Romantic Period

1803-1869

“Symphonic Fantastique” - 5 movements

French, mid Romantic composer

mostly self studied = unconventional move

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Romantic Period

1840-1893

Russian