Music History II - Exam 1 Study Guide

Vivaldi (late 17th - mid 18th c)

• Italian composer

• Worked at the Pio Osoedale della Pieta as a teacher and constant instrumental composer

• Concerto and Ritornello

• Influenced Bach

• At the Pieta - primariliy composed oratorios, sacred music, and especially concertos

Francois Couperin (late 17th - early 18th c)

• came from a family of keyboard musician

• French Composer

• Known as “The Grand” as he was the most prominent musician in the family line

• First in his family to have his pieces published

• Blended french and italian tastes

• gave sunday concerts and lessons to nobility

• given a royal assent to publish in 1713 - saved him from oblivion

Known best for harpsichord music and keyboard repertoir

Francois Couperin - La Visionaire (25th Ordre)

• means the Visionary or seet

• similar to psychic

Genre : Keyboard Suite

Key : Bb

Identifying Features - Harpsichord, many embellishments, hard to find metre

French Elements - French Overture form; short phrases

Vibrant Energy, but emotional restraint is present

L’art de toucher le clavecin - Couperin 1716

Treatise that Couperin wrote on how to play ornaments in the context of a piece.

• Much of what we know about playing harpsichord at this time comes from this treatise

• Included fingering technique, performance practice, technique exercises

Collegium musicum

• made up of accomplished amatures (similar to college students) who gathered to play and sing together for fun

• beginning of public concert life in Germany

• Bach and Telemann both ran one

J.S Bach (late 17th - mid 18th c)

• wrote pieces intended to be played by many instruments

• German Organist and Composer

• Worked as the Kapelmeister in Cothen

• Eventually landed in Leipzig as a music director (St. Thomaskirche) along with working at 4 churches

• 20 children, including many musicians

• 2 wives

• 1200 compositions

• supported himself by taking organ playing jobs he could walk to

• wrote music dedicated to coffee (ex. coffee cantata")

• A duke threw him in jail for a month due to his disagreement with his employer’s authority - he wrote 46 pieces of music.

BWV - Bach Works Catalog (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis)

• catalog of compositions by J.S Bach

• Not Chronological

• Pieces are grouped in Genres

• Edited by Wolfgang Schmeider and published in 1950, second edition appears in 1990

• lists roughly 1200 compositions

• The Anhang “Annex” of the BMV lists over 200 lost compositions

• Expected to write a cantata for every sunday service

New Cantata : German, Sacred

• One reading from the bible, followed by a cantata, followed by preaching

• alinged with readings for the day

• Lutherine Church Goers used this music to better unpack scripture

• Many written by J.S. Bach

The Old Cantata : Italian, Secular

• 17th and 18th c.

• Usually for solo voice

• vocal chamber work

Ritornello Form

• Allows for soloists and an orchestra to alternate with episodes

• typically has repeating sections at the beginning

• Contains memorable themes that repeat throughout the piece

• commonly used by Vivaldi

Pio Ospedale della Pieta

• one of four “hospitals” in Venice, homes for orphaned, illegitimate, or poor boys and girls

• run like restrictive boarding schools and provided excellent instruction in music to those girls who showed talent

• Girls were solely trained to be musicians

• The girl’s concerts attracted large audiences, however the girls would be hidden from public view while playing

• Employment place of Vivaldi - who made music accessible to players of varying abilities

Episode

A section that contrasts from repetitions of the main theme. Acts as its own section to break up the repetitions.

• Seen in Ritornello form

Concerto

prominently 18th century style that distinguishes a soloist from an orchestra

• some of the earliest are written by vivaldi

• many written by corelli

Castrati

Males who were castrated before puberty to preserve their high vocal range.

• most often had the lead roles in operas by the late 17th c.

• women were forbade from performing opera so castratti played their role

Italian Oratorio

• Possibly a non-liturgical opera/drama that was performed in church services. The text was in Italian.

• Many Written by Handel

G.F. Handel

• wrote Italian style operas, oratorios, and cantatas

• born in Germany

• Traveled extensively to Floremce, Rome, Venice (Unlike Bach)

• Settles in London for the remainder of his life

• Comes to Dominate London Music Scene

• Writes in an International Style - components of French, Italian, and German composers

• Wrote the opera “Rinaldo” which put him on the map

• Composed about 40 Italian Operas in his lifetime including Giulio Cesare

• Acted as the principle composer and orchestral master for the FIRST ROYAL ACADEMY

Significant Compositions

• Choral Work: Messiah

• Orchestra Suite: Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks

The Enlightenment

• An intellectual and philosophical movement, centered on the value of knowledge.

Galant Style

Comprehensible on the first melody + leading bass lines. Meant to be accessible, memorable, and structured.

• First Developed in Italian Opera, even though the name appears to be French

• more focus on melody

• little emphasis on counterpoint

• Phrases in two, three, or four measures, not endlessly spun out

• harmonically simple

• homophonic rhythm

• frequent resting points and cadences

Why did Handel develop the English oratorio? In what ways was it a success?

• They were developed so that they could be performed/listened to during lent as they were based off of a sacred subject

• often contains episodes of scripture, possibly reflecting a particular religious theme

• adapted from the Italian oratorio, set to english, and emphasizes chorus

• It allowed him to write in many styles, drawing from opera style and allowed more exposure to this style even during lent

Describe the role of the bass voice in opera buffa and intermezzo genres. Give examples of characters and the works in which they’re featured.

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Alberti Bass

Broken Triads played in this order - Lowest, highest, middle, highest

• started in keyboard music

• acts to propel and support the melody

Empfindsam Style

Characterized by surprising turns of harmony, chromaticism, nervous rhythms, and rhapsodically free, speechlike melody.

• most closely associated with fantasias and slow movements by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach

How do funding sources for composers change over time? Give examples.

• Composers may do some commissions, churchwork, lessons, publishing, etc…

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi ( early 18th c)

• Budding Genius, died early from tuberculosis

• composed most famous intermezzo, La Serva Pedronna “The maid turned mistress” which contained many components that would be used in later operas

  • intermezzo was meant to be played during play intermission

• Also composed the Sabat Mater - one of the most important sacred works of all time

CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK (18th C.)

• Wrote the Opera “Orfeo ed Euridice” - shows the furies as daunting and singing in a low chorus while orfeo has a meak high voice

• Born in Erasbach, Bavaria and Would become a prominent German composer

• Best known for his Italian and French opera

• studied under Giovanni Battista Sammartini in Italy

• Gluck supervised the production of his operas, enhancing the drama with more naturalistic lighting, staging, and acting.

• liberated opera from the conventions of opera seria and creating a new operatic style based on truly dramatic expression

Giovanni Battista Sammartini (1700 - 18th c)

• Born in Milan Italy

• eldest of 5 in a musical family

• becomes violinist, organist, composer, and choir director

• becomes church musician - cantatas, oratorios, and instrumental music (best known for)

• Wrote over 200 symphonies, concertos, and other works for orechestra

• Leader in Symphonic Writing

• Highly influential in the development of the symphony and classical style

• 1913 - his manuscripts were rediscovered and his music was revived

• composed for keyboards - often using intricate ornamentation to portray beauty in the melodic line

• founds a philharmonic society since milan gained interest in symphonies

Opera Buffa

Comedic Opera during the 18th century

• encouraged the growth of distinct national styles

• performed for aristocratic members of society as well as the general public

• Bass voices often acted as comedic roles

Intermezzo

Italian comedic opera (18th c.)

• The genre originated in Naples and Venice around 1700 when comic scenes were purged from serious operas, and the comic characters were given their own separate story in the intermezzo

• performed in two or three segments between the acts of a serious opera or play

• Because of their role as adjunct to serious opera, intermezzi were accepted by aristocratic patrons and were performed at court as well as in public opera houses

• Pergolessi is best known for his intermezzo La serva Pedrona

Johann Stamitz (early - mid 18th c)

Czech violinist, conductor, and composer

• born in Bohemia

• University of Prague for 1 year, left to pursue performance

• Appointed to mannheim court orchestra at age 24

• brought excellence and fame to Mannheim

• Has been called the “Missing Link” between Bach and Haydn

• Published in france, england, and the Netherlands

• Expanded the role of wind instruments in symphony

• Influenced Haydyn, Mozart, Beethoven

• May have composed 75 symphonies and some concertos

• his two sons would continue the style

Mannheim Orchestra

• “Army of Generals” 50 professional musicians worked together with a unified elite precision

• Stamitz has them play with dramatic shifts in volume

• Mannheim Crescendo - Dramatic slow building crescendos

• Mannheim Rocket - Fast rising melodic arpeggio figures

• Mannheim Sigh - emphasis on first og two descending slurred notes

• Stamitz helped cement the four movement classical symphony structure and phased out harpsichord continuo which allowed winds to have more independent parts

• Uniform bowing

• Rigorous Training

How do the symphonies of Sammartini and Stamitz, as included in your anthology, compare? Consider the number of movements, the instrumentation, and the form.

• Stamitz’s symphonies are longer

• stamitz writes with less repetition in order to keep the energy high

• Stamitz exploited and hallmarked the mannheims crescendo since his orchestras could perform it well

How do you tell Haydn from Mozart?

• pharses tend to be longer - Mozart

• Haydn had to develop his own style due to his emplyment with the esterhazy family and has a more rustic sound with shorter phraes. Includes more humor.

Joseph Haydn - mid 18th c. to early 19thc

• Born Near Vienna

• Choirboy in Vienna - learned singing, Harpsichord, and violin

• Father of the string quartet

• developed and helped to standardize sonata form

• supported by patrons most of his career

• Empoloyed in Esterhaza

• known for his musical wit; tricks the listener

• wonderful friend and mentor - “papa haydn”

• “Goodbye Symphony” - displays humor to the prince saying the musicians were ready to leave the summer home

• Musical Themes - Short and recognizable, sophistication with apparent simplicity

Esterhazy Family

• The most powerful noble family in Hungary

• Prince Anton Hired Haydn to compose music for them and gave him access daily to an orchestra

• Hungarian Princes from Eisenstadt

• Haydn had to compose whatever music the prince commanded, conduct performances, train and supervise all the musical personnel, and keep the instruments in repair

Mozart (mid-late 18th c.)

• Austrian composer, born in Salzburg

• Wrote many masterpieces in his short life

• outstanding works included symphonies, operas, and piano music

• Started composing at the age of 4

• insisted all of his activities be accompanied by music

• Age 7 - proposes to Marie Antoinette, future queen of France

• Age 8 - symphonies

• Age 11 - Composes first opera

• composed for most of his day every day - likely leading to his early death due to an unsustainable lifestyle

• Unlike Haydn, he worked as a free-agent

• obtained knowledge on many european styles due to his travels outside of salzburg as a child - Bach inspired his writings as a child

Heinrich Christoph Koch - Introductory Essay on Composition

• A treatise written by Heinrich Christoph Koch teaching amateurs who would like to compose

• the student learns how to construct a melody by joining short melodic segments (Koch calls them incises, or clauses) to form phrases, and phrases to form periods.

• Clauses, phrases, and periods differ in their endings, which create resting points of varying strength that Koch compares to melodic punctuation, like the commas, semicolons, and periods in a text.

• a segment or clause contains an incomplete idea, ending with the musical equivalent of a comma

• a phrase of partial close requires another phrase to follow it

• a closing phrase has a full cadence that can end a period.

London Symphonies

12 works by Haydn that used an expanded orchestra

• more daring harmonic conceptions, intensified rhythmic drive, and especially memorable thematic inventions

• Woodwinds and double bass are used more independently than before, solo strings appear at times

• the whole sound achieves a new spaciousness and brilliance

• Haydn derived themes from Slovenian, Croatian, and other peasant tunes he remembered from his youth

Rondo Form

• common in last movements, presents a small binary form or single period as a theme, then alternates it with other periods called episodes, which are often in other keys, in a pattern such as ABACA or ABACADA.

• Often used by Haydn in the last movement of a piece

Singspiel

• A new genre of German opera that can be translated to “singing play”

• featured spoken dialogue, musical numbers, and usually a comic plot centered on love among common rural folk

• Earliest examples appeared early 18th c.

• Singspiels were often presented by traveling troupes of actors who could sing, accompanied by small instrumental ensembles, and the music was tuneful rather than elaborate

• precursor of the German-language musical theater of composers such as Mozart and Weber

Dramma Giocoso

1. literally "comic drama" - Jesting Drama

2. Italian genre of opera common in the mid-18th century

3. Blends elements of comedy and drama rather than just comedy

Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749–1838)

the poet for the imperial court theater

• Italian opera Liberettist and poet

• Mozart wrote pieces set to this person’s liberettos

• librettos followed the conventions of opera buffa but lifted it to a higher level, giving greater depth to the characters, intensifying the social tensions between classes, and introducing moral issues

François Couperin (Late 17th easrly 18th c) - L’art de toucher le clavecin

The Art of Playing the Harpsichord - 1716

• Before this, performers would take many liberties and include lots of different ornamentations, for taste

• First composer to say his pieces should be played exactly as written. This wasn’t common till the classical era

• he wrote this guide for his students, showing how to play his music

Jean-Philippe Rameau (Late 17th - mid 18th) , Traité de l’harmonie

Fundamental tone = root of a chord

 Dissonance drives music forward; consonance lets it rest

 Defined harmonic progressions by the progression of roots of chords (not just the lowest notes

sounding)

 Coined the terms tonic, dominant, subdominant

 Recognized falling 5th progressions as strong motion

1. What are some hallmarks of the Enlightenment in Europe?

2. How did art music change during this era?

1. Nationalism

2. Reason, nature, and progress

3. promoted universal education and a growing social equality

2. Quantz proposed in 1752 that the ideal musical style blended the best features of music from all nations, and by 1785 this mixed style was so universally adopted that, in the words of a French critic, there was only “one music for all of Europe”

   1. A. Opera Began Being Written in the Vernacular rather than exclusively Italian

3. Music began being published for amateur musicians

What musicians performed at the Pio Ospedale della Pietà? How were these performances instrumental to the musical life of Venice? How did it affect Vivaldi’s musical output?

• Orphaned girls with disabilities or physical deformities

• The girls would put on concerts for the public but would perform behind a sheet so they public did not see them/their deformities. Bystanders would attend and would make noise behind the sheet to show their approval of the girls’ music

• Venice attracted large audiences, and travelers wrote about these occasions with enthusiasm - gaining vivaldi traction

• Concertos were uniquely well suited for players of varying abilities because the best performers could show off their skill in the solo parts, while those of lesser ability could play in the orchestra

3. What’s the overall tonal plan in Ritornello form? Where do modulations occur?

Tonal Plan - Piece begins and ends in the same key, but modulates throughout the episodes. The ritornello is the main theme that appears multiple times throughout the piece.

Why did François Couperin, L’art de toucher le clavecin? Why is it important to us today?

At the time, he wrote it to explain to his students how to play his Harpsichord pieces how he wanted. Now, it illuminates the performance practice of the time.

What are some elements of music Jean-Philippe Rameau described in Traité de l’harmonie? How has this proved significant for Western music?

• considered the triad and seventh chord the primal elements of music

• Fundamental Bass - Describes that the chords hold their identity with the root

• coined the terms tonic (the main note and chord in a key), dominant (the note and chord a perfect fifth above the tonic), and subdominant

• recognized that a piece could change key, a process called modulation, but considered that each piece had one principal tonic to which other keys were secondary.

How were J.S. Bach’s musical genres shaped or determined by his places of employment?

• When he was a church organist, he primarily composed organ music

• As court music director at Cöthen (1717–23), where he had no formal church music duties, he turned out mostly solo or ensemble music for domestic or court entertainment, along with some pedagogical works

• At Leipzig (1723–50), in charge of music at four churches, he produced cantatas and other church music. His appointment in 1729 as director of the Leipzig collegium musicum led him to write concertos and chamber works.

How were Bach’s compositions international, even though he spent his life living in one small German region?

• spent 1700–1702 in school at Lüneburg, where he encountered the organist Georg Böhm and experienced the French repertoire and style of the local orchestra

• Among his pieces are adaptations of music by Torelli, Vivaldi, Telemann, and numerous others. In this way he became familiar with the methods of the foremost composers in Italy, Germany, Austria, and France.

How do funding sources for composers change over time? Give examples.

Historically, composers relied almost soley on the courts and on patronage to support their work and compositions. However, beginning in the baroque era, composers began working on commission to supplement their income. However, later in the classical era, this started to become a primary source of income for musicians such as Mozart.

11. Describe the role of the bass voice in opera buffa and intermezzo genres. Give examples of characters and the works in which they’re featured.

Uberto - La serva padrona (by Giovanni Pergolessi)

Achilla from Guillio Cesare (By Handel)

12. Why is Gluck known as the opera reformer? What changes did he implement?

• confine music to what reformers considered its proper function - to serve the poetry and advance the plot

• He aimed to make the overture an integral part of the opera, to adapt the orchestra to the dramatic requirements, and to lessen the contrast between aria and recitative

What are some hallmarks of Haydn’s musical style? How did he play with listeners’ expectations? Give examples from works covered in class: his String Quartet in E-flat Major (mvt. 4) and his Oratorio, Creation.

1. 
   

• songful melody in short phrases, arranged in balanced periods, over light accompaniment

• “Jokester”

• rondo-form

2. String Quartet

3. The tuneful theme—a small rounded binary form—seems simple on first hearing, but on closer examination, we find remarkable sophistication

4. when the rhythm repeats exactly (at measures 3, 9, and 11), Haydn gives it a new melodic contour, so that each phrase is both familiar and fresh

5. He avoids expected cadences to keep the listener from being able to rest

The Creation

1. features confusing and disturbingly dissonant harmonies

2. at the words “and there was Light,” light streams forth with an awesome choral outburst on a radiant C-major chord backed by the full orchestra, including trumpets, trombones, and timpani.

What are some hallmarks of Mozart’s musical style? How did he synthesize a variety of influences? Give examples from works covered in class: his Piano Concerto in A Major (mvt. 1) and his opera, Don Giovanni.

Hallmarks

• contrapuntal texture

• Mozart’s themes tend to be songlike, reflecting Italian influence and his training in the galant style

• Written in a way that amateurs could study and learn his sonatas

• His early and thorough training gave him seemingly effortless command of the craft of composition, and his exposure at a young age to a wide range of music is reflected in his use of diverse styles to portray characters, convey moods, or heighten contrasts within a movement

• He traveled often with his father to Austria-Hungary, Germany, France, England, Holland, and Italy

16. How did orchestras grow during the classical era? Please give examples.

Orchestras were used more in operas as well as the instrumentation became standardized.

• Music written for orchestra was often accessible to amateurs so more people were playing in orchestras.

• Haydn incorperated the use of clarinets into his large orchestral works

13. How do the symphonies of Sammartini and Stamitz, as included in your anthology, compare? Consider the number of movements, the instrumentation, and the form.

Number of Movements

• Sammartini: Typically composed symphonies with three movements, often following a fast-slow-fast structure.

• Stamitz: Standardized the four-movement symphony form, which includes an allegro first movement, a slow second movement, a minuet and trio as the third, and a presto finale.

Instrumentation

• Sammartini: His orchestration was simpler, often featuring strings and a limited number of woodwinds, reflecting the earlier galant style.

• Stamitz: Expanded the orchestral palette, incorporating a fuller range of instruments, including more woodwinds and brass, which was characteristic of the Mannheim school.

Form

• Sammartini: His works often retained a more straightforward, lyrical approach, focusing on thematic development but less on complex structures.

• Stamitz: Introduced greater thematic development and complexity, paving the way for later composers like Haydn and Mozart. His symphonies often featured contrasting themes and dynamic orchestration.