Study Guide for Test 2 - Music 316: History of Music II

I. Test Format

  • Multiple Choice Questions
    • A. Repertoire
    • Focus on pieces from the Unit 2 Selected Repertoire (for Listening Quiz 2).
      • Topics include:
      • Composer if known
      • Genre
      • Style
      • Form
      • Text
      • Context
      • Technical details
      • Score IDs: Identify 2 pieces from either the first or second page of their scores.
      • Other pieces identified by title.
    • B. General Knowledge Questions

II. Essay Question

  • Outline with Terms, People, and Ideas
    • Identify or define terms and discuss connections to specific pieces from Unit 2 Full Repertoire.

III. Art Songs

  • A. Lied / Lieder
    • Define as a German art song, typically for solo voice and piano.
  • B. Song Cycle
    • A group of songs designed to be performed in sequence as a single entity.
  • C. Forms
    • Through-composed: Continuous, non-repetitive music through the song (e.g., narrative).
    • Strophic: Repeated music for each stanza of text.
    • Modified Strophic: Combination of strophic and through-composed forms.
  • D. Favorite Poets for Lieder Texts
    • Discuss notable poets such as Heinrich Heine and Goethe.
  • E. Franz Schubert
    • 1. Biography and Compositional Output
    • Born 1797, Vienna; prolific composer with over 600 Lieder.
    • 2. Accompaniment Style in Lieder
    • Known for creating a “carpet of sound,” integrating piano and voice.
  • F. Robert Schumann
    • 1. Biography and Compositional Output
    • Born 1810; major figures in Romantic music, particularly for piano and Lieder.
    • 2. Literary Activities
    • Edited the "Neue Zeitschrift für Musik"; influenced musical and literary culture.
    • 3. Accompaniment Style in Lieder
    • Piano functions as an equal partner with voice; motivic integration with vocal line.
  • G. Clara Schumann
    • 1. Biography and Compositional Output
    • Renowned pianist and composer, influential in the Romantic era.

IV. Solo Piano Music

  • A. The Development of the Piano in the 19th Century
    • Advances in technology and design expanded the piano's range and expressive capability.
  • B. Character Piece
    • Short, programmatic piano works conveying a mood or idea.
  • C. Frédéric Chopin
    • 1. French-Polish Heritage
    • Influenced by both French and Polish musical traditions.
    • 2. Polonaise and Mazurka
    • National dances incorporated into his compositions.
    • 3. Nocturne
    • A reflective, often lyrical form of piano music.
    • 4. Legato Style
    • Emphasizes smooth, connected playing.
    • 5. Tempo Rubato
    • Expressive timing; flexibility of tempo for emotional effect.
  • D. Franz Liszt
    • 1. Three Creative Periods
    • a) Piano Virtuoso: Focused on showmanship and technical prowess.
    • b) Symphonic Music: Composed large-scale works; integration of orchestra with piano.
    • c) Sacred Music: Explored religious themes in compositions.
    • 2. Étude
    • Technical studies aimed at mastering specific skills on the piano.

V. Hector Berlioz

  • A. Program Music and Programmatic Symphony
    • Instrumental music with narrative themes or programs.
  • B. Roles as Composer, Orchestrator, and Conductor
    • Versatile musician, known for innovative orchestration.
  • C. Idée Fixe and Thematic Transformation
    • Concept of a recurring melody throughout a piece, transforming it to reflect different emotions.

VI. Felix Mendelssohn

  • A. Personal and Family History
    • Born into a prominent Jewish family; excelled in multiple arts.
  • B. Activities Beyond Composing
    • Conducted and was an advocate for the music revival of J.S. Bach.
  • C. Overview of His Style and Compositional Output
    • Combined Classical traditions with Romantic Expressiveness.
  • D. Classical vs. Romantic Traits in His Works
    • Elements of structure and clarity versus emotional depth.

VII. Romantic Opera

  • A. Italy

    • 1. Number Opera
    • Descriptive of the Italian opera focus on numbers (arias, ensembles).
    • 2. Bel Canto
    • Vocal style emphasizing beautiful singing and virtuosic technical abilities.
    • 3. Gioachino Rossini
    • a. Significant figure in opera history.
    • b. Career in Italy: Established his reputation with comic operas.
    • c. Career in France: Adapted to French opera styles.
    • d. Overtures: Known for energetic and thematic overtures.
    • e. Scene Structure: Elements include scena, cantabile, cabaletta.
    • 4. Vincenzo Bellini
    • Known for long, lyrical melodies; emotional depth in works.
    • 5. Gaetano Donizetti
    • a. Major contributor to the Bel Canto tradition.
    • b. Reminiscence motive: A theme that returns to evoke emotion or memory.
    • 6. Giuseppe Verdi
    • a. Significant figure in operatic history.
    • b. Connection with Italian nationalism and Risorgimento: Infused his works with national themes.
    • c. Early and Middle Periods: Characteristics include scena, tempo d'attacca, cantabile, tempo di mezzo, cabaletta.
    • d. Late Period: Complex scene structures and use of reminiscence motives.

  • B. France

    • 1. Grand Opera
    • a. Large scale; continuation of French traditions featuring ballets & choruses.
    • b. Common plots: Romantic, historical, or mythological themes.
    • c. Dialogue – Combination of spoken and sung.
    • d. Giacomo Meyerbeer: Major composer contributing to grand operas.
    • 2. Lyric Opera
    • a. Smaller in scale than grand operas.
    • b. Relatable plots focused on human emotion and relationships.
    • c. Dialogue – Primarily sung.
    • 3. Opéra Comique
    • a. Mid-sized; often features light-hearted or satirical themes.
    • b. Integration of spoken dialogue.
    • 4. Opéra Bouffe
    • a. Small-scale comic operas.
    • b. Light-hearted themes; spoken dialogue typical.

  • C. Germany

    • 1. Pre-Wagner
    • a. Singspiel: Comic opera with spoken dialogue.
    • b. Typical plots: Simple, often comedic.
    • c. Carl Maria von Weber: Significant in the development of German romantic opera.
    • 2. Richard Wagner
    • a. Influences: Literature, politics, and philosophy inspired him.
    • b. Early vs. Mature Operas: Development of his unique style over his career.
    • c. The Ring Cycle: Major series of operas reflecting Norse myths.
    • d. “Music Drama” and Gesamtkunstwerk: The concept of total artwork combining music, poetry, and scenic design.
    • e. Leitmotiv: Recurring musical theme associated with particular characters or ideas.
    • f. Scene Structure and Unendliche Melodie: Continuous melody creating a seamless flow in the opera.
    • g. Restless Musical Style: Features chromaticism, non-resolution of harmony, and intricate polyphonic structures.
    • h. Orchestration: Innovative, using expanded orchestral forces.
    • i. Bayreuth Festspielhaus: Specially constructed opera house for performing his works.

VIII. Late Romanticism

  • A. Johannes Brahms

    • 1. Biography
    • Born in 1833, associated with the Schumann family and a major composer of the Romantic era.
    • 2. Connection to the Schumanns
    • His friendship with Robert and Clara Schumann greatly influenced his career.
    • 3. Editing Historical Music
    • Actively revised and published works of earlier composers, affecting his own compositional style.
    • 4. General Characteristics of His Music
    • Unification of classical forms with Romantic emotional depth.
    • 5. Anxiety About Beethoven
    • Struggled with the legacy and expectations set by Beethoven's works.

  • B. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    • 1. Biography
    • Born 1840; notable for his emotional expressiveness in music.
    • 2. Approach to Balancing Russian Nationalism with Western Influences
    • Fused Slavonic themes with Western musical elements.
    • 3. Works He Is Best Known For
    • Includes ballets, symphonies, and operas such as "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker."
    • 4. Symphony No. 6
    • Theme of tragedy; oft-discussed in terms of its emotional weight and programmatic qualities.

  • C. Antonín Dvořák

    • 1. Biography
    • Born 1841 in Bohemia; central to Czech national music.
    • 2. Connection to Czech / Bohemian Culture and Nationalism
    • Emphasized folk elements in his compositions.
    • 3. Connection to Brahms
    • Close personal and professional relationship; Brahms championed his music.
    • 4. His Stay in America
    • Influenced by American folk music, which he incorporated into his work.
    • 5. Folk Influences in His Art Music
    • Utilized indigenous melodies and rhythms.
    • 6. Furiant and Hemiola
    • Use of furiant in compositions: a Bohemian dance characterized by rapid tempos and shifts in meter with hemiola patterns.

IX. Essay Prompts

  • Option 1: Compare the careers and compositions of Chopin and Liszt. Discuss similarities and differences in their musical outputs and contributions to piano technique, supported by specific examples from their works.
  • Option 2: Compare the operas of Verdi and Wagner, focusing on similarities and differences while analyzing their connections to Italian and German nationalism, supported by specific operas.