Stamitz

Stamitz (1754)

Melody:

• Conventional phrasing, starts with 2 bar opening phrase
• Simple diatonic material, melodic repetition
• Opening melody begins with three crotchet Hammer-Stroke followed by descending arpeggiated melody in octaves. This is followed by short 2 bar phrases using a descending sequence.

Harmony:

• More progressive for the time - very different to the contrapuntal nature of the baroque music that came before, almost complete diatonicism, a lot of perfect and imperfect cadences, traditional and conventional
• Operatic influence (Italian Opera): sectionally specialised scores and slow harmonic motions
• Almost entirely Melody-dominated homophony
• Starts in major key, second theme in dominant

Mannheim influences/Commissioned Works:

• Used the basis of the Italian Overture and added the Minuet and Trio
• Sinfonia a 8
• Concertmaster for the Mannheim court orchestra (Dramatic changes in dynamics)
• Wrote for the Mannheim Court (Pretty much only accessible to Lords and Ladies)
• Demonstrates the origins of the Sturm and Drang Artistic style
• Demonstrates the culmination of Mannheim techniques
  • Opens with hammer strokes
  • Uses Mannheim sighs (Usually Appoggiatura, often seen in 2nd movements and is the case here)
  • Mannheim Roller (slow crescendo)

Development of movement conventions:

• Used the basis of the Italian Overture (Fast, slow, fast) and added the Minuet and Trio
• Significantly shorter than the later music, being a total of 30 minutes long.Uses 4 movement which is favoured by mannheim
• Lack of transition between S1 and S2 (both short)
• Harpsichord usually played by conductor plays the basso continuo, leftover from the contrapuntal sounds of the baroque period as it was used to keep the harmonic foundatons
• For the second movement Stamitz exclusively uses strings and harpsichord in a 2/4 metre. This movement is very conventional for second movements, being an andantino tempo.
• It is in the key of Bb major (the V). At this time it was very typical for movements to be in closely related keys (usually I, IV & V)

Extra-musical influences:

• Mannheim Court was the centre of music in Europe at the time (Centred in German), written more for entertainment rather than religious music such as the Style Galant - influenced by the Rococo style.