Grade 12 Music History

Listening Examples:

Piece: Elfking Composer: Franz Schubert 

Type/Style: 19th Century Art Song ERA: Romantic 

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Use of romantic themes of nature, the supernatural and the exotic 

2)  Melody and rhythm were used to create singable melodies and emotional effects

Piece: Symphonie Fantastique Composer: Hector Berlioz

Type/Style: Romantic Symphony ERA: Romantic 

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Program music: a composition based on a specific story which is revealed to the listener

2) Includes many common themes of the Romantic Era - unattainable love, the nature, the exotic

Piece: Prelude in E minor Composer: Frederic Chopin 

Type/Style: Romantic Piano Music ERA: Romantic 

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Simple melodies and rhythms with subtly changing chords 

2) Contrast, tension and release 

Piece: Polonaise in Ab Composer: Frederic Chopin 

Type/Style: Romantic Piano Music ERA: Romantic 

Describe two ways this composition is typical of it’s Era

1) Dramatic intro 

2) Singable melodies, rubato, and expressive harmonies 

Piece: Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun” Composer: Claude Debussy

Type/Style: Impressionist Symphony ERA: Impressionism

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Obscures the strong pulses of the meters by writing rhythms over the bar line 

2) Seamless, shimmering effect - flutes, clarinets low; violins high 

Piece: Pierrot Lunaire Composer: Arnold Schoenberg 

Type/Style: German Expressionism ERA: 20th Century/Contemporary

Describe two ways this composition is typical of it’s Era

1) Sprechstimme and Klangfarbenmelodie 

2) Atonal (diatonic tonality is no longer used) 

Piece: Wozzeck Composer: Alban Berg

Type/Style: 20th Century Opera ERA: 20th Century/Contemporary

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Has atonal passages

2) Melodies are unbalanced and unsingable 

Piece: Symphony, Opus 21 Composer: Anton Webern 

Type/Style: Serialism ERA: 20th Century Symphony 

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Atonal through the use of the twelve tone row 

2) Klangfarbenmelodie (pointillism) 

Piece: Petrushka Composer: Igor Stravinsky 

Type/Style: 20th Century Ballet ERA: 20th Century/Contemporary

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Polytonality, poly harmonies and the use of a new harmonic technique (Petrushka chord)

2) Traditional folk music as the basis for the composition 

Piece: Rodeo “Hoe-Down” Composer: Aaron Copland 

Type/Style: 20th Century Ballet ERA: 20th Century/Contemporary

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) Traditional folk music of the “wild west” from the American South West (Nationalism)

2)  Lean timbres and polyrhythms 

Piece: Billy the Kid Composer: Aaron Copland 

Type/Style: 20th Century Ballet ERA: 20th Century/Contemporary

Describe two ways this composition is typical of its Era

1) He uses complex rhythm, polytonality, mixed meters and dissonance

2) Cowboy tunes and American folk songs 

TERMS:

Define the following and give an example form the works we studied in class (2 Marks each)

Expressionism - Began in the early 1900’s, composers did not follow the traditional diatonic system and used atonal unsingable melodies, unresolved dissonance and rhythms that obscured bar lines. 

EXAMPLE: Pierrot Lunaire by Arnold Schoenberg 

Impressionism - The movement away from Romantic ideas in the late 1800’s. It captures ordinary objects at a specific time of day rather than emotional subjects. 

EXAMPLE: Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun” by Claude Debussy 

Fixed Idea - Singable melody that is manipulated in each movement depending on the story and emotion.

EXAMPLE: Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz

Klangfarbenmelodie - (tone-colour melody) where each note of the melody is played by a

different instrument creating a shifting effect.

EXAMPLE: Pierrot Lunaire by Arnold Schoenberg 

Through Composed - Has no repetitions of whole sections of music from beginning to end.  It Follows the story line, changing with each stanza according to the text. 

EXAMPLE: The Erlking by Franz Schubert 

Strophic -  the repetition of a musical unit, a stanza or verse. 

Sprechstimme - In a spoken voice, the vocal line is spoken rather than sung on specific pitches or rhythm. 

EXAMPLE: Pierrot Lunaire by Arnold Schoenberg 

Serialism - Use of all 12 chromatic pitches set in a tone row. 

EXAMPLE: Symphony, Opus 21 by Anton Webern 

Program Music - Music composed based on a poem, painting or story. 

EXAMPLE: Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz

Polytonality - Use of 2 keys at the same time.

EXAMPLE: Petrushka by Igor Stravinsky 

Aria - A performer displays emotions through expressive songs throughout the plot. 

EXAMPLE: Wozzeck by Alban Berg 

Recitative -  Plot information is given in sung yet unexpressive passages. 

EXAMPLE: Wozzeck by Alban Berg 

Compare how the elements were treated between these two eras

ELEMENT ROMANTIC ERA 20Th CENTURY

Rhythm Complex and rubato Polyrhythms

Meter Regular and symmetrical Non-symmetrical metres 

Melody Singable tunes Unbalanced and unsingable

Harmony Diatonic Quartal harmony 

Dissonance Prepared and resolved Unresolved 

Tonality Expressive; lush chords Polytonality, atonality

Form Expanded Shortened 

Timber/Orchestration Large ensemble, virtuoso performer Lean, individual voices 

Pick a composer and tell me 5 relevant facts: Hector Berlioz

1. Born in 1803 in a small town in France 

2. Went to Paris to study medicine, however his passion led him to study music instead 

3. When a Shakespearean troupe arrived in Paris, he fell in love with one of the actresses 

4. This time of infatuation led Berlioz to compose the best pieces 

5. Berlioz lost emotional strife during the relationship and died early at 66 years old

Short Answer Questions:

Name three subjects of the Romantic Era

1. Unattainable love 

2. The struggling hero 

3. The supernatural 

Two things unique to impressionist Music:

1. Captures ordinary objects at a specific time of day 

2. Parallel fifths and octaves were used to create a seamless gliding sound

Two themes of contemporary music: 

1. Escape from over-refinement, and desire to capture spontaneity 

2. Compers goal was to express abstract combinations of sound, rather than emotion