Exam 2, Late Music History

2. A different kind of interest in the past
a. Continued reinterpretation of Classical (ancient Greek/Roman) scholarly material
b. Use of medieval subjects for operas, and celebrating stylistic elements relevant to Palestrina , J.S. Bach

3. Artists affected by political, social conflicts
Changed social station of musician composers now write to:
a. “Inner necessity” rather than to demands of commission and to communicate personal ideologies and emotions to a receptive audience
b. Satisfy public, on whom they are now dependent.

4. System breakdown results in composers with no access to formal training, so markedly individual styles result rather than the “collective thought” relevant to Classicism

5. Theme of nationalism are prevalent: celebration of common history or a native land that is distinct from other groups

6. Middle class a more relevant consumer
a. Piano (and guitar) are now household ornaments and sheet music is more available
b. Public concerts regular occurrence

7. Interest in altered states of reality and “dark side” of nature, including supernatural.

8. Interest in things far away (and long ago): Escapism; the opposite force is a concern with now: realism (or verismo)

>>Problems this created:
1. Tonality was the structural anchor for Classical forms (i.e., sonata form), so…
2. Experimentation leads to breakdown of tonal system

e. New themes attracting composers: obsessive love, nature, mythology, magic

a. 2 completed movements show Schubert at his most adventurous:
1. 1st movement introduction material dominates recap (rather than expo’s themes)
2. 2nd theme: hear those magical major/minor contrasts
*Listen: Movement I
1. String theme gives way to oboe/clarinet melody
2. Transition modulates down to G for cello theme
3. 2nd theme boasts Austrian dance qualities

1. 14 early “sinfonias” between 1821 and 1824; most for string orchestra alone
2. 2 important mature works preserve impressions from his travels
“Italian”
a. No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (pr. 1833; rev 1834; pb. 1851)
b. Outer movements: “sunny, vibrant”; dance-like finale

b. Symphony No. 2 in C Major (composed 1845-46; published 1847) is more cyclic:
1. Brass theme in intro recurs in scherzo and finale
2. Main theme of slow movement becomes 2nd theme in finale (but minor to major)

c. Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major (“Rhenish”); 1850: 5 movements

In London:
a. Muzio Clementi: Italian who lived in London at end of 1700s
1. Pianist, composer, manufacturer, publisher
2. Style influenced Beethoven: in ornamentation, passagework, chromaticism, dense textures

b. Jan Dussek:
1. Bohemian working in London
2. Churned out 32 piano sonatas
3. Influenced Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt

In Russia:
John Field (1782-1837)
1. Irish by birth, lived in Russia most of his career
2. Sonatas, concertos, chamber music, but best known for nocturnes:
Nocturne is one of many fanciful titles for a piano miniature: small form, single movement “character piece”
1. Programmatic content
2. Not rigidly structured (that is, no strict sonata form)
3. Extremely expressive thru exploitation of piano’s new capabilities
4. Evocative of night (often described as dreamy, airy, broken chord accompaniment often)

From Bohemia: A whole herd: Tomasek, Hummel, Moscheles, Dussek, Czerny
a. Vaclav Tomasek:
1. Many fanciful pieces in free structures (eclogues, rhapsodies)
2. Light, enjoyable pieces, not too virtuosic (appeals to middle-class amateurs)

b. Johann Hummel:
1. Beethoven’s performance rival in Vienna
2. Playing style more conservative (delicate, restrained) than Beethoven’s
3. This style of playing and composing persisted thru Schubert, Mendelssoh, Chopin

c. Ignaz Moscheles:
1. Beethoven’s friend
2. Celebrated virtuoso but not a prolific composer

2. In July 1830, Louis Philippe (1773-1850), the “citizen king,” was installed after King Charles X scared them with his “absolute power” nonsense

Paris and culture
1. By this time, Paris had displaced Vienna as the center of European music making
2. But, no composer/performer enjoyed annuities like those bestowed on Beethoven: after the Revolution, the wealth of the French aristocracy was largely confiscated
3. Musical life in Paris concentrated in the opera house (more to come) and the concert hall

2. Learned to play flute, guitar but in 1821 went to Paris to study medicine

3. Dropped medicine to study with Jean Francois Lesueur, a leading composition teacher

4. Won Prix de Rome in 1830: earned 4-year stipend and 2-year residency in Rome

5. Grew composer and conductor reputations after returning to Paris in 1832: made extra money writing music reviews, organizing concerts

6. Later toured Europe to promote music: found approval among German audiences

Symphonie Fantastique: Episode de la vie d’un artiste
An intensely autobiographical narrative

The printed program:
At first performance in December 1830, Berlioz distributed the story to the audience: “to fill the gaps which the use of musical language leaves in the development of dramatic thought”

Analysis of the work:
a. Form: 5 movements (extension of sonata cycle idea)

b. Idee fixe
1. Theme associated with beloved’s qualities
2. Repeated and transformed thru-out piece
3. Cyclic principle: Idee fixe

c. Orchestra resembles ensemble of French grand opera more than orchestra of Beethoven

d. The movements:
1. Passions
a. Idee fixe 1st heard after “pause” in development section
b. Sonata form with blurred outlines: long intro before exposition

2. A ball
a. In triple meter waltz
b. Idee fixe appears near middle of movement

3. Scenes in the field
a. Mood setting: he sees her on a summer evening
b. Piping of shepherds imitated with offstage obo
c. Stormy contrasting section depicts his beloved’s thoughts and idee fixe heard in winds

4. March to the Scaffold
a. Narrative sequence: he takes opium, which instigates a dream that he has killed her and then is led to be executed for his crime
b. Duple meter, march-like; formal plan resembles sonata form (2 themes, repeated exposition and a return of the main theme)
c. Idee fixe comes 4 minutes into movement for one last look at his beloved (clarinets)

2. Dual interest in literature and music
a. Founding editor of Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik (twice a week, 1844)
b. Articles supported progressive composers

3. Kept diary from which we get much biographical information

4. Law student at Leipzig, music “late in life”

5. A pianist: but permanently damaged his hand and turned to composing

Personality and life events:
a. Obsessive: one example? Heard Paganini play, decided to become piano virtuoso
>>Paganini (1782-1840): transplant to Paris, astounded audiences
1. Dazzled with technical proficiency on violin
2. Composers, performers emulated virtuosity in their performances and comps

b. Began taking piano lessons with Friedrich Wieck; his daughter, Clara, became love of his life

c. Finally married Clara in 1840 (she 20, he 30)

2. Cryptic allusions to his own world are found in these: Clara (Chiarina), Chopin, Paganini are all at the dance, and Schumann’s “alter-egos” Florestan and Eusebius, too

3. The pieces are unified by a theme derived from letters ASCH

b. Most published in groups (miniatures) linked by poet, narrative, theme

c. Hear lyrical melodies partnered with expressive harmonies

d. He liked genre, but infused his moodiness into this genre

1840: “Year of song”
a. Just before marriage to Clara in September, a turn from piano to songs
b. 170 total, including 2 cycles: Dichterliebe and Frauenliebe und Leben

Examples:
“Mondnacht”: Op. 39, No. 5 (1840); Eichendorff
a. Modified strophic form = static conception of a moment in nature
b. Subtle word painting: rising melodic figure on ‘heaven’ and solid tonic arrives on word ‘home’
c. Schumann-esque traits: lengthy piano prelude, interlude, postlude

2. 9 years younger than Robert

3. Celebrated virtuosa.
a. Premiered works by Chopin, Schumann, and Brahms.
b. Continued to concertize until age 70.

4. First female concert pianist of international stature.
a. One of first to command stage for entire recital
b. One of first to memorize repertoire

5. Wrote works for piano, ensemble, voice.

6. R and C toured together

7. Submitted work to Robert for criticism and did his works on recitals more than her own

Song output: 26 Lieder
Examples: Liebst du um schoneheit; Op. 12, no. 2; Ruckert (1854)
>Arguably unsophisticated music (very repetitive), but captures direct sentiments: love me only for the sake of love, not beauty, youth, wealth

Geheimes flustern hier und dort, Op. 23, No. 3; Rollett; (1853)

a. Nature theme throughout: the forest speaks to the poet, and music repeats (strophic) to effect the consistency of its message

Intellectual, social and musical sources:
a. Lied essentially began with its greatest poet, Goethe

b. But minor poets like Holty and Muller and gifted amateurs like Mayrhofer had their importance.
1. German poetry found natural counterpart in increasingly sophisticated musical language available to contemporary German-speaking composers
2. Made particular appeal to rapidly expanding German-speaking educated classes

c. Main quality of the new verse was not literary merit but emotional tone
>This has a discernible central theme: personal, individual feeling affected by powerful external forces, whether of nature, history or society.

d. The Romantic lied directly mirrored literary developments by combining themes of opera with the folk or traditional and reducing result to terms of voice and keyboard.

2. Did not benefit from patronage system, but received education at his father’s school and as a singer in Imperial choir

3. Never held a post, and was not a virtuoso or a conductor: instead, eked out living from composition and occasional teaching (avoided concertizing)

5. Wrote some of most famous works as a teenager

2. Avoided program music

3. Main style traits are a knack for melodic composition and love of modulation: skilled at surprising modulations and this makes Schubert a Romantic

Stylistic specialties
>Formal choices:
1. Strophic: one melody for each stanza, usually w/refrain

1 a: Modified strophic: changes so music follows more closely mood established by text

2. Through-composed: different music for each stanza

>The piano’s role: more than merely accompaniment
a. Adds expressive content to song
b. Pre- and postludes offer text painting

>Vocal style: Typically a mix of declamatory and more lyrical singing

Why a song cycle?
a. Ongoing interest in song groupings
b. Influenced by Beethoven’s song cycle An die ferne geliebte of 1815–16

The cycle:
1. Boiled Muller’s verse down to 20 poems
2. Made it less “tragic love story” than a metaphor on the Romantic conviction: that true love on earth finds its fulfillment only in death
3. Many are strophic with preludes and postludes

II. Winterreise: (1827)
1. 4 years later Schubert returned to Muller
2. More an emotional portrait, again of a lovesick wanderer
3. 24 songs treat pilgrimage of a man who lost his lover
4. Songs structurally more complex and varied

b. Opera comique:
i. Acquires more seriousness and is used as a vehicle for Revolutionary propaganda: virtue over aristocratic vice.
ii. Uses spoken dialogue; everyday people in modern history; reflects well the values of middle class

1. Three separate houses in play for 3 separate genres: The Opera was for grand opera, the Opera-Comique was for opera comique, and the Theatre-Italien presented Italian operas in original language

Grand opera
a. Blends social statement, history, spectacle with long, action-filled scenes
b. Strictly in French language and a rule barred works with spoken dialogue

2. Keep in mind, though, that the arrival of Rossini in Paris threatened to extinguish a viable French school of opera composition

2. Extravagant in every way: length, staging, size of instrumental and vocal resources

3. Exerted great influence on succeeding composers, Verdi (Aida) and Wagner (Rienzi).

4. Deals with heroic subject matter taken from history (could be critical of past), especially with religious themes and application to current issues.
a. Stories exploit melodramatic and violent situations, nearly always ending tragically
b. May present controversial themes – religious intolerance or rebellion against oppression, for instance.
c. Include major characters from the lower classes, portraying them in a heroic light

5. Typically sung throughout

6. Later works in 4 acts but more often in 5

7. Enormous performing forces required:
a. Many leading characters and secondary roles
b. Chorus represented different groups in conflict
c. Ballet assumed amore extensive role and orchestra grows in size and variety
i. Special orchestral effects abound (offstage instruments, muting and so on).
ii. Scores contain a wide range of formal types and styles.

2. Patrons of this opera are the upper middle class: opera comes to reflect their tastes

1. Germanic approach to harmony and tonal structures, experience in Italian lyricism and commitment to French traditions

2. Rivaled Berlioz in introducing new orchestral effects

3. Simple forms and vocal style to contrast with the more fully scored choral sections.

b. Dramatic expression is very pulse of his music, so operatic elements heard in many non-operatic works (especially symphonies, larger choral works)

2. Sketched more, at least 1 project in mind at nearly all points of his working life.

3. Opera was medium of predecessors he admired most (Gluck, Spontini, Weber) and most cultivated form of music in Paris during his first years there.

Output:
a. Best-known are Benvenuto Cellini 1830s and Les Troyens 1850s

b. Estelle et Nemorin, composed in 1823, has not survived.

c. Les francs-juges (1826): 6 complete numbers and overture survive

d. 1833: considered Much Ado about Nothing for Opera-Comique

e. 1845: Began composition of Le damnation de Faust

f. By 1850: seems to have abandoned thoughts of opera, but dream of a grand opera on Virgil’s Aeneid began to surface (Les Troyens)

2. Performance history: Not neglected, but no single production has followed exactly Berlioz’s instructions

3. 5 acts, divided into 2 parts
I-II: Takes place at Troy III-V: At Carthage
4. Libretto by Berlioz: Adapted Virgil to suit needs of a libretto

5. Truly an epic opera: grand in conception and execution

6. All is faithful to text (that means it’s anti-Italian, pro-French)

Features of grand opera in Troyens:
1. Off-stage effects, vision scenes (ghost of Hector, ghosts of Trojans)
2. More obvious features like ballet, choruses, mime: huge resources required

Great scenes include:
1. Enormous finale of Act 1: Cassandra’s wails of doom (reality) contrast with Trojans’ faith in the Wooden Horse (fantasy)

2. Royal Hunt and Storm: meeting of Dido and Aeneas enacted in symbolic mime

1. Not originally conceived as a work to be performed scenically on stage

2. Premiered at Opera Comique on December 6, 1846 as a concert: poorly attended

a. More a static series of scenes than dramatic plot
b. Berlioz: “Once started, the score emerged with a lightness such as I have very seldom experienced in my other work. I did not seek the thoughts, I let them come, and they arranged themselves in a completely unsuspected sequence.”

Notable listening: Scenes 16-18- Fausts’s “Invocation to Nature”: just before sealing his pact with the devil, Faust goes to the woods and caves (returning to nature, of course)

Hear:
1. Syllabic text rendering of much of the singing (typical French is music adapted to natural speech patterns and specific rhythms and accents)

This means a rebirth of French instrumental composition:
i. To provide musical alternatives to German symphonic thought or music drama
ii. Restore French music: weed out external influences, contaminants

Cultural impact:
i. widens range of activity: more chamber and orchestral
ii. higher standards for music education

Types of opera post-1870:
A. Opera lyrique
1. None of grandeur of grand opera.
a. More human scale, sentimental and melodic.
b. Less intensity, overt sensuality, violence of contemporary Italian and German opera.

Examples:
a. Charles Gounod, Faust
b. Jules Massenet, Manon

B. Operetta
a. New kind of comic: satirical, mocks social customs and other operatic styles
b. Uses popular music of the time
Examples: Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld; Tales of Hoffmann

Carmen (1875)
1. First performed at comique house with spoken dialogue but met with hostility by audiences and the press

2. Much more receptive audience in Vienna later in 1875 (and with recitative added )

3. Full success not until 8 years after Bizet died

4. An opera comique?
>Generally not “comic” but opera in France with spoken dialogue, characters, scenes, plot of common life placed in that category

Basic traits review:
1. Italian opera sung throughout: shuns spoken dialogue
2. Virtuoso singing above all: star singers continue to rule the genre
3. Elaborate ensemble finales
4. Operas not conceived to last: written for season.
5. Italian composers continuing traditions: that meant familiar musical numbers (aria, duet, ensemble, chorus) and familiar subjects (librettists continued this): tragedies due to human desires were most popular

Overtures (typical especially of earlier works)
a. Slow intro, an abridged sonata form, then a faster coda
b. Hear wind solos, driving rhythms, “Rossini” crescendo
c. These instrumental additions impacted orchestral music of the time
The ensembles:
a. Frequently canonic, often strophic settings
b. Simple choral writing

Arias: Consider the voice type preferred at the time and the dramatic episode structure

The voice type
a. Exploit bel canto style: naturally beautiful voice, even throughout range, effortless delivery of a florid, ornamented melody
b. Rossini wrote ornaments in the score to curb singer abuse

The dramatic episode: made up of a scena followed by an aria (scena ed aria complex)
This formula allowed Rossini to give the star singer the entire scene, like a soliloquy in Shakespeare. It breaks down like so:

1. “Scena” (sometimes labeled “primo tempo”) prepares for the aria (the formal number) (COMPLEX RECIT, SETS UP ARIA, CHORAL AND ORCHESTRAL MATTERS, NOT JUST ACCOMPNAMENT)

2. This “scena” is a complex of recitative (conversational or arioso), orchestral figuration, choral participation, and parlante (instrumental more interesting than voice)
a. Stylistic change that puts musical interest in orchestra
b. Recitative-like singing but engaging accompaniment

As for that aria….
1. Typically 2-parts: cantabile and cabaletta PLUS some intervening components

i. “Cantabile” (sometimes called “cavatina” if it is singer’s “entrance” aria)
>Slow tempo usually: time for character to reflect on whatever went down in the “scena”

a. Tempo di mezzo (one of the intervening components): anything from chorus to messenger’s arrival
b. *Tempo di mezzo separates cavatina and cabaletta*

Output:
1. Only 10 operas, all serious: dramatic tragedies that are outgrowth of the old opera seria
2. Also, tales from modern history, Shakespeare

Example: Norma (1831)

This work definitively established German Romantic opera
a. Contributed to theatrical reform: precursor to Wagner’s all-inclusive music drama
b. Mingles supernatural and human, good and evil
c. Nature painting, relationship between man and nature = German romantic ideal on stage

Listening: Wolf’s Glens Scene:
a. At midnight in the wolf’s glen, 7 magic bullets are cast
b. For each bullet: the music depicts another scene in nature: moon, a wild bird, boar, storm
c. The last one strikes Agathe, but she’s protected by bridal wreath
d. Bullet hits Caspar instead