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Mass for Christmas Day
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Composer: Anonymous
Psalm tones= repeated notes on the reciting tone
Melodies for Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) are syllabic/neumatic and stepwise
Melodies for Proper (Introit, Gradual, Offertory, Communion) are more melismatic and elaborate
Rhythm: unmetered, but with regular pulse
Texture: monophonic and sometimes responsorial
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| Mid 12th century Liturgical Drama |
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Ordo Virtutum
Composer: Hildegard von Bingen
Melody: Latin plainchant (non mass text)
Rhythm/Meter: unmetered but with regular pulse
Texture: monophonic, sometimes with drone
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| Late 12th century Troubadour Song |
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A Chantar (canso)
Composer: Comtessa Beatriz de Dia
Melody: arch-shaped, sung in vernacular
Form: AAB (bar form), strophic
Rhythm/Meter: unmetered but with regular pulse
Texture: monophonic, sometimes with drone
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| Early 12th century Aquitanian Polyphony |
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Jubilemus, Exultemus
Composer: Anonymous
Melody: mix of syllabic and melismastic
Harmony: All cadences on perfect consonances
Rhythm/Meter: not metered but with regular pulse
Texture: Polyphonic, either discant (voices move at the same rate) or florid organum (upper voice sings many notes against the tenor)
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| Late 12th century Notre Dame Polyphony |
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Viderunt Omnes (organum duplum)
Composer: Leonin
Melody: extremely melismatic
Rhythm/Meter: Use of rhythmic modes, bouncy triple feel with repeated rhythmic cell (often, long-short)
Texture: organal voice (high) plus slow-moving tenor (low)
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| Early 13th century Notre Dame Polyphony |
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Viderunt Omnes (organum quadruplum)
Composer: Perotin
Melody: extremely melismatic, contains voice exchanges and complementary phrases
Rhythm/Meter: Use of rhythmic modes, bouncy and triple feel
Texture: 3 and 4 total voices
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| Early 13th century Minnelied |
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Palastinalied
Composer: Walther von del Vogelweide
Melody: German troubadour= tuneful melodies
Form: Bar form, AAB
Rhythm/Meter: dance-like, not clearly specified
Texture: accompanied monophony
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Motets on Tenor Dominus
Composer: Anonymous
Melody: Stepwise and syllabic with occasional skips, vernacular text
Rhythm/Meter: Still based on rhythmic modes
Texture: Motetus (upper, texted voice) and slower tenor
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Jeu de Robin et de Marion
Composer: Adam de la Halle
Melody: tuneful, drawn from a lyric poem
Form: Rondeau, ABaabAB
Rhythm/Meter: not strictly notated, dance-like
Texture: monophonic
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| Late 13th century Cantiga |
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Cantiga 159: Non sofre Santa Maria
Composer: Alfonso X El Sabio
Melody: narrow and stepwise
Form: AAB plus refrain
Rhythm/Meter: dance-like, steady duple or triple meter
Texture: varies, can be solo for verse and chorus for refrain plus instruments
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| Late 13th century Estampie |
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La Quarte Estampie Royal
Composer: Anonymous
Melody: narrow
Form: paired phrases (ouvert and clos)
Rhythm/Meter: bouncy and dance-like, usually triple meter
Texture: buzzy and reedy instruments, sometimes pipe and tabor
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| Late 13th century Franconian Motet |
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Da me dame vient
Composer: Adam de la Halle
Melody: mostly stepwise and syllabic, two separate texts!!
Harmony: most (not all) cadences on perfect intervals
Rhythm/Meter: triple meter, Use of Franconian notation allow some experimentation outside of rhythmic modes. Each voice has its own character
Texture: adds duplum and triplum in same range, lots of voice crossing
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| Early 14th century Isorhythmic Motet |
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Cum statua Nabucodonasor
Ars Nova
Composer: Phillipe de Vitry
Melody: Two separate texts, use of hocket
Harmony: same as late 13th motets
Form: determined by isorhythm, tenor cycles through repeating rhythmic pattern (talea) and repeating melodic pattern (color, 24 pitches)
Rhythm/Meter: generally triple meter, more rhythmic diversity. 3:1 ratio in measure length (upper to tenor)
Texture: isorhythmic tenor, texted duplum, texted triplum
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| Mid 14th century Chanson (Ars Nova) |
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Rose, liz, printemps, verdure
Ars Nova
Composer: Guillaume de Machaut
Melody: syllabic/neumatic with melismas at cadences and also at beginning
Harmony: thirds more frequent, double leading tone cadences
Form: Rondeau: ABaAabAB
Rhythm/Meter: clear metrical pulse
Texture: tenor, contratenor, texted cantus and triplum
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La Messe de Nostre Dame
Composer: Guillaume de Machaut
Melody: alternation of sustain and rapid motion (akin to alternation of pillars and windows in a gothic cathedral)
Harmony: frequent 3rds and 6th, double leading tone cadences, stable
Form: four-note talea in tenor, 12-measure talea in contratenor
Rhythm/Meter: use of hocket, eighth note syncopations
Texture: four voices: tenor and contratenos (isorhythmic), motetus and triplum
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| Late 14th century Chanson (Ars Subtilior) |
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En Remirant vo douce pourtraiture
Ars Subtilior
Composer: Phillipus da Caserta
Melody: lots of melisma=hard to understand text
Harmony: quite a bit of dissonance in the contratenor
Form: Ballade: aabCx3, perfect time and major prolation= 9/8
Rhythm/Meter: radical syncopations, cross-rhythms 5- and 7-lets, hemiolas,
Texture: cantus (top) has melody, supported by contratenor (middle) and tenor
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| Late 14th century Trecento Song |
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Composer: Francesco Landini
Melody: syllabic and stepwise, melismas at cadences, smoother than Machaut
Harmony: Landini cadence (6 up to 1, 2 down to 1), use of 3rds and 6ths
Form: Ballata AbbbA including ripresa
Rhythm/Meter: triple meter, varied rhythms, syncopation
Texture: cantus (texted), contratenor and tenor
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Composer: John Dunstable
Melody: syllabic with brief melismas at cadences
Harmony: strong tonal center, “pervasive consonance” and avoidance of parallel perfect intervals
Form: free form and guided by text (not isorhythm or c.f.)
Rhythm/Meter: slow triple meter, varied rhythm
Texture: largely homophonic, all 3 relatively equal voices move and declaim together,
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| Early 15th century Burgundian Mass |
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Composer: Guillaume Du Fay
Melody: very melismatic, particular in upper voices. stepwise but skips are not uncommon.
Harmony: passing and suspension dissonances, fauxbourdon (chant, 4th above and 3rd below)
Form: use of the golden section, “head motive” in each movement
Rhythm/Meter: cf heard at different speeds, rhythmic diversity in top voices
Texture: more equal than previous generations
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Composer: Guillaume Du Fay
Melody:
Harmony: lots of successive 6/3 sonorities (fauxbourdon), embellished Landini cadences
Form: alternation of soloists (polyphony) and chorus (monophony)
Rhythm/Meter: triple meter, top voices identical rhythms
Texture: three polyphonic voices, mostly homorhythmic particularly in the upper voices
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| Early 15th century Chanson |
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Composer: Guillaume Du Fay
Melody: smooth and declamatory (trecento)
Harmony: some casual dissonance (no strong English influence yet)
Form: ballade- aabC x two stanzas
Rhythm/Meter: hemiolas and syncopations (ars nova), rapid passages and long-short (ars subtilior), change of meter (trecento)
Texture: 3 voices always singing/playing
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Composer: Antoine Busnoys
Melody: fewer leaps than previous gen., shorter melismas
Harmony: most cadences approached by step in top voice, some elided cadences
Form: last gen. to use formes fixes, virelai AbbaA
Rhythm/Meter: smoother rhythmically than previous gen. mensuration (meter) changes for b section
Texture: all 3 voices equally flowing and interesting. tenor and cantus share range. contratenor below. Use of imitation! some homophony
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Composer: Johannes Ockeghem
Melody: very long, melismatic phrases
Harmony: triadic sonorities + suspensions and PT’s, cadences few and far between
Form: “paraphrase mass” using a hymn melody as a subject for imitation, series of double mensuration canons
Rhythm/Meter: phrases start with long durations and progress to smaller durations “drive to the cadence”
Texture: French characteristic: ongoing movement (vs English/Italian clarity). 4 mostly equal voices in different combinations
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Composer: Josquin des Prez
Melody: same as previous gen., clear text
Harmony: same as previous gen, cadences more frequently elided
Form: free form to fit text
Rhythm/Meter: duple meter, smooth and almost entirely unsyncopated, “drive to the cadence”
Texture: 4 equal voices, alternating imitation and homophony (in sections with lots of text), frequent duets and texture shifts
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Composer: Josquin des Prez
Melody: same as previous gen. some text repetition to fit musical rhythm
Harmony: same as previous previous gen.
Form: “Paraphrase Mass” using a hymn melody as subjects for imitation
Rhythm/Meter: smooth and simple
Texture: 4 equal voices, varied order of entries, voice combinations, intervals of imitation
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Composer: Josquin des Prez
Melody: each line gets a distinct musical phrase to fit the rhythm and meaning
Harmony: phrases close on perfect consonances
Form: fit to the text
Rhythm/Meter: smooth rhythms and consistent meter
Texture: 4 equal voices in alternating homophonic combinations and imitation
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Composer: Juan del Encina
Melody: stepwise and syllabic with some embellishment during performance
Harmony: triadic but not tonal
Form: varied, but always include estribillo (refrain), coplas (stanzas), and a mundaza (literally “the change” which begins each stanza)
Rhythm/Meter: triple or compound meter, bouncy and dance-like rhythm
Texture: melody in top voice, 2-3 lower voices can be sung or played
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Composer: Marchetto Cara
Melody: narrow, stepwise melodies in short phrases. syllabic but with long melismas at phrase ending
Harmony: triadic but not tonal
Form: varies but contains a refrain
Rhythm/Meter: triple or compound meter, bouncy and dance-like, some use of hemiola
Texture: top melody voice + 3 instruments playing lower parts
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Composer: Martin Luther
Melody: short, syllabic and meant for amateurs
Harmony: Ionian mode (associated with hymns of faith)
Form: AAB, both A and B end with the same music
Rhythm/Meter: very simple and duple
Texture: monophonic, can be doubled at the 8ve
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Composer: Jacques Arcadelt
Melody: medium-length phrases, syllabic and meant for amateurs. lots of text-painting!
Harmony: simple and triadic, not tonal
Form: free to suit the text
Rhythm/Meter: smooth rhythm, ocassional syncopation
Texture: 4 equal voices, alternating homophony and imitation (close together)
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| 1520-1560 Parisian Chanson |
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Composer: Claudin de Sermisy
Melody: light-hearted words, syllabic and simple, no text-painting
Harmony: root position triads
Form: repetitive, AAB strophes, sectional!
Rhythm/Meter: lively rhythms
Texture: 4 homophonic voices
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Composer: Tielman Susato
Melody: short phrases, stepwise
Harmony: simple and triadic
Form: Basse Dance- binary AB, Pavane-AABBCC
Rhythm/Meter: can be stately and duple or lively and triple
Texture: lute, keyboard, or consorts (groups) of similar instruments. 4 homophonic voices
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| 1520-1560 Intabulation and Variation Set |
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Composer: Luis de Narvarez
Melody: A transcription of previous gen. chanson (Josquin), with embellishments added: turns, trills, and runs, especially in highest voice
Harmony: like Josquin
Form: variation set, new figuration introduced over the same phrases, harmonic plan, and cadences
Rhythm/Meter: “elastic” tempo and rhythm
Texture: 3-4 voices, top voice is most important. some imitation in the lower voices
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Composer: Giovanni Pergolesi de Palestrina
Melody: melodies tend to have downward or arch contour. mix of syllabic and melismatic. Clear text!
Harmony: carefully prepared and resolved dissonance (PT, NT, sus, cambiatas)
Rhythm/Meter: very smooth rhythm, ocassional syncopations at phrase beginnings
Texture: 4-6 voices, alternating homophony and imitation (often in duets or trios), different combinations of voices
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Composer: William Byrd
Melody: similar to Palestrina but less clear text. energetic and angular vocal lines
Harmony: more frequent cadences than Palestrina
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture: homophony is rare and used for effect,
sung in English (sacred music with vernacular text because of the Reformation)
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La nuict froide et sombre
Composer: Orlande de Lassus
Melody: very syllabic, mix of skips, leaps and steps
Harmony: provides structure and meaningful contrast. First half focuses on scale degrees 1 and 2. Second half (light) on FM (III).
Form: two parts, according to text division
Rhythm/Meter: lots of syncopation, especially into suspensions
Texture: 4 equal voices, mix of homophony and polyphony
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| 1560-1600 Italian Madrigal |
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Io Parto e non piu dissi
Composer: Carlo Gesualdo
Melody:
Harmony:
Form:
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture:
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| 1560-1600 English Madrigal |
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As Vesta Was
Composer: Thomas Weelkes
Melody: tuneful, short phrases (amateurs). syllabic and melismatic sections. Lots of word-painting
Harmony: thick chromaticism
Form: five rhymed couplets
Rhythm/Meter: self-contained sections with frequent pauses. bouncier and livelier than Italian madrigals
Texture: 5-6 voices, alternation between homophony and imitative polyphony, variety of voice combos
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Flow, My Tears
Composer: John Dowland
Melody: text-painting not possible when stanzas repeat to the same music, but it does evoke tears and sadness, lots of leaps, syllabic
Harmony: minor-sounding but with modal voice-leading
Form: Pavane (slow, processional dance)- AABBCC, opening motive as basis for entire piece (1-5 descent)
Rhythm/Meter: duple meter, quicker rhythms in the lute part
Texture: lute and voice
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John come kiss me now
Composer: William Byrd
Melody: variations on a popular song melody (short, simple, memorable), melody is always audible, lots of embellishments
Harmony: Renaissance dance harmony
Form: Renaissance dance form
Rhythm/Meter: distinctive rhythmic pattern, motive or technique for each variation
Texture: virginal (harpischord)
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| 1560-1600 Ensemble Canzona |
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Canzon Septimi Toni a 8, from Sacrae Symphoniae
Composer: Giovanni Gabrieli
Melody: some long passages of quick movement
Harmony: frequent cadences, clearly defined
Form: refrain after each section
Rhythm/Meter: strongly rhythmic motives
Texture: two brass choirs (8 total players), sometimes strings, equal and antiphonal writing, + basso continuo on organs
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Composer: Guilio Caccini
Melody: embellished
Harmony: seconda prattica
Rhythm/Meter: relatively rhythm, tempo is flexible
Timbre/Texture: solo voice + continuo
Form:
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Composer: Claudio Monteverdi
Melody: short, stepwise phrases. text setting is syllabic with a few melismas. Word painting is common
Harmony: Seconda prattica- can break cpt rules to set the text. As a result, unprepared dissonances. Still modal
Rhythm/Meter: treated elastically in performance
Timbre/Texture: 5-6 voices. alternation of homophony, imitative polyphony with close points of imitation. varied combinations of voices. A capella, doubled with viols, or with continuo
Form:
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Composer: Girolamo Frescobaldi
Melody: Subject and countersubject are very short and simple phrases
Harmony: modal and lightly chromatic
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: Subject and countersubject played fugally but not a fully formed fugue
Form:
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Composer: Barbara Strozzi
Melody: Italian text, melody depends on section
Harmony:
Rhythm/Meter: elastic for recit, flexible for arioso, steady simple rhythms for aria
Timbre/Texture: voice + continuo
Form: sections of recit, arioso, aria
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Composer: Girolamo Frescobaldi
Melody: highly embellished and ornament (especially in outer voices), idiomatic to keyboard
Harmony: still mostly modal, light chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter: played elastically
Timbre/Texture: organ or harpsichord, moving lines that stay relatively close together
Form: no set form. rapid movement between styles and idioms
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Composer: Biagio Marini
Melody: idomatic writing (eg- double stops for vln)
Harmony: modal, some chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: violin (or other) +keyboard/continuo
Form: mix of styles/idioms
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| 1600-1650 Sacred Concerto (German) |
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Composer: Heinrich Schutz
Melody: sometimes like a solo motet with more than one soloist
Harmony:
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: Choir(s), strings, brass, soloists and continuo played on organ
Form: mix of recit, aria/arioso, sinfonia, cori spezzati, and Renaissance imitative polyphony
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Composer: Claudio Monteverdi
Melody: Recitative: narrow and syllabic
Arias (Canzonettas): tuneful melodies with simple, syllabic rhythms
Harmony: seconda prattica
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: voice usually accompanied by continuo, full ensemble present for sinfonias and ritornellos
Form: short instrumental sinfonias introduce each scene. Canzonetta-style arias are strophic with ritornellos between each strophe. Quick changes between recit, arioso, aria, and interludes
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| 1600-1650 Sacred Concerto (Latin) |
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Composer: Giovanni Gabrieli
Melody:
Harmony:
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: Choir(s), brass, soloists, strings and continuo played on organ
Form: moves between recit, aria/arioso, sinfonias, cori spezzati (double choirs of brass/singers), and Renaissance imitative polyphony
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Composer: Alessandro Grandi
Melody: Latin text, depends on section
Harmony:
Rhythm/Meter: elastic for recit, steady but flexible for arioso, steady simple rhythms for aria
Timbre/Texture: voice + continuo
Form: mix of recit, arioso, and aria
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Composer: Giacomo Carissimi
Melody: same as opera. text more often in Latin
Harmony: same as opera
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: instrumental ensemble is hardly present. Double choirs used occasionally
Form: same as opera
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| 1650-1700 Opera (Italian) |
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Composer: Antonio Cesti
Melody: tuneful, simple, long/lyrical, stepwise w/ occasional leaps
Harmony: diatonic w/ expressive chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter: simple rhythms
Texture: voice accompanied by continuo AND reduced ensemble
Form: strophic with short sinfonias introducing each strophe
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aka “Tragedie Lyrique”
Composer: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Melody: short and declamatory (compared to Italian)
Harmony: tonal w/ moderate chromaticism, especially for villians
Rhythm/Meter: Recit carefully follows declamation of text
Texture: Vocals accompanied only by continuo. Lully’s orchestra had more than one instrument per part so sounds denser
Form: Scenes begin with orchestral introduction, move quickly between styles (dance, recit, air)
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| 1650-1750 French Overture |
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Composer: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Melody:
Harmony: tonal w/ occasional chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter: “note inegales” dotted rhythms
Texture: orchestral
Form: Two repeated sections. Slow, then contrapuntal/fugal
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| 1650-1700 Opera (English) |
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Composer: Henry Purcell
Melody: Tuneful, simple w/ occasional melisma
Harmony: simple and diatonic
Rhythm/Meter: simple
Texture: strings+continuo. reduced ensemble accompanies vocal parts along with continuo
Form: style changes are less quick than French. Arias are longer (often passacaglia-based). Chorus is more important than in French or Italian opera
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Composer: Jean-Baptiste Lully
Melody: short and declamatory w/ melismas in solo sections
Harmony: simple and diatonic
Rhythm/Meter: use of notes inegales. written 8ths performed as dotted
Texture: Two choruses, soloists, strings, (and possibly winds/brass), plus continuo
Form: alternating sections of interludes, solos, and homophonic choral writing
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Composer: Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre
Melody: highly embellished with “agrements”
Harmony: generally diatonic with light chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter: varies by movement
Texture: fairly thin, 4 pt. counterpoint. harmonies are arpeggiated (style luthe/brise)
Form: binary form (except preludes and chaccones). A section modulates to V, B returns to I
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Composer: Arcangelo Corelli
Melody: Fast mvt: tuneful and playful, leaps and runs
Slow mvt: embellished and ornamented, or little at all
Harmony: mostly diatonic, occasional modulation
Rhythm/Meter: fast mvts are dance-based
Texture: fast mvt: contrapuntal and imitative
slow mvt: suspension chains and chordal textures
Form: 4 mvts, slow-fast-slow-fast. Fast are sometimes binary form
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Composer: Dietrich Buxtehude
Melody: long phrases, virtuosic, embellished and ornamented with runs/turns/trills
Harmony: diatonic but with (frequent) modulations
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture: alternation of fugal and free counterpoint. 4-6 equal moving voices
Form: little transition between sections, frequent style changes
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| 1700-1740 Opera (Italian) |
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Composer: Georg Friedrich Handel
Melody: long and highly virtuosic/embellished with runs/trills/leaps.
Harmony: relatively diatonic
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture: strings dominate but reeds/brass also present. Reduced ensemble and continuo accompany voice
Form: A: Ritornello in I, mod. to V followed by phrase from ritornello in V. Mod. back I, complete ritornello
B: short in contrasting key
A: returns with added ornamentation
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Composer: Jean-Phillipe Rameau
Melody: first to codify tonal theory! very triadic melodies, short phrases and declamatory text-setting
Harmony: more dissonant than previous generations, favors 7th, 9th chords, + intervals, chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter: favors dotted rhythms
Timbre/Texture: Standard orchestra, denser than Italian
Form:
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| 1700-1740 Cantata (Italian) |
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Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti
Melody: same as Handel’s opera: virtuosic and embellished, long phrases
Harmony: more chromatic and dissonant than Handel, same modulation scheme
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: voice and continuo only
Form: alternating recit/aria. Da Capo form but sometimes no full ritornello at end of A section
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| 1700-1740 Cantata (German) |
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Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Melody: lots of leaps, highly embellished (particulary in arias). Long chordal runs not uncommon
Harmony: very chromatic but not very dissonant. frequent and quick modulations
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: few strings plus others (records/reeds/brass) and continuo
Form: often based on a chorale (AAB, bar form), treated in imitation or as a slowed down cantus firmus. Arias are in da capo
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| 1700-1740 Oratorio/Passion (German) |
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Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Melody: lots of leaps, highly embellished
Harmony: very chromatic but not dissonant, frequent and quick modulations
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: double choir and full baroque orchestra
Form: Arias in da capo, chorale-based
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| 1700-1740 Oratorio (English) |
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Composer: Georg Friedrich Handel
similar to Italian opera: da capo arias, vocal phrases are long, virtuosic, and embellished. May feature accompanied (metered) recitative. Choruses resemble Bach’s but are less chromatic
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Composer: Antonio Vivaldi
Melody: long, virtuosic phrases with runs/trills/arpeggios/double-stops. ritornellos are 2-4 short phrases
Harmony: simple and diatonic. ritornellos are stable, solos modulate
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: string ensemble, soloist accompanied by basso continuo. little interaction between orch/soloist
Form: alternating ritornellos and solo passages
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Composer: Francois Couperin
Melody: highly embellished with agrements but not virtuosic. Usually explore a single character
Harmony: light chromaticism and typical binary form modulations. thick chords result in some dissonace
Rhythm/Meter: use of dance rhythms like the previous generation
Timbre/Texture: dense textures with thick chords, outer voices are structural. 4 voices
Form: binary form
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| 1700-1740 Organ Prelude and Fugue |
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Composer: JS Bach or Dietrich Buxtehude
Melody: highly virtousic, more a series of contrapuntal figures than a real melody
Harmony: highly chromatic, frequent modulations
Rhythm/Meter: free treatment of tempo/rhythm
Timbre/Texture/Form: opening section in free counterpoint, sometime based on a chorale melody (chorale prelude). fugues contain an exposition (each voice enters with subject), then alternation of free cpt with entrances of the subject in 4-6 voices
Form:
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| 1700-1740 Keyboard Prelude and Fugue |
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Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Melody: short contrapuntal figures appear in one hand and migrate to the other. these are teaching pieces, so same figure is typically repeated to focus on one skill
Harmony: very chromatic, frequent quick modulations
Rhythm/Meter: sometime uses dance rhythms
Timbre/Texture: Fugues are like organ fugues but with only 4 voices.
Form:
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La Serva Padrona: Recit and Aria
Composer: Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
Melody: much less elaborate than Handel’s opera. syllabic text setting and short, simple, contrasting phrases. Characters can express complex emotions
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: small orchestra. strings + continuo with minimal accompaniment for vocals
Form: Da capo form
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Orfeo ed Euridice: Act II- Scene 1
Composer: Christoph Willibald Gluck
Melody: long/lyrical with some leaps and melismas. much more “natural” text setting than baroque
Harmony: diatonic, can be dissonant if required
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: full winds and brass (including trombones), strings and continuo. Chorus may interject in the middle of an aria (French influence). minimal accompaniment of vocals
Form: some, but not eclusive use of Da Capo form
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| 1730-1755 Piano Sonata (Galant) |
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Sonata in D major, K 119
Composer: Domenico Scarlatti
Melody: short (4mm), contrasting phrases. triadic, playful, graceful and elegant
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic. Modulations take a long time
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: piano or harpsichord. almost purely homophonic. LH harmony is sometimes in the form of alberti bass
Form: harpsichord, Rounded binary form. B ends with a short A fragment. New keys associate with new melodies, resulting in long period of tonal stability/instability.
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| 1755-1770 Piano Sonata (Empfindsamstil) |
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Sonata in A major H 186
Composer: Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach
Melody: free and rhapsodic melodies, lots of expressive leaps and embellishments. use of scotch snap (short-long)
Harmony: often minor key, light expressive chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter: slow and rhapsodic tempo, treated freely
Timbre/Texture: thin and homophonic
Form: free, or variation of binary or ternary (ABA)
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Sinfonia a 8 in E-flat major, Op. 11 No. 3
Composer: Johann Stamitz
Melody: short, even, triadic phrases. Galant phrases. new melodic ideas constantly being introduced
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic, modulations take time
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: string dominate, horns and woodwinds fill out harmony and texture. continuo still present
Form: extended rounded binary form. each new key/transition gets a new theme. free modulatory passage at the beginning of B (development precursor)
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Piano Sonata in F Major, K 332 I.
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Melody: balanced, triadic phrases usually in antecedent/consequent pairs (periodic phrasing). occasional use of “topics”. two themes contrast
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic, occasional expressive chromaticism. modulations are long
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: almost entirely homophonic, fragmented and sequenced phrases in the development
Form: First mvts in sonata form, clearly delineated by texture
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Piano Concerto in A major, K 488
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Melody: balanced, traidic and periodic phrasing. use of topics, two contrasting themes
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic with occasional expressive chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre: full classical orchestra including full wind section and horns. strings dominate
Texture: more soloist/ensemble interaction than previous generations. strings carry melody when soloist isn’t playing
Form: double-exposition sonata form (combines sonata and ritornello form)
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Composer: Joseph Haydn
Melody: balanced, triadic, periodic phrases.
Harmony: almost entirely homophonic with occasional expressive chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: mostly homophonic except development sections. strings typically have the melody
Form: 1st and last movements in sonata form, clearly delineated and sometimes with slow exposition. slow movements (slow sonata, theme and var., rondo) and minuet and trio (two rounded binary forms). Finales can also be in rondo form (ABACABA/ABACBA), rondo A sections are in rounded binary form
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Composer: Joseph Hadyn
Melody: balanced, triadic, periodic phrases. two contrasting themes
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic, occasional expressive chromaticism
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: generally homophonic. 1st violin dominates but each instrument gets melody at least once (meant to entertain all players as well as audience)
Form: first and last tend to be sonata, also minuet and trio and a slow movement. Rondo finales sometimes. Elements of form are clearly delineated by changes in texture
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Don Giovanni: Act I, Scenes 1 and 2
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Melody: long/lyrical, mostly triadic, and often balanced phrases. Text setting by character: lower class=buffa, upper class=drawn-out and closer to opera seria
Harmony: mostly diatonic with dissonance/chromaticism in highly emotional situations
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: full classical orchestra with full winds/brass. Orchestra supports voices. Mozart is known for small ensemble writing (duets, trios, quartets)
Form: some arias in ABA variations with lots of changes in second A sections. some are entirely through-composed
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Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Melody: series of organically developing motives, often based on a single rhythmic pattern. short and assymetrical. stately/lyrical contrast between two major themes
Harmony: some light chromaticism and long sections of dissonance. modulations are frequent and quick
Rhythm/Meter: use of rhythm as motive
Timbre/Texture: slightly larger than classical ensemble. winds and brass are mostly equal to strings
Form: Classical forms, but extended. Minuet becomes scherzo. Formal delineations are less obvious
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Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Melody: deeply expressive and asymmetrical. Can be either a series of small, related motives or long/lyrical
Harmony: dense, pounding chords. a lot more dissonance than Hadyn/Mozart. Modulations are frequent and quick, use of third relationships
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: Dense
Form: extended classical forms but some “fantasia” like sonata movements. later sonatas may have fugues/fugal passages
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Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Melody: Short and expressive. use of juxtaposed topics. series of short spun-out motives followed by a simple folk-like melody. incorporation of vocal genres (recitative, cavatina)
Harmony: alternates between deeply chromatic nad somple diatonic (during naive topics)
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: relatively equal, but 1st violin typically carries clear melodies
Form: all old forms plus fugues. Often ;4 mvts, played attaca. Some modified forms (sonata-rondo)
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| 1800-1830 Lied/Song Cycle |
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Composer: Franz Schubert
Melody: lyrical, asymmetrical, and deeply expressive
Harmony: frequent modal mixture, modulations frequent, quick and sometimes to distant keys
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: piano creates the scene (eg-Gretchen am Spinnrade or Erlkonig)
Form: strophic, modified strophic, or through-composed
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| 1800-1830 Opera (Bel Canto) |
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Composers: Giachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti, Giacomo Meyerbeer
Melody: ornamented and embellished to show off the voice, additional embellishments added by performer. Cantabile (long/lyrical) or Caballeta (lively and bouncy)
Harmony: almost entirely diatonic, with very occasional chromaticism. Modulations are infrequent and quick
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: orchestra plays supporting pulsing chords or rolling arpeggios. Chorus may be present during arias
Form: Scena (recit fully metered and accompanied), tempo d’Attaco. Aria/Ensemble/Chorus begins with slow section, then medium and fast. cantabile-tempo di mezzo-caballeta.
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| 1800-1830 Opera (Singspiel) |
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Composer: Carl Maria von Weber
Melody: expressive/lyrical. tet setting is mostly syllabic/declamatory but can be tuneful. Some passages of spoken dialogue and melodrama. Use of popular idioms (waltzes, folk songs, hunting marches)
Harmony: range from simple/diatonic to deeply chromatic and dissonant depending on mood
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: Use of “colorful” instruments. Orchestra is more active than Italian opera but is mostly used to set the mood. long orchestra passages are common
Form:
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Composer: Robert Schumann
Melody: short and based on a single rhythmic motive. Melodies develop organically from motives and are generally asymmetrical
Harmony: dramatic and light to moderate chromaticism, lots of modal mixture, long sections of dramatic dissonance. Modulations frequent and quick
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: winds and strings mostly equal, large-scale texture changes less frequent than Mozart/Haydn. similar size to Beethoven’s orchestra
Form:
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| 1830-1860 Symphony (Programmatic) |
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Composer: Hector Berlioz
Melody: clearly definied, often represent characters/ideas, long/lyrical and asymmetrical. Use of quotations for narrative purposes (eg- dies irae)
Harmony: dramatic, light to moderate chromaticism, lots of modal mixture, long sections of dramatic dissonant, frequent and quick modulations
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: much larger orchestra due to colorful orchestral effects. Use of extended techniques to move the story forward or create drama
Form: adapted to fit the story, vestiges of older forms
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Composer: Felix Mendelssohn
Melody: mix of lyrical/expressive and virtuosic passages
Harmony: light chromaticism and some modal mixture
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: same size as non-programmatic symphonies. frequent soloist/ensemble interaction
Form: Sonata form with a cadenza (can be anywhere). first orchestral exposition often absent. obvious formal divisions but not as audible as Haydn/Mozart
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| 1830-1860 Lied/Song Cycle |
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Composer: Robert Schumann
Melody: long, lyrical, expressive, assymetrical. use of “sigh” figures
Harmony: moderate chromaticism, lots of modal mixture creates ambiguity regard the mode, often feels unresolved or incomplete
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: same as previous generation
Form: same as previous generation
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| 1830-1860 Piano Trio/Chamber Music |
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Composer: Clara Schumann
Melody: long, lyrical, expressive, asymmetrical
Harmony: light to moderate chromaticism, some mixture
Rhythm/Meter:
Timbre/Texture: all instruments play equal roles and have moments. Changing combinations keep texture engaging
Form: generally follows classical formal patterns
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| 1830-1860 Character Piece/Miniature Set |
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Composer: Robert Schumann
Melody: Depends on character, short motives are developed organically. 1 or 2 main “tunes”
Harmony: light to moderate chromaticism, some mixture and dissonance
Rhythm/Meter: motives have clear rhythmic profiles
Timbre/Texture: written for amateurs, so easy to play
Form: very short, free-form or ABA
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| 1830-1860 Character Piece (Mazurka) |
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Mazurka in B-flat major, Op. 7 No.1
Composer: Fryderyk Chopin
Melody: dance-like, lively, triadic, balanced, ornaments and augmented seconds (exoticism)
Harmony: mostly diatonic with some expressive chromaticism, modal inflections are also used (lydian)
Rhythm/Meter: triple time with dotted rhythms that emphasize beat 2. rubato performance practice
Timbre/Texture: LH “oom-pa-pa” or drone, RH-melody
Form: ABA or ABACA
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| 1825-1850 Character Piece (Nocturne) |
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Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2
Melody: extremely long, lyrical, expressive, asymetrical. Embellishments and cadenza-like figuration increases as the piece goes on
Harmony: light chromaticism which increases as the piece progresses
Form: songlike, modifed strophic form ABtA’B’tA”B”t Coda
Rhythm/Meter: slow tempo, lots of rubato
Texture: RH-melody, LH-accompaniment (pulsing chords or rolling arpeggios)
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Three Concert Etudes: No. 3 Un Sospiro
Composer: Franz Liszt
Melody: lyrical and expressive, not long, virtuosity and progressive difficulty, use of pentatonic and octatonic collections
Harmony: ranging from diatonic to extremely chromatic, progessively more chromatic. Key scheme divides the octave into thirds (M3 relationships)
Form: AA’B(cadenza)B’cB”cA”B'”
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture: focus on one particular skill (eg- hand crossing)
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| 1825-1850 Grand/French Opera |
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Les Huguenots: Conclusion of Act II
Composer: Giacomo Meyerbeer
Melody: Bel canto for protagonists, declamatory style for villians
Harmony: diatonic with expressive chromaticism
Form: historical drama refecting a new view of history
Rhythm/Meter: French= prevalent dotted rhythms
Texture: moderate sized orchestra, subordinate to the vocals
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Symphony No. 4, IV. Allegro energico e passionato
Composer: Johannes Brahms
Melody: developing variation (melodies develop out a single motive), longer/more lyrical than Schumann
Harmony: Dense, dissonant, deeply chromatic
Form: Classical and Baroque era forms-in this case, a chaconne (variations)
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture: dense and contrapuntal, “squirmy” inner voices. winds/brass/strings all equal
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Quintet for Piano and Strings in f minor, Op. 34- I.
Composer: Johannes
Melody: developing variation- everything can be linked to the first measure
Harmony: dense, dissonant, and chromatic
Form: Sonata form w/ 3 key exposition
Texture: string quartet + piano, dense texture, all instruments take turns playing melody, accompaniment, or counterpoint
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| 1850-1875 Opera (Musikdrama) |
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Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Conclusion of Act I
Composer: Richard Wagner
Melody: vary from speechlike to soaring and passionate, woven from lietmotives- neverending melody (unendliche melodie)
Harmony: extraordinarily dense and dissonant
Form: note divided into numbers! continuously follows the action- orchestra maintains continuity. No distinction recit/aria
Texture: large low-pitched orchestra, voice and orchestra independent and equal
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| 1850-1875 Opera (Italian) |
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La Traviata- Act III: Scena and Duet
set in its own time with realistic characters, situations and emotion
Composer: Guiseppe Verdi
Melody: both symmetrical and asymmetrical melodies, tuneful/lyrical/expressive even soaring at times.
Harmony: diatonic with expressive chromaticism, infrequent but quick modulations
Form: Rossini’s duet form: scena (accompanied recit), tempo d’attaca (trading phrases), cantabile (slow and calm), tempo di mezzo (mood is altered), cabaletta (fast, expressing joy/anger)
Rhythm/Meter:
Texture: moderate sized orchestra playing very rhythmic accompaniment parts
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| 1850-1875 Opera (Russian) |
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Boris Godunov: Coronation Scene
Composer: Modest Mussorgsky
Melody: narrow, based on Russian speech patterns, some use of folk music
Harmony: tertian sonorities but “common-tone” relationships replace traditional harmonic progression, lots of dissonance and chromaticism
Form: formal “blocks” created from interlocking ostinati, repetition instead of development, juxtaposition instead of transition
Texture: large orchestra featured in long passages without voices, orchestra is subordinate when voices enter
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