numberings
solo, duet, trio, quartet, qintet, sextet, septet, octet, nontet
Vienna, Austria
associated with Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven
Estherhazy
Hungarian noble family, employed Haydn – patrons
Haydn
1732 – 1809
Mozart
1756 – 1791
Beethoven
1770 – 1827
Piano
came about in 1700
ubiquitous
replaced basso
symphony
multi-movement instrumental genre for orchestra alone often with 4 movements.
string quartet
4 movement instrumental genre (chamber music) for 2 violins, 1 viola, and cello.
Sonata
1) solo piano
2) piano + solo instrument
3 movements
concerto
Soloist and orchestra, multi-movement instrumental genre. Core of bowed strings.
double concerto
2 soloists and orchesta, multi-movement instrumental genre. core of bowed strings.
piano quintet
piano + quartet
woodwind quintet
flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, french horn
orchestra through 1800s
grew in size, basso was replaced by piano
Composition of orchestra
violin, viola, cello, double base
flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon
trombone, french horn, trumpet, tuba
timpani
chamber music
string quartets, often for amateurs to make social music.
tonality
the 12 tone system or majors and minor
classic era also known as common practice era
key
one of the 12 positions in the major minor system
major
t/t/st/t/t/t/st
minor
t/st/t/t/st/t/t
chromatic
moving by 1/2 steps
chromatic harmony
using chromatic scales, this is a romantic trait
tonic
first note of the scale
dominate
5th note of the scale
modulation
changing key in a piece
transposition
changing the key of a piece
minuet
dance movement of a multi-movement work, such as a concerto or string quartet. (often the third, sometimes the second) – in TERNARY FORM.
binary form
A B
tonic – modulate
rounded binary form
A – Ba
fragments of A return at the end.
Ternary form
A – B – A
minuet and trio often in this form
Theme and variations form
state a theme, repeat and alter
sonata form (first movement form)
structural and dramatic
theme one, bridge, theme 2, repeat
development
recapitulation
Coda
last section of a piece after the main ideas are presented
sequence
short motive altered and repeated, common in modulation
cadenza
near end of concerto, soloist only
steccato
short
legato
long
lyrical
short, memorable and appealing to a broad public
motive
fragment of a melody or theme
motive development
repeating throughout a piece
theme
basic subject matter of a piece of music – a phrase, motive, tune, musical idea.
opus
work
virtuoso
talented musician
nationalism
celebration of culture of nationality of composer:
MAHLER: Youth’s magic horn – song cycle of german folk songs
WAGNER: new german school, celebrated opera (example: flying dutchmen)
Exoticism
celebration of culture of foreigner.
PUCCINI: madama butterfly, japanese theme.
CHOPIN: polonaise, celebration of polishness.
Program music
instrumental music associated with a story, image, idea, poem…etc. Often with descriptive title.
TCHAIKOVSKY: romeo and juliet overture
absolue music
instrumental music NOT associated with anything, usually with a generic title.
5th Symphony
chromatic harmony
german school that saw formal structures as inhibiting to the composer’s expression.
art-song Lied
solo voice (monody) +piano. Poems or stories usually already existing. Became popular due to ubiquity of piano.
song cycle
group of songs published together with something in common. MAHLER – the youth’s magic horn. 12 german songs – also nationalism.
cyclic
repetition of motives or reminiscent motives, gave pieces a sense of unity.
form in art songs
strophic – every stanza, same music
modified strophic – some the same, some not
through composed – different every stanza
prelude
name given to character piece, could also be inrto to other music. In art songs, it was a character piece.
names for character pieces
waltz, prelude, nocturne, polonaise, mazurka
Robert Schumann
music critic, composer, married clara
Clara Schumann
composer, piano virtuoso, 7 children, took care of robert when he went insane. Letts showed she accepted women’s subordination
Chopin
etudes, technically difficult, virtuoso, piano, polish and exotic – had polonaises
nocturne
night music
polonaise
nationalist dance
Berlioz
expanded orchestra, orchestration, wrote orchestral manual, progressive, developed program music
Ballet
Tchaikovsky – in french grand opera, swan lake, the nutcracker
symphonic poem
one movement work in free form for orchestra with descriptive title
concert overture
sonata form, one movement instrumental genre
Mendelssohn
st. matthews passion
Verdi
Aide, opera, italy on historical topics
Puccini
Madama butterfly, contemporary themes
Opera Seria
italian, historical topics, aristocratic taste, recitative, aria
Opera Buffa
funny opera, middle-class, common people, aria, recitative
Singspiel
spoken, aria, chorus, duet, any topic
Bel Canto
madama butterfly, 19th C singing style, arias were decorative and busy. Very difficult and pure singing.
Prima Donna
principle female singer
Librettos in 19th C
murder, maddness, and suicide
Un Bel di
bel canto aria, Madama butterfly, imagining her happiness when Pinkerton arrives.
Wagner
iconic german opera composer, nationalist, follower of new german school
gesamtkunstwerk
total artwork – all encompassing theatre poetry, drama, visual
Bayreuth Festival Theatre
designed for Wagners operas
The ring cycle
cycle of music dramas, norse mythology, political librettos
music drama
wagner – type of opera according to the german school
Mahler
1860 – 1911 maximialist compositions, including orchestras with choirs, lots of percussion
non-traditional scoring
mahler – loved percussion
Mahler’s symphonies
1) huge, included voice, lots of percussion, 2) very long, 3) many movements.
Mahler’s orchestra
huge, included voice and lots of percussion
orchestral art song
an art song for voice + orchestra
youth’s magic horn (mahler)
funeral march
Mahler began his 5th symphony with this, Beethoven did this before him
musical irony
two opposite ideas communicated in music.
Mahler: Kindertotenlieder (song of the death of a child)
Ballet
Dance, Tchaikovsky
Character piece
one movement for piano, lyrical (Eusebius) – portrays a mood
concerto
large ensenble instrumental, multi-movement, soloist and orchestra
concert overture
sonata form, one movement with ttile
double concerto
two soloists + orchestra
Lied/art song
monody, solo voice and piano, often known poems or stories. Made popular by piano, piano added expression
Music Drama
Wagner – theory for a new kind of opera
Opera Buffa
recitative, aria, middle-class, common people
opera seria
italian, aria, recitative, aristocratic, gods, mythology, history
orchestral art song
monody + orchestra
piano quintet
piano + quartet
singspiel
german, aria, duet, chorus, common topics
sonata
solo
solo instrument + piano
song cycle
songs published together that share characteristics
string quartet
2 violins, viola, cello
symphonic poem
one-movement work in free form with descriptive title
symphony
multi-movement instrumental genre for orchestra alone. 4 movements – sonata (first movement form), theme and variation, scherzo, rondo.
woodwind quintet
flute, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, french horn