Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century - Appreciation of Music | MUEL 1832, Study notes of Music

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Baroque  Age of enlightenment/humanism  Reason, intellect, learning, science, arts  Doctrine of Affections; unified affect  Tonality: system based on melody, harmony and form (goal-oriented) - Major/Minor: Triad hierarchy (tonic/dominant)  Invention of opera; dramatic expression  Rise of instrumental music; generic forms Style: ornate, abundant decoration; flamboyance The Basso Continuo:  Created to support vocalists - Establishes a strong, supportive bass - Ensures purposeful chord structure  Requires two instrumentalists - Harpsichord (or organ) plays the chord progression Sustaining instrument (cello, bassoon) plays bass line: solo singer w/musicians Opera  Dramatic work combining text and music that is entirely sung; elaborate stage sets and costumes; emerged in Northern Italy  Florentine Camerata; desire to recreate ancient Greek drama  Libretto (the text); early operas usually set in ancient Greece or Rome  Monody: solo singer with accompaniment (emulate Greek music); reaction against the complex polyphony of the Renaissance Solo singing:  Aria: Communicates the plot; advances the story -Singing style: heightened speech; characters “talking” - Rhythm: set to the rhythm of speech patterns -Text setting: syllabic; rapidly repeating notes, long notes at end -Accompaniment: basso continuo  Recitative: Expresses the character’s emotion -Singing style: passionate, tuneful, a character singing -Rhythm: clear meter and regular rhythms -Text setting: melismatic; virtuosic vocal display, a self-contained, independent musical unit -Accompaniment: basso continuo and orchestra The Baroque Orchestra  Sizes vary from small to large; one player per part to several; 14-80 players  Renaissance instruments disappeared.  Violin family dominates sound (e.g., 12 violins, 4 violas, 2 cellos)  Gradually added pairs of winds: flutes, oboes, bassoons, trumpets Harpsichord used for basso continuo Antonio Vivaldi (1678 –1741)  Italian Baroque composer and virtuoso violinist  Ospedaledella Pietà: a Venice orphanage that Vivaldi helped make famous through its orchestra. Taught lessons, conducted, composed more than 450 concertos (1703-1740)  Violin Concerto in E major (“The Spring”), 1725The first of four concertos entitled “The Four Seasons”  Programmatic music: Sonnet of poetry accompanies each concerto Instrumental and Concert Music of the Early to Mid-Baroque  First era in which works were composed only for instruments (sonatas, concertos)  Chamber music: music for small ensembles  Orchestral music: music for large ensembles Opera-style works for voices and instruments: Cantata and Oratorio (not staged) Baroque concertos  Friendly “contest” between soloist and orchestra; from the Latin conserere(to join) and certamen(to compete) - Soloists: “concertino”= little concert - Orchestra: “tutti”=everybody - Two types: o Solo concerto: one soloist o Concerto grosso: two or more soloists (declined after Baroque era) Ex C. Vivaldi: Violin Concerto (Spring from The Four Seasons), First movement  Allegro • Programmatic music: based on a story or poem.  Sonnet: author unknown, possibly Vivaldi. - Ritornello pt. 1>then repeated at softer dynamic level - Ritornello pt. 2; then repeated at softer dynamic level - Solo violin and two violins mimicking bird “chirp” sounds. Spring with all its festiveness has arrived and birds salute it with happy song, - (rapid repeated notes); then solo violin agitated sounds; Dark clouds cover the sky, announced by bolts of lightning and thunder, - Solo violin evokes bird song And when these fall silent, the birds return to their melodious incantation. - slowing down to a close (ritard) Late Baroque Aesthetic:  Refinement: Perfection of existing forms  Complex counterpoint; multiple independent melodic lines (Unlike the clear homophony of early Baroque)  Dramatic power  Genres: symphony, string quartet  Return to simple elegance after the Baroque (galante) `Social changes in music  Public Concerts - Performances gradually moved from palace to concert hall - Supported by the middle class - Comic Opera: simple songs; bawdy humor; satire of aristocracy  The Piano invented around 1700 Classical Style (compared to late Baroque)  Harmony: Simple chords  Rhythm: Greater variety within a single movement (unlike driving rhythm of the Baroque)  Mood changes, not one affect  Texture: greater emphasis on homophony; counterpoint used mainly for contrast  Timbre: - Orchestra increased in size: 50 to 60 musicians common - Strings are the core - Full woodwind ensemble became standard¡French horn and trumpets Rococo and Galantestyle Rococo (often referred to as late Baroque): artistic style in the mid-18thcentury; florid, ornate, curvaceous, graceful, charm; reaction against symmetry and grandeur of the early Baroque.  Galante: musical style that emphasized melody; graceful melodic line; a reaction against the complexities of Bach and Handel; pleasant sounding and light.  Animated homophony: the purpose was to make one voice (instrumental) stand out  Periodic phrasing: musical phrases structured like a question and an answer. A way of achieving balance. - Antecedent –the question - Consequent –the answer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  Born in Salzburg, Austria in a musical family  Most famous child prodigy in history  Toured throughout northern Europe and Italy; exposed to a wealth of musical styles  Vienna: - Free-lance musician 1781-1791 - Peak of success: 1785-1787  Reputation: Compositions display diversity, breadth of expression, and perfect formal control Classical style in Mozart  Consists of singable melodies; frequent cadences  Antecedent and consequent phrases –balance  Antecedent phrase (question) - Opening, incomplete-sounding phrase - Often cadences on the dominant  Consequent phrase (answer) - Brings repose and closure - Usually cadences on the tonic Ex G. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major K.488, First Movement, Allegro  Exposition 1 (orchestra) 0:00 Strings introduce First theme pt. 1; then repeated by woodwinds 0:32 First theme pt. 2 0:56 Strings introduce Second theme; then repeated by woodwinds 1:24 Strings introduce Closing theme, pt. 1 1:51 Woodwinds introduce Closing theme, pt. 2  Exposition 2 (piano with orchestra) 1:59 Piano plays first theme 2:27 Orchestra plays first theme, pt. 2; then piano 2:56 Piano plays second theme, pt. 1; then joined by woodwinds 3:25 Piano plays second theme, pt. 2 3:34 All play closing theme, pt. 14:03 Piano trill leads into return of first theme, pt. 2 4:15 After a pause, new theme introduced by strings, then piano  Development 4:39 Woodwinds play variations of new theme; piano and orchestra 5:03 Woodwinds play in imitative counterpoint; piano plays ascending scales 5:37 Piano flourishes lead into recapitulation  Recapitulation 5:54 Themes from the exposition are heard in piano, woodwinds, orchestra 7:47 Piano plays new theme 8:53 Piano cadenza (unaccompanied solo) 10:03 Trill, then higher trill signals end of cadenza 10:17 Orchestra plays closing theme.  Mozart’s operas - Written in a variety of traditions - Traditional opera seria: La clemenzadiTito - Opera buffa o The Marriage of Figaro - Singspiel o Spoken dialogue replaces recitative o The Magic Flute(Die Zauberflöte) - Opera semi-seria o Mix of opera seriaand opera buffa o Don Giovanni Ex H. Mozart: Don Giovanni, opera  The myth of Don Juan - Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte (Mozart’s principal librettist) - Characters: o Don Giovanni: aristocratic, rake, villain o Leporello: servant to Don Giovanni o Donna Anna: one of Don’s many conquests o Commandant: elderly father of Donna Anna; killed by Don Giovanni Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)  Often called “the Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet”  Trained as choirboy; spent nearly entire life in Austria; freelance musician during the 1750s  Esterházy family: 1761-1790 - Conducted the prince’s personal orchestra - Composed 104 Symphonies - Introduced theme and variations in the genre Ex I. Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 76, No. 3 (Emperor), Second Movement  Composed for Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria  Based on a hymn written by Haydn that became Austria’s national anthem until end of WWII; currently anthem of Germany  String Quartet: 1stand 2ndviolins, viola, cello  Form: theme and variations (single theme repeated in various ways) 0:00 Theme 1:20 Variation 1 2:32 Variation 2 3:57 Variation 3 5:19 Variation 4 6:45 Coda First violin plays theme; others play choral accompaniment. Second violin plays theme; first violin plays decoratively Cello plays theme, others play harmonies and counter- melodies. Viola plays theme, others play syncopated accompaniment, more dissonance and chromaticism than previous section. First violin plays theme, polyphonic texture, pitch level seems to rise throughout this variation. Sustained note in cello, fading away. Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)  Virtuoso pianist & composer in Vienna  Led to celebration of musical GENIUS  All Vienna mourned his death in 1827 Symphony No. 9, fourth movement:  First symphony to include a chorus  An die Freude(Ode to Joy) - Only appears in the fourth movement - Text written by Friedrich von Schiller - Text honors idea of universal brotherhood - Beethoven drawn to this text throughout his life - Worked on the melody for nearly twenty years Romantic Era Classic Vs. Romantic - Objectivity and reason - Rules and forms: balance - Monuments of ancient Greece - Happiness; fulfillment - Universal values - Subjectivity and emotion - Passion and self expression - Nature; fantasy; supernatural - longing, despair - individual values, originality Role of Music as Art (after Beethoven)  Music the preeminent art form, express the inexpressible  Intensity of expression transcends experience or understanding  Role of the Composer - Now a prophet or demigod, artistic genius o Inspires the audience o Music morally uplifting and beautiful - Music no longer entertainment, but art - Serious tone in the concert hall  Extremes of form - Large symphonic, choral, operatic - Small, intimate, solo or art song Art Song: a new lyricism Inspired by Romantic Era Poets: Shelley, Goethe, Heine  Art Song: a composition for solo voice and piano accompaniment; intimacy  Lied: German term for art song  Strong bond between music and poetry - Music intensifies the poetry - Expresses emotions beyond words  Forms: - Strophic: o Same music for each stanza of the poem; basis of folk song o Single poetic mood - Modified Strophic: o Alters the music at some point o Variation can be minimal or significant - Through-composed: o Each stanza set to new music o Projects a series of changing moods Ex K. Schubert: Erlkönig, Lied Composed in one night at age 17  A dramatic tale of horror by Goethe (Romantic fascination with the supernatural)  Piano accompaniment suggests the galloping horse  Elf-king sings a seductive line  Terrified boy sings in upper range, chromatic inflections  Father sings in lower, reassuring range Clara Wieck Schumann  One of the great piano virtuosos of the nineteenth century  Toured Europe as prodigy since age 11  Composer  Married Robert Schumann in 1840  Surpassed him in international fame  Toured as performer up to age of 70 Ex L. Clara Schumann: “Liebstdu um Schönheit” (“If You Love for Beauty”), Lied  Based on a poem by Eichendorff  FORM: Modified strophic; slight alterations between stanzas  Vocal line is A, A’, A’’, A’’’ Robert Schumann  A remarkably creative composer  Small scale works  Character pieces for solo piano  Lieder  Large scale works  Afflicted with increasing mental illness  Marriage with Clara Frauenliebeund leben (Women in Love and Life)  Song cycle; a setting of eight poems that progress from love at first sight, to engagement, to separation Piano Music  The Piano as status symbol  Large market for piano music  A large audience interested in piano virtuosos Frédéric Chopin  Born near Warsaw, Poland  Education: - Attended an elite “prep” school - Studied at Warsaw Conservatory  Made his career in Paris, among the elite: - Made money teaching, publishing - Performed for small gatherings  Compositions - Primarily composed for the piano - Many compositions based on Polish folk dances Ex N. Chopin: Mazurka No. 5 in B-flat major, Op. 7, No. 1  Nationalism: use of folk style common in home country  Mazurka: fast, triple-meter Polish dance  Accent on the second beat  Melody draws upon native folk tunes  Harmony: drones imitate bagpipe accompaniment  0:00 A section –triple meter dance, second beat accented  0:13 Repeat of A section  0:26 B section –lyrical interlude  0:37 Repeat of A  0:51 Repeat of B, then A  1:16 C section –exotic melody with drone in bass Love is like a gypsy child who has never known constraint If you don’t love me, then I love you; If I love you, you’d best beware.  1:13 Chorus shouts: “you’d best beware!”  1:36 Chorus and Carmen alternate refrain German Opera: Richard Wagner  Controversial visionary of enormous influence; wrote musical dramas; Norse mythology  Gesamtkunstwerk(total art work) - Seamless flow of music - Eliminates tuneful arias - Heightens importance of orchestra  Leitmotif (leading motive) - A brief, distinctive unit of music that represents a character, object, or idea(usually played by the orchestra) - Suggests the character’s subconscious thought - Multiple leitmotifs can appear simultaneously Ex S. Wagner: “Leb’ wohl” from Die Walkure From the second opera in Wagner’s four-opera cycle Ring of the Nibelung. Wotan, the King of the Gods, must punish the betrayal of his daughter Brunnhilde by putting her into a state of “magic sleep” surrounded by fire.  0:00 Leitmotif of the Valkyries is heard at the beginning  0:21 Wotan begins to say farewell to his daughter. Farewell, you bold, wonderful child! You, my heart’s holiest pride. Farewell!  1:06 Wotan continues tenderly with low melody on clarinet, then French horn If I must reject you and may not lovingly welcome you again with my greeting, If you may no longer ride beside me or bring mead to the table; If I must lose you whom I loved, you laughing joy of my eyes.  1:57 As Wotan sings of the fire, the orchestra plays “magic fire” motif. Then a bridal fire shall burn for you as it never burned for any bride. A blaze of flame around the rock; let it scare the fainthearted, let cowards run.  2:29 As Wotan finishes, brass plays Siegfried’s leitmotif For only one shall win the bride, one freer than I, the God!  3:04 Leitmotif of Wotan’s love for his daughter heard first in the high woodwinds, then throughout the orchestra. Motifs foreshadow the love between Brunnhildeand Siegfried. daughter heard first in the high woodwinds, then throughout the orchestra. Motifs foreshadow the love between Brunnhildeand Siegfried. 20TH century:  significance:  collapse of tonality  modernism: rejection of what came before; shock of the  Minimalism: simplicity and repetitio