Music History Chapter 35 Flashcards

Influential Composers and Their Inspirations

• Francis Poulenc drew inspiration from popular song, integrating it into his compositions.
• Hector Villa-Lobos named a series of works "Chóros," referencing a style of popular music in Brazil.
• Ernst Krenek was associated with the New Objectivity movement, emphasizing a return to clarity and objectivity in art.
• Claude Champagne incorporated French-Canadian folk songs to express Canadian nationalism in his music.

Historical Context and Composer Activities

• Sergey Prokofiev left Russia post-Revolution, returning two decades later, reflecting on the dramatic changes in his homeland.
• In France, the left-wing government provided support for composers since the Revolution, particularly notable figures like Berlioz and Saint-Saëns.
• During the interwar period, music became increasingly tied to political contexts, influencing compositional styles and themes.

Musical Styles and Techniques

• Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland showcases open sonorities and diatonic dissonances, embodying the American sound.
• Gershwin marketed Rhapsody in Blue as a jazz concerto, blending classical and jazz elements for a wider audience.
• Henry Cowell employed tone clusters in his work The Tides of Manaunaun, generating innovative sound textures.

Notable Compositions and Characteristics

• The final movement of Ruth Crawford Seeger's String Quartet is uniquely structured as a palindrome, offering symmetry in form.
• Jean Cocteau, a French intellectual, publicly advocated for a music style that was distinctly French and rejected Romantic traditions.
• Hindemith's Mathis der Maler is characterized by neo-Romanticism, while Honegger's King David reflects neoclassicism in its thematic content.
• Prokofiev's cantata Alexander Nevsky features folklike melodies, often sung by a choir, illustrating cultural themes.

Instrumentation and Performance

• The opening song "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" from Die Dreigroschenoper starts with a harmonium accompaniment, setting a distinctive tone.
• Darius Milhaud's compositions were deeply influenced by the sounds of the United States, incorporating jazz and popular idioms.

Cultural Movements and Theoretical Concepts

• The Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians pushed for accessible, tonal music, aiming to resonate with the general public.
• Hindemith's concept of Gebrauchsmusik focused on creating music that is playable by younger or amateur musicians, democratizing musical experiences.
• Edgard Varèse’s notion of sound masses involves imagining sound as bodies that move through musical space, breaking traditional boundaries.

Collaborations and Historical Figures

• Kurt Weill's collaboration with playwright Bertolt Brecht merged music and theater, emphasizing social themes.
• Socialist realism promoted positive depictions of the Soviet state, highlighting the working class's progress through art.

Additional Composers and Their Works

• Carl Orff managed to thrive in Nazi Germany, using his music to navigate the oppressive cultural landscape.
• The first movement of Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony is structured in Sonata Form, showcasing classical influences amidst modernist tendencies.