Music History II PDF

Eras of Music History Medieval-Renaissance-Barooque (last sem.) Classical (1750-1825) Romantic (1825-1900) Modern (1900-Present) Simple terms review: Form = structure; genre = type; Style = characteristics Rondo form: frequent return of a theme in a piece Classical Era The late 1700s is the...

Eras of Music History Medieval-Renaissance-Barooque (last sem.) Classical (1750-1825) Romantic (1825-1900) Modern (1900-Present) Simple terms review: Form = structure; genre = type; Style = characteristics Rondo form: frequent return of a theme in a piece Classical Era The late 1700s is the Age of the Enlightenment The French Enclopedie is a set of 24 volumes and terms and references between 1751- 1772. The distinguishing characteristics of Music in this era are balance, proportion, and clarity. Later composers bridged the gap like Bach’s sons. Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach (one of the sons) developed the “sensitive style” took full advantage of the expressive potential of the clavichord where he composed many sonatas and fantasias. Notable features of this style were dramatic rhythm contrasts, unusual chromatic designs, and sudden key changes. Johann Christian Bach had a shorter but more adventurous life than CPE. In the mid 1700s was the development of the symphony. The classical era symphony evolved out of the 3 movement Italian overture that established the fast/slow/fast sequence of movements. Giovanni Battista Sammartini (1701-1775) - He composed many 3-part symphonies with a straightforward structure Jan 14th Mannheim School – made and defined many extraordinary inventions: - The sonata form - The symphony - Intro of the clarinet - Elimination of basso continuo Mannheim school also developed many techniques, such as the Mannheim rocket; a fast- ascending scale. It was the direct inspiration for bigger names like Haydn. The Opera Buffa - style of opera that uses comedy to tell stories about the everyday lives of ordinary people. Often features arias, recitatives, and choral singing Between 1800-1825 was a time of transition in which Beethoven and Schubert introduced elements of Romanticism into Classical style elements Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven up to about age 30 are known as the First Viennese School. Tonality is a major energizing factor in the Classical Era. It is the art of using keys or key changes. Each movement of a sonata, symphony, or other similarly cycled Classical-era work - Movement 1 and often Movement 4 are typically in sonata form - Movement 2 might be a Theme and Variations - Movement 3 is a Minuet and Trio in ABA form (ternary) - Movement 4 may be in Rondo form Sonata form is by far the most important Franz Josef Haydn (1732-1809) Lived from late Baroque to the birth of Romanticism He started developing his musical talent at the choir school at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. He played music for dinner and church services all the time, teaching music, while caring for his family. His early works tend to be structured and simple, while his mature works are structurally coherent, had organized themes, and surprise twists of harmony. Composed over 40 sonatas for keyboard (most intended for harpsichord)  His artistic development can also be seen in his 68 string quartets with many inventive features and textures He also composed over 100 symphonies Jan 21st Mozart composed over 600 pieces Catalogued by Ludwig von Kochel in the 19 th century, titles of his works are accompanied by their “K” (Kochel catalogue) number His 17 piano sonatas are intimate works intended for students His 27 piano concertos were intended for his own use The classical Concerto is most often a 3-movement work the features a solo instrument and orchestra Thier first movements combine the structure of Baroque ritornello form with the tonal drama of sonata allegro form. This makes the “classic concerto form.” In a cadenza, in the last movement, the soloist presents new versions of one or more themes along with complex passages and figuration. Opera Seria – popular Baroque genre The most prominent opera reformer of the 18 th century was Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) Gluck developed a style that focused on essentials Mozart remains famous for creating a music style that matches and enhances the twists and turns of the dramatic action in Opera. He composed 4 opere Serie. He also composed 7 buffa operas, where he uses recitative for dialogue. He transformed the opera buffa from something simple to one of great dramatic power and sophistication. Mozart's first collaboration with Da Ponte (a librettist) was when he composed The Marriage of Figaro, his first opera. Mozart’s singspeil – comic opera written to a German-language libretto. It has spoken dialogue in contrast to opera buffa. He composed 5 singspile, his best known of which were The Rescue from the Harem (1782) and The Magic Flute (1791) A famous aria from The Magic Flute is “The Fury of Hell” in D minor. Jan 23rd Why Beethoven? 1. Symbol of Individualism and Innovation: Beethoven’s career epitomizes the rise of individualism, the transformation of formality through experimentation, and triumph over adversity. 2. Triumph Over Challenges: He overcame a turbulent childhood, health issues (including deafness), and personal turmoil, which deeply influenced his music. 3. Creative Process: Unlike Mozart or Haydn, Beethoven meticulously labored over his compositions, aspiring to achieve greater complexity and emotional depth. Beethoven’s Early Life (Bonn) - Born into a musical family, his father was an abusive alcoholic who pushed him to practice extensively. - Early Achievements: a. Assistant court organist at 11, harpsichordist at 13. b. Supported his family financially from a young age. - Influences: Early exposure to Enlightenment ideals shaped his high ethical standards and artistic vision. - Meeting Mozart: Briefly visited Vienna in 1787 and played for Mozart, but his plans to study with him were disrupted by his mother’s death. Early Career in Vienna (1792-1800) 1. Study with Haydn: Studied with Haydn, though their relationship was strained. Later studied with Albrechtsberger and Salieri. 2. Virtuoso Reputation: Gained fame as a pianist and improviser, securing patronage from noble supporters. 3. Early Works: a. Focused on piano compositions, including half of his 32 piano sonatas. b. His First Symphony (1801) and six string quartets, Op. 18, marked the culmination of his early style. Beethoven’s “First Period” Style 1. Influences: Combined stylistic elements from Haydn, Mozart, and C.P.E. Bach. 2. Innovations: a. Expanded musical forms and emotional depth. b. Bold ideas, dramatic surprises, and rhythmic energy. 3. Notable Works: a. Early piano sonatas (Op. 2) showcased novel elements like using F minor and introducing scherzos instead of minuets. b. Symphony No. 1 displayed unprecedented tonal instability. Middle Period (“Heroic”) 1. Themes: Marked by personal struggle and Romantic ideals of heroism. a. Inspired by Napoleon and the French Revolution, though he later distanced himself from Napoleon. 2. Stylistic Traits: a. Expanded dimensions, relentless drive, dramatic contrasts, and complex developments. b. Focus on unity across movements (e.g., Symphony No. 5’s recurring motive). 3. Key Works: a. Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica"): Revolutionary in length and complexity. b. Symphony No. 5: Reflects personal and national struggles. c. Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral"): An early Romantic exploration of nature. d. Middle-period piano sonatas (e.g., "Waldstein," "Appassionata"). e. Only opera, Fidelio, and song cycle An die ferne Geliebte. Late Period 1. Context: Post-1815, Beethoven was almost entirely deaf and isolated from societal shifts toward conservatism. 2. Style: a. Philosophical focus with complex contrapuntal textures and motivic development. b. Experimentation with structure and key relationships. 3. Significance: Represents Beethoven’s exploration of a “new world of sound,” setting the stage for Romanticism. Jan 30th Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was born and grew up in Vienna. He got into the Imperial Court Chapel where he studied composition with Antonio Salieri. He contracted syphilis in 1822, and he suffered symptoms for the next 6 years with periods of depression. Like Beethoven, he composed 9 symphonies that pushed the limits. They were sophisticated, stylistically elegant, and emotionally compelling. He was the most important composer of lieder in history. He transformed the lied from something simple to a romantic piece full of emotion. A lied is a song for solo voice and accompaniment, usually for piano, based on German poetry 3 types of musical form may be found in lieder: strophic form, modified strophic form, through-composed form. A popular lied “Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel” was composed when Schubert was only 17. Feb 3rd Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) composed quickly in a tonally based style. His most famous pieces are his songs without words. They are short and quick. Another Mendelssohn novelty was the concert overture, a 1 movement orchestral composition designed to open a concert, one of which is to a Midsummer Night’s Dream. Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was a German composer by the age of 17 who studied piano with Friedrich Wieck whose daughter Clara was a child prodigy. Clara and Robert eventually got married and had several children. He focused all his efforts on composing short piano pieces in the 1830s. In 1840 he wrote over 200 lieder which was the year of his marriage to Clara. One notable piece is Carnaval which was a piano cycle of 21 short character pieces. The pieces unify by a 4-note motive. Comparison of Mozart and Beethoven Category Mozart (1756-1791) Beethoven (1770-1827) - Child prodigy, toured Europe from a - Struggled in early life, worked to Career young age. support family. - Worked in Salzburg, then moved to - Moved to Vienna, studied with Vienna as a freelance composer. Haydn (strained relationship). - Had financial struggles despite - Gained patronage but valued success. independence. - Famous for operas and - Progressive hearing loss but instrumental works. continued composing. - Died young at 35. - Lived longer (died at 56). Musical - Dramatic, bold contrasts, - Balanced, clear, elegant melodies. Style emotional depth. - Seamless melodies and formal - Expanded and developed musical perfection. forms. - Motivic development (short - Expressive operatic writing. themes evolve throughout a piece). - Galant style: light, decorative, song- - Unconventional harmonies, like. leading toward Romanticism. Composit- - 41 symphonies (Jupiter No. 41 is - 9 symphonies (Eroica, Fifth, Ninth ional famous). with Ode to Joy). Output - 27 piano concertos (elegant and - 5 piano concertos (Emperor virtuosic). Concerto). - 17 piano sonatas (Sonata in C - 32 piano sonatas (Moonlight, Major, K. 545). Waldstein, Appassionata). - Operas: Don Giovanni, The Magic - 1 opera (Fidelio). Flute, The Marriage of Figaro.  - Over 600 works across all genres. - Revolutionary late string quartets. - Mastered and perfected Classical - Pushed boundaries, leading into Legacy forms. Romanticism. - Known for effortless beauty and - Known for power, innovation, and balance. emotional depth.