Absolute/Abstract Music

Question 1

What did the orchestra look like in Absolute music?

Answer 1

It became much bigger, moving from 30-40 players to 70+, even calling for 100 or more.

Question 2

What were some advantages of a bigger orchestra?

Answer 2

More variation in tone colour, larger sound

Question 3

What technical developments happened to instruments in the 19th century? (General)

Answer 3

Instruments themselves could play louder and carry farther (Valves were added and tuba+trombones were added so brass could play by itself in the orchestra)

Question 4

The Romantic Orchestra became capable of…

Answer 4

Major changes in volume (could move easily from whispers to roars)

Question 4

Why was the Orchestra’s drastic range in Dynamics important during the romantic era?

Answer 4

It could produce the dramatic sound quality that romantic composers wanted to acheive

Question 4

What technical advancement was added to brass instruments?

Answer 4

Valves

Question 5

What was the importance of valves to trumpet players?

Answer 5

They could now play quick runs of notes, which allowed them to have a starring role more often instead of support.

Question 6

What instruments were added to the brass section?

Answer 6

Trombone and Tuba

Question 7

With the new additions in the brass section, what could the section now do within the orchestra?

Answer 7

Play by itself as an ensemble within the orchestra.

Question 8

What new woodwind instruments were added to the Orchestra?

Answer 8

Piccolo, Bass Clarinet, English Horn (Added diff sound colours)

Question 9

What new wind instruments were developed?

Answer 9

Tuba and Saxophone

Question 10

What happened to the strings section during the Romantic Period?

Answer 10

It increased in size, to contribute during loud parts (composers wrote differently for them)

Question 11

What did the percussion section expand to include?

Answer 11

Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Cymbals, and exotic percussion instruments (castanets or gongs)

Question 12

Composers began to develop skill in mixing instruments… what was it called?

Answer 12

orchestration

Question 13

Many romantic composers became…

Answer 13

Superb Orchestrators

Question 14

What was new in the strings section?

Answer 14

2 Harps

Question 15

What was in the woodwinds section during the romantic period?

Answer 15

flutes, piccolo, oboes, English horn, clarinets, bass clarinet, bassoons, contrabassoon

Question 16

What was in the brass section during the romantic period?

Answer 16

French Horns, Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba

Question 17

What was in the percussion section during the romantic period?

Answer 17

Tympani, Bass Drum, Snare drum, Cymbals, Triangle, Bells, Piano

Question 18

What happened as orchestras grew more complex?

Answer 18

Conductors began to emerge

Question 19

Composers usually conducted their own works but…

Answer 19

there were also conductors that travelled around the world conducting

Question 20

Who was one of the first musicians to specialize in conducting?

Answer 20

Hans von Bulow of the Munich Opera

Question 21

Why was abstract music called abstract?

Answer 21

As it did not follow the form of a symphony, instead changing it

Question 22

Why was it called absolute music?

Answer 22

Because they were musical patterns with no literary meaning or image associated with them.

Question 23

Who was a well known composer who preferred to write absolute music?

Answer 23

Johannes Brahms