Beethoven Flashcards
What were the advantages of the pianoforte to the harpsichord?
You could have rapid contrasts in dynamics, sudden accents and effects such as crescendo and diminuendo
Give examples of 4 classical composers
Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert
When Beethoven was 21 where did he move to and what did he move to do?
He moved to Vienna, Austria where he established his reputation as a virtuoso pianist, improvising and playing his own compositions as well as the works of others in private and public concerts
How did Beethoven aknowledge the support the Viennese nobility gave him?
He dedicated his published works to them
Who is this set work dedicated to?
Prince Karl von Lichnowsky
What is a classical sonata?
A work in 3 or 4 movements each different in mood but relays in key, written for either solo piano or for a solo instrument with a piano
What genre is this set work?
The first movement of a piano sonata
Where were piano sonatas usually performed?
In the home either (if it were simple) by the daughters of aristocratic families of if it were harder then by celebrated pianists
How many sonatas did Beethoven write and which one is this?
He wrote 32 and this is no.8
When was this set work published and what was it’s title?
It was published in 1799 under the title of Grande Sonate Pathetique (meaning passionate)
What’s the difference between the pianos used nowadays and the piano used then?
The old ones had wooden frames that could not support the high tension strings used on the iron frames pianos of today so the tone was lighter and less sonorous
How many octaves does this set work span?
5
How does Beethoven exploit the range of the piano?
Be uses long and rapid descents, wide leaps and uses of different registers (e.g. both hand in the treble clef and both in the bass clef)
How does he use dynamics?
Wide range- from pp to ff with sudden contrats. He also uses crescendo’s and diminuendo’s and occasional forceful accents
What does Beethhovens piano writing include?
The need for the right hand to cross over to the left, wide separation of the hands (they move apart in contrary motion) and thick dense chords in the low register
When was the Classical period?
Between about 1750 and 1825
What are the features in this set work that look forward to the romantic style of composition?
Emotional outbursts, extreme contrasts in dynamic and adventurous choices of keys and an unusual structure
This set work was written in sonata form. What does this mean?
It has 3 main sections:
-exposition which introduces the first subject in the tonic key and the second subject in the dominant or related key
- development in which ideas from the exposition are transformed and taken through more unrelated keys
- recapitulation in which the exposition returns but altered to now mainly stay in the tonic key
What is unusual in the structure of this piano sonata compared to other classical piano sonatas?
It starts with a slow introduction
What happens from bars 1-10?
Slow introduction in c minor
What happens from bars 11-121?
Exposition
What happens from bars 11-35
First subject in c minor
What happens from bars 35-51?
Transition, this links the first and second subjects and it modulates to the dominant of eb over a rising chromatic bass
What happens from bars 52- 89
2nd subject starts in eb minor then goes to Bb major (dominant of the related major)
What happens in bars 121?
The codetta. It ends the exposition by affirming that it has modulated to eb major.
What happens after bar 121?
Exposition is repeated
What happens in bars 133- 167?
Development
What happens in bar 133?
Material from the opening of the snow introduction Returns in C minor. An enharmonic change leads to an abrupt modulation to e minor
What happens in bar 137?
Adaptations of transition theme all in e minor. Then there are modulation through d major to g minor
What happens in bar 167?
28 bars of dominant preparation with dominant pedal on g followed by descending quavers
What happens from bars 195-295
Recapitulation
What happens in bar 195?
Return of 1st subject in tonic key (c minor) modified to from a 4 bar sequence that ends on a chord of c major
What happens in 221?
2nd subject unexpectedly in f minor before moving to c minor
What happens in bar 295?
Coda. Ends the movement by affirming the tonic key
How many notes is the introductorary motif made up of?
6
How does the slow introduction end?
With a rapid descending chromatic scale
What is periodic phrasing?
Where the first subject is repeated an octave higher and then balanced by 4 bars o longer notes.
What is rhythmic augmentation?
When a more value is doubled in length
What ornaments does Beethoven use in this set work?
Acciaccatura, the mordent and the tri
What is the time signature and tempo marking of the introduction?
4 and grave (very slow)
4
What does the instruction tempo 1 mean?
To return to the initial (grave) tempo
What is the time signature and tempo markings of the main part of the movement
22 and allegro molto e con brio (very fast and with vigour)
Describe the Rhythm in this set work
- dotted rhythms and very short notes in the introduction
- occasional syncopation occurs among the staccato crotchets of the allegro
- The constant quavers in the long sections of the left hand part create the effect of an ostinato
- some passages consist of consistent quavers in both hands to drive the music forwards
Describe the tonality of this set work
The key is C minor with modulation to related keys (g minor and eb major) as well as modulations to distant keys such as e minor and f minor. The 28 bars of dominant preparation include a long dominant pedal on g
What sort of cadences does Beethoven use?
Imperfect (first 4 bars. 1-5). Perfect (second 8 bars) and interupeted in bar 9
Give examples of chromatic chords used and where they are found.
- diminished 7th on the first beats of bars 2,3 and 4
* augmented 6th in the second half of bars 30 and 34
Describe the texture in this extract
- Homophonic (densely chords at start of introduction) followed by melody and accompaniment in the allsgro.
- bars 93-98 have a two part texture
- bars 187-194 are monophonic
- broken octaves and broken chords are also both used
What does sFz mean?
Sforzando. Forced. Sudden accents
