Biography Flashcards
Berlioz life/career
- premiere
- people
- success
- job
- award
- end marriage
- deaths
Haydn fail marriage
- married Maria Anna Keller
* unhappy, childless marriage
Handel final year
- retired from public performance due to failing eyesight
- remained unmarried, gave generously to charity in later years
- continues to compose even when blind
- died April 14, 1759 famous, wealthy, buried at Westminster Abbey
Haydn hard
- dismissed from St. Stephen’s after puberty
- became freelance musician in Vienna, and emerging culture centre
- earned living by composing, performing, teaching, accompanying
Bach contrapuntal
- great matter of the contrapuntal art
* as demonstrated in the fugues if “The Well-Tempered Clavier
Stravinsky premiere
- “The Rite of Spring” (choreographed by Nijinsky) premiered in Paris
- primitive sounding music and unconventional choreography shocked audience; riot erupted
Berlioz people
- met Franz Liszt and began friendship that lasted decades
- married Shakespearean actress Harriet Smithson (obsessed for years)
- son Louis
Mozart Freemason
- secretly joined the Order of Freemasons, a secret society of enlightened thinkers
- Leopold and Haydn also became members
Debussy birth
St-Germaine-en-Laye, France 1862
Beethoven early period represent
- six string quartets, op. 18
- symphonies nos. 1 and 2
- first ten piano sonatas (opp. 2-14)
Bach life/career
- Arnstadt
- Mülhausen
- Weimar
- Cöthen
- works of Cögen
- new marriage
- St. Thomas
- Collegium Musicum
- Frederick
- death
Haydn sound effect
•interesting sound effects; pedal points to suggest bagpipes, pizzicato strings to suggest guitar
Chopin money
- primary sources of income were from teaching members of aristocracy and publishing piano compositions
- performed surprisingly few public recitals, but played frequently in salons of nobility
Mozart italy
- made 3 extensive visits to Italy where he gave many concerts and composed several operas
- while in Italy, received 2 diplomas from Açademia Filarmonica (Bologna and Verona)
Schubert Esterházy
worked for the family briefly in Hungary
Chopin travel
- spent winter holiday in Majorca; became ill but eventually recovered; sever opus 28 preludes written the time
- back in France, spent long periods at George Sand’s summer home in Nohant;
Haydn #background
5
Chopin death
- died October 17, 1849 age 39
- surrounded by friends and admirers
- buried at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris
- as requested by him, his heart was returned to Poland in Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw
Bach international
- absorbed influenced of international styles
- german; Lutheran chorale tradition, counterpoint
- French; dance rhythms, ornamentation
- Italian; operatic lyricism, ritornello form, idiomatic string writing
Bach Arnstat
- positions; court violinist, chamber musician, organist
- granted leave to meet famous organist Dietrich Buxtehude in Lübeck
- walked over 200 miles, stayed extra t3 months without permission from court
Haydn influence
•by folk songs and dances; used simple diatonic melodies with a narrow range
Mozart prodigy
child prodigy, revealing precocious natural talent at an early age
Handel hamburg
- violinist a bd harpsichordist in opera orchestra
* composed earliest operas “Almira” and “Nero”
Haydn musical style
- the father
- development
- monotheistic
- influence
- sound effect
- humour
- dramatic
Schubert life/career
- early
2, low income
- Esterházy
- unknown
- showcase
- health
- deaths
Haydn life/career
- hard
- begin
- fail marriage
- Esterházy positions
- Esterházy job
- exploration
- reputation
- London
- Beethoven
- success
- later
- patriot
- end
Berlioz freedom
- freely explored orchestral writing his own way
- sound effects like col legno, portamento
- expanded size and make-up of orchestra; specifying grandiose performing forces; ophicléide, cloches
Mozart travel
- other tours were Munich, Augsburg, Mannheim, and Paris
* mother died while on your with him in Paris
Haydn Esterházy positions
- began employment in Eisenstadt with wealthy influential Esterházy family as assistant Kapellmeister
- became Kapellmeister and moved with Esterházy family to Esterháza estate
Bach virtuously
- virtuoso organist
* reflected in his organ and keyboard works
Schubert family
- father Franz Theodor Schubert a school master
* played viola in family string quartet
Stravinsky LA
- lectured at Harvard, University of California, Los Angeles
- University of Southern California
- eventually settled in Los Angeles and became American citizen
Chopin famous people
- in Paris, met important people
- musicians Franz Liszt, Hector Berlioz
- artists Eugène Delacroix
- writers Victor Hugo, Heinrich Heine
Haydn begin
- gradually gained attention of potential patrons
- began first full-time position as kapellmeister to Count Ferdinand von Morzin
- duties; conducting, composing, performing
- composed first symphony while at this position
Puccini melody
- melodies are flexible and supple, bending and moving gracefully
- arias frequently begin at high register and works its way downward
- demonstrated in arias; La bohème: “Che gèlida manina” “Mi Chiamano Mimì”
Berlioz genres
- preferred large-scale forms
- symphonies; “Harold in Italy,” “Rom n Ju”
- oratorios; “L’enfance du Christ”
- programmatic writing; “Lélio ou Le retour de la vie, op.14b”
- concert overture; “Waverley,” “Rob Roy”
Haydn patriot
- wanted Austria I have a patriotic anthem like England does
- wrote “Gott erhalte Franz den kaiser”
- melody later became Germany’s national anthem
Haydn dramatic
- sudden accents syncopation; “string quartet op.76, no.2”
* bold changes to chords of keys; loud C major chord in “The Creation” to depict “light”
Mozart success elsewhere
- passion for opera dues after the success of “Idomeneo” in Munich
- dissatisfied in Salzburg; requested dismissal from archbishop
Mozart deaths
- commissioned to write “Te Clemency of Titus” for coronation if Leopold II as King of Bohemia
- died December 5, 1791; inexpensive funeral and buried in an unmarked grave
- Requiem unfinished, left sketches for student Franz Xavier Süssmayr to complete
Mozart birth
born Salzburg, Austria 1756
Chopin romance
- had several romantic relationships
- brief engagement to Maria Wodzinska, whose parents considered him unsuitable because of his frail health
- began 10 year love affair with Aurore Dudevant, novelist with a pen name George Sand; composed many works during this relationship
Handel vocal virtuosity
- melisma, sequence on a single syllable
* rejoice greatly
Berlioz #background
5
Mozart The Magic Flute
- collaborated with Emanuel Schikaneder (librettist, director, and impresario)
- very successful opera that contained veil reference to Masonic rituals
Schubert combination
- combined classical and romantic traits
- classicism-formal structures; sonata form w/ repeated exposition; variations; symmetrical phrase structure; standard classical orchestra
- romanticism; chromatic harmony; contrast of major and minor tonality; unexpected modulations
Haydn background
- birth
- family
- prodigy
- education
Handel father
- prosperous barber-surgeon
* discouraged him if his musical pursuits
Chopin family
- father was French, immigrated to Poland as teenager; worked as French tutor for children of upper class fams
- mother was Polish
Debussy sounds
- varied rhythm (free-flowing, enthusiasm, motoric, dance character)
- new harmony style-parallel chords; open fifths and octaves; quartal harmony
- La fille aux cheveux lin
Schubert background
- birth
- family
- education
Handel word painting
•and peace on earth is separated by an octave
Bach St. Thomas
- appointed cantor if St. Thomas School in Leipzig
* responsibilities; teach, compose, direct choirs, supervising musical activities in several churches
Schubert #life/career
7
Bach death
died July 28, 1750 from stroke
Chopin revolutionary
- departed for extended concert tour
- devastated to learn that Warsaw was invaded by Russians while he was in Vienna
- notes in diary expressed shock and horror
- Étude, op.10, no.12 “Revolutionary” most likely composed this time
Handel #musical style
6
Bach instruments
sang in choirs, accomplished violinist, virtuoso organist
Haydn the father
•regarded as the “father” of the symphony and string orchestra because of his significant contribution to both genres
Mozart bad luck
- financial issues became worse
- declining health
- began to work on Requiem commissioned by Count Franz von Walsegg, who intended to claim it as his own
Chopin bel canto
- melodic lines have vocal qualities of the bel canto style in opera
- long filigree passages, extended embellishments, and ornamental passages in nocturne and other lyrical work
Stravinsky US
- visited US on several occasions in late 1930s
* conducted, performed, completed commissions
Schubert showcase
- affluent Sonnleithner family initiated musical evenings showcasing his works
- events came to be known as Schubertiades
Bach chromatic
- used equal temperament to allow him to play on all key signatures
- prelude and fugue start from c major and minor pairs and ascend chromatically to B major and minor
Stravinsky Paris
- returned to Paris
* collaborated with leading artistic luminaries; Diaghilev and Pablo Picasso
Bach birth
Eisenach, Germany 1685
Mozart sister
- often performed with older sister Maria Anna (“Nannerl”)
* also a gifted musician
Beethoven birth
- Bonn, Germany 1770
* musical family
Beethoven innovations
- replacing the graceful Menuet and trio with the more dramatic scherzo; 3rd mvt
- cyclical structure; 5th symphony
- programmatic elements; 6th symphony
- inclusion of chorus and soloists in 9th symphony
Debussy exploration
- Western and non-Western scale system
- Whole-tone, pentatonic, modal in “Prélude…”
- American jazz “Golliwog’s Cakewalk” from Children’s corner
Handel Italy
- worked for Prince Ferdinand de Medici, Prince Francesco Maria Ruspoli and others
- absorbed aspects of the Italian musical style and language; evident in operas, oratorios, concertos
- visited major cities-Florence, Rome, Naples, Venice; musical works performed there
Haydn prodigy
- childhood talents recognized
* recruited as choirboy at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna
Bach #musical style
6
Stravinsky the middle years
- neo-classical style adopted with emphasis in formal design, absolute music
- emotional restraint, balance, discipline, cool detachment
Stravinsky the final years
- embraced Arnold Shoenberg’s twelve-tone method
- sparse textures inspired by Anton Webern
- explored miniatures
Debussy exposition
- attendee Paris World Exposition
* exposed to Asian art and music, Javanese gamelan ensemble
Handel elements
- use if basic elements (chordal passages, scale figures)
- very accessible and appealing
- Glory to god
Handel #life/career
10
Mozart background
- birth
- father
- prodigy
- education
- showcase
- sister
Bach Frederick
- visited Frederick the Greet at Postdam
- son Philipp Emanuel was employed there
- wrote contrapuntal worn based in theme provides by king; “The Musical Offering”
Haydn end
- retired due to failing health
- last public appearance 1808 performing “Die Schöpfung” (The Creation)
- died May 31, 1809; Mozart’s requiem performed at his memorial service
Stravinsky refuge
- refuged to Switzerland because of WWI
* in response to revolution, severed ties with Russia; did not return, even to visit until 1962
Handel international
- cosmopolitan style; absorbed international currents of the day
- German (counterpoint)
- Italian (opera)
French (overture)
Haydn family
- father a wheelwright
- mother a cook
- brothers Michael and Johann also became musicians
Handel coronation
- death of king George I
* commissioned to write music for coronation of king George II
Beethoven development
- developed and expanded classical genres: sonata, concerto, symphony
- transformed virtually every genre he touched
Handel theatrical
- a sense if pageantry and dramatic theatrical style
- grandiose gestures, full SATB choral sound; bold contrast of dynamics
- Hallelujah
Stravinsky the middle years represent
- Symphony of Psalms
- Ebony Concerto
- The Rake’s Progress
Puccini inspiration
passion ignited when he saw Verdi’s “Aida” as a teenager
Debussy influence
•impressionist painters; choice of matter, instrumental colour, obscuring metric pulse
Mozart characters
- compelling and realistic, dramatically and musically
* “The Magic Flute”
Haydn education
- St. Stephen’s
- self taught
- considered Italian singer, composer Nicola Porpora to be his only teacher
Vivaldi #musical style
3
Haydn birth
Rohrau, Austria 1732
Mozart education
•early education from father Leopold; oversaw development as a virtuoso harpsichordist, pianist, organist, violinist, composer
Schubert #background
3
Chopin birth
- 1810 Żelazowa Wola, Poland
* family after moved to Warsaw
Chopin #life/career
11
Berlioz advocate
- with Wagner and Liszt, advocated “Music of the Future,” a modern aesthetic
- embraces progressive chromatic harmony, thematic transformation, and cyclical forms
Debussy leader
- original and innovative
* influential in France and internationally
Berlioz job
- writer, critic, author
* literary works: “Grand Traité d’instrumentation et d’orchestration modernes”, autobiography “Mémoires”
Haydn #life/career
13
Debussy family
- father a china shop owner
* mother a seamstress
Debussy musical style
- leader
- influence
- symbolism
- exploration
- sounds
- story
- classical
Mozart showcase
- Leopold planned extensive tours across Europe tonsure case his Sonoma abilities
- Mozart played for Empress Maria Theresa at age 6
- met Johann Christian Bach at age 8
Chopin exploration
•explored new harmonic language; chromaticism, unexpected modulations, unusual juxtapositions, modal inflections
Stravinsky mentor
- met Vladimir Rimsky-Korsakov, son of famous composer, in law school
- Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov mentored him for several years
- devouted himself in music and did not graduate from law school
Stravinsky childhood friend
Married childhood friend and cousin Katerina Nossenko
Mozart Vienna
- moved to Vienna hoping to attain official position at he imperial court of Joseph II
- enjoyed being a freelance pianist, teacher, composed
- tended to live beyond his means
Chopin exploration
- spent several summers in rural Poland
* exposed to polish folk music and traditions
Puccini musical style
- inspiration
- success
- melody
- sounds
- story
Stravinsky friendship
- late 1840s, began long important friendship with America composer/conductor Robert Craft
- he is author of “Conservations with Stravinsky” and “Chronicles of a Friendship”
Berlioz premiere
career launched with premiere of Symphonie Fantastique
Berlioz end marriage
- separated from Harriet Smithson
- continued to support her and her family
- moved in with singer Marie Recio
Stravinsky education
- early lessons in piano and harmony
- entered law school at University of St. Petersburg
- took private theory lessons
Stravinsky wives
- first wife died after long illness
* second wife Vera de Bosset
Beethoven final years
- devastated by Karl’s suicide attempt; fell gravely ill
- died March 26, 1827 apparently from pneumonia
- highly respected in Vienna, funeral attracted thousands of admirers
Bach education
- music continued by dear brother Johann Christoph after orphanage
- academic studies; Latin, Greek, Theology
- trained in instrument building and repair
Handel new style
- continued writing opera but turned to other genres; oratorio, concerto (grosso)
- Messiah premieres at benefit concert in Dublin, Ireland-great success
- oratorios far less costly, English more appealing to middle class audiences; eventually stopped writing operas
Berlioz birth
Côte-Saint André, near Lyon, France 1803
Mozart #life/career
14
Beethoven relations
- close relationship between the courts of Vienna and Bonn helped him get established
- briefly studied with Haydn; dedicated his first 3 sonatas to him
Debussy education
- began piano lessons age7
- entered Paris Conservatoire
- teachers were Antoine-François Marmontel (piano), Émile Durand (harmony), Ernest Guiraud (composition)
Chopin health
•frail health and delicate anatomy throughout childhood and youth
Stravinsky #backgriubd
3
Handel Queen Anne
- annual salary given by Queen Anne, the first of many royal commissions and patronage appointments
- death of Anne; elector of Hanover proclaimed King George I of England
Handel musical style
- international
- alternation
- elements
- theatrical
- word painting
- vocal virtuosity
Stravinsky family
- father Fyodor a highly respected opera singer (bass) at Mariinsky Theatre in St. Perersburg
- mother was a competent singer, fluent pianist
- wealthy
- parents discouraged musical career
Bach #background
4
Stravinsky #musical style
5
Chopin improvisation
- improvisatory qualities in many works such as preludes and impromptus
- Preludes op.28
Debussy awards
- received gold medals at Conservatoire
- awarded Prix de Rome for cantata L’enfant prodigue
- stayed at Villa Medici in Rome; explored a range of genres
Stravinsky 4 principal periods
- the early years
- the transitional years
- the middle years
- the final years
Stravinsky early
- early orchestral piece-Fireworks-impressed Sergei Diaghilev, director of “Les Ballets Russes” in Paris
- early ballets commissioned by Diaghilev launched launched Stravinsky’s career: “The Firebird, Petrushka”
Haydn leave
- moved to Vienna after Prince Anton succeeded Prince Nikolai
- Anton was not a music lover
- Haydn was paid a pension but relieved of all duties
Berlioz deaths
- following Harriet Smithson’s death, married Marie Recio
- died march 8, 1869
- buried with both wives in Montmartre cemetery
Stravinsky the transitional years to th
- creates more intimate works with reduced forces in response to the devastation of WWI
- seeds of neo-classical style
Debussy Marriage
- married first wife, Rosalie (“Lilly”) Texier, whom he later left
- married Emma Bardac; daughter Claude-Emma (“Chou-Chou”)
Beethoven middle period representative
- Fidelio
- violin concerto
- symphonies nos.3-8
- piano concerto no.5 “Emperor”
Schubert emotion
- introduced new psychological intensity into individual songs and song cycles
- vocal lyricism pervades all his works
- sorrow and deeply personal emotions are reflected in many works
- ex. “Death and the Maiden, Die Winterreise, Fantasy in F minor
Beethoven grandfather
- Ludwig
- kapellmeister at electoral court
- source of inspiration for Beethoven
- died when Beethoven was 3
Debussy personal
- turbulent private life
* several scandalous romantic relationships
Chopin innovation
- used original and innovative pianistic figurations; unusual spacing of chords, sweep arpeggiation, expanded range
- polonaise in A-flat major
Haydn success
- second trip to London-last six symphonies were critically and financially successful
- moved back to Vienna permanently
Chopin patrons
- played in salons if Polish aristocrats in Warsaw
* later would become his patrons and supporters in Paris
Debussy career
•varied; pianists, collaborative artist, conductor
Schubert musical style
- combination
- influence
- art song
- emotion
Haydn later
- in later years, he write oratorios “The Creation, The Seasons”
- six masses for Prince Nicholas II (Anton’s successor)
- more string quartets
Chopin success
- short trip to Vienna, performed his op.2 Variations on Mozart’s “Là ci Darem la mano” from Don Giovanni; great success
- returned to Warsaw to continue success as pianist and composer
Beethoven #background
4
Bach Cöthen
- Kapellmeister to Prince Leopoldo of Cöthen, avid supporter if the arts
- Calvinist views if court influenced musical activities; no music performed in churches
- many solo and chamber work composed this period
Handel #background
3
Schubert art song
- close connection of text and music
- uses harmony to highlight key words (text painting)
- increase role if piano, piano accompaniment often depicts specific elements of poem
- Erlkönig piano contrasts to depict a different character
Stravinsky the early years represent
- The Firebird
- Petrushka
- The Rite of Spring
Puccini success
first major success “Manon Lescaut” (1893), followed by many other
Beethoven new
- incorporated new orchestral instruments: piccolo, trombone, contrabassoon; 5th symphony
- exploited new features and improvements in the piano of his day, the expanded range
Chopin sad
- romance with George sand ended bitterly
- traveled to England and Scotland for performances organized by student Jane Stirling; health deteriorated and was very weak by end of trip
Beethoven background
- birth
- grandfather
- father
- musical education
Berlioz award
•Légion d’honneur; the highest decoration in France, in recognition of his accomplishments
Berlioz influence
- reader, influenced by Shakespeare, Bryon, Goethe, Voctor Hugo, Walter Scott
- Beethoven; dramatic power, cyclical elements, addition of chorus
Stravinsky death
- died April 6, 1971 New York City
- buried in island of San Michele, Venice, Italy
- few yards away from Sergei Diaghilev
Haydn development
- contributed to dev in sonata form in terms of formal elements, melody, and harmony
- included slow introductions that feature ambiguous tonality, suspenseful atmosphere, and chromatic harmony
Debussy job
- employee as piano teacher for family of Nadezhda von Meck, Tchaikovsky’s patron
- music critic for the “Revue blanche”, artistic journal published in Paris
Berlioz background
- birth
- family
- education
- Beethoven
- prize
Stravinsky background
- birth
- family
- education
- mentor
Bach Lutheran
- personal faith, a devout Lutheran, a source of inspiration for his creative work
- dedicated all his works “to the Glory if God
Stravinsky brith
Oranienbaum, near St. Petersburg, Russia July 17, 1882
Handel background
- birth
- father
- education
Chopin #background
5
Debussy interest
aspired to be pianist, then turned to composition
Chopin genres
- wrote almost exclusively for piano (or piano with voice or instruments)
- Berceuse
- Barcarolle
- Fantasie in F minor
Stravinsky the transitional years represent
- The Wedding
* The Soldier’s Tale
Bach Mülhausen
- married distant cousin Maria Barbara Bach shortly after arriving at Mülhausen
- two of their children Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm Friedemann became successful musicians
Puccini #musical style
5
Haydn #musical style
7
Handel education
- studies law at University of Halle
* pursued music professionally after father’s death
Mozart opera
- early court commission resulted in “The Abduction from the Seraglio”; a singspiel (German comic opera)
- married Constanze Weber, opera singer, against his father’ swishes; only 2/6 children survived
Beethoven musical style
- plan
- theme
- development
- innovations
- OMG
- new
- evolve
- early period
- middle period
- late period
Chopin life/career
- patrons
- health
- success
- revolutionary
- refuge
- famous people
- money
- romance
- travel
- end
- death
Schubert #musical style
4
Berlioz success
- successful career as conductor
- appeared in major European cities
- international success in England, Germany, Russia
Debussy Wagner
- traveled to Bayreuth
* became interested Wagner’s music, which he rejected later
Haydn exploration
- despite restrictions, Haydn was free to discover his artistic voice and creative freedom
- explored the leading genres of the day-symphony, opera, string quarter
Schubert unknown
- had dedicated circle of friends and admirers; including renowned baritone Johann Michael Vogl
- not widely known as a composer
Debussy #musical style
7
Handel Royal Academy Of Music
- co-founded RAM to promote Italian opera in London
- compose, direct, produce many London productions; “Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano, Rodelina, Alcina, Serse”
- worked with leading singers of the day; Faustina Bordoni, Francesca Cuzzoni
Beethoven French Revolution
- believed in French rev motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”
- admired Napoleon and dedicated symphony no.3 “Eroica”
- after nap declared himself emperor, bee removed his name
Stravinsky the final years represent
- Agon
* Canticum Sacrum
Bach #life/career
10
Debussy life/career
- career
- personal
- job
- Wagner
- exposition
- fame
- marriage
- interaction
- death
Chopin refuge
- settled in Paris along with many other polish countrymen
- expresses patriotism through nationalistic work; Mazurkas, Polonaise
- did not return to applaud due to political issues
Debussy death
- cancer March 25, 1918
* just prior to end of WWI
Vivaldi virtuosity
- exploited string virtuosity through technically demanding writing
- rapid passage work, string crossings, arpeggio figurations, double stops, sequences
Handel life/career
- hamburg
- Italy
- Hanover
- Queen Anne
- patrons
- royal academy of music
- Coronation
- epic fail
- new style
- final year
Stravinsky the early years
- Russian nationalism; folk song and dance and choice of subject matter
- influence by rich orchestration of Rimsky-Korsakov
- primitive style: driving rhythms, primal energy, percussive approach
- other features include use of dissonant harmony, polytonality, ostinato, syncopation, polymeter
Mozart classical
- exemplified Viennese Classic ideals; elegance, balance, sophistication
- virtually all classical genres explored, advanced, developed
- utilized mainly symmetrical phrase structure (four-measure phrases); no. 35 “Haffner”
Esterházy job
- contract included dress code, behaviour, and musical expectations
- duties; training instrumentalists, conducting, composing, performing chamber music
- supplied music for the court opera house, theatre, and chapel
Bach new marriage
- sudden death if Maria Barbara
- married court singer Anna Magdalena Wilcke
- Their sons Johann Christian and Johann Christoph became successful musicians
Debussy fame
- gained fame with premiere of “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune”
- increased reputation with premiere of opera “Pélléas et Mélisande”
Chopin musical Style
- genres
- bel canto
- exploration
- innovation
- new piano tech
- improvisation
- nationalism
- influence
Haydn humour
- musical playfulness demonstrated by sudden dynamic changes or abrupt silence
- the “Surprise” symphony
Berlioz Beethoven
- Really like Beethoven’s music, affected the evolution of his style
- wrote biography of bee and series of essays on the 9 symphonies
Debussy interaction
- with many prominent contemporary composers in Paris
* Gabriel Fauré, Erik Satie, Ernest Chausson, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky
Beethoven evolve
- compositional style evolved considerably during his lifetime
- music divided into three style periods; early, middle, late
Haydn reputation
- rep gradually grew outside the House of Esterházy; published many works, reviewed commissions from other sources “Paris” Symphonies
- developed friendship with Mozart, respected and admired each other despite their age difference; dedicated string quartets to each other
Debussy story
- programmatic elements (pastoral, watery imagery, sunlight, moonlight)
- drawn to mythological themes: “Sirènes” from Nocturnes
- often witty and satirical
Beethoven plan
- superb musical architect
* planned and revised works in sketchbooks
Haydn Beethoven
•met him in Vienna; taught him briefly
Handel Hanover
- appointed Kapellmeister to George Ludwig, elector if Hanover and future King George I
- allowed him to travel to London, visited there twice, eventually stayed there
Vivaldi musical style
- development
- virtuosity
- baroque
Beethoven middle period
- more dramatic elements, increases chromaticism, abrupt and unusual modulations
- epic, heroic character
Beethoven early period
- absorbed classical-style trains inherited from Haydn and Mozart; sonata form
- sturm und drang influence evident in his preference for minor keys (especially c minor), use if tremolo and abrupt contrasts
Handel epic fail
- became British subject
- premiere of John Gay’s English language ballad opera “The Beggar’s Opera” was a phenomenal success
- grew tired of Italian opera, Handel unsure of his future
Haydn London
- first trio to London-engaged by concert promoter Johann Peter Salomon for a series if concerts
- composed and conducted the firsts six of his “London symphonies”; contemporaries say he electrified the audience
- received honorary doctorate from Oxford University
Chopin young
- child prodigy (comparisons made to Mozart)
- gave first concert at age 6
- first published work Polonaise in G minor)
Berlioz musical style
- freedom
- influence
- genres
- advocate
Beethoven OMG
- explosive accents
* extreme dynamic contrast; 3rd mvt French horns
Debussy symbolism
- set poetry of symbolist poets to music
- poets; Charles Baudelaire, Stéphane Mallarmé, Pierre Louÿs, and Paul Verlaine
- experimented with unconventional grammar and syntax through formal structure and phrasing
- evoking rather than narrating, suggesting rather than depicting
Berlioz family
- father was a physician
* family disappointed when he quit medical school
Beethoven sad
- had many romantic infatuations but remained single
- began to lose hearing in his mid-twenties; attempts at treatment failed
- wrote to brothers which revealed his inner turmoil and conflict
- contemplated suicide, but eventually got over it
Mozart father
- Leopoldo Mozart
- highly esteemed violinist, court musician, composer
- author of “A Treatise if the Fundamental Principles if Violin Playing”
Debussy #background
4
Chopin influence
- Bach (counterpoint) Preludes op.28
- Mozart (lyricism)
- Bellini and Donizetti’s bel canto style
Bach family
- music was the family profession for 5 gens.
- father a court trumpeter
“orphaned age 10
Bach Collegium Musicum
- director of Collegium Musicum, a performing ensemble for university students
- important large-scale works; “Goldberg Variations, Art of Fugue”
- frequently traveled to test new keyboard instruments
Schubert health
began I suffer from syphilis; health continued to deteriorate from this times
Bach Weimar
- court organist and chamber musician to Duke of Weimar
- enjoyed increasing fame and composed many organ works
- composed for Lutheran church services-cantata, chorale setting
- accepted a salary advance for new position at Cöthen, angered the Duke and resulted in 1 month in jail
Bach works of Cöthen
suites, concertos, sonatas, solo keyboard works; The Well Tempered Clavier, Book One
Debussy background
- birth
- family
- education
- interest
- awards
Handel alternation
- alternation if homorhythmic (homophonic) passages with contrapuntal textures (polyphony)
- Sinfony of Messiah
Mozart organize
- catalogued by Ludwig von Köchel
* “K” numbers in titles of works refer to this catalogue
Schubert birth
Vienna, Austria 1797
Schubert early
- trained to become a school teacher; briefly taught at his father’s school
- began to write sings in his late teens; “Gretchen am Spinnrade, Erlkönig”
Vivaldi development
- contributed to three-movement concerto structure
* leader in establishing ritornello form
Berlioz #life/career
7
Bach background
- birth
- family
- education
- instruments
Mozart success
- successful premiere of “Marriage of Figaro”, written with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte
- more successful performance in Prague for “The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni”
- appointed Imperial Court Chamber Music Composer to Emperor Joseph II
Berlioz #musical style
4
Stravinsky musical style
- 4 principal periods
- the early years
- the traditional years
- the middle years
- the final years
Chopin nationalism
- musical nationalism in polish dances
* Mazurkas, polonaise, Krakowiak
Beethoven musical training
- early training from father
* later studied counterpoint and composition with Christian Neefe, court organist at Bonn
Mozart first job
- appointed unpaid concertmaster at court where Leopold was employed in Salzburg
- new archbishop Hieronymous von Colloredo elected; he granted Mozart a salary
Vivaldi baroque
- developed idiomatic writing for strings
- incorporantes programmation writing, descriptive titres
- fond of asymmetrical phrase lengths
Beethoven #life/career
8
Schubert deaths
- visited Beethoven on his deathbed-their inky meeting
* died November 19, 1828 age 31
Schubert influence
- Mozart (lyrical melodic style)
- Beethoven (symphonic writing)
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German romantic poem)
Beethoven success
- attracted patronage of Viennese nobility
- gained financial support and commissions
- influential patrons include Pronce Lobkowitz, Prince Lichnowsky, and Count Rasumovsky
- first solo concert appearance in Vienna, followed by concerts Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin
Puccini story
- verismo style-characters real and relatable
* exoticism-foreign setting and subject matter; “Turandot” “Girl of the Golden West”
Berlioz education
- began music studies age 12-learned how to play guitar and flute, but not piano
- went to Paris to study medicine, lost interest and found true passion for music
- began formal music studies at the Paris Conservatoire
Handel birth
Halle, Germany 1685
Handel patrons
other influential patrons include Earl if Burlington, Duke of Chandos
Haydn monothematic
exposition first and second themes are identical or similar but in a different key
Puccini sounds
- rubato-like effect through continual changes in tempo in score
- violinata technique; variety of orchestral colour
- Madama Butterfly: Un bel dì vedremo
Bach genres
composer works virtually of every genre of his day except opera
Mozart #musical style
10
Mozart musical style
- classical
- develops
- enharmonic languages
- influence
- opera types
- characters
- organize
Mozart develope
- contributed to sonata form
- establishment to three movement concerto structure
- defined the 18th century piano style, both in his solo works and concertos u
Debussy classical
returned to sonata form in later works
Bach musical style
- genre
- Lutheran
- contrapuntal
- international
- virtuosity
- chromatic names
Beethoven father
- Johann
- singer, instrumentalist at Electoral court
- harsh, severe, became alcoholic
Mozart #background
6
Mozart life/career
- first job
- reinstate
- Italy
- travel
- success elsewhere
- Vienna
- personal
- opera
- Freemason
- success
- Beethoven
- bad luck
- The Magic Flute
- deaths
Mozart reinstate
- relationship with archbishop became antagonistic, resulted in Mozart’s dismiss
- forces bin to do a reinstatement
Berlioz prize
- after 3 failed attempts, won the Prix de Rome; highest honour awarded to composition students
- required him to live and study in Rome; also travelled to other Italian cities
Beethoven life/career
- early
- mother
- relations
- success
- sad
- French Revolution
- near end
- final years
Beethoven late period
- style became more abstract and meditative
- employed counterpoint more frequently, including fugal writing
- experimented further with form and content; added SATB soloists and chorus to the final movement of 9th symphony
Mozart influence
- famous Mannhein orchestra: orchestral writing expanded the use of wind instruments
- JS Bach in development if piano concerto
- absorbed vocal qualities and melodic lyricism into instrumental writing; “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” 2nd mvt
Chopin new piano tech
- explores new capabilities of the piano; employed greater virtuosity in response to technological advances
- cast iron frame allowed for thicker strings to produce fuller tone
Schubert low income
- worked as freelance musician in Vienna; lived in poverty
* sold some songs through private subscriptions, often for a very low price
Beethoven late period representative
- piano sonatas opp.109, 110, 111
- Missa solemnis
- symphony no.9 “chorale”
Beethoven near end
- Last concert appearance as pianist performing piano trio op.97 “Archduke”
- gained legal custody of nephew Karl over sister-in-law after the death of brother Caspar
- totally dead, visitors wrote in conversation books
- spent final years living in isolation; became increasingly withdrawn, anti-social
Chopin #musical style
8
Mozart personal
- despite success, financially unstable throughout his career
- became good friend with Haydn; dedicated several string quartets
Mozart Beethoven
heard young Beethoven perform, very impressed
Chopin background
- birth
- family
- young
- education
- exploration
Beethoven early
- early career in Bonn as organist and violinist in court orchestra
- intended to go to Vienna to study with Mozart
Beethoven theme
- thematic material often grows out if short incisive motives
- symphony no.5 1st movement
Mozart opera types
- opera central to his career, made important contribution to 3 types
- opera seria (serious Italian opera, sung throughout) “Idomeneo”
- opera buffa (Italian comic opera, sung throughout) “The Marriage of Figaro”
- singspiel (German comic opera, with spoken dialogue) “The Magic Flute”
Mozart harmonic language
balanced diatonic and chromatic elements
Chopin education
- in early teens, began lessons with Józef Elsner, director of new Warsaw Conservatory
- after high school, studies harmony, counterpoint, composition
Beethoven mother
- her illness forces him to return to Bonn shortly after arriving in Vienna
- became head of household after mother’s death
- financially responsible for brothers Caspar and Nikolaus
Schubert educations
- learned to play viola and piano in childhood; father was his first teacher
- beautiful voice got him into the Imperial Chapel choir school (Haydn also when there)
- esteemed composer Antonio Salieri taught him theory and composition
Stravinsky #life/career
10
Debussy #life/career
9
Stravinsky life/career
- childhood grind
- early
- premiere
- refuge
- Paris
- US
- wives
- LA
- friendship
- death