Context Flashcards
Brandenburg
Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos are some of the most important Baroque compositions written. They are actually a collection of ideas that Bach composed over a ten year period while he was a church musical director at Köthen, Germany.
They are all written in concerto grosso form and have the unofficial title of ‘six concertos for several instruments’. Although the concertos were written across a number of years, they were finally completed in 1721.
On completion, Bach sent his work to the Margrave of Brandenburg in the hope that it would lead to further employment. Unfortunately, there is no record of a reply from the Margave, which could mean that he did not employ Bach.
Music for a While
Music for a While was written during the Baroque period by Henry Purcell as incidental music for the play Oedipus, written by John Dryden and Nathaniel Lee. The version of the play that included Music for a While premiered in London in 1692. It is a sorrowful song about two priests summoning and calming the ghost Alecto, a character with snakes for hair and eyes of dripping blood.
Piano Sonata
Piano Sonata No.8, Pathétique, is one of the most celebrated of Beethoven’s works from the Classical period. It was written in 1798, when Beethoven was 27, and published in 1799.
The work is commonly named Pathétique due to the tragic and expressive nature of the music.
Killer Queen
Killer Queen was written by the vocalist of Queen, Freddie Mercury, in 1974 and featured on the album Sheer Heart Attack. Unusually for Mercury, he wrote the lyrics before the music.
Queen’s first two albums were influenced by heavy metal and progressive rock music whereas Killer Queen was a change in style. It is a laid back, light and elegant song, influenced by cabaret with a distinctive swing feel.
Defying gravity
Wicked is a Broadway musical which is based on the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz. Stephen Schwartz wrote the music and lyrics for Wicked, including the song Defying Gravity, which premiered in 2003.
Defying Gravity is one of the popular songs from the musical and concludes the first act. Elphaba has realised that the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is not good and has vowed to stand up to him. Elphaba’s defiance is seen in the lyrics of Defying Gravity that she sings to Glinda.
Star Wars
In 1977 A New Hope was the first instalment of the original trilogy of Star Wars films. The story is set in a galaxy which is oppressed by the menacing Galactic Empire. Its freedom is fought for by the struggling Rebel Alliance, led by the heroes and heroines of the film. It was directed by George Lucas and at the time became the highest grossing film in history.
Release
Afro Celt Sound System are a collective of musicians who combine elements of traditional West African, Celtic and Western pop to create fusion music. Release is from their 1999 album Volume 2: Release.
Samba
Samba Em Prelúdio is a song composed by Brazilian guitarist Baden Powell and lyricist Vinicius de Moraes in 1962. Baden Powell described the song as being “full of love” and has been covered by a number of different artists. It is in a bossa nova style, which was very popular in Brazil in the late 1950s to early 60s.
