Exam 2 Flashcards
What are the characteristics of Romanticism in music?
A focus on emotional expression, individuality, expanded forms, complex harmonies, and the use of folk elements.
What is the Italian term for the French horn?
Corno
What is the Italian term for the bassoon?
Fagotto
What is the German term for timpani?
Pauken
What is the German term for trombones?
Posaunen
What is the German term for trumpets?
Trompetten
What is the Italian term for trumpets?
Trombe
What is the Italian term for cymbals?
Piatti
What is the German term for the viola?
Bratsche
What is the German term for the violin?
Geige
What is Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament?
A letter written by Beethoven in 1802 expressing his despair over his growing deafness and his determination to continue composing.
What does the term ‘Lied’ refer to?
The German term for ‘song’
What is a song cycle?
A group of songs designed to be performed together, usually linked by a common theme.
What is Winterreise?
A famous song cycle by Franz Schubert, depicting a winter journey of sorrow and despair.
What is Dichterliebe?
A song cycle by Robert Schumann centered around the emotional progression of love and heartbreak.
What is a character piece?
A short, expressive instrumental composition portraying a specific mood or personality trait.
What is a prelude?
A short, introductory piece.
What is a mazurka?
A Polish dance.
What is a polonaise?
A stately dance.
What is a waltz?
A ballroom dance.
What is an intermezzo?
A light, intermediate piece.
What is a scherzo?
A lively, playful movement.
What is a ballade?
A narrative piece.
What is a nocturne?
A dreamy or reflective piece.
What is an etude?
A study focused on technique.
What is a fantasy in music?
A free-form composition.
What is an impromptu?
An improvisatory piece.
What is rubato?
A flexible tempo used in Romantic music for expressive effect.
What were the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik and Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung?
Important 19th-century German music journals.
Who are Florestan and Eusebius?
Schumann’s alter egos representing different aspects of his personality.
What role did Schumann play in music journalism?
He founded the ‘Neue Zeitschrift für Musik’ and shaped the Romantic era’s musical discourse.
What is thematic transformation?
The process of altering a musical theme in various ways to express different emotions.
What are passacaglia and chaconne?
Baroque musical forms featuring a repeating bass line with variations above it.
What is a cavatina?
A simple, lyrical aria.
What is a cabaletta?
A fast, brilliant aria.
What is cantabile?
A singing style that is smooth and lyrical.
What is tempo di mezzo?
The middle section of a double aria.
What is a Rossini crescendo?
A gradual increase in volume, often used in Rossini’s operas.
What is bel canto?
A style of operatic singing emphasizing beautiful tone and vocal agility.
What is a reminiscence theme?
A recurring theme in opera that evokes a past event or emotion.
What is number opera?
An operatic structure dividing the work into distinct sections.
What does ‘Viva VERDI!’ represent?
A patriotic slogan associated with Giuseppe Verdi and the Italian unification movement.
What are Nabucco and Aida?
Operas by Verdi: Nabucco (about Nebuchadnezzar) and Aida (set in ancient Egypt).
What is a Singspiel?
German opera with spoken dialogue.
What is opera seria?
Serious opera.
What is opera buffa?
Comic opera.
What is melodrama in music?
A genre mixing spoken word and music.
What does Gesamtkunstwerk mean?
A ‘total work of art’ combining music, drama, and staging.
What is a leitmotif?
A recurring musical theme representing a character or idea.
What is Bayreuth known for?
The festival and theatre built for Wagner’s works.
What is Wagner’s term for his operatic works?
Music drama.
What is Der Ring des Nibelungen?
A cycle of four operas by Wagner: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, and Gotterdämmerung.
What is Liebestod?
The famous ‘love-death’ aria from Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde.
What is nationalism in music?
The incorporation of national identity and folk elements in compositions.
Who were the members of the Mighty Handful?
- Rimsky-Korsakov
- Borodin
- Cui
- Balakirev
- Musorgsky
Who was Mikhail Glinka?
A pioneering Russian composer whose works laid the foundation for Russian national opera.
What is Rimsky-Korsakov known for?
His orchestral mastery and incorporation of Russian folk melodies.
What is Borodin recognized for?
His symphonic works that incorporate Russian themes.
What is Musorgsky’s notable work?
Pictures at an Exhibition.
Who is Clara (Wieck) Schumann?
A virtuoso pianist and composer, one of the most distinguished musicians of the 19th century.
Who was Ludwig of Bavaria?
The eccentric King of Bavaria known for his patronage of the arts.
Who is Arrigo Boito?
An Italian librettist and composer known for his collaboration with Verdi.
Who was ETA Hoffmann?
A German writer and composer influencing the German Romantic movement.
What is Beethoven’s connection to music?
He expressed his determination to continue composing despite his deafness.
What is the significance of Goethe?
A German literary giant whose works influenced European literature.
What is the role of Heine in literature?
A German poet known for his lyrical poetry and critiques of society.
