Haydn's Clock Symphony Flashcards
When and where was he born?
1732 in Rohrau, Austria
Facts about his life
- Chorister in Vienna
- Worked for Prince Esterhazy
- Visited England & composed whilst there
- Married with a son
What is a symphony?
Orchestral piece usually in 4 movements
Typical Symphonies at the time
- Medium sized orchestra with bigger wind and brass than Baroque times
- 1st Movement –> Allegro
- 2nd Movement –> Slow
- 3rd Movement –> Minuet&Trio
- 4th Movement –> in Sonata
What else did Haydn compose other than symphonies?
Oratorios
String Quartets
Concertos
When was Haydn’s music from?
The Classical Period
How had music changed from Baroque style?
- Less contrapuntal or polyphonic
- Melodies less ornamented
- More use of dynamic contrast
- Use of sonata form
What was Haydn known as?
Father of the Symphony
Why was he known as FoS?
- He established and developed the form
- Composed many
- Seen as a model of symphony writing by composers like Mozart
In time of Haydn what were the typical instruments of an orchestra?
STRINGS- violin, viola, cello, double bass
WOODWIND- flute, bassoon, clarinet, oboe
BRASS- horn, trumpet
PERC- kettle drum (timpani)
When and where did he begin composing this piece?
1793 in Vienna
When and where did he complete the composition?
1794 in London
What is the structure of the piece?
Ternary form (aba2)
Which are the transposing instruments in this piece?
Clarinet and French horn
What is a transposing instrument?
The pitch of the written music differs from the pitch that sounds
What is the tempo marking?
Andante (at a walking pace)
What key is this piece in?
Gmajor
B section is in Gminor
Gemini is related to the key of the piece because it is the tonic minor of Gmajor
Why is it named the clock?
Because of the opening ostinato pattern- played with pizzicato and staccato, using interval of a 3rd
What features of the orchestra did Haydn use?
- Typical of a classical orchestra with woodwind, strings, horns and trumpets
- Pizzicato and arco used in the strings
Describe the rhythmic features
- Use of dotted and double dotted rhythms
- Repeated staccato quavers
- Balanced phrases, but use of tied notes to add variety
What was interesting about dynamics?
- Simple contrasts of p and f
- Some use of variety with ff and sf
- Sf adds drama and emphasises chords
What are the interesting features of the melody?
- Mostly balanced phrases
- A lot of stepwise movement
- Some chromatic movement
- Use of sequences
What is a balanced phrase?
A musical sentence/period consists of two balanced phrases.
FIRST PHRASE: the antecedent phrase, where the musical idea is stated/announced, it often ends in a non/final cadence.
SECOND PHRASE: the consequent phrase, it follows, completes and answers the first phrase, it ends with a more final cadence.
What is meant by staccato?
If something is played short and crisp
What are dynamic marks?
They indicate how loud or soft music should be played. They are placed near to the note on the musical staff.
E.G. f –> forte –> loud
What is meant by a sequence?
Melodic and rhythmic patterns that are repeated at a higher/ lower pitch.
May be a single repetition or multiple.
What are dotted rhythms?
A rhythm in which the beat is unequally subdivided into a long dotted note and a short note. A dotted note adds an extra half to the length of the note.
