Haydn - Symphony 101, 2nd Movement - The Clock Flashcards
At what dynamic does the movement begin?
Piano
Describe the dynamics in the second melody of the first A section
They contrast between forte and piano
What is significant about the dynamics at the start of section B?
There is a dramatic change to forte
Dynamically, what is significant about the dynamics in the 1st Violin syncopated melody in the B section?
It uses sforzandos
What happens to the dynamics at the start of A2?
They return to piano
What happens to dynamics after the general pause?
They are piano again, with a sudden crescendo at the augmented sixth chords
What are the dynamics like during the tutti in A2? What effect do they have?
They are forte and fortissimo, and emphasise the climax of the movement
What happens to the dynamics just before the coda?
They reduce dramatically to piano
What is the metre of the piece?
2/4
What is the tempo of the piece?
Andante
Describe the use of rhythm in the melody
Dotted and double-dotted rhythms are used in the melody throughout, such as in the violin melody of the A section
Describe the ‘ticking’ theme
Alternating ostinato staccato quavers in the bassoons, and pizzicato quavers in the second violins and cellos/double bass (later joined by staccato flute in A2)
How does Haydn mark the change between sections?
With alternating D and C# semiquavers, for example in the violin between B and A2
Describe the rhythm of the new violin melody in section B
It is syncopated, beginning on the second quaver of the bar which is tied to another semiquaver
Describe what the flutes and oboes play in the tutti section of A2
A quaver countermelody over the violin melody
What interesting rhythmic feature is added in the tutti section of A2 in the melody, creating a sense of movement?
Sextuplets are added to the melody of the flutes, oboes, and violins
What is used in A2 to move into the coda instead of the prior D-C# alternating pattern?
Sextuplet scalic patterns in the violins, flutes and oboes link into the coda
How does the piece finish?
With quaver chords in strings, brass and woodwind
What is the form of the piece?
Extended ternary form (A, B, Developed return to A)
What takes place in the first A section structurally?
The main two melodies are introduced and repeated
What takes place in the B section structurally?
A contrasting G minor section
What takes place in the first part of the second A section structurally?
The main theme is reorchestrated with the flutes joining the bassoons in the ticking theme, and the oboes also adding harmony
What takes place in the middle of the second A section structurally?
There is a general pause, and then a variation of the theme in Eb major, incorporating all the strings and woodwind (flute plays countermelody, oboes, clarinets and bassoons play minim chords, 1st violin plays melody, other strings play ticking theme staccato)
What takes place in the last part of the second A section structurally?
There is a contrary motion link in woodwind and strings to D major and a monophonic D-C# chromatic link in 1st violin to a tutti version of the theme with added sextuplets
What happens in the coda structurally?
Dynamics and texture reduce, woodwind, horns and strings play three quaver tonic chords to finish
How does the first melody begin?
It outlines the notes of the G major triad
How is the melody structured in a way typical of the Classical period?
It has a balanced rising a falling shape
Describe the first melody rhythmically
It uses dotted and double-dotted rhythms
What ornamentation is used in the first melody?
The first melody uses acciaccaturas
Describe the phrasing of the melody
The first phrase is four bars long, while the second is five bars long due to the melodic sequence
How is this melody played in the first A section?
It is played by the first violin, doubled by the flutes in the second half
How is the melody played in the developed A section?
In the first part, it is played by the first violins while the flutes play a contrary-motion counter melody. In the tutti section, the melody is played by the oboes and first violins
Describe the structure of the second melody
It begins as a repeating melody in sequence before modulating to D major with a descending semiquaver D major scale
Describe a feature of the second melody typical of the Classical period
The use of staccato notes followed immediately by slurred, legato notes
What does the oboe do when the second melody is played in the first A section?
It plays an inverted pedal over the top
Describe the instrumentation of the piece as a whole
Classical orchestral instrumentation:
- 2 flutes
- 2 oboes
- 2 clarinets in A
- 2 bassoons
- 2 horns in G
- 2 trumpets in C
- Timpani in D and E
- Violins 1 and 2
- Viola
- Cello
- Double bass
Which instruments are transposing and what does this mean?
The clarinets, horns and trumpets are transposing, all having music written in a different key so that it sounds the same as that of the other instruments
Which notes are the timpani tuned to?
The tonic and dominant (I and V)
What technique is used by the second violins and cellos/basses when playing the ticking theme in A1?
Pizzicato
Describe the texture at the beginning of the piece
Homophonic
Why can the texture at the beginning of the piece be described as homophonic (melody and accompaniment)?
The first violin plays the main melody, while the bassoons and lower strings play the ‘ticking’ theme accompaniment staccato/pizzicato
How does the oboe add to the homophonic (melody and accompaniment) texture in the second half of the main theme?
It plays an inverted pedal
What happens to the texture at the start of section B?
It becomes much thicker due to the tutti. Polyphony is also used here
What happens to the texture at the start of A2?
The texture is reduced significantly - only flutes, oboes, bassoons and first violins play
Where is there a call and response between violin 2 and cello/double bass?
During the second melody of the A1 section
Describe the texture just after the start of section B of the first and second violins and the viola
Their texture is antiphonal - they imitate each other
Describe the texture in the tutti section of A2 for the final variation of the theme
The texture here is polyphonic
Where is there a unison texture in the piece?
In the strings violins and oboes during the second melody of the A1 section
Where is there a monophonic texture in the piece?
In the violin 1 D-C# transition from B to A2, and in the same chromatic link between the thin-textured Eb major section and the tutti D major section of A2
What is the texture of the coda?
Homophonic
In what key is the piece written predominantly?
G major
What happens harmonically to the second melody of A1?
It cycles through the dominant key of D major through the use of a descending D major scale
What happens harmonically to the first melody of A1?
The first phrase ends in the key of D major due to the C# accidental. The second phrase ends on a perfect cadence in G major
What type of harmony is used for the second melody of A1?
Tonic and dominant harmony, e.g. the D inverted pedal played by the oboe
How do the strings harmonise with the A1 melody?
Violin 2 and cello/double bass play pizzicato and arco (staccato) quaver, mostly tonic and dominant, harmonies . The viola plays pizzicato triple stops containing the tonic and dominant
In what key does the B section begin?
In G minor (the tonic minor)
What chord progressions are used at the start of the B section?
i - V(7)c - ib passing chord progressions are used in the keys of G minor, C minor and F major (bass notes ascend in step)
What happens harmonically after the tutti G minor section?
There is a modulation to Bb major (the relative major or G minor)
What cadences are used in the Bb major section and what do they achieve?
Imperfect cadences (V7-I) are used, creating tension
What other cadence is used in the Bb major section?
A cadential 6/4 is used (Ic-V7)
To what key does the piece modulate to after the general pause?
Eb major, a completely unrelated key
What happens harmonically after the modulation to Eb major?
There is a contrary-motion link in woodwind and strings to the key of D major
On which chords does the piece end?
On tonic (G major) chords
What was typical of phase lengths in the Classical era?
They were balanced
What was typical of the melodies of the Classical era?
They were clearly defined, usually with two or more contrasting themes
What was typical of the rhythms of the Classical era?
They were clear and regular
What was typical of the dynamics of the Classical era?
There was a greater range used compared to those of baroque
What was typical of the timpani in the Classical era?
They played the tonic and the dominant notes
What was typical of the texture of the Classical era?
It was usually homophonic to make the main melody stand out
