History 1 Composer Traits Flashcards
Musical style traits of the required composers for RCM History 1 examination.
Innovations found in his symphonies include the use of the scherzo, cyclical structure, programmatic elements, and the inclusion of vocal soloists and chorus.
Beethoven
His harmonic approach includes parallel chord streams, unresolved dissonance and quartal harmonies.
Debussy
His choruses often alternate homorhythmic passages with imitative textures.
Handel
He took a vivid and original approach to orchestration, expanding the size and make-up of the orchestra, often specifying grandiose performing forces.
Berlioz
He carried the vocal lyricism of his operas into his instrumental compositions.
Mozart
This composer cultivates a pan-ethnic perspective combining traditional Asian music with Western influences.
Louie
He composed works in every genre of his day with the exception of opera.
Bach
The detailed ornamentation of his melodic lines recalls the bel canto vocal style.
Chopin
His early works are characterized by driving rhythms, primal energy, and a percussive approach.
Stravinsky
His instrumental works reflect the spirit of the Classical era, while his vocal works are more Romantic in nature.
Schubert
He contributed to the development of the Baroque solo concerto and was a leader in establishing ritornello form.
Vivaldi
He was a master of the contrapuntal art who dedicated his works “to the glory of God”.
Bach
He was regarded as the “father” of the symphony and string quartet because of his significant contributions to both.
Haydn
He exemplified Viennese Classical ideals such as elegance, balance and refinement.
Mozart
He wrote almost exclusively for the piano.
Chopin
Musical nationalism is demonstrated in his polonaises and mazurkas.
Chopin
He increased the role of the piano in his art songs; the piano accompaniment often depicts specific elements of the poem.
Schubert
He explored orchestral writing unrestricted by pianistic conventions, and invented new orchestral effects such as col legno.
Berlioz
As an avid reader, he was influenced by Shakespeare as well as leading writers of his day, including Goethe, Byron and Hugo.
Berlioz
He integrated American, Hispanic and Jewish elements in his compositions, and absorbed popular, jazz, and musical theatre elements.
Bernstein
This composer varied harmonic language, embracing tonality, modality and extreme dissonance, and injects humour into operas and stage works.
Louie
His brilliant and idiomatic writing for strings is demonstrated in the virtuosity of his solo concertos.
Vivaldi
He drew inspiration from the work of Impressionist painters and Symbolist poets.
Debussy
He set forth his innovative ideas on orchestral colour and instrumental colour in a treatise on orchestration.
Berlioz
Known first for his Italian operas, his later dramatic works were English oratorios.
Handel
He employed widely spaced accompaniment patterns and sweeping arpeggiation sustained with the damper pedal.
Chopin
He often used monothematic expositions in his sonata-form movements, and was influenced by folk songs and dances.
Haydn
Musical playfulness and dramatic elements are demonstrated by sudden accents or dynamic changes, abrupt silences, and bold changes of chords or keys.
Haydn
He was influenced by the Mannheim orchestra, with the expanded use of wind instruments in his orchestral writings. His piano concertos were influenced by J. C. Bach.
Mozart
Opera was central to his career, creating compelling, realistic characters dramatically and musically.
Mozart
Extended embellishments and ornamental passages are prominent in his nocturnes and other lyrical works. Improvisatory qualities exist in many of his works, such as Preludes and Impromptus.
Chopin
He preferred large-scale forms, such as symphonies and oratorios. He embraced programmatic writing in program symphonies and concert overtures. He wrote few small works and character pieces.
Berlioz
Some of his later works embraced Schoenburg’s twelve-tone method and sparse textures inspired by Webern.
Stravinsky
In his early years, he was influenced by the rich orchestration of Rimsky-Korsakov, and expressed Russian nationalism through use of folk song and dance.
Stravinsky
In his middle years, he showed emotional restraint, balance and discipline, as he adopted a neo-Classical style with emphasis on formal design.
Stravinsky
This composer’s influences include Stravinsky, Debussy, and Canadian First Nations music.
Louie
