Introduction

Question 1

when was the Classical Period?

Answer 1

c1750-1820

Question 2

when was Beethoven’s music considered to be?

Answer 2

c1820-1910

Question 3

what is the “First Viennese School”?

Answer 3

Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven spent a considerable amount of time in the city of Vienna and are therefore sometimes known as this

Question 4

what were Haydn’s and Mozarts earlier works often in?

Answer 4

gallant style

Question 5

what did galant style consist of?

Answer 5

very clear melodies, simple accompaniments and much ornamentation

Question 6

what are Haydn’s and Mozarts later works known to be written in?

Answer 6

“mature” Classical style

Question 7

what other sort of music (other than instrumental did all 3 composers write?

Answer 7

sacred (religious) music and secular (non-religious) music and opera

Question 8

Why did all the composers write music?

Answer 8

something they did for money

Question 9

Joseph Haydn dates?

Answer 9

1732-1809

Question 10

1732: Where was Haydn born?

Answer 10

Rohrau, Austria

Question 11

1740: when did Haydn become familiar with Baroque music?

Answer 11

His musical talent was recognised and joined the choir of St Stephens cathedral in Vienna, also learning violin and organ, becoming familiar with Barouque music including music written in counterpoint

Question 12

1745: What did Haydn do after he left the choir?

Answer 12

remained in Vienna, taught music, composed and performed but struggled financially. He had composing lessons but mostly studied by himself, using textbooks and the work of other composers, particularly CPE Bach

Question 13

1755: how did Haydn produce his first string quartets?

Answer 13

invited to stay at a country house to perform and compose music for the musicians there, comprising of 2 violinists, viola and cellist

Question 14

1759: what was Haydn’s first secured paid employment?

Answer 14

a Kapellmeister (“chapel master”) for Count Morzin. He was in charge of music making at the Count’s home, directing a small orchestra and writing instrumental, keyboard and sacred works

Question 15

1761: what was Haydn’s big break?

Answer 15

appointed second Kapellmeister to Prince Paul Anton Esterhazy at Eisenstadt in Hungary. Prince was musical and had an orchestra. Haydn wrote much instrumental music and eventually promoted to first Kapellmeister.

Question 16

1766: What happened to Haydn when Prince Paul Anton Esterházy died (1761)? Did his works increase?

Answer 16

He was succeeded by his brother Nikolas. Haydn moved with the Prince to a new large palace called Esterháza which was remote from other cities. Writing an enormous amount of music and experimented with new ideas, his fame spears and some of his music was published

Question 17

1781: When did Haydn meet Mozart?

Answer 17

On a trip to Vienna, they became friends and admirers of each other’s work, learning from each other’s compositions

Question 18

1790: What happened to Haydn once Prince Nikolaus died?

Answer 18

his successor was not interested in music. The Esterházy orchestra was disbanded and Haydn was given a generous pension, he was free to move to Vienna and visit london to perform some specially written works

Question 19

1792: where did Haydn meet Beethoven?

Answer 19

On his way back from Vienna from London, Haydn met Beethoven, who then came to Vienna for lessons with Haydn

Question 20

1794: what did Haydn do on another extended visit to London?

Answer 20

composing more music especially for the visit

Question 21

Where did Haydn die?

Answer 21

Vienna, 1809

Question 22

How much music did Haydn leave after he died?

Answer 22

a huge body of music, over 80 string quartets, 104 symphonies, concertos, keyboard works and other smaller works

Question 23

how are Haydn’s pieces identified?

Answer 23

a number by Hoboken, who produced a catalogue. Works are given a Roman numeral to indicate the category (eg works in category I are symphonies) and then another number for the individual work

Question 24

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart dates

Answer 24

1756-1791

Question 25

1756: where was Mozart born? was his father musical?

Answer 25

in Salzburg, his father Leopold was a violinist and composer

Question 26

1762: what was Mozarts childhood like?

Answer 26

Mozart and his sister (both child prodigies) were taken to various European cities to perform to nobility and in concerts

Question 27

1762: what did his childhood allow him to begin to pursue?

Answer 27

this international childhood meant that Mozart encountered the work of current composers, including J C Bach (the brother of C P E Bach) in London. Mozart had already begun composing and arranging music

Question 28

1769: what was Mozarts employment?

Answer 28

appointed Konzertmeister in Salzburg, in the service of the Archbishop, but continued to travel a great deal

Question 29

1781: why did Mozart become “self-employed” (what we would call today)?

Answer 29

Mozart arrived in Vienna accompanying the Archbishop of Salzburg. Mozart was increasingly frustrated at being a servant and was eventually allowed to leave. For the rest of his life he was “self employed” and worked as a performer, teacher and composer to earn money. At times his financial position was rather precarious

Question 30

1786: which city did Mozart write for?

Answer 30

he visited Prague to hear a production of his opera “The Marriage of Figaro “ and wrote more works for the city

Question 31

1791: when Mozart died what happened to his works?

Answer 31

left very little money to his widow Constanze, who published some of his scores. Famously his Requiem Mass was left unfinished, and was completed by his former assistant the composer Franz Süssmayr

Question 32

how many compositions did Mozart produce?

Answer 32

600

Question 33

how were Mozarts works catalogued?

Answer 33

by Köchel, who ordered the compositions chronologically, giving them a number study as K 545

Question 34

when were many of Mozarts works published?

Answer 34

after his death (not during his lifetime)

Question 35

Ludwig van Beethoven dates

Answer 35

1770-1827

Question 36

how is Beethovens life divided?

Answer 36

into 3 periods

Question 37

what consisted in the First Period of Beethovens life?

Answer 37

He established himself as a composer

Question 38

1803: what consisted in the Middle Period of Beethovens life?

Answer 38

This is the period in which Beethoven was most productive, when many of his most famous works were written

Question 39

1813: what consisted in the Last Period of Beethovens life?

Answer 39

period where there were various problems in his personal life, and produced a small number of very intense works

Question 40

1770: where was Beethoven born?

Answer 40

in Bonn into a moderately musical family (father singer, disappointed Beethoven was not a prodigy as talented as Mozart)

Question 41

1770: what did Beethoven have lessons in?

Answer 41

piano, organ, violin and composing

Question 42

1782: what was Beethovens first job?

Answer 42

his musical training lead to a position as an assistant organist

Question 43

1787: how did Beethoven meet Mozart?

Answer 43

briefly visited Vienna and met Mozart. He had to return home to Bonn as his mother was dying

Question 44

1792: what were Beethovens interactions with Haydn?

Answer 44

met Haydn in Bonn and followed him to Vienna. He had some lessons with Haydn, but weren’t a great success

Question 45

1792: how did Beethoven earn money?

Answer 45

teaching, performing, composing, sometimes dedicating his works to particular people who may have paid him

Question 46

1802: what document did Beethoven produce and why?

Answer 46

Beethoven began to go dead and became very depressed. produced a document known as the Heiligenstadt Testsment because it was written in Heiligenstadt near Vienna where Beethoven was staying for the summer. It was a letter of departure to his two brothers, but remained hidden until after his death

Question 47

1827: where did Beethiven die?

Answer 47

in Vienna, thousands attended his funeral

Question 48

how much music did Beethoven write?

Answer 48

not as numerous as Haydn or Mozart, but often much more intense and of greater length

Question 49

what type of compositions did he produce?

Answer 49

like the other 2, wrote sonatas, chamber music, symphonies, concertos and other orchestral works

Question 50

what were Beethovens published works during his lifetime for?

Answer 50

means of making money

Question 51

How were Beethovens works arranged?

Answer 51

given Opus numbers in the order they were published, rather in the order they were written. Occasionally with number such as WoO (abbreviation for Werke ohne Opuszahl), works without an Opus number