Late Program Music Flashcards
Realism
Addressing the here and now of what people are caring about.
Late romantic instrumental music de-centralized music attention. What does this mean?
Less Euro-centralized, more nationalism.
How is late romantic form different from the early romantic?
Boundaries are pushed a little further. Form follows expression (similar to old models), but there is much more freedom.
How is the late romantic harmony, meter, and melody different from the early romantic?
Greater dissonance, drive, subtlety, contrast, more more more.
Program Music
Piece is designed according to some preconceived narrative, or is designed to evoke a certain scene or atmosphere.
Concert overture came from…
Opera overture.
Program Symphony
Berlioz dreams up an odd dream on which he’s going to base 5 movements of a symphony.
Symphonic Poem
Invented by Liszt, Single-movement and free-form (reminiscent of existing forms).
What was usually the form of the concert overture?
Sonata form.
Romeo and Juliet was called a ___, not ___.
Overture-fantasy, not symphonic poem.
Overture implies ___ form.
Sonata.
Why did Tchaikovsky call Romeo and Juliet an overture-fantasy?
Because the form (overture) was supposed to be sonata form, but fantasy means “freedom.”
Tchaikovsky used sonata form as the context for representing…
Interactions between two sides.
What are some musical themes that align with basic elements of the story in Romeo and Juliet?
- Hymn-like opening theme (Friar Lawrence theme).
- Vendetta theme (conflict between two families).
- Famous love theme.
___ form (with slow introduction) allows thematic interaction in Romeo and Juliet.
Sonata.
Thematic Transformation
- Variation of existing theme.
- Alters the character.
- Reflects psychological progression.
Describe Tchaikovsky’s thematic transformations:
- Hymn theme transforms.
- Love theme transforms (twice).
Hymn theme in Romeo and Juliet transforms how?
- Brass plays it the second time.
- Slow tempo at first, fast tempo when changed.
- Louder the second time.
- Texture switched from being sparse (homophonic) to polyphonic.
Nationalism, as a concept, grows in the ___s.
1800.
Is Italian, German, and French music considered nationalistic?
No, because their music was mainstream.
What makes music national?
- Rejecting foreign models.
- Folk tunes.
- Program music associated with national stories, theme, geography.
- Text from national poetry, literature, history, legends.
- Music associated with institutions (such as Russian church music).
Mussorgsky
Self-taught, lifted Russian nationalism up (unlike Tchaikovsky, who was known to write Russian music just because his music was unique).
Pictures at an Exhibition
Set of short programmatic pieces originally for piano, but often heard with orchestra. Written in memory of Russian artist Viktor Hartmann by Mussorgsky. All 10 movements connected by a promenade theme, as is all the paintings. Recurrence = cohesiveness. All themes combined at end to paint “Russian” picture.
