Mystery Score #2: Terms Flashcards
The Sublime
“vast in dimension, rugged and negligent, dark and gloomy, founded on pain”
Opposite of beauty, definitely a characteristic of the Romantic era
Beauty still has flaws, the sublime does not
“Unachievable perfectionism”
French Revolution
1789-1799
Music of/for the people, not just the upper class
First public music school, Paris Conservatory (1795)
Paris Conservatory
First public music school (1795)
Industrial Revolution
Invention of many machines (steam engine, cotton gin, fly shuttle/spinning Jenny, factories, etc.)
Absolute Music
No extramusical characteristics (aka subtitles, program notes, descriptive melodies, etc.)
Romanticism
Value individuality A life dedicated to “self-realization” Expression more important that imitation/representation (the meaning behind the sounds is more important than the sounds itself) Instrumental music > vocal music Composers>virtuosic performers
Nationalism
Art and politics, French opera still run by the state
“Art for Art’s Sake”
Mozart
Composing for the sake of the music, not because of a job requirement
Heiligenstadt Testament
Beethoven wrote a letter to his family that was not intended to be read
It talked about his struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts and how music is what kept him alive
He was not afraid of death or dying, he just wanted to make sure he finished his work first
Reviews of Beethoven’s Symphony Nos. 3 and 9
3: The people did not like Eroica. They thought it was too modern, had no melody, etc.
VERY long
Still had some classical elements (form) but also had new Romantic elements (dissonant harmonies, abrupt change of key, non treble melody, and more)
While the people still appreciated the talent and skill of the composition, they did not think it was performable
9: The people loved the 9th symphony. It was groundbreaking.
“Cannot be eclipsed in popularity by the other 8)
Set a new standard for all symphony composers to follow
Beethoven’s Three Periods
Early: Symphonies 1&2, more like Mozart and Haydn
Middle: Heroic period, symphonies 3-8. Openly admitted he was going deaf. Considered heroic because he continued to compose (very well) even with very limited hearing
Late: Experimental period, 9th symphony
Schubertiad
Intimate performance settings for Schubert’s more personal works (lied)
Salon
Fanny Mendelssohn
Held salon concerts at her house every week. Larger crowd, but still gathered around a piano
Sonata Form
Basically like today, but still a little different
(Modified) Strophic Form
Used a lot in lied
Strophic form but modified to fit the words (so mood might change or slight rhythm change)
Bourgeoisie
Upper middle class, had great access to the arts and saw this as increasing the social relevance of art
“Democritization of Taste”
Social broadening of musical public
More people able to hear music (not just upper class)
Left-Hand Pizzicato
Paganini, extended techniques
Harmonics
Paganini, extended techniques
Idee Fixe
Melody that returns over and over again throughout the piece but in different guises
Dies irae
Chant tune from Requiem Mass
Col legno
Plays with stick part of bow to represent bones
Orchestration
Hector Berlioz wrote first treatise on orchestration
Bach Revival
Felix Mendelssohn led the Bach Revival
We would not know Bach today if Mendelssohn had not reintroduced him
