Mystery Score #2: Terms

Question 1

The Sublime

Answer 1

“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”

Question 2

French Revolution

Answer 2

1789-1799
Music of/for the people, not just the upper class
First public music school, Paris Conservatory (1795)

Question 3

Paris Conservatory

Answer 3

First public music school (1795)

Question 4

Industrial Revolution

Answer 4

Invention of many machines (steam engine, cotton gin, fly shuttle/spinning Jenny, factories, etc.)

Question 5

Absolute Music

Answer 5

No extramusical characteristics (aka subtitles, program notes, descriptive melodies, etc.)

Question 6

Romanticism

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Nationalism

Answer 7

Art and politics, French opera still run by the state

Question 8

“Art for Art’s Sake”

Answer 8

Mozart

Composing for the sake of the music, not because of a job requirement

Question 9

Heiligenstadt Testament

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Reviews of Beethoven’s Symphony Nos. 3 and 9

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Beethoven’s Three Periods

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Schubertiad

Answer 12

Intimate performance settings for Schubert’s more personal works (lied)

Question 13

Salon

Answer 13

Fanny Mendelssohn

Held salon concerts at her house every week. Larger crowd, but still gathered around a piano

Question 14

Sonata Form

Answer 14

Basically like today, but still a little different

Question 15

(Modified) Strophic Form

Answer 15

Used a lot in lied

Strophic form but modified to fit the words (so mood might change or slight rhythm change)

Question 16

Bourgeoisie

Answer 16

Upper middle class, had great access to the arts and saw this as increasing the social relevance of art

Question 17

“Democritization of Taste”

Answer 17

Social broadening of musical public

More people able to hear music (not just upper class)

Question 18

Left-Hand Pizzicato

Answer 18

Paganini, extended techniques

Question 19

Harmonics

Answer 19

Paganini, extended techniques

Question 20

Idee Fixe

Answer 20

Melody that returns over and over again throughout the piece but in different guises

Question 21

Dies irae

Answer 21

Chant tune from Requiem Mass

Question 22

Col legno

Answer 22

Plays with stick part of bow to represent bones

Question 23

Orchestration

Answer 23

Hector Berlioz wrote first treatise on orchestration

Question 24

Bach Revival

Answer 24

Felix Mendelssohn led the Bach Revival

We would not know Bach today if Mendelssohn had not reintroduced him

Question 25

Scena ed aria: Cantabile/Tempo di Mezzo/Cabaletta

Answer 25

New/expanded aria and ritornello form

Question 26

Scena ed aria:

Recitative –

Answer 26

Scena ed aria:

Recitative – the scene progresses

Question 27

Scena ed aria:

Cantabile –______

Answer 27

Scena ed aria:

Cantabile – One character reacts (aria)

Question 28

Scena ed aria:

Tempo di Mezzo – _______

Answer 28

Scena ed aria:

Tempo di Mezzo – Something happens (dramatic)

Question 29

Scena ed aria:

Cabaletta - _____

Answer 29

Scena ed aria:

Cabaletta - reaction

Question 30

Coloratura Melody

Answer 30

Small/short virtuosic section that shows off a singers technique, especially in the soprano

Question 31

Bel Canto melody

Answer 31

Beautiful melodies, galant style but with some ornamentation

Meant to show off a singer’s tone, not their virtuosity

Question 32

Patter Singing

Answer 32

Lots of characters singing different words with different emotions at the same time

Question 33

Das Volk

Answer 33

Melodrama

Orchestra plays its own character

Question 34

Gesamtkunsterwerk

Answer 34

Wagner
Total art work
Everything was done by the composer for the composer, not just the music. Text, costumes, set designs, score, etc.

Question 35

Bayreuth

Answer 35

Opera house that Wagner built specifically for his operas (gesamtkunstwerk)

Question 36

Leitmotif

Answer 36

Taking a specific motif and tying it to an extramusical idea

Question 37

Verismo

Answer 37

Verdi

Realism in opera

Question 38

Developing Variation

Answer 38

Brahms

Organic development of motivic material