[Part 2]- AS01: Western Classical Tradition

Question 1

This is a question about the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann.

Identify three features of DR SMITH from this musical genre. [romantic music]

Answer 1

• D-dynamics- wide range of dynamics, to reflect the emotion expressed in the music
• R-rhythm- a varied and immensely complex rhythm [e.g- tuplets, and cross rhythms]
• S-structure- simplistic structures such as ternary form
• M-melody- melodies were prominent, lyrical and expressive
• M-melody- ; melodies also ranged from song-like to chromatic, and melodies became highly decorated.
• M-melody- For example, longer melodies also used chromaticism, which could be in a singing style.
• I-Instrumentation- extra instruments were added, sicne the orchestra got bigger.
• T-texture- denser textures with bold, dramatic contrasts; the texture was typically melody and accompaniment
• H-harmony- harmonies varied from functional to highly chromatic. They included: dissonance, compound chords and cadences- which were still common; some phrases of music were left unresolved.
• H-harmony- For example, richer harmonies included chromaticism, dissonance and suspended chords

Question 2

What are the dynamics, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Hint: reflect the emotion

Answer 2

• D-dynamics- wide range of dynamics, to reflect the emotion expressed in the music

Question 3

What’s the rhythm, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Hint: complex

Answer 3

• R-rhythm- a varied and immensely complex rhythm [e.g- tuplets, and cross rhythms]

Question 4

What’s the structure, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Hint: simplistic

Answer 4

• S-structure- simplistic structures such as ternary form

Question 5

What’s the melody, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Hint: prominent

Answer 5

• M-melody- melodies were prominent, lyrical and expressive

Question 6

What else can you tell me about the melody, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Hint: ranged from song-like

Answer 6

• M-melody- melodies also ranged from song-like to chromatic, and melodies became highly decorated.
• M-melody- For example, longer melodies also used chromaticism, which could be in a singing style.

Question 7

What’s the instrumentation, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Answer 7

• I-Instrumentation- extra instruments were added, sicne the orchestra got bigger.

Question 8

What’s the texture, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Answer 8

• T-texture- denser textures with bold, dramatic contrasts; the texture was typically melody and accompaniment

Question 9

What’s the harmony, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Answer 9

• H- harmony- They included: dissonance, compound chords and cadences- which were still common; some phrases of music were left unresolved.

Question 10

What else can you tell me about the harmony, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Answer 10

• H-harmony- harmonies varied from functional to highly chromatic.
• For example, richer harmonies included chromaticism, dissonance and suspended chords

Question 11

What’s the tempo and metre, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Hint: more tempo changes

Answer 11

• tempo- there were more tempo changes- because, musicians used ‘rubato’- [marked tempo changes that sometimes occurred throughout a piece]
• metre- the metre typically stayed the same, throughout a movement

Question 12

What’s the tonality, of the romantic piano music of Chopin and Schumann ?

Answer 12

• tonality- once again, there was a use of minor and major keys
• ; modulation was to related and unrelated keys. The modality, reflected the folk influence

Question 13

This is a question about the requiem of the late romantic period.

Identify three features of DR SMITH from this musical genre. [romantic music]

Answer 13

• D-dynamics- dramatic contrasts in dynamics, accompanied with the use of crescendo or diminuendo, to emphasise lyrical melody shapes, and dynamics were either gradual or had sudden changes
• R- rhythm- subtle use of rubato
• Structure- several short sections, and some of them were strophic
• M- melody- is more chromatic, and has a greater use of dissonance than Mozart ; melodies were also lyrical [song-like], with texts typically in latin
• I-instrumentation- large orchestral forces [e.g- harp and organ], use of soloists and large choral forces- [SATB]
• T- texture- use of octaves and unison, melody and accompaniment, a homophonic texture, and a polyphonic texture
• H- harmony- harmony included pedal notes, chromaticism and a functional harmony [which included diminished 7ths, chord extensions and augmented chords for drama]

Question 14

What are the dynamics, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 14

• D-dynamics- dramatic contrasts in dynamics, accompanied with the use of crescendo or diminuendo, to emphasise lyrical melody shapes.
• ; dynamics were either gradual or had sudden changes

Question 15

What’s the rhythm, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 15

• R- rhythm- subtle use of rubato, and rhythms could also follow word setting

Question 16

What’s the structure, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Hint: strophic

Answer 16

• Structure- several short sections, and some of them were strophic

Question 17

What’s the melody, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 17

• M- melody- melody is more chromatic, and has a greater use of dissonance than Mozart

Question 18

What else can you tell me, about the melody of the requiem, of the late romantic period ?

Answer 18

• M-melody- ; melodies were also long and lyrical [song-like], with texts typically in latin

Question 19

What’s the instrumentation , of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 19

• I-instrumentation- large orchestral forces [e.g- harp and organ], use of soloists and large choral forces- [SATB]

Question 20

What’s the texture, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 20

• T- texture- use of octaves and unison, melody and accompaniment, a homophonic texture, and a polyphonic texture

Question 21

What else can you tell me about the texture, of the requiem, of the late romantic period ?

Answer 21

• T-texture- textures could also be varied extreme. For example, solo to full.

Question 22

What’s the harmony, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 22

• H- harmony- complex harmonies that also included pedal notes, chromaticism and a functional harmony.
• This included: diminished 7ths, chord extensions and augmented chords for drama

Question 23

What else can you tell me about the harmony, of the requiem, of the late romantic period ?

Answer 23

• H-harmony- some dissonance was also used in harmonies.

Question 24

What’s the tempo and metre, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 24

• tempo- frequent tempo changes, that were particularly accelerando and ritardando
• ; the tempo could also shift, to reflect the text
• metre- aswell as tempo shifts, metres shifts were also used to relate the text

Question 25

What’s the tonality, of the requiem of the late romantic period ?

Answer 25

• tonality- yet again harmonies contained major and minor keys, with modulation to related and unrelated keys
• ; there was also dissonance and consonance, in the tonality ‘of the requiem of, the late romantic period too’