Programme Music Flashcards
Give a brief overview of The Hebrides Overture
- also known as Figal’s Cave
- composed by Felix Mendelssohn
- based on sonata form
- B minor
- premiered in London
- stand alone overture
- tone poem
What inspired The Hebrides Overture
- Mendelssohn’s visit to the Hebrides islands
- particularly Fingal’s Cave on Staffa, Scotland, 1829 - set off from Tobermory
- He was captivated + inspired by the cave’s natural beauty, basalt columns + sound of the sea
- heaving, restless oscillating sea
- softer, calmer ocean
- wonderment + anticipation approaching Staffa
- eeriness + contemplation of Fingal’s cave
- happiness after leaving the cave
Give context behind The Hebrides Overture
- written in Romantic period - focus on nature, emotion + the sublime
- program music - evokes a scene (the cave + sea)
- conveys the grandeur + mystery of the sea + the natural landscape of Scotland
- main subject written in Tobermory
Give the structure of The Hebrides Overture
Sonata form (Exposition, Development, Recapitulation) - but with free flowing + monothematic elements
Introduction - undulating, flowing theme - represents movement of waves
First theme - Gentle, undulating, evoking the sea.
Second theme -More dramatic, representing the cave’s aura
Development - explores themes further -evoking the swirling power of the sea
Recapitulation - Themes return - evocative, atmospheric feel
Give details about the musical features of The Hebrides Overture
- full use of the orchestra to mimic sounds of the sea; strings, woodwinds, brass create wave-like effects
- crescendos + diminuendos represent changing intensity of waves + cave’s echoes
- alternating between turbulent + calm textures - reflects changing moods of the sea + landscape
- romantic harmonic palette - rich, expressive harmonies - particularly in strings + woodwinds
Give key themes of The Hebrides Overture
- nature: Reflects Romantic fascination with untamed nature + landscapes
- the grandeur + overwhelming power of the sea + Fingal’s Cave
- Mendelssohn’s personal emotional response to the cave + Hebrides islands
Give details on Mendelssohn’s personal life
- age 20
- German
- high class + wealthy
- pianist, conductor, linguist, gymnast, writer, chess-player, artist
- family had an obsession with ossia
- was on a coming of age tour around Scotland
- devoted to music of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart
- studied under Karl Zeleter
- early romantic composer
- ‘Mozart of the 19th century’
- ‘Bach reborn’
Don Quixote Context
- Richard Strauss
- 18979
- Tone Poem
- Inspired by Cervante’s spanish Don Quixote
- Theme and variations, representing different episodes of the novel
- Use of leitmotfis to represent characters and emotions
- Radical elementsa (orchestration, chromaticism)
Don Quixote Instrumentation & Orchestration
- Massive romantic orchestra - triple woodwinds, large brass section, precussion, strings, harp, rare wind machine
- ‘Col legno’ (hit strings with wooden side of bow) in battle scene Var II
- Harmonics + tremelo in strings - ethereal quality in Quixote’s reflective moments Var IV
- Wind machine - used in sheep scene to mimic bleating (V II)
- Don Quixote theme - virtuosic, lyrical solo cello introcued in Eb bar 1
- Sancho panza theme - comedic, rustic tone from bass clarinet + tuba in Bb
- Dulcnea theme - love, passionate, lush oboe + violin (V IV)
- Flutter-tonguing in brass mimic bleeting sheep in sheep scene
- Harmonics on strings in Var IV depcit ethereal dreams
Don Quixote Form & Structure
Theme + Variations
Introduction
- begins in Eb major
- chromaticism + tonal instability
Themes
- Don Quixote - lyrical, noble solo cello first 20 bars - Eb
- Sancha Panza - clumsy, humorous bass clarinet + tuba following - Bb
Variations
- VII: Windmills - chaotic rythmsd + dissonant harmonies (dim 7th chord)
- VIV: Romantic interlude - serene, lush harmonies - G
- Final Variation: DQ dies, slow, reflective tragic - Dm
Don Quixote Harmony & Tonality
Common Keys:
Eb - heroic
Bb - comedy
G - romantic
Dm - tragedy
Examples
- Perfect cadences in DQ’s opening theme -shows nobility
- Harmonc instability + chromaticism following - shows unstable thoughts
- Dim 7th - dissonances in VII represen battle with windmills
- Romance in G major borrows chords from parrallel minor - love is confusing
- Perfect cadences in Dm in final variation symbolise Quixotes end
- Tonic pedal underpins DQ’s theme - grounds his nobility
- Neapolitan 6th creates tension in windmill scene
- Aug 6th adds drama in battle
- Tuba plays tritone against bass bar 175
- Chromatic descent in Dm symbolises death - final variation
Don Quixote Metre & Tempo
Introduction
- alternates between 3/4 and 4/4
- rubato tempo depicts Quixote’s erratic thoughts
Themes and Variations
- DQ’s Theme - Lyrical in stable 4/4
- Windmills Scene (VII) - Frenzied metre changes (2/4 to 6/8) - chaos
- Dream Scene (VIV) - Smooth 3/4 metre complements romanticism
- Death Scene (Final Variation) - Adagio tempo - solemn + reflective
Don Quixote Dynamics & Articulation
Extremes of Dynamics
- Sudden fortissimo depicts dramatic battles - Windmill Battle
- Subtle pianissimo forreflective moments - V IV
Articulation Techniques
Legato for lyrical moments - Dulcnea’s love theme
Staccato + accented notes - Sancho Panza’s comical theme in the bass clarinet
Col Legno - Aggressive articulation for string sections in the “Battle Scene”
Dynamic Shaping:
Crescendo + Diminuendo mirror emotions shown by DQ - gradual crescendo leading to fortissimo in the Windmills scene
Don Quixote Texture & Timbre
Texture
- Contrapuntal writing (polyphony) in windmill scene by all instruments - shows chaos + confusion
- Homophonic writing in Dulcnea’s theme - idealic romanticism
- Antiphonal writing betwen trumpets + trimbones exchanging motifs in battle scene
- Rare monophony but used soloistically by cello introducing DQ’s theme
Timbre
- Strauss assigns characters different timbres based on their mood
- ‘Col Legno’ strings mimic sword clashes in battle scene
- String harmonics show high etheral qualities in Var IV
- Flutter tounging in brass imitates sheep
- Wind machine represents windmill
- Muted brass adds distant quality to battle sacnes
- Harp adds romance to Dulcnea’s theme
Sorcerer’s Apprentice Context
- Paul Dukas
- 1897
- Based on a poem by Goethe
- Symphonic Poem
- Uses 3 main themes
