Romantic Era Flashcards
What is the real name of Berlioz’s Requiem?
Grande messe de morts
What is the opus number of Berlioz’s Requiem?
Op. 5
When was Berlioz’s Requiem composerd?
1837
What is the orchestration for Berlioz’s Requiem?
T solo, SSATTBB, 42(2)44-12.4.0.4. 16 timp, perc, strings; 4 brass choirs = 0442, 0440, 0440, and 0444
What are the movements of Berlioz’s Requiem?
- Requiem et Kyrie
- Dies irae
- Quid sum miser
- Rex tremendae
- Quaerens me
- Lacrymosa
- Offertorium
- Hostias
- Sanctus
- Agnus Dei
What are the recommended chorus numbers for Berlioz’s Requiem?
- 80 sops and altos
- 60 tens
- 70 basses
Name 10 characteristics of the Requiem/Kyrie of Berlioz’s Requiem.
- G minor
- great dynamic range (pppp-ff)
- no brass choirs or percussion
- use of grand pauses
- imit. poly. in voices
- sopranos and altos combined for most of movement
- agogic accents in orchestra
- orchestral and choral forces sometimes sound same phrases and melodies
- very close writing for choral homophony
- persistent ascending chromatic half-step lines
Name 12 characteristics of the Dies irae from Berlioz’s Requiem.
- A minor
- starts without brass or percussion
- irregular phrase lengths
- opening melody in lower strings imitated in the choral basses
- orchestra often plays same material with chorus
- consistent layering of three independent melodies
- offbeat plays strong influence on pulse
- theme and variations form
- 4 brass choirs and 16 timpani join for ‘Tuba mirum’
- Tuba mirum starts high in the basses range
- use of double-dotting
- Tuba mirum bass melody returns at ‘Judex ergo’
Name 4 characteristics of the Quid sum miser from Berlioz’s Requiem.
- G# minor
- only men in chorus TTB
- severely reduced orchestra
- melody is broken into small bits and shared antiphonally between chorus and orchestra
Name 10 characteristics of the Rex tremendae from Berlioz’s Requiem.
- E Major
- includes brass choirs (reduced to 2 per instrument) and timpani
- persistent dotted rhythms
- irregular phrase entrances
- orchestra is vigorous throughout
- even in homophony voices enter at separate times
- return of grand pause
- ABA form
- static, quickly repetitive chords in orchestra (16ths or 32nds)
- timpani are tuned to pitches in the key of the movement
Name 4 characteristics of the Quaerens me from Berlioz’s Requiem.
- A Major
- a cappella, SATTBB
- imitative polyphony
- most homophony in paired writing
Name 12 characteristics of the Lacrymosa from Berlioz’s Requiem.
- A Minor
- in 9/8, similar triple meter to Mozart’s
- parallel octave writing in chorus
- Lacrymosa text serves as a ritornello, but does not always come back with same music
- antiphonal writing in chorus over constantly pulsing triples in strings
- use of pedal points over chromatically shifting chords
- first half in rough ABA form
- orchestra plays more minor role, carries little of the developing action and thematic material that the choir does
- second half in A Major with slightly offset polyphony
- second half has reduction of brass choirs to just 1 for a bit
- choir eventually expands to SATTBB in second half, which is exclusively homophonic
- quick switch to A minor, and then back to A major
Name something unique about Berlioz’s choral writing for his Requiem and other music.
Preference for 3-part chorus (sop and alto often singing the same notes)
Name 6 characteristics of the Offertorium in Berlioz’s Requiem.
- Dm, reduced to strings and winds
- Main theme starts in Violin 1
- choir plays supportive role for strings, and later the rest of the orchestra
- constant ritenuto with return to Tempo 1
- ending has static triplets, followed by pizz single pitches in the strings
- chorus intones the final ‘amen’ with the orchestra at ppp
Name 3 characteristics of the Hostias in Berlioz’s Requiem.
- Gm, exclusively homophonic
- little supporting orchestration, only in gaps in harmonic movement or choral rests
- ends with a small, pizz BbM chord in the strings
Name 6 characteristics of the Sanctus in Berlioz’s Requiem.
- DbM
- includes optional tenor solo
- theme first stated in strings
- use of just a couple of tromb. from brass choirs 3 and 4, as well as two lines for violin 1 and 2 soli
- Hosanna is fugue, up to 7 parts
- does not include Benedictus text
Name 6 characteristics of the Agnus Dei in Berlioz’s Requiem.
- Tonally ambiguous beginning
- fully orchestrated with brass choirs and timp
- long fermatas and pauses
- choir enter and continue to sing primarily a cappella
- specific metronome markings indicated by composer
- Te decet hymnus text returns with original key and music from the first movement
When did Verdi compose his Requiem?
1874
How many movements are in Verdi’s Requiem?
7
- Requiem
- Dies Irae (split into 9 submovements)
- Offertorio
- Sanctus
- Agnus Dei
- Lux aeterna
- Libera me
What are the sub-movements of the Dies irae in Verdi’s Requiem?
- Dies irae
- Tuba mirum
- Liber scriptus
- Quid sum miser
- Rex tremendae
- Recordare
- Ingemisco
- Confutatis
- Lacrymosa
What is the orchestration for Verdi’s Requiem?
SATB solos, SATB chorus, 3224-4431, 3timp, bd, strings (4 trumpets off stage)
Name 7 characteristics of the Requiem mvmt. from Verdi’s Requiem.
- Am
- lead in from celli, descending line
- weeping ‘dona’ motive
- ‘Te decet’ is imitative polyphony
- Kyrie starts with tenor solo, with imitative entrances from each soloist, then chorus takes over
- antiphonal choral exchanges in small phrases
- ends with ‘Christe eleison’ and no repetition of ‘Kyrie’ text
- large dynamic range
Name 6 characteristics of the Dies irae of Verdi’s Requiem.
- Gm
- intense bass drum, doesn’t play on opening motive
- double-dotted, 1/2 step ascending chorus line
- offset homophony, basses have wavy and then descending 1/2 step line
- lots of offbeat oscillation between winds
- stately homophonic chorus lead into ‘Tuba mirum’
Name 5 characteristics of the Tuba mirum from Verdi’s Requiem.
- Fm
- march-like rhythms, build through the entire orch.
- very accented
- ‘Mors stupebit’ bass solo
- timpani solo