Stravinsky

Question 1

Describe the key signatures

Answer 1

unclear

ambiguous

Question 2

Name four violin techniques

Answer 2

pizz
trill
mutes
glissandi

Question 3

Name 6 features of the sonority

Answer 3

mutes
flutter tongue
col legno
trills
tremolo
glissando

Question 4

what does col legno mean?

Answer 4

wood of the bow

Question 5

name 5 textures used

Answer 5

homo rhythmic chords
ostinato
mel-dom-hom
hetero-rhythms
canon

Question 6

describe the dynamic range

Answer 6

full range
pp-ff
solo bassoon has no marking

Question 7

Describe the metres

Answer 7

constantly shifting

Question 8

Describe the stamping chords

Answer 8

duple time

frequent asymmetric stresses

Question 9

What interrupts the relentless pulse?

Answer 9

pause marks

Question 10

Name five rhythmic techniques

Answer 10

triplets, sextuplets and septuplets
hetero-rhythms
offbeat stresses
displaced stress
syncopation

Question 11

What’s the opening based on?

Answer 11

Lithuanian folk song

Question 12

What note range does the melody draw on?

Answer 12

Limited

hexatonic scale

Question 13

Name 7 features of the melody

Answer 13

chromatic lines
wide leaps
angular lines
ostinato
repeated notes
motifs
whooping hunting calls

Question 14

Describe the whooping hunting calls

Answer 14

perfect 5ths

Question 15

Describe the harmony

Answer 15

non-functional

dissonant

Question 16

Name four typical features of the harmony

Answer 16

parallel 4ths and 7ths
whole-tone structures
bitonal structures

Question 17

What makes up the harmony?

Answer 17

polytonal structures
superimposed 5ths and 4ths
disssonances

Question 18

Describe the structures

Answer 18

blocks of sound

follows the ballet

Question 19

(printaniers) What chords are outlined?

Answer 19

C and Em

Question 20

(Printaniers) How is it bitonal?

Answer 20

Eb7 and Fbmajor

Question 21

(Jeu du rapt) How is it polytonal?

Answer 21

Eb, Fsharp 7 and C

Question 22

Nutcracker context

Answer 22

1892
Tchaikovsky
poorly recieved in St Petersburg with critics complaining that the dancing was ‘podgy’ and that choreography was confusing’

Question 23

Nutcracker similarities and differences

Answer 23

Similarities:
-extended instruments e.g celeste
-sinister, non-classical feel
-feature instruments that are unusual e.g bass clarinet - dance of the sugar plumb fairy
-Battle with mouse king:
1) grace notes
2)extended trills
3) polyphony
4)high range
5) hunting call
6) frantic scales
7) polyrhythmic
8)mutes
Differences: e.g waltz of the flowers
-clear rhythimc pulse
-diatonic
-triadic
-focus on strings
-pleasant sonority

Question 24

comparisons

Answer 24

Janecek operas e.g Jenufa - folk song for ‘national sound’
Vaughn Williams - Greensleeves in opera ‘Sir Jogn in Love’
Pierre Boulez, notations - rhythmic irregularity created unease

Question 25

Firebird

Answer 25

1868
More nationalistic/traditional
Based on Russian fairytales
Ostinato bassoons
functional
freely evolving

Question 26

Berlioz

Answer 26

mostly w.w
interesting sonorities e.g wood of bow
dissonant
varied textures

Question 27

Prelude a la pres - midi d’un faune

Answer 27

1912
Debussy
Choreographed by Nijinsky
one of the first modern ballets
erotic subtext
ends with graphic sexual desire
(notes in Debussy section)

Question 28

Meredith Monk

Answer 28

extended vocal techniques
folk music roots (Strravinsky = paganism and earth)
herdy gerdy
groundbreaking exploration of the voice as an instrument, as an eloquent language in and of itself, expands the boundaries of musical composition
repetition, drones, modal harmonies and wordless vocalising
Modern audience confused - like Stanislavskys

Question 29

Stravinsky context

Answer 29

1882-1971
Nationalistic
Firebird

Question 30

Rite of Spring context

Answer 30

1913
Theatre des champs-Elysees
Paris
choreographed by Nijinsky
Slavik rituals of ancient tribes