Study Guide - Composers Flashcards
Giovanni Maria Artusi
Bolonese music theorist who criticized Monteverdi’s music. Believed that in his music, dissonances were not being approached or resolved correctly according to 16th century practices.
Ottavio Rinuccini
was an Italian poet and the first opera librettist, with his Libretto to Peri’s “Daphne” and Peri and Caccini’s Euridice.
Jacopo Peri
Part of the Florentine Camerata.
Composed the first opera, “Daphne”. Composed one of the first settings of “Euridice”(Rinuccini, Librettest). His was also performed first in a private setting (Palazzo Pitti in Florentine at the house of a royalty member.) His significance is that he was one of the first.
Giulio Caccini
Part of the Florentine Camerata.
Also composed one of the first settings of “Euridice.” While Peri performed his first, this composer was the first to have his published. The significance of this composer was that he was one of the first.
Emilio de’ Cavalieri
wrote “Rappresentatione di anima e di corpo”
(Drama of the soul and the body) at Rome in 1600. This work is sometimes considered to be the first oratorio.
Claudio Monteverdi
Important because he was a master. Was a transitional composer between the Renaissance and Baroque periods. wrote madrigals and operas. Was attacked by Artusi for not writting in the prima prattica, and was able to convincinly refute the attack by stating that he did so to better express the text. His Opera “Orfeo” was a pivotal work because he was a leading composer and he turned to a form that was a new innovation.
Allesandro Scarlatti
Italian composer who wrote over 600 cantatas. Also was a significant opera composer. Father of Domenico Scarlatti.
Giovanni Gabrieli
second organist at St. Mark’s, and famous composer of polychoral works in the Baroque period.
Heinrich Schϋtz
the most significant German composer of the seventeenth century. His surviving music mostly consists of sacred vocal compositions. Greatest accomplishment was to adapt the primarily Italian style of the early Baroque to the rhythms and accents of the German language and to the texts of German writers, notably Luther’s translation of the Bible.
Giacomo Carissimi
wrote 11 oratorios, the most famous of which is Jephte. Jephte was a judge from the bible who made a promise to god when leading a battle against the Ammonites and and had to sacrifice his daughter. Classic early Baroque Oratorio
Apostolo Zeno
Significant Baroque Librettist. Venetian poet, eventually worked as a court poet for the Austrian emperors at Vienna.
Metastasio
A significant Baroque Librettist. His real name was Pietro Trapassi. Succeeded Zeno in Vienna.
Apostolo Zeno and Metastasio
Why were they significant
Their librettos were regarded as serious literary works in themselves. They typically concerned figures from ancient history who were viewed as models for present day rulers. Their librettos were repeatedly set by composers over the course of the century.
Jean-Philippe Rameau
Most important French Composer since Lully. Widely known as a theorist
Wrote Traité de l’harmonie, 1722
First opera not produced until he was fifty years old. (Hippolyte et Aricie, 1733-34)
Kept French (Lullian) style predominant, but introduced elements of Italian style.
Recognition of chords as building blocks of harmony rather than by-products of independent contrapuntal lines.
Advocated equal temperament! :)
Dietrich Buxtehude
Part of the North German Organ School.
According to text, “The greatest of the North German Baroque Composers.” served as organist at the church of St. Mary at Lϋbeck. Married his predecessor’s daughter. Works include chorale preludes, chorale fantasias, and free organ works.
Chorale preludes and fantasias generally set only 1 stanza of the hymn.
Chorale variations (partitas) - multiple settings of the same chorale melody.
Free organ works - Preludia (Preludium - “Prelude and Fugue”) is a multi-sectional work with an improvisatory opening and closing section. Fugal sections in the middle, sometimes separated by other improvisational passages.
Erdmann Neumeister
German theologian and poet who wrote a type of sacred text modeled after those of Italian Secular cantatas. His first publication, published in 1704, consists of librettos for works called cantatas that alternate between recitatives and arias. The importance of these was that he established a form and organization system that served as a model for composers such as Bach and Telemann.
Bartolomeo Cristofori
Invented the pianoforte in 1700. Did not find widespread use until after 1750.
Girolamo Frescobaldi
Italian. Most important composer of keyboard music in Italy and throughout Europe in the first half of the seventeenth century. Was so overwhelming a presence in Italian keyboard music that no other composer or player of equal stature emerged for over 100 years after. He straddled the transition between Renaissance and Baroque, like Monteverdi. wrote Fantasias, ricercars, and variations, which he called partitas.
Johann Jacob Froberger
German, but influential in French music through visits there. Was a student of Frescobaldi. None of his music was published during his lifetime, but by 1649 he had already produced two definitive manuscript collections of his keyboard works. Three more followed (two are lost). The keyboard suites in his 1649 manuscript are the earliest such works to survive. His works are almost exclusively for keyboard. His manuscripts include toccatas and other works in the Italian style and suites in the French style. A preoccupation with death was evident in much of his music, which was a natural response to the horrific events of the mid-17th century.
Francois Couperin
Most important French composer of 18th century. He united the styles of French and Italian, (Les gouts réunis). He utilized french dance forms and precisely notated ornamentation and rhythm, as well as the singing melodies of Italian music. He holds the same position in harpsichord music that Chopin does for piano.
Domenico Scarlatti
Born the same year as Bach and Handel. Wrote over 500 sonatas for keyboard. They are single-movement works in binary form.
Arcangelo Corelli
Italian composer who influenced the development of the sonata. His chief works are his 48 trio sonatas, 12 solo sonatas, and 12 concerti grossi. The sonatas exhibit less outright viruosity than similar works by earlier composers. They essentially became the model for later composers in their: 1. Distinct sectional forms; 2. reliance upon imitation (including the continuo); 3. variety of relative simplicity and virtuosity.
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Giuseppe Torelli
composer of Bolognese trumpet Sinfonia’s. His works include some of the earliest published concertos as well as sinfonias for one or two trumpets and strings. His music was highly valued by his contemporaries. “Sinfonia con tromba” is one of his works.
Antonio Vivaldi
Venetian composer who more than likely learned music from his father, a violinist, who held a position at St. Mark’s. Was a violin teacher at a school for illegitimate children and orphans, particularly for those going into the nunnery. Some of these women received advanced music training and gave public concerts that were famous throughout Europe. Much of his music was written for them. He also wrote operas (50) and theatrical works, forty cantatas, fifty sacred vocal works, s, including over 200 solo violin concertos.about 500 concerto
Recitative
Music composed in imitation of speech, used chiefly for dialogue, narration, and action. Text usually lacks regular rhyme or metrical schemes. Music is relatively simple, but irregular, avoiding recurring patterns, melismas, and sustained notes. Usually syllabic in style. Music is based on speech and incorporates numerous repeated notes and other elements suggesting recitation. Text is rarely repeated.
Types of recitative
- Simple recitative (recitativo semplice)
- Accompanied recitative (recitativo accompagnato)
- Arioso
simple recitative (recitativo semplice)
the usual type of recitative in Baroque works, scored for solo voice and basso continuo. The term is applied especially in music of the later Baroque, when the type of recitative used for dialogue and action becomes notably simpler in style than the other types.
Accompanied recitative (recitativo accompagnato)
Recitative accompanied not only by basso continuo, but by other instruments, most often strings. More elaborate than simple. Used for speeches of special importance.
Arioso
Literally, “in aria style”; most often used for a passage within a recitative in which the musical style broadens to approach that of an aria, for instance,, through the use of melismas or sustained notes. Often used to underline individual words or longer parts of the text that are of special importance.
Aria
: song or songlike music used (esp. in later Baroque) to provide the climax of a scene, in which one character expresses an emotional reaction to the preceding events or dialogue, and then USUALLY exits. In early opera, used more freely, in rapid alternation with recitative. Aria text relatively short with rhyme and metrical schemes (usually 4, 6, or 8 syllables), often two or more strophes or stanzas. Music is relatively elaborate, with songlike melody often incorporating melismas and sustained tones, and rhythm often based on that of a dance. Esp. after 1650, music often calls for extreme virtuosity; each line of text likely to be repeated several times; may have a complex formal design. The majority are for soloists, but can have an ensemble of 2 or more performing.
Types of aria
- strophic aria
2. ternary (da capo) aria
strophic aria
an aria whose text comprises two or more stanzas having the same poetic structure, each sung to the same or similar music.
ternary (da capo) aria
an aria whose text comprises two stanzas, often expressing contrasting ideas or emotions; the first stanza, with its music, is repeated after the second has been sung. By far the most common type of aria in Italian opera of the later Baroque.
With what composer is the following term most closely identified?
Stile concitato
Monteverdi
Means “agitated” or “excited” style.
With what composer is the following term most closely identified?
cori spezzati
polychoral style
Most associated with Giovanni Gabrieli
With what composer is the following term most closely identified?
“Coordinator of National Styles”
George Frederic Handel
With what composer is the following term most closely identified?
“Fusion of National Styles”
Johann Sebastian Bach
With what composer is the following term most closely identified?
chorale fantasia
Dietrich Buxtehude or Johann Sebastian Bach
With what composer is the following term most closely identified?
Empfindsamer stil
“sensitive” or “expressive style.” Most associated with CPE Bach.
What is unusual about the way Bach uses the chorale O Haupt voll Blut und wunden in the St. Matthew Passion?
“O Haupt voll Blut und wunden” is the Passion chorale. He uses the chorale five times. As the cantata gets closer to the death of Jesus, it gets slower and lower. It starts on E major, then modulates to Eflat, D major, D minor, then A minor, ending with a Phrygian cadence.
What are some ways Handel’s Messiah differs from his other oratorios?
- Text drawn almost entirely from the Bible.
- Lacks individual dramatic roles.
- Is like a large-scale English anthem.
- Less dramatic.
- Has fewer da capo arias than his other oratorios.
How does a Buxtehude praeludium differ from a Bach prelude and fugue
Bach’s preludes and fugues differ from those of Buxtehude in complete separation between prelude and fugue. (Bach’s are each a separate movement.)
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
Daphne
Composed by Peri in 1598. A short pastorale.
Significance: Is sometimes called the first opera.
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
Euridice
an opera composed by Jacopo Peri, with additional music by Giulio Caccini. Caccini wrote his own version of the opera and got it published before Peri’s, but Peri’s got the first performance.
Significance: It is the first SURVIVING opera
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
In ecclesiis
Gabrieli, 1615.
Significance: It is Gabrieli’s most famous work and considered to be an excellent example of the polychoral style. It incorporates two vocal choirs, and an instrumental choir. Created to celebrate the annual commemoration of the end of a plague that had struck Venice 1575-77. Sacred but nonliturgical text.
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
Sonata pian’ e forte
Gabrieli, 1597.
Significance - one of the first ensemble pieces to:
- Use the designation sonata
- Specify instrumentation (2 instrument choirs)
- Specify the terms piano and forte. (The first ensemble work that specifies dynamics.)
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
Rappresentatione di anima e di corpo
Emilio de Cavalieri, 1600
said to be the first oratorio
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
“St. Anne Prelude and Fugue”
Johann Sebastian Bach
These serve as the first and last movement of Bach’s most significant organ work, Clavier-Übung III. The Prelude uses the tune of “St. Anne” (Our God, Our Help in Ages Past) and the Fugue has three subjects symbolic of the trinity. The preludes in between are in the form of an organ mass, with the same number of total movements as a French organ mass.
St. Anne Fugue by Bach
Symbolic of trinity
3 fugue subjects
1st subject combined with second subject, then third subject (all thruee not used at same time)
3 flats in key signature
3 sections
# of measures in each section a musltiple of three
(36, 45,36)
Who composed and what is the significance of the following composition?
“Israel In Egypt”
George Frederic Handel
Music is almost entirely borrowed. Is a primarily choral work with interspersed solos. Lots of musical rhetoric used to describe the plagues, and this creates the drama within the work.
Il quatro stagione
Antonio Vivaldi, 1723
Vivaldi’s best known work, and is among the most popular pieces of baroque music. Each movement of each concerto is accompanied by a descriptive sonnet, making it rather programmatic in nature.
The Four Schools of Baroque Opera
- Florentine
- Roman
- Venetian
- Neopolitan
Florentine Opera School
- Invention of the opera
- Developed monody.
- Composer: Peri/Caccini, “Euridice”; Monteverdi, “Orfeo”
Roman Opera School
- Utilized Sacred subjects
- Utilized chorus.
- Stafan Landi, ‘Il Sant’Alessio”
Venetian Opera School
- Public opera
“Star System” (first time singers become famous and you come to see them, not the opera.) - Distinct separation between recitative and aria
- Monteverdi - “il ritorno d’Ulisse” and “L’incoronazione di Poppea”
Neopolitan Opera School
- Da capo aria develop.
- 3 types of recitative (secco, accompagnato, arioso)
- Bel canto style
- Alessandro Scarlatti, George Frederic Handel
What are the characteristics of late Baroque Opera
The opera of the 18th century was known as “opera seria.” Opera seria means “Serious opera”, and illustrates how the comic elements of the opera are mostly excluded. As far as the structure of the work itself, there become distinctly articulated formal structures in the form of a distinct aria and distinct recitative. The aria develops into a distinctive form. Tonality replaces modality and allowed for the creation of longer musical stuctures.
The characteristics off opera seria include:
- Plot from ancient history rather than myth that focuses on human interaction rather than supernatural.
- Characters from nobility rather than lower classes.
- Comic elements are excluded.
- Lengthy unrhymed texts for recitative, alternating with shorter rhymed texts for aria.
- The operas were divided into 3 acts.
- Violence and tragic endings were avoided. There was generally a resolution of conflict by generosity or selflessness.
- No choruses and few ensembles.
- Most scenes end with an aria, after which the character leaves the stage.
- The number and types of arias for each character are determined by his or her position ( and sometimes the star-power of the singer.)
What is unusual about how Bach sets the role of Jesus in the St. Matthew Passion?
Bach sets the words of Jesus with a unique recitativo Accompagnato which utilizes continuo and the string section, known as a “halo of strings.” The only place at which they do not play with jesus words is when he says, “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?”
Baroque dance suite
Four typical movements:
1. Allemande (German, 4/4, slow tempo, improvisatory style.
2. Courante - “running”, triple meter, moderate tempo, hemiola.
3. Sarabande - triple meter, slow to moderate tempo, half-whole not rhythm.
4. Gigue - compound duple meter, fast tempo, often imitative.
Optional dances:
(Typically placed after the Sarabande)
1. Chaconne
2. Minuet
3. Gavotte
4. Passepied
5. Bouree
6. Musette
Describe the development of the sonata in the Baroque period
Sonata literally means “sounded” or “Played.” The sonata originated in Italy around 1600 and at first, could be almost any sort of work for instrumental ensemble. In early examples of sonata, no distinctive formal or instrumental characteristics are evident. Giovanni Gabrieli was one of the first composers to use this form.
After 1650, the sonata could be defined as a work for a relatively small number of instruments, usuallly serious in nature, and comprising several sections in contrasting temposor meters.By the end of the 17th century, the short sections of the earliest sonatas had become self-contained movements that could stand on their own, although they might be connected by short transitional passages (usually slow in tempo). They could be for any number of instruments up to 1650, then would be for one or two instruments. String instruments dominate the early sonatas.
