Study Guide TERMS Flashcards
developing (or continuous) variation (not to be confused with thematic transformation
or simple theme and var.)
A musical idea is gradually transformed and developed through subtle alterations to its melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic elements, creating a sense of continuous variation throughout a piece
development
Musical idea is transformed, tonal fluctuation, main idea reinstated different, can modulate all over the place
episode
A contrasting section of music
exposition
The first presentation of the theme in a musical work
idée fixe
Fixed idea
Music definition: Recurring theme or character that serves as structural foundation of work
Psychological definition: preoccupation of mind believed to be firmly resistant to any attempt to modify it, a fixation
leitmotif
Short recurring musical phrase that represents a specific person, place, or idea
minuet (or scherzo) and trio
Two contrasting musical themes, minutes are written in triple time; often the third movement of a symphony or string quartet
periodic/strophic phrasing
a structure that uses balanced antecedent and consequent phrases to create a sense of question and answer
recapitulation
Theme from exposition is reinstated
rondo
ABACA etc…
sonata-allegro form
Precursor for this was rounded binary;
Has three parts
First section: Exposition has principal and subsidiary parts
Second Section: Development
Third section: Recapitulation
thematic transformation
A musical technique that involves altering a theme, or leitmotif, to change its character while keeping its essential identity. Like a cycle that changes organically
aesthetic/s
Emotion, listening, performance, composition, nature, commerce
Philosophical idea: Artistic experience of art, deals with the nature of beauty (defining theories of beauty)
the Enlightenment
The age of reason, an intellectual movement of the century
Heiligenstadt Testament
A letter by Beethoven intended to be read by his brothers after his death (he contemplated suicide). In it, he describes in moving terms how he suffered when he realized that his deafness was incurable.
Kalevala
Finnish epic (type of poem about heroes) compiled of ballads, lyrical songs, and incantations that were a part of lyrical tradition
the sublime
“It’s not beautiful because it’s pretty; It’s beautiful because it’s true”
bel canto
A style of Italian opera known as bel canto, or “beautiful singing.” The term refers to singing characterized by seemingly effortless technique, an equally beautiful tone throughout the singer’s entire range, as well as agility, flexibility, and control
ballade
Longer narrative songs. Long narrative strophic poem
Galant
An appearance of simplicity (usually strophic melody, slow harmonic rhythm)
lied/-er
Art song with German words
Má Vlast
Piece by Czech composer, Smetana
“My fatherland”
6 symphonic poems
music drama
Nineteenth-century GENRE created by Richard Wagner in which drama and music become so interdependent as to express a kind of absolute oneness
nationalism
Promotion of ethnic or region or national identity
New German School
Wagner and Listz
More chromaticism
Less tonality and more ambiguous chords
operetta
Nineteenth-century kind of light OPERA with spoken dialogue, originating in OPERA BOUFFE
Post-Romantic/-ism
Musical style that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It’s characterized by a blend of late romantic and early modernist musical languages, and is often described as a transitional style
program/-atic
Music that has a story or non musical narrative that is communicated to the listener through a title or program notes
song/lieder cycle
All the songs are to be performed in order as movements of a multi movement vocal work
tone/symphonic poem
A single movement work that tells a story or evokes a non musical idea
verismo
(Italian, “realism”) Nineteenth-century operatic trend that presents everyday people in familiar situations, often depicting sordid or brutal events.
sturm und drang
Storm and Stress
Bayreuth
A city in Germany where the first festival was held there in 1876, during which the complete Ring cycle was launched, and the second in 1882, with performances of Wagner’s last opera, Parsifal. Wagner’s grave is there
Esterhaza
La Scala
Milan’s opera house, where many of Verdi’s operas were first produced. It was built in the late eighteenth century by the Empress Maria Theresa
Mannheim
refers to both the orchestral techniques pioneered by the court orchestra of the Elector Palatine in Mannheim in the latter half of the 18th century and the group of composers of the early classical period, who composed for the orchestra of Mannheim.
“Orchestra of generals”
Beethoven
German composer and pianist; his music transitioned from the Classical period to the Romantic era
Bellini
Vincenzo Bellini (1801–1835) was a younger contemporary of Rossini who came to prominence after the elder had retired from opera composition. Bellini preferred dramas of passion with fast, gripping action.
Berlioz
French Romantic composer; a radically original composer but also a well-known music critic and one of the first people to have a career as an orchestral conductor. He is especially remembered for his achievement in writing symphonies, operas, and choral works, which was remarkable for the time considering that he was neither a concert pianist nor a ranking performer on any instrument
Brahms
Successor of Beethoven, a Hungarian composer
H. T. Burleigh
American singer known for his baritone voice. In addition to that he was also an arranger and composer
Burney
a keen eighteenth-century music observer and author
Da Ponte
Italian Librettist
Poet for the imperial court theater who later came to America and became a professor of Italian in NY
Dvorak
Czech composer
National conservatory
Elgar
Edward Elgar: English composer who got internationally recognized; Wrote oratorios
Fisk University Jubilee Singers
Founded at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, the group consisted of black student musicians who performed spirituals and other songs in four-part harmony
Floristan & Eusebius
Robert Schumann’s two alter egos to represent the contrasting sides of his personality
Florestan: Passionate, impulsive, and exuberant
Eusebius: Thoughtful, reflective, and moody
Strophic
Schumann’s first piano sonata was titled Florestan and Eusebius.
Foster
He is known as the father of american music
Gluck
Classical German composer who is known for writing French and Italian opera
Gottschalk
American composer and pianist
Ethnicity - Creole
Hanslick
Austrian
Music critic
Historian
Chief music critic of the Neue Freie Presse
Haydn
Considered as the father of the modern symphony
Joplin
American composer and pianist; did ragtime
Liszt
Hungarian composer, tone poet
Mahler
leading Austro-German composer of symphonies after Brahms and Bruckner, and one of the great masters of the song for voice and orchestra
The Mighty Handful/Five
Five prominent 19th century composers who worked together to create a nationalistic style of music
Mily Balakirev (the leader), César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Borodin
Russian composers
Mozart
Was a child prodigy; prolific and influential composer of the Classical period
Paganini
Italian Composer and virtuosic violinist
Puccini
Italian opera composer, often juxtaposed different styles and harmonic worlds to suggest his diverse characters
Rachmaninoff
1873-1943, primarily made his living as a pianist. Cultivated a passionate, melodious idiom and sought to appeal to audiences who are enamored of the classics by offering something new and individual yet steeped in tradition.
Schubert
Austrian composer; first great master of the Romantic Lied, Schubert also made substantial contributions to symphonic, solo-piano, and chamber-music repertoires
Smetana
A Czech nationalist composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people’s aspirations to a cultural and political “revival”
Richard Strauss
German composer and conductor best known for his tone poems and operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras, he has been described as a successor of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt
Verdi
Italian composer best known for his operas
Wagner
19th Century composer that dominated German opera. He created the music drama and coined the term Gesamtkunstwerk
