Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Heiligenstadt Testament

A

Beethoven’s letter to his brothers about his deafness: the social consequences and contemplation of suicide. But he decided to be the best composer he could despite the deafness.

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2
Q

conversation books

A

How people communicated with Beethoven when he went deaf. It is great insight into Beethoven’s life, but they have been tampered with.

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3
Q

Beethoven

A

3 periods of music. Genres: symphonies (9),

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4
Q

Archduke Rudalf

A

He was to be made an Archbishop, comp student, and good friend of Beethoven’s.

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5
Q

Schubertiade

A

A salon centered around Shubert’s music

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6
Q

Lied

A

German for song. Plural: Lieder

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7
Q

strophic form

A

A song with the same text for every stanza.

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8
Q

modified strophic form

A

A song with the same text for every stanza, except one (or more) of the stanzas.

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9
Q

through composed

A

No predetermined form. Change the music with the text.

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10
Q

ballad

A
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11
Q

Goethe

A
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12
Q

Franz Schubert

A

Had little recognition for his compositions early on. Wrote about 1000 compositions: Lieder, Masses, piano, chamber, symphonies, operas.
Brilliant melodies.
Modulation in 3rds.
Imaginative harmonies, lots of pedal points.

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13
Q

Felix Mendelssohn
Fanny Mendelssohn

A

Lutheran
Came from a very wealthy family
Studied with the best tutors: academic, musical, etc.
Felix revived the St. Matthew Passion
Fanny was disencouraged to compose ambitiously

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14
Q

St. Matthew Passion

A

Forgotten piece by J. S. Bach. Felix Mendelssohn revived it when he was still young.

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15
Q

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra

A
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16
Q

Concert overture

A

1 movement piece for orchestra not associated with a story
(as opposed to an Overture that is)

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17
Q

orchestration

A

The arrangement and idiomatic writing for instruments within an ensemble.

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18
Q

Idée fixe

A
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19
Q

Confessions of an English Opium Eater

A
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20
Q

Thomas De Quincey

A
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21
Q

Dies irae

A
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22
Q

Hector Berlioz

A

1803-1869 “A true romantic”
Loved literature. Hated Italian Opera.
Adjusts standard forms

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23
Q

Friedrich Wieck

A

Taught Robert Schumann piano

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24
Q

Robert Schumann

A

1810-1856
Learned piano. Due to an injury, he Shifted to composition and music criticism.
Tended to focus on one genre at a time: piano, Lied, symphony, chamber

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25
Q

Clara Schumann

A

Great piano virtuoso
Mostly composed for piano or Lieder

26
Q

Frederic Chopin

A

1810-1849
touring virtuoso
settled in Paris: played in salons and taught piano
Imaginative harmonies
wrote character pieces

27
Q

character piece

A

A short piece (usually for piano) that sets a mood or express a character

28
Q

nocturne

A

slow, dreamy, and evokes the night

29
Q

Niccolò Paganini

A

1782-1840
Violin traveling virtuoso and composer
requires: multiple stops, fast runs, high notes, harmonics

30
Q

Lisztomania

A

Fans fainting over Liszt

31
Q

nationalism

A

Showing pride or honor toward one’s original nation.

32
Q

French Grand Opera

A

A massive 5 act opera. Extremely prestigious.

33
Q

Giocomo Meyerbeer

A
34
Q

Prosper Mérimée

A
35
Q

Franz Liszt

A

1811-1886
composer and piano virtuoso
created the recital

36
Q

bel canto

A

Italian opera
-long, expressive lines
-legato throughout whole range
-light tone in high register
-effortless-sounding coloratura

37
Q

Rossini crescendo

A

A cresc with:
repetition of ever shorter phrases
thickening orchestration
quickening harmonic rhythm

38
Q

Giovanni Paisiello

A
39
Q

Risorgimento

A

Italian movement for unification and independence from Austria.

40
Q

Viva Verdi

A

Wrote relatable operas. Important figure in the independence and unification of Italy.

41
Q

Gespensterbuch

A

A collection of traditional German ghost stories.

42
Q

Friedrich Kind

A
43
Q

Music Drama

A
44
Q

Ring Cycle

A

A series of 4 operas with a combined length of 16 hours.

45
Q

King Ludwig II of Bavaria

A

Huge fan of Wagner’s music. Supported Wagner when he was writing his Ring Cycle.

46
Q

Gesamtkunstwerk (Total Art Work)

A

Several art forms come together to tell a story. No form is subordinate.

47
Q

Bayreuth Festspielhaus

A

(Wagner)

48
Q

Leitmotif

A

A musical motive associated with character, object, or idea.
reinforce, foreshadow, contradict

49
Q

Stabreim

A
50
Q

Richard Wagner

A

1813-1883
Prominent opera composer, using large orchestras. Musically opinionated.

51
Q

War of the Romantics

A

Debate on legitimate music
pro-program music (New German School): Wagner, Liszt, Berlioz
pro-absolute music: Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn

52
Q

program music

A

A specific, concrete, story portrayed by music.

53
Q

absolute music

A

Music without a specific concrete story tied to it.

54
Q

Johannes Brahms

A

1833-1897
Traditional style composer, especially with form and ensembles.
Innovative: rhythms, texture, harmony, lyrical

55
Q

Antonin Dvorak

A

Czech composer and violist who wrote nationalistic music. Inspired by German and especially American music.

56
Q

Mikhail Glinka

A

Russian composer, founder of Russian opera.

57
Q

Anton Rubinstein

A

Founded the Russian Musical Society and the St. Petersburg Conservatory (with some others).

58
Q

Russian Musical Society

A
59
Q

Kuchka/Mighty Five/Mighty Handful

A

Progressive and experimental Russian composers. They wanted to be truly Russian.

60
Q

Mily Balakirev

A
61
Q

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

A

Very Russian composer, professor, and led military bands.

62
Q

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

A

Russian composer: symphonies, concertos, and ballet (which was uncommon)