Test 2 Flashcards
What is the name of Verdi’s Opera/piece
La Traviata, Act 3 Scena and Duet
What year was Verdi
1850
What were some characteristics of Verdi’s style?
-Syncopation
-Reduced coloratura
-Lots of ensemble work
What is the name of Musorgsky’s Opera/Piece
Boris Godunov, Coronation Scene
What year was Musorgsky?
1870
Describe Musorgsky’s innovative harmonies and how they relate to nationalism in Russia.
Abandons traditional western harmony. Uses progressions consisting of tritones and unrelated keys.
Who is the librettist of Boris Godunov?
Pushkin, 1831
What is the libretto of Boris Gudunov about and how does this relate to nationalism?
The libretto is about the issue of a Tsar and his relationship to his people. Boris was a real Tsar in Russia and the story is based on him and the Russian people.
What are the elements in the coronation scene that are associate with nationalism and how are they associated with nationalism?
-Russian architecture in set. -Based on Russian history. -Uses parts of traditional Russian folk songs. -Typical Russian costuming
Who were the Mighty Five?
A group of people, influenced by the glinka, trying to make a Russian national style of music. They avoided music schools because they taught western music.
Who were the members of the Mighty Five and what country did they come from?
Bordoin-
Cui-
Balakirev-
Musorgsky-
Rimsky Korsakov-
What is the name of Barbieri’s opera/piece?
El Barberillo de Lavapies, nos.9 or 10
What year was Barbieri?
1870
Define Zarzuela
Theatrical work with spoken dialogue. It has very musical lines in 2 acts.
Define Seguidilla
Traditional Spanish dance in triple meter. Bright catchy rhythms
How is El barberillo de Lavapies related to Spanish politics?
About the reign of King Charles III in Spain. Discusses the element of Social classes with a focus on the lower class characters.
What is the name of Wagner’s Opera/Piece
Tristan Und Isolde Act 1, Scene 5
What year was Wagner?
1850
Describe some of Wagner’s innovative harmonies and how they are related to the libretto of this opera.
Leitmotifs, Difficult to find tonic. Lots of chromatic lines. Related to the unrequited love Tristan is facing
Define Leitmotifs
Recurring motive that represents something in the opera. May have a specific short motive for each character or important object that reoccurs in relation to that character/object.
Describe the role of Wagner’s orchestra
Large Orchestra. Endless melody: nonstop music. The orchestra moves from one scene, one character to the next without stopping.
What is the name of Weber’s opera/Piece
der Freischutz, “Wolfs Glen Scene”
What year was Weber?
1810
Discuss the role of the orchestra in the “Wolfs Glen Scene”
Orchestra reflects what’s happening on stage. Staccato figures that mimic birds. Diminished 7ths that imitate other animals. The Diminished 7ths also relate to the reminiscence motive that relates to Samiel. Unusual dissonances that related to the nature of the scene.
Explain the innovative aspects of this Weber’s harmonies and how some of are used as a recurring motive.
Chromatic bass line, descending
Dissonant chords above it
Lots of dissonance in the harmonies that were unusual at this time
Tritones. And diminished seventh. Caspar is invoking Samiel (who represents the devil) and is playing with evil
Reminiscence motive: something that has something to do with the story. It only comes back when it’s relevant to the story line. The diminished sevenths with Samiel
What is the name of Rossini’s opera and piece?
Il Barbiere di Sivigilia, “Une voce poco fa”
What year was Rossini?
1810
Define Rossini’s style
Lots of ornamentation (which he hated but Italians loved) No dissonances. Light homophony, the harmony backs of for the melody. Little to no dissonance. Rossini Crescendo
What is the Rossini crescendo?
Repeating a phrase at a high pitch and a greater volumn
Define melodrama
spoken word over orchestral accompaniment
What is the French Grand Opera?
Everything about Opera, just bigger and longer.
Who was most associated with the French Grand Opera?
Meyerbeer
Name 2 composers influenced by French Grand Opera
Verdi and Wagner
What year was Madama Butterfly Written?
1900
What was the name of Strauss’s peice?
Don Quixote
When was Strauss
1890
Describe Double Theme and Variations how it pertains to Don Quixote
2 themes, one for Don Quixote and one for Sancho Panza. They are fragmented and combined throughout the work.
What is happening in Variation 1 on Don Quixote
He falls off a horse. The music is fragmented as he tries to stand back up.
What is happening in Variation 2 of Don Quixote
Sheep! Flutter tonged in winds. Tone color. Bleeting sheep chords
What is the name of the Brahms Piece?
Piano Quintet op. 34 mvt. 1
What year was the Brahms piece?
1860
Describe how developing variations works in the first half of Piano Quintet op. 34 mvt. 1.
Mm. 5 takes the pitches from on of the first themes and uses them in different order, making them higher than everything else
Mm. 12 starts playing around with semitones. Repeats motives and then changes one or two of the pitches by lowering them a semitone, then used as an independent motive
What are some differences Brahms made to sonata form for his piece?
Having an alternative key for the second key than the V or relative major
Third relations, goes from F minor to C# minor
Recap modulates to f#, down a fifth from the c# minor that was the second key in the exposition
What is a three key exposition?
When the exposition has 3 keys. Primary, Secondary, Closing. Second key is either up a fourth or down a fifth, before going to where you would have expected the secondary key in the closing.
Describe a typical scene according to Rossini and Verdi
ORchestral intro–Scene–Cantabile—Tempo dimezzo–Cabletta
