Test 2 Concepts and Terms Flashcards
Empfindsamkeit and Sturm und drang (What are these movements and how are they expressed musically?)
- Sturm und Drang (literally “Storm and Stress”) was named after Fridrich Klinger’s play and was a movement in German music and literature that took place between the 1760s and 1780s.
- Sturm und Drang was a reaction against the constraints of rationalism and established conventions in German music and literature at the time. It stressed the perceptions and intuitions of the individual over the established thoughts and traditions of others. Therefore, it stressed a subjective approach to all art.
- The artistic aims of Sturm und Drang were: to frighten, to stun, and to overcome with emotion.
- This movement of Sturm und Drang was set up by creative people who were of the sentimentalist camp (Empfindsamkeit).
- Empfindsamkeit was a musical aesthetic in Germany during the mid-18th century. The word usually is translated to “sensibility” or “sentimental”.
- Empfindsamkeit or Sentimentalism stressed sensitive and sentimental expression in art.
Empfindsamkeit:
also, it was an idea of imitating or creating emotion
(the idea is that everyone is capable of having a life of refined emotion or sensitivity, and that this somehow makes you a better person–even masculine men were encouraged to shed a tear at the appropriate moment) .e.g., girl crying about a dead bird.
Galant style (what are its musical features, and how did it develop in reaction to the Baroque style?)
- Galant music was music that intentionally simplified contrapuntal melodies and textures.
- Literally, the word means “courtly”, and it describes a very elegant style of music.
- It emphasized simplicity and generally consisted of light and beautiful/elegant melodies with non-conrapuntal accompaniment underneath. The counterpoint was stripped away, in other words.
- The style developed in reaction to the complexity of the late Baroque style as a return to simplicity and, similar to Empfindsamkeit, as a means of communicating sensitivity in music more directly.
Gluck’s reforms of opera seria (what were they, how do they apply to his Orfeo ed Euridice, and how did they influence Mozart’s operas?)
Overall, he emphasized serving the text at all costs.
Some of his reforms related to this ideal:
- To lessen the division between the overture and the singing/text. He felt that the instruments must at all times be written proportional to the desires of the text.
- The ideal of “beautiful simplicity”. He never wanted to abandon the idea of the text simply to flesh out an innovative idea in the music.
- To preserve in the music simplicity and clarity of thought (especially in expressing the text), truth, and naturalness.
In relation to his Orfeo ed Euridice, he always served the text. He followed his reforms of proportionality of text and instruments, the music he wrote was very simple and straightforward–never showy.
Mozart was very much influenced by Gluck’s ideal of always serving the text. He also often wrote melodies that achieved Gluck’s ideal of “beautiful simplicity”. He also achieved Gluck’s preferred proportionality of instruments being used in relation to the text.
Goldoni’s reform of opera buffa (what were they, and how did they influence Mozart’s operas?)
- He employed different types of characters (of which there were the parti serie, or serious opera characters, the parti buffi, or comic opera characters, and the mezzo carattere, or characters that were somewhere in between serious and comic opera.)
- He created the buffo finale, which consisted of a long unbroken chain of action and music to bring everything to a close.
- He introduced the idea of interplaying comic elements with serious elements (this could include juxtaposing opera buffa and opera seria characters but also simply playing with contrasting emotions)
Goldoni’s influence on Mozart’s operas can be seen in Mozart’s use of the buffo finale at the end of the Terzetto movement of Le Nozze di Figaro. Mozart allowed Goldoni’s character types (partie serie, parti buffi, and mezzo carattere) to influence and in some cases dictate all of his musical choices.
How does sonata principle apply to Stamitz and Scarlatti? For Stamitz, be able to explain with respect to the symphony genre.
• The idea of the sonata principle is that themes that are presented in a key other than the tonic must either be restated in the tonic key or brought into a key of closer relation to the tonic key before the end of the movement.
The sonata principle influenced the choices of composers in the sense that they were able to make the music more tangible to the listener.
Stamitz (read about this in NAWM) was present during the time of the symphony and was the first major composer identified to use four movements in a symphony.
Haydn string quartet first movement and symphony 92 (Be able to recognize places in the scores that depart from “textbook” sonata form, and explain how the works still adhere to sonata principle).
In general, both Haydn’s String Quartet no. 38 and Symphony no. 92 are contrary to the textbook definition of sonata form for one overarching reason: they consist of thematic material that is expanded upon through variation of the same material rather than through interjections of contrasting material. With that said, they also generally obey the basic sonata principle of always returning to the tonic before the end of the piece.
Techniques to look for that Haydn used to obey the fundamental sonata principle:
- His tendency to “trick” the ear by introducing false recaps
- Cleverly varying the material
- Modulating through different keys
- Carefully structuring the material so that it unfolds in a natural dramatic fashion
Again, in general, rather than introducing contrasting themes, Haydn generally stuck with the same thematic material and varied it to produce a large dramatic structure.
For Haydn string quartet 4th movement, be able to explain rondo form and identify it in the score.
Rondo form: (taken from NAWM) A rondo alternates a theme, or refrain, with contrasting episodes, or couplets. The refrain almost always returns in the tonic, but the episodes may modulate to nearby keys.
As it relates to this piece (PRACTICE FOLLOWING THIS INFORMATION WHILE LOOKING AT THE SCORE TONIGHT): the theme/refrain occurs from measures 1-36 in the key of Eb. The first episode occurs from measures 36 to 49 in the keys of Ab and f. The second refrain is from m. 72 to 107 in the tonic key of Eb, followed by another episode, another refrain, and a coda–all of which are in the tonic key.
For the Mozart Terzetto from Figaro, be able to explain how sonata principle is used to organize the scene and project the drama. Be able to explain the influence of Beaumarchais and Goldoni.
The sonata principle influenced the choices of Mozart in the sense that they were able to make the music more tangible to the listener.
(especially this point) How sonata principle is used to organize the scene and project the drama:
Influence of Goldoni:
Goldoni’s influence on Mozart’s operas can be seen in Mozart’s use of the buffo finale at the end of the Terzetto movement of Le Nozze di Figaro. Mozart allowed Goldoni’s character types (partie serie, parti buffi, and mezzo carattere) to influence and in some cases dictate all of his musical choices.
Influence of Beaumarchais:
In general, The Marriage of Figaro (play and opera) happened at a pivotal moment in the 18th century. The aristocracy lost their ruling privilege and democratic governments starting taking over. There was a huge emphasis on social justice, equality of representation - things that the aristocracy really resisted! These ideas and more are familiar from the French and American Revolutions; the art at the time, and preceding, these Revolutions was big social commentary!
Now some background on Beaumarchais: He was a French playwright, but also a huge political activist. He had strong beliefs about political equality and religious freedom. He also was an arms smuggler! His play La Folle Journée was written in 1778 but banned by King Louis XIV. Beaumarchais changed the action to be in Spain instead of France. The play wasn't approved by the King for performance until 1784. It was wildly successful with the public. As we talked about, Napolean actually thought the play foreshadowed the French Revolution - he called it "the Revolution already put into action". This relates to all the things we discussed, about how Beaumarchais messes with social structure and class privilege.
Be able to explain how sonata and ritornello structure merge in the Mozart concerto.
In general, the elements of sonata form clarify the dramatic sections by providing contrasting moods, themes, and orchestral colors. The elements of ritornello place greater emphasis on the soloist. One example of how Mozart reflects the precedents of J.S. Bach is that the opening ritornello section of the piece is in one key. Indeed, that is why NAWM labels this section a ritornello and not an exposition is because sonata form expositions have varied tonalities. However, what makes this opening so satisfying is that the same structural dramatic principles of sonata form are expressed through orchestration rather than tonality; Mozart very clearly delineates the different sections of this ritornello by varying the groups of instruments playing at any given time. This is an example of how Mozart departs from the precedents of J.S. Bach. Another such example can be found at measure 149 at the beginning of the second episode. Here, to our 21st century ears, this really feels like the beginning of the development section. This is because Mozart is no longer varying the opening material but rather developing the new material presented at m. 143. Yet this section can also be viewed as the second episode, as NAWM labels it. This is because it is a relatively short section in relation to the rest of the piece (only about 30 measures) and it leads back to the opening ritornello material at m. 198. To talk further about how this piece functions like sonata form, I will refer nt only to Mozart’s delineation of dramatic sections but also how he exploits the concerto genre to maximize the dramatic structure. In the opening ritornello, Mozart presents us with the opening thematic material, which Rosen might call the “opposition”. However, I think the true opposition exists between soloist and orchestra beginning at measure 67. The fact that this section (first episode) is structured in the same way as the opening ritornello indicates that the piano as a new idea is functioning as an opposing force. This opposing force reaches “intensification”, as Rosen would say, at m. 149 when soloist and orchestra between to have increasingly tense dialogues back and forth. Finally, I would say that the “resolution” between soloist and orchestra is reached at measure 298 after the soloist completes the cadenza; soloist and orchestra join forces for the closing theme and bring the whole movement to an end.
For the Beethoven works on the list, be able to explain how they represent the composer’s three style periods.
Beethoven, Piano Sonata in C Minor (Pathétique) – 1st mvt.
- The opening Grave section of this piece is very much in the vein of the “sturm und drang” movement of the late 18th century. It stuns and shocks the listener with emotion, or “pathos”—to use the Greek from which this piece takes it name. Perhaps the best example of this begins at measure 5. Here, a light and lyrical theme is interjected on the fourth beat with a clashing fortissimo group of sixteenth notes. Yet the entire Grave section and indeed the entire movement plays with the kind of intensity that one would expect from sturm und drang.
- This piece also incorporates much of the stylistic traits present in keyboard music at that time. This is hardly surprising, as Beethoven at least initially became known for his skills as a virtuoso pianist, and so was quite well versed in the keyboard music of his contemporaries. One example in particular is his frequent use in the Allegro section of the Alberti bass.
Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 in E-flat (Eroica) – 1st mvt.
- First, there is present throughout this piece Beethoven’s middle period practice of building themes out of initial germinal ideas. The initial motive/gesture (which is basically an up and down arpeggiation of an Eb major triad) is eventually turned into longer themes and ultimately entire sections of the piece.
- There is also the feeling in this piece that Beethoven is reaching for the stars. He has produced a colossal work on a much larger scale than anything he or certainly anyone else had written at that time.
An die ferne Geliebte Op.98 (song cycle)
- The first very notable aspect of this song cycle is its simplicity. Beethoven was very much drawn to the simplicity of folksong in his late period (or late middle period, depending on the categorization of this piece).
- Another key element of Beethoven’s late period that he incorporates into this work is the idea of cyclic form. That is, the principle of always or eventually returning to material presented at the beginning.
Beethoven, String Quartet in C-sharp minor, op. 131
- Beethoven makes much use of counterpoint in this first movement, which was a very strong interest in his late period.
- That leads to the second key element of this piece: because of its ambiguous harmonic plan, it is not an easy piece to understand. The point is that in his later period, Beethoven was not as concerned about the listener as he might have been earlier in his life. His first priority seemed to be to write music that genuinely expressed and communicated his thoughts. The result is that he wrote music in both extremes of accessibility—highly simplistic and rigorously complex.
For string quartet, symphony, concerto, know standard plan of movements by late 18th century (number, tempo, meter where applicable, typical forms and moods)
Standard plan of movements:
I. Fast, allegro - generally in sonata form
II. (or III) Minuet & trio or scherzo & trio
III. (or II) Slow lyrical mvt
IV. Fast - generally rondo form, theme and variations, sonata rondo (not sonata form)
BIG NOTE: By this time, mvts. II and III get switched a lot - the important thing to know is that the inner movements are a slow movement and a dance
Bonus: Explain dramma giocoso
Literally, jocular drama.
Characteristic of such a form of drama (both text and music) is Goldoni’s buffo finale.
