Test #3 (Lecture 8)

Question 1

which genre had the highest status in the cultural hierarchy?

Answer 1

opera

Question 2

define opera buffa

Answer 2

comic opera

Question 3

which type of music appealed only to emotions, and was considered the “language of the heart?”

Answer 3

instrumental music

Question 4

vocal music was considered to appeal to both the ____ and ___

Answer 4

heart and mind

Question 5

the texts and words in vocal music represented:

Answer 5

reason and rationality

Question 6

overall, opera buffa espoused the ____ musical style

Answer 6

Galant

Question 7

what were some characteristics of opera buffa/Galant style?

Answer 7

• periodic phrase structure
• slow harmonic rhythm
• homophonic textures, frequent unisons in strings
• natural, light elegance associated with Classical era

Question 8

compare opera buffa and opera seria

Answer 8

BUFFA:

• humorous
• everyday, stock characters
• soprano, tenor, bass
• no castrati
• emphasized ensemble singing
• simple, straightforward melodies
• periodic phrase structures

SERIA:

• serious
• heroes, rulers and gods as characters
• soprano and bass
• castrati
• emphasized solo arias
• da capo arias
• elaborate improvisations

Question 9

which opera war took place in Paris in 1752?

Answer 9

War of the Buffoons

Question 10

What happened in the War of the Buffoons?

Answer 10

• troupe called the “Buffoons” performed La Serva Padrona
• ignites debates about merits of French vs. Italian opera
• traditionalists (King Louis XV, aristocrats, establishment) vs. new Italian style supporters (Queen Marie, intellectual bourgeoisie)
• traditionalists lost war

Question 11

Jean-Jacques Rousseau composed “The Village Soothsayer.” What was important about it?

Answer 11

• associated with War of the Buffoons

- drew on conventions of opera buffa and united French text with it

Question 12

in which operatic genres did Mozart work?

Answer 12

• seria
• buffa
• singspiel (dialogue instead of recitative)

Question 13

define Galant style

Answer 13

light, early classical

Question 14

what is dramma giocoso

Answer 14

• elements of opera buffa and seria
• comic drama
• Don Giovanni

Question 15

describe the Gluckists and Piccinnists opera war

Answer 15

-Italian vs French culture

GLUCK

• born in Bohemian region of Austrian empire
• spent most of professional life in Vienna and Italy
• moved to Paris in 1773
• Parisian-loving public saw him as worthy successor to Lully and Rameau in French tradition

PICCINI

• Italian composer who came to Paris in 1776
• represented Italian tradition of opera seria

Question 16

describe the challenges that opera seria was facing

Answer 16

• designated to show virtuosity of individual singers
• unnatural impediments to dramatic action
• virtuoso setting of texts compromises intelligibility and dramatic weight of words

Question 17

describe reform opera

Answer 17

• process of making opera seria more natural and dramatically coherent
• resembles principles of Florentine Camerata
• music should always help further dramatic action
• Gluck