The symphony Flashcards
1
Q
What type of Era did Scarlatti compose in?
A
Baroque
2
Q
what is the symphonia and how does it relate to the classical symphony?
A
was a short overture that was heard at the beginning of a 17th-century Italian opera, the word means sounding together as it was performed by multiple instruments. This effected the classical symphony as these short symphonia’s were being heard outside the opera hall as it gained more exposure as people requested them. these developed into the symphony.
3
Q
How long did the classical period last?
A
from the mid 18th century to the early 19th century
3
Q
In the 18th century who had access to music?
A
music was often reserved for the social elite: many orchestra performances were private events funded by wealthy aristocrats.
3
Q
Why did middle class listeners appear in Europe?
A
new economic prosperity
3
Q
What funded public concerts in the 18th century?
A
public ticket sales
4
Q
What were melodies like in the early symphony?
A
composers reacted against the complex and elaborate melodies of the baroque era which used heavy ornamentation and a wide use of sequence. The classical era focused on balance, symmetry and simplicity.
5
Q
What was style Galant about in the classical era?
A
focuses on balance, symmetry and simplicity.
6
Q
What was the structure of the movements in the symphony?
A
1st movement- fast - sonata form
2nd movement - slow - binary/rounded form
3rd movement - minuet and trio
4th movement - fast - rondo/ sonata rondo
7
Q
How is sonata form structured?
A
Exposition- 1st subject (tonic key) and 2nd subject (dominant key) usually has a transition section to help modulate between two keys
Development- develops motifs and has lots of modulations key changes
Recapitulation- 1st subject(tonic) and 2nd subject(tonic)
Optional Coda
8
Q
What year did Johann Stamitz compose his symphony?
A
1750
9
Q
What was the Mannheim climax?
A
crescendo and after having instrument dropping off
10
Q
What was the Mannheim rocket?
A
consisting of rising arpeggio
11
Q
What was the Mannheim sigh?
A
instrumental sounds which imitates bird calls
12
Q
What aspects were stamitz known for in his symphonies?
A
Mannheim sigh, climax, rocket and also a grand pause at the end of symphonies
13
Q
What features demonstrate that stamitz is an early symphony composer?
A
Short 4 bar introduction
Small Orchestra
Continuo
Short movements
Violins carry the melody in a generally homophonic texture.
Modulations are to related keys
14
Q
What was the structure of Stamitz’s Symphony in D Op.3 No.2?
A
1st movement- fast - sonata form
2nd movement - slow - binary/rounded form
3rd movement - minuet and trio
4th movement - fast - rondo/ sonata rondo
15
Q
What did Stamitz’s sonata form look like?
A
Intro - first four bars with two opening chords played across instruments
exposition - 1st subject (D major) with a transition then second subject (changes key to a major)
Development
Recapitulation - the 2nd subject is heard before the 1st subject due to it not being set in stone how the sonata form should be written
16
Q
How does tonality change in Stamitz’s symphony?
A
D major to A minor (relative)
17
Q
What style influenced stamitz the most?
A
Galant
18
Q
What is the style galant?
A
The classical era redefined music to focus on balance, symmetry and simplicity.
19
Q
Why did the style Galant come around?
A
Composers were reacting against the complex and elaborate melodies of the baroque period which often used heavy ornamentation and extended use of sequence.
20
Q
What year did Mozart compose his symphony in G minor K. 183?
A
1773
21
Q
how many movements does Mozart’s symphony have?
A
4
22
How many movements did stamitz's symphony have?
4
23
What instruments were stamitz's symphony scored for?
Strings and continuo
2 oboes
2 horns
2 trumpets
Timpani
24
What instruments were Mozart's symphony scored for?
strings
2 oboes
2 bassoons
4 horns
25
What structure was movement 1,2 and 4 in Mozart's symphony?
Sonata
26
What structure was movement 3 of Mozart's symphony?
Minuet - AB binary form
Trio - AB binary form
27
in Mozart's symphony what was the 1st and 2nd subjects key in the Exposition?
1st - G minor
2 nd - Relative key (Bb major)
28
in Mozart's symphony what was the 1st and 2nd subjects key in the Recapulation?
1st - G minor
2nd - tonic note
29
Does Mozart's symphony have a coda?
yes
30
Does Stamitz have a coda?
no
31
What does the sturm und drang style focus on?
focuses on minor keys and are used to convey difficult or depressing sentiments, tempo and dynamic contrasts and are generally unpredictable with syncopated pulsing rhythms, contrasts in dynamic, lots of tremolo and accents.
32
What changed in music after the industrial revolution?
Due to the rise of the working class, more and more people wanted to experience music for themselves, setting up concert halls so more people could enjoy them. Musicians were also granted freelance work so it was easier to share their music to others and not just compose due to requests from the rich aristocracy of their time
33
What is movement 2 like in Mozart's symphony?
-loose (shorter) sonata form
-andante
-reduced forces of bassoon and strings
34
What is movement 3 like in Mozart's symphony
-meant to be danced to, always in ¾ (common in baroque era)
-trio has three different parts for instruments with a basso continuo, classical era often has reduced instrumentation but more complex melodies and more lyrical than the more stately minuet
-repeated minuet at end (minuet-trio-minuet) minuet and trio form
35
What is movement 4 like in Mozart's symphony?
-sonata form
-allegro
-G minor
-short development section
-prominent horn part
-includes a codetta and coda
-Disjunct melody contrasting last movements
36
What is movement 1 like in Mozart's symphony?
typical sonata form (minor movement highly influenced by sturm und drang)
37
What is Mozart's first subject like?
Movement begins with a short 4-bar introduction but is actually a part of the first theme . The violins and viola play a syncopated figure across the bar lines while the basses play on the beat which creates tension while the oboes play the outline of the beginning theme. Subject 1 continues with an arpeggiated G minor chord in the style of the Mannheim rocket
38
What was 2 subject like in Mozart's symphony?
Contrasting theme - light and airy with staccato and delicate grace notes, this is much more reminiscent of style galant melodies
39
What was Mozart's transition section?
Theme is repeated and slightly varied as a solo oboe plays the whole note outline while the strings play an accompaniment with no syncopation. After a short transition, a second theme is played with a second theme with violins played in a key of Bb major
40
What was the melody like in movement 2 of Mozart's symphony?
Ascending and descending notes, call and response(antiphony), sequence, conjunct, mostly diatonic , phrases descend, balanced phrases,
41
What was the instrumentation like in movement 2 of Mozart's symphony?
Horns + strings + oboes, violin plays melody played arco, bassoon plays melody in first 15 bars
42
what was the texture like in movement 2 of Mozart's symphony?
Homophonic (melody and accompaniment)
43
What did movement 4 of Mozart's symphony consist of?
-sonata form
-allegro
-G minor
-short development section
-prominent horn part
-includes a codetta and coda
-Disjunct melody contrasting last movements
44
Who did Beethoven study with?
Haydn
45
What was the genre of Beethoven's symphonies
blend of classical and romantic
46
What were the changes in Beethovens symphonies?
length of movements
complexity
size of orchestra
increased energy and drama
New dramatic narrative style
47
What was the style of Beethovens Symphonies?
German style of composing with motifs changing and pragmatic music
48
What is programme music?
is when you tell a story to represent an image
49
What changes to structure did Beethoven change?
Replaced minuet and try with scherzo
Added 5th movement to 6th symphony
blurred dividing lines between movements
motivic ideas were developed further than before with longer patterns leading to longer lengthier movements
50
What was Beethoven's programme for symphony No.6?
I: Allegro ma non troppo ‘Awakening of joyful feeling on arrival in the country (F)
II: Andante molto mosso ‘Scene by the brook’ (Bb)
III: Scherzo: Allegro ‘Peasants merrymaking (Bb)
IV: Allegro ‘Storm’ (f)
V: Allegretto ‘Song of thanksgiving after the storm’ (F)
51
What was the orchestration for symphony No.6 by Beethoven?
Strings
2 flutes + piccolo
2 oboes
2 clarinets
2 bassoons
2 horns
2 trumpets
2 trombones
Timpani
52
Give some information of movement 1 of Beethoven's symphony no.6?
Sonata form, F major
Begins with drone bass (opens 5th) representing fold music and rustic dance
Relaxed mood with harmonies sustained over bars at a time
Lots of motivic development in 1st subject
Towards end of movement, clarinets and bassoon anticipate the village band of merry making
Lots of use of sequence
Lots of woodwind playing melody
53
Give some information of movement 2 of Beethoven's symphony no.6?
Slow (andante)
12/8 movement in Bb major with a sonata form structure
Coda on end to imitate bird calls
Recurring silences
54
Give some information of movement 3 of Beethoven's symphony no.6?
Scherzo and trio structure. Bb major key
Dance like melodies with solo wind and horn instrumental solos to add tonal colour
Movement ends abruptly as peasants notice the storm approaching and flows straight into movement IV
55
Give some information of movement 4 of Beethoven's symphony no.6?
F minor key and this music is entirely programmit
2nd violins suggests raindrops before the storm breaks
Lower strings represent the thunder with agitated wind and timpani creating thunder claps
As ascending scale on the flutes at the end of the movement leads in movement V
56
Give some information of movement 5 of Beethoven's symphony no.6?
Back in tonic key of F major
An adventurous sonata - rondo form with lots of variations
6/8 time signature with relaxed tempo
57
What was Berlioz's symphony called?
Symphonie fantastique
58
Was Berlioz's symphony pragmatic?
Yes
59
How many movement's did Berlioz's symphony have?
5
60
What was the story of Berlioz's symphony?
Tells story of man who overdoses on opium and dreams of his beloved
61
What was the instrumentation for Berlioz's symphony?
Strings,
2 flutes, a piccolo, 2 oboes, a cor anglais, 2 clarinets, an Eb clarinet, 4 bassoons,
4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 cornets, 3 trombones, 2 tuba,
2 harps,
timpani and large percussion section
The string section had to be larger to compensate for so much brass and woodwind. Berlioz actually stated how many string instruments he wanted (at least 60)
62
What was the structure of Berlioz's symphony?
Programmatic
Loose structure to represent the structure of programme
Movement 1- loose sonata form with intro and longer
Movement 2- similar to minuet structure
Movement 3- two scherzos
Movement 4-based loosely on sonata form
Movement 5- has own structure with two themes which overlap in a complex polyphonic texture to represent the chaos of ‘hell’
63
What was the introduction to Berlioz's symphony?
A young musician of morbid sensitivity and ardent imagination poisons himself with opium in a moment of despair caused by frustrated love. The dose of narcotic, while too weak to cause his death, plunges him into a heavy sleep accompanied by the strangest of visions, in which his experiences, feelings and memories are translated in his feverish brain into musical thoughts and images. His beloved becomes for him a melody and like an idée fixe which he meets and hears everywhere.
64
What was movement 1 of Berlioz's symphony about?
Daydreams of his beloved with fits of jealous furry
65
What was movement 2 of Berlioz's symphony about?
Meets his beloved in a waltz in a glittering ball room
66
What was movement 3 of Berlioz's symphony about?
Evening in the countryside where lover betrays hum and feels pain
67
What was movement 4 of Berlioz's symphony about?
Dreams he killed his beloved and is condemned to death and led to execution with military band
68
What was movement 5 of Berlioz's symphony about?
Sees himself going into hell and meeting witches in a sabbath
69
What is the Idee fixe?
A recurring melody which represents the artist's love. It appears in all the five movements in different ways. Represents the protagonist’s beloved. This appears in different movements with variations reflecting changing emotions and circumstances. In the first movement the idée fixe is introduced as a long, lyrical melody played by the violins, symbolizing the protagonist's deep love and longing. However in the third movement it starts to change, the theme is more fragmented and distant. In the fourth movement the theme suddenly appears just before the protagonist is executed, only to be cut off by the guillotine, signifying his fate. In the final movement the idée fixe is transformed into a distorted, mocking dance, symbolizing the beloved’s final appearance as part of a nightmarish vision. Berlioz’s idée fixe was ground breaking because it helped unify the entire symphony through a single theme.
70
What was the rhythm and metre like in movement 1 of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique?
dotted rhythms, varying tempo, syncopation, contrasting rhythmic patterns, lots of ascending rhythms
71
What was the texture for movement 1 of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique?
polyphonic overall, homophonic Idee fixe, contrapuntal texture
72
Is movement 1 of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique thematic or fragmatic?
thematic
73
What dynamics are included in Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique movement 1?
crescendos and diminuendos
74
What was Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique movement 2 consisting of?
Silence before Idee fixe begins
¾ time (accompanied by waltz)
Rising and falling scales to accompany the Idee fixe to add to ball glamour
8 note figure that's repeated at higher pitches
Unaccompanied short fragment of the Idee fixe before carries on as normal
The woodwinds play the Idee Fixe in this movement
75
What was Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique movement 3 consisting of?
Piccolo player starts off stage then walks on while playing
The pastorale theme is played on the flute
Same instrumentation as the first one as the Idee Fixe
Two flutes play Idee Fixe in parallel to one another and in thirds to the violins to make the mood seem more tranquil the second time around
Repeated rising and falling of arpeggios during Idee Fixe
Pain of rejection and betrayal at last Idee fixe
Idee fixe used in fragments then comes back together at end
76
What was Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique movement 4 consisting of?
Quite dynamics for the Idee fixe where he is about to be executed and has his final thought of his beloved
Not a full statement because it is cut short by his head being cut off (fragment)
Idee fixe played by only clarinet (solo) to be smooth and sweet
77
What was Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique movement 5 consisting of?
Used muted strings (con sordini)
Uses tremolo in strings
Big contrast between highest and lowest instruments
Uses slides in Flutes and Piccolo instead off gliss
The fifth movement on the other hand begins with muted violins and violas divided into eight parts playing high tremolo, creating an otherworldly feeling before the continuing nightmarish vision of a witches Sabbath
Later in this movement, Berlioz uses the high Eb clarinet, not used before in the orchestra (being an instrument of marching bands) to create a nightmarish distorted version of the Idee Fixe.
Idee played on clarinet
Ugly distorted version on Idee Fixe to show the cartoonish unsettlement of hell
78
How does Berlioz create the effect of a glittering ballroom?
Waltz feel (⅜ mm cha cha in lower strings)
Harp playing rising arpeggios
Tremolo on strings to create shimmering effect
Melody on violins to feel light and high
Ornamentation of grace notes
Lower strings played in unison
Flute + harp together play descending scales to show entering the ballroom
Diatonic chords sounding like older music
79
How does Berlioz tell the story of the executioners' march?
Hear sound of footsteps
Military band playing
Final thoughts before head cut off (unison chord)
Timpani played to sound like footsteps and to create tension
Quiet to loud dynamic
Dynamic contrast to show the fluctuations in emotions
Focus on lower pitched instruments
Timpani with sponge headed
Double basses play crotchets to seem like footsteps
Descending minor key to sound dismal
Bassoons play in unison to create a counter melody
Military band in major key to sound happy and how everyone use to rejoice at executions
Dotted rhythms, higher instruments
Fanfare moment with horns
Rising and falling arpeggios
Contrast once idee fixe comes in to show final thoughts
Symbol crashing down
Snare drum rolls to show military band
80
How does Berlioz show the feeling of a witches sabbath?
Dark sinister feel in lower strings
Falling scales in violins
Pizzicato used to contrast long held notes in higher
Lots of falls/slides used bending of notes
Idee fixe comes back distorted and much shorted
Polyphonic texture
Distorted feel with grace notes in clarinet
Repeated falling scales on violins
Bells used to sound like funeral bells
Funeral chant played towards end played on tuba accompanied by funeral bells
Pizzicato used on strings to double staccato on woodwinds
Fragmented melody
Develops the funeral melody in different pitches using sequence and changing rhythms
81
What about melody was innovative in the Symphonie Fantastique?
Begins as a long arcing phrase in which the Idee fixe used by violin and flutes, conveying romantic obsession in movement -.
In the second movement of Idee, fixe moves to the waltz moment which signifies seeing the lover at the ball.
Composed this melody in every moment which was unseen before in previous symphonies.
Use of tied notes to make Idee fixe more free with irregular phrasing. Adding to the romantic feel, also developed the melody in order to tell the different aspects of the programme.
82
What about texture was innovative in the Symphonie Fantastique?
Texture has changed drastically since Mozart, more use of polyphonic rhythms with multiple counter melodies used.
Melody-dominated homophony: This is frequently present, where a lyrical melody is accompanied by harmonies, as in the famous "idée fixe" (a recurring theme representing the artist's beloved).
Orchestral layering: Berlioz uses the full orchestra to create dense, multi-layered textures, blending strings, winds, brass, and percussion to evoke specific emotions or scenes.
Contrapuntal passages: At times, there are moments of counterpoint, where multiple melodic lines intertwine, such as in the fourth movement, "March to the Scaffold."
Dramatic contrasts: Textures shift from delicate and transparent (like the dreamy opening of "Reveries") to powerful and overwhelming (as in the "Dream of a Witches' Sabbath"). - more complex of polyphonic texture in movement 5 with distorted melodies with dissonance while reveries focuses on solo light and airy to create images of the countryside
83
What about harmony and tonality was innovative in the Symphonie Fantastique?
Modal tonality which had not been used before in previous symphonies in movement 5. In movement 2 the harmony is very diatonic with simpleness while no.5 has lots of dissonance and lots of changes in harmony.
84
What about structure was innovative in the Symphonie Fantastique?
In movement 1 loose sonata form with long introduction
Movement 2 with similar structure to minute with alterations to adhere to the pragmatic type of music.
Berlioz movement 1 was still in the sonata form, movement 2 was waltz which hasn't been seen in any other symphonies, 3 has loose ABA structure while others have minuet and trio, 4 is march with a loose sonata form
85
What about instrumentation was innovative in the Symphonie Fantastique?
Two flutes with one doubling piccolo, movement 2 has 2 harp added which isn't in other movements of symphonies, bigger orchestration with specific number requirements, percussion was quite elaborate with more specific uses of percussion, Eb clarinet used to create ugly sound in movement 5, woodwind used in movement 3 to imitate birds potentially influenced by the pastoral symphony by Beethoven
