The Weight of Tradition: Germany and Austria in the Late 1800s

Question 1

Current state of affairs in the late 1800s:

Answer 1

• Realism brought about by 1848 revolutions.
• Prominence of composers outside of Germany, Italy, and France. Rejection of mainstream styles.
• Exoticism. Fascination with the other.
• Musicology develops.

Question 2

Musicology

Answer 2

Study of music history.

Question 3

What are the two reactions to the idea of a weighty tradition?

Answer 3

• Classicism.

- Nostalgia.

Question 4

Classicism

Answer 4

Renewal or revival of old traditions.

Question 5

Nostalgia

Answer 5

The lament for the death of an ideal.

Question 6

Brahms

Answer 6

One generation past Wagner, fascinated with earlier music. Oriented toward classical forms, absolute music. Wrote lieder (this is not programmatic).

Question 7

Absolute Music

Answer 7

No programmatic music.

Question 8

Two sides of Brahms:

Answer 8

Conservative and Progressive.

Question 9

Conservative side of Brahms:

Answer 9

• Music of the past serves as model.
• Music is expressive, but within the confines of traditional form.
• Absolute music vs. program music.
• Fundamental difference. Forms now traditional/conservative were once contemporary.

Question 10

Progressive side of Brahms:

Answer 10

• Large nineteenth-century orchestra.
• Thick, active textures. Complex, polyphonic rhythmic activity.
• Web of thematic relationships lends cohesion. Developing or continuing variation. Sense of organic unity and vitality.

Question 11

Exoticism (the other side of nationalism)

Answer 11

Melodic, rhythmic style imitates “Gypsy” fiddle music. Unusual, scary, free, sensual, exotic.

Question 12

Mahler

Answer 12

Jewish family. Familiar with and influenced by tradition. Ironic distance, self-conscious, exaggeration, parody. Duality manifest in music.