Wider Symphonies: Stamitz no. 2 Flashcards
When was this symphony written?
1750s
What key is this symphony in?
D major
List the instruments in this symphony.
-strings
-continuo
-2 oboes
-2 horns
-2 trumpets
-timps
How can the style of this symphony be described and what musical era does it belong to?
Style galant - early classical music
What was this symphony composed for?
the Mannheim orchestra at the Mannheim court.
What ‘musical special effects’ are used in this symphony and explain what they are?
-steamroller = crescendo
-hammerstroke = 3 tonic chords at the beginning of the piece played in rhythmic unison.
What is unusual about the structure of the first movement?
It is in Sonata form but the themes are reversed in the recapitulation (2nd then 1st)
Make three points about the music of the first movement
-clear phrases
-diatonic
-functional harmony
Where are the musical ‘special effects’ used in the first movement?
Hammerstroke at the beginning, soon followed by steamroller
What is the structure of the second movement?
loose rounded binary form
What is the key of the second movement?
G major (subdominant)
What is the texture of the second movement?
mel dom hom
What is the tempo of the second movement?
Andante
Which instrument takes a leading role in the B section of the second movement?
Oboes
What are the ‘Mannheim birdies’ that can be heard in the second movement?
The high, fragmented, dotted, melodic violin part
Give an example of the third movement being old fashioned
The first and second violins play the same thing
What is the structure of the third movement?
Minuet, Trio, Minuet
How can the dynamics be described in the third movement?
Terraced dynamics are suggested in the second half of the minuet.
In what way is the third movement innovative?
There is an independent use of the woodwind in the Trio
How is the texture made thinner in the trio (this is normal) in the third movement?
No trumpets
How can the harmony be described in the trio within the third movement?
There is diminished harmony in the second half of the trio
What is the time signature of the fourth movement?
3/8
Why is the fourth movement virtuosic?
It has fast rhythms
What is a third ‘musical special effect’ used in the fourth movement?
Mannheim sigh - putting more weight on the first of two descending slurred chords
Give three words to describe the music of the fourth movement
-sequences
-dissonance
-ornamentation
Does this symphony (mainly) match the Classical Symphony structure and features?
Yes
What is the main instrument in this symphony?
Strings (but emerging use of woodwind)
