MUS 1751 : Music Test 3
Notes for Exam 3
Music Nationalism
• Indigenous musical elements
o Folksongs
o Scales
o Dance Rhythms
o Local instrumental sounds
o Programs based on national subjects
• Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881)
o Career
▪ Earned a precarious living
▪ Composed during his spare time
▪ Part of the “Mighty Handful” or ”Russian 5”
• Talented amateur musicians
• Pictures at an exhibition(1874)
o Based on paintings of Victor Hartman (1833-1873)
▪ Each movement depicts a drawing or picture
o Orchestra by Marvin R in 1922
o A
o B
• Promenade
o Suggest people wondering though the exhibition
o Transition music between many movements
o Solo contrats with full brass and then full orchestra
• Polish Ox-cart
o Painting is lost
o Two not ostinato
o A long crescendo and diminuendo
• Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuyl: two jews
o Rich and poor
o Individuals of different social status
▪ Goldenberg
• Rich and confident
• The melody played in unison
▪ Schmuyle
• Poor and despairing
• Melody fragmented between woodwinds and muted
trumpet
• Rapid quivering notes
o The music causes the characters to interact
• The Great Gate of Kiev
o Majestic conclusion to pictures at an exhibition
o Evokes Hartmann’s vision of a great triumphal arch
o Each three section relates to the drawing
▪ Three A section match the three arches
▪ B and X section: procession and prayers of pilgrims
▪ C (promenade theme): viewer walks through the arch
Chapter 22: Introduction to Romanticism
Classic
Romantic
Reason
Emotionalism
Rules and forms
Passionate self expression
Monuments of Ancient Greece and Rome
Wonders of nature
Love
• Sentiment pervaded entire era
• Longing and despair, not happiness and fulfillment
o Someone is typically always pining for someone unattainable
• Music expresses inarticulate depth of emotion
• Unrequited Love-Loving someone is the love is not returned
Role of Composer
• No longer servants to aristocracy
• Now prophet or demigod
o Inspire audience
o Music morally uplifting and beautiful
• Music no longer entertainment, but art
• Serious tone in concert hall
• Changed because of Beethoven
o Had more than 1 patron
Melody
• Broad, sweeping themes
o Lyrical and expressive
o Build to grandiose climax
• Phrases
o Longer
o Rhythmically flexible
o Irregular in shape
Harmony
• Colorful harmony contributes to emotional intensity
• Chromatic notes
o Add color
o Make distant modulations easier
▪ Very different key signatures
▪ More striking sound
• (Prolonged) Dissonance creates greater anguish and drive to resolution
• Bold harmonic shifts
Rhythm
• Flexible and languid
• Meter can be obscure
• Rubato
o Italian for “robbed”
o Exaggerates rhythmic flow
o Gives performers more artistic freedom
▪ No strict time regulations- can speed up and slow down later, etc.
Form
• No new forms thru composition
• Extended existing forms
• Character piece
o Brief binary/ternary form
o Essence of single mood
o Whimsical titles
Romantic Orchestra
• Increased in size to 100 musicians
• Conductor
o Larger ensemble required someone to coordinate effort
o Position involved from time-keeper to interpreter
▪ Major responsibility
• Woodwinds
o New fingering mechanisms
o Silver flute replaced wood flute
o Piccolo, English Horn and Contrabassoon frequently included
• Brasses
o Full section
o French Horn
▪ Addition of valves
▪ Favored for rich dark tone
▪ Associated with nature and the hunt
• Percussion
o Standard feature
o Very significant feature of orchestra
• New instrument of the day
o Tuba
The Virtuoso
• Pianists and violinists most common
o Wizard-like dexterity
o Often more showmanship than musical substance
Document Summary
Monuments of ancient greece and rome wonders of nature. Passionate self expression: sentiment pervaded entire era, longing and despair, not happiness and fulfillment, someone is typically always pining for someone unattainable, music expresses inarticulate depth of emotion, unrequited love-loving someone is the love is not returned. Melody: broad, sweeping themes, lyrical and expressive, build to grandiose climax, phrases, longer, rhythmically flexible, irregular in shape. Harmony: colorful harmony contributes to emotional intensity, chromatic notes, add color, make distant modulations easier, very different key signatures, more striking sound (prolonged) dissonance creates greater anguish and drive to resolution, bold harmonic shifts. Rhythm: flexible and languid, meter can be obscure, rubato, italian for robbed , exaggerates rhythmic flow, gives performers more artistic freedom, no strict time regulations- can speed up and slow down later, etc. Form: no new forms thru composition, extended existing forms, character piece, brief binary/ternary form, essence of single mood, whimsical titles.
