MUSIC QUIZ 3
which statement is true
The texture of the excerpt is polyphonic.
What does this excerpt depict?
Two streams becoming one river
How do the two pieces differ in the way that they set their respective texts to music?
"Agnus Dei" sets more musical notes to each syllable of text than "Dies irae."
The excerpt features what type of melody?
"Dies irae" melody
DOWLAND, Flow My Tears
"Flow My Tears" by John Dowland Date: Late sixteenth century Genre: Lute song Form: Strophic (all verses sung to the same, or close to the same, melody) Texture: Homophonic Voices and Instruments: Tenor voice and lute Meter: Duple Duration: 3:45 Context: This is a secular composition that might have been performed by an individual both singing and playing, or by two people, one singing and the other playing the lute. It was probably performed in an aristocratic home, but it could also have been performed by professional musicians in public, perhaps before a play or other type of entertainment.
What is a major difference in the way the two pieces are meant to be performed?
"Flow My Tears" is a stand-alone piece, whereas "When I Am Laid in Earth" is part of an opera.
PURCELL, "When I Am Laid in Earth"
"When I Am Laid in Earth," as the aria, has a much steadier and regular beat. "Thy Hand Belinda," as the recitative is characteristically freer in rhythm. If you know the difference between and aria and recitative, you should know that the former is more song-like, whereas the latter is more speech-like. The mood of both pieces is serious and dark; the main character is about to die. Descending into death is perfectly mirrored in the falling bass line of the aria. To emphasize certain emotions, Purcell repeats the words "Remember me!" Although the music sounds similar, it is varied to build up the mood and emotional meaning of the text. In this excerpt, the music that begins the aria does not come back at the end.
Which musical elements are not contrasted in this excerpt?
A Latin text and an Italian text
How many symphonic poems did Liszt compose?
12
Which date range best represents the Renaissance period in music?
1450 to 1600
What are the approximate beginning and ending dates of the Renaissance?
1450-1600
How long was a typical workday for a member of the working class during the baroque period?
16 hours
In approximately what year did the baroque period begin?
1600
Opera emerged in Italy around what time?
1600
By what age had Chopin achieved eminence in both composition and performance?
19
What are the approximate beginning and ending dates of the medieval period?
476-1450
Which forces are not used in this excerpt?
A bass soloist
Which of the following is an example of word painting?
A madrigal in which the melody ascends on the word heaven
Which of the following is not a characteristic of romantic era arts?
A reasoned view of the world
What is a song cycle?
A series of art songs that tell a story or are otherwise related to one another
What is this music most appropriately identified as?
A solo piano piece
A series of pieces that, cumulatively, tell a story or are related in some way.
A song cycle
What is the difference between a whole consort of musical instruments and a mixed consort of musical instruments?
A whole consort consists only of musical instruments in the same family. A mixed consort includes musical instruments from different families.
Which of the following best represents the binary form that "When I Am Laid in Earth" uses?
AABB
Which of the following were among the life choices available to women during the medieval period?
Although limited in choosing their own destinies, women in the middle ages could accept an arranged marriage or join a convent and devote their lives to the church. They were not allowed to perform music in publie. Monasteries were exclusively for men (convents were for women).
Which of the following statements about monody is not true?
Ancient Greek actors were the first to sing in the monodic style.
Which of the following terms does not describe some aspect of a system for improvising an accompaniment?
Arioso
How is the orchestra used?
As a gentle accompaniment to the soloist
How is this music most accurately identified?
As a symphonic poem
Which of the following is not an example of how artists and musicians expressed pride in their countries during the romantic era?
BY RUNNING FOR PARLIAMENT
Which of the following statements about the ballad is not true?
Ballads were written in strophic form.
Why were castrati used in baroque music?
Because in some regions it was not appropriate for women to sing in public.
Greek legends or Roman history were usually used as stories upon which to base baroque operas. Why?
Because stories of contemporary life and events were not considered important enough for opera.
Both Beethoven and Berlioz used their main themes throughout the rest of the movements of these symphonies to create unity. How did the two composers use these themes differently throughout the other movements?
Beethoven used only the rhythmic aspect of the theme, whereas Berlioz used the melodic aspect.
Which of the following emphasizes beauty, purity of tone, an agile vocal technique, and is intended to delight audiences with melodious and spontaneous music?
Bel canto style
Which of the following statements is true of Bernini's sculpture David Slaying Goliath?
Bernini captures David in the very moment he is slinging a stone at the giant who has challenged the Jews.
Which statement about pianos produced around 1800 is true?
Both high and low notes had been added.
The Mannheim orchestra serves as a good model for the instrumentation of the classical orchestra. Place the instruments below into their proper section of a typical classical orchestra. Not all instruments listed below were common to the classical orchestra, so be careful!
By baroque standards, the Mannheim orchestra was of large dimensions. In 1756 it consisted of twenty violins divided into two sections (First violins and second violins), four violas, four cellos, and four basses. The wind section included four horns in addition to pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons. Trumpets and timpani were also used, usually together. The saxophone, guitar, and gong were instruments used in later centuries.
Which of these statements is true?
By the end of the baroque era, instrumental music had gradually equaled or surpassed vocal music in popularity.
Who was the first composer to establish a German romantic opera style?
Carl Maria von Weber
Which of the following statements does not describe Verdi's style of opera?
Characters are mythological and larger than life.
Which of the following is not true about church modes?
Church modes are entirely different from the major and minor scales used today.
Which of the following types of sonatas was not predominant during the latter part of the baroque period?
Clarinet sonata
Which of the following artists were known for conveying their sense of nationalism through their art?
Composers expressed their pride in their countries in a variety of ways. Frédéric Chopin displayed his love for his native Poland by using the rhythms of Polish dances as the basis of solo piano works. Bedrich Smetana composed orchestral works about the beauty of his Bohemian homeland. J. M. W. Turner was indeed a romantic artist, but his focus was on nature, rather than nationalistic fervor.
Bohemia is now part of what country?
Czech republic
In Wagner's view, what is the most important element in his music?
Drama
Which of the following statements is not true?
During the first half of the romantic era, Italy was the operatic capital of Europe.
What is the most notable feature of this selection?
Dynamic contrast
How many movements are there in a classical sonata?
Either three or four
The earliest surviving Italian opera is
Eurydice.
How were Europeans during the Renaissance able to have and use coffee, tobacco, and chocolate?
Exploration of the New World outside Europe resulted in trade of these goods.
A major downside of the Industrial Revolution was that the arts suffered because there were fewer untouched vistas to portray in art, music, and literature.
FALSE
Farmer, Fair Phyllis
FARMER, Fair Phyllis English Madrigal (1599) "Fair Phyllis" by John Farmer Date: 1599 Genre: English madrigal Texture: Mostly polyphonic with a homophonic ending Voices: Four Meter: Duple Duration: 1:20 Context:This might well have been sung in an aristocratic English home, after dinner, with the singers still sitting around the table, reading music from madrigal books.
Which composition did Schumann consider to be among his best work for piano?
Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces)
When technological advancements to the piano gave the instrument a great expressive range, composers of the romantic period turned their attention to composing for it. Match the piano works or type of works below to their respective composers.
Franz Liszt is known for his Transcendental Études, the Hungarian Rhapsodies, and for developing a new orchestral form that became widely popular in the romantic period—the symphonic poem. Chopin is known for his polonaises and mazurkas, works that were based on the rhythms of Polish dances of the same names. Robert Schumann composed many character pieces, among which is Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces).
Who was the earliest composer of art songs?
Franz Schubert
Which of the following were among the forms of entertainment enjoyed by the poor and working classes?
Gambling Musicians and storytellers Cockfighting
Which of the following were not among the acceptable venues for women to perform songs, plays, or poems?
Generally speaking, women were limited as to the places in which they could perform music. Public places, such as theaters and the street were off-limits, as were churches and cathedrals (although some convents held musical services in which women participated). Inside the home, however, women could perform music to entertain family and friends.
Which of the following authors were women writing under a pseudonym?
George Sand Daniel Stern Ellis Bell
What is the genre of this piece?
German lied
If a composer wanted to increase the polyphony of "Agnus Dei," which of the following changes should he/she make to achieve the best effect?
Give the lower two voices more independent melodic lines.
Opera took a great leap forward during the nineteenth century, evolving into many different types. Match the correct type of opera to the following statements and works. The opera types may be used more than once.
Grand opera concentrated on the spectacular elements of the production: crowd scenes, ballets, choruses, and elaborate scenery. The integrity of the drama and the music was often sacrificed for these special effects. Verdi's Aida is an example of this type of opera. In contrast, opéra comique tended to be simpler than grand opera. Despite the word comic, many operas in this form had serious plots. Georges Bizet's Carmen, for example, has some light and entertaining moments, but the main character ends up being stabbed to death by her former lover. Lyric opera evolved from the more serious type of opéra comique. Using plots taken from romantic drama or fantasy, these works relied primarily on the beauty of their melodies. You learned about opera buffa in the classical chapters. It is an Italian style opera that focuses on light-hearted and comic elements. Rossini's The Barber of Seville is a good example from the romantic period.
Classify each medieval musical characteristic according to style.
Gregorian Chant- Gregorian chants, also known as plainsong or plainchant, are monophonic in texture (single-line melodies). Using church modes, the chants have an undulating, wavelike quality and a simplicity that is wholly in keeping with their religious intent as a functional part of worship. Organum-The earliest polyphonic (a texture with more than one melody line) works were called organa (singular, organum). The development of this music was centered in northern France and was dominated by the Notre Dame school under the leadership first of Léonin and then his successor, Pérotin. Motet-Most medieval motets were a combination of the sacred and secular and many were polylingual, or sung in multiple languages. They often set the original chant in Latin on the lower (or lowest) part and the secular text(s) in French above that. Increasing the complexity further, many motets often had up to four independent melodic parts. Medieval secular (nonreligious music) used the vernacular, or everyday language of the country of origin (as opposed to sacred music which used Latin). The most important early secular vocal music was created and performed by poet-musicians, called trouvères in northern France, troubadours in southern France, and minnesingers in Germany.
Which compositional technique does "When I Am Laid in Earth" use that "Flow My Tears" does not?
Ground bass
In which of the following ways does "Agnus Dei" differ from "Dies irae"?
Harmonic approach Greater rhythmic complexity
Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre's compositions are most closely associated with what instrument?
Harpsichord
Which statement about Franz Schubert is inaccurate?
He became wealthy from publishing his many compositions.
Why did Chopin perform almost exclusively in small settings?
He did not enjoy playing for large audiences.
Which of the following is not true about Liszt's performances?
He preferred to play in more intimate settings.
Why did Smetana reside in Sweden for six years, beginning in 1856?
He wanted to escape the repression after the unsuccessful Bohemian revolution.
Which of the following statements does not apply to Liszt?
He was fiercely proud of his Polish heritage.
omposed Dido and Aeneas?
Henry Purcell
What is the texture in this specific section of the piece?
Homophonic
What is the texture of this music?
Homophonic
What is the texture of this selection?
Homophonic
What are the texture and tempo of the selection?
Homophonic and allegro
Which one of the following musical techniques occurs more often in "Ave Maria" than in "Kyrie"?
Homophony
Describe the circumstances for women artists in the romantic era. How did they compare to previous artistic periods you have studied?
In the romantic period, women artists began to have careers that brought them international fame. Clara Schumann, for example, spent much of her life on stage and was still performing on concert tours into her seventies. Women composers and instrumentalists prior to the romantic era were usually connected to a particular royal court and were able to perform for court patrons and guests, but they were not necessarily free to tour all over Europe independently. Further back, in the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, women musicians were confined mostly to convents. Despite the new opportunities for women in some professions, women writers found that they could have more success getting works published and bought by the public if they used men's names.
Why did Wagner have difficulty getting his operas performed?
It could only be performed in a very large theater.
Which of the following statements about the motet is true?
It grew out of the two-part organa of the thirteenth century.
Check all the ways that the text from "Kyrie" differs from that of "Ave Maria."
It is in Greek, not Latin. It is from the Ordinary section of the Mass. It is simple, not dense.
Which of the following statements about medieval secular music is not true?
It was sung in church.
Jean-Baptiste Lully headed the group that created and supported a distinctive style of French opera. Where was Lully born?
Italy
Which opera was immediately well received and brought Puccini worldwide fame?
La Bohème
In Germany and Austria, what became the standard term for art songs?
Lieder
Which of the following is a characteristic of the tone poem (symphonic poem), as Liszt developed it? Check all that apply.
Liszt ignored the tradition of having symphonic works organized into several movements (tone poems were set mostly in one form). He also avoided the idea that sonata form provided necessary balance for a first movement of a symphonic composition. He often unified his works by using a single theme or melody that he continuously transformed as the piece progressed. Further, he would often use literary texts as the basis for his programmatic material (he based works on Shakespeare, Goethe, and Dante plays).
Which of the following is not a keyboard instrument?
Lute
Which of the following are the primary accompanying instruments in "Flow My Tears" and "When I Am Laid in Earth" (respectively)?
Lute; strings
What type of French opera uses recitative and is less overwhelming than grand opera?
Lyric opera
Which of the following people were leaders of the Protestant Reformation? Check all that apply.
Martain luther John Calvin
To what musical genre does this piece belong?
Mass movement
Which Russian composer from "the Five" wrote Pictures at an Exhibition for solo piano?
Modest Mussorgsky
In the development section of the sonata form, the tonal center changes frequently. What is this process called?
Modulation
What is the texture of this music?
Monophonic
Imagine that you are a Renaissance composer. Each statement below represents something that you want to convey musically. Choose the musical style that you would most likely use to attain your musical goal.
Most composers wrote purely instrumental music for dances. A work for lute would be instrumental by design. Incidental music for theater (or film) would most likely be instrumental as sung text would interfere with the live action. Remember that madrigals are secular and, as such, provide a good medium for setting love poems or other sonnets to music, as well as using techniques such as word painting. Alternately, a motet is a sacred piece and so lends itself to religious intent and features, such as chant melodies.
The excerpt features what type of texture?
Mostly homophonic
Which of the following is not Renaissance secular vocal music?
Motet
For what cycle of symphonic poems is Smetana best known?
Má Vlast
Which of the following compositions was not written by Schubert?
New Journal of Music
Which Russian composer from "the Five" wrote the tone poem Scheherazade?
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Which of the following does not describe an aspect of the salon?
Only family members of the host were allowed to perform.
What type of French opera uses spoken dialogue and is set on a smaller scale than grand opera?
Opera comique
What form of music did Bach not compose?
Operas
The liturgy of the Mass is divided into two parts, which are called the
Ordinary and the Proper.
De Palou, Tant m'abelis
PALOU, "Tant m'abelis" ("So Much I Love") "Tant m'abelis" ("So Much I Love") by Berenguier de Palou Date: Early twelfth century Genre: Troubadour song Form: All verses sung to same melody, but exact notes of melody vary according to text Texture: Original song monophonic, but instruments that accompany the singer in our recording make it homophonic Voices and Instruments: One female voice singing a text written by and for a man to sing accompanied by a harp, an oud (lute-like plucked string instrument with a fingerboard), two fiddles (early violins), a recorder, and large, deep sounding drums Language: Medieval southern French (Langue D'oc) Meter: Duple, but the voice sometimes sings to the rhythmic patterns of the text, not following the duple meter played by the instruments Duration: 4:57 Context: This song is one of many troubadour songs the fit the tradition known as "courtly love," which expresses adoration from afar. The music to songs such as this one was copied and given or sold to other troubadours or even to lower-class singers such as jongleurs to perform, so this performance by a woman is well within that tradition. The instrumental parts have been improvised for this recording and were not part of the song that exists in medieval music notation.
Which composer's work is most closely associated with the reforms from the Council of Trent (1545 to 1563)?
Palestrina
Match the descriptions below to the correct part of Symphonie fantastique.
Part I: Reveries, Passions He recalls the soul sickness, passion, and depression that he experienced before he first met his beloved. The idée fixe plays, representing their first meeting. It is followed by a grand expression of the passion that she inspired in him. The movement ends with tenderness and religious consolation. Part II: A Ball At a dance in the midst of a brilliant party, he encounters the loved one, again represented by the idée fixe melody. Part III: Scene in the Country One summer evening in the country, he hears two shepherds piping melodies to one another across the fields. This pastoral duet combines with the quiet rustling of the trees, gently brushed by the wind, and his newly entertained hopes to be able to give his heart an unaccustomed calm. But her melody appears again, and he feels a tightening in his heart.The movement ends as the sun sets to the distant sounds of thunder. The mood is lonely and quiet. Part IV: March to the Scaffold He dreams that he has killed his beloved. He is condemned to death and led to the scaffold. The procession moves forward to the sounds of a march that is at times somber, fierce, and solemn. The muffled sound of heavy steps gives way, without transition, to a noisy clamor from the crowd. At the end, the idée fixe returns for a moment, like a last thought of love interrupted by the fatal blow. Brilliant fanfares follow the public execution. Part V: Dream of a Witches' Sabbath He sees himself at the Sabbath, amid a frightening troop of ghosts, sorcerers, and monsters of every kind. They have all come together for his funeral. His beloved appears again, but the idée fixe has changed. It sounds mean and trivial. It represents his beloved coming to join the Sabbath. Bells toll for him as a dead man, and a melody from a medieval chant that represented judgment day, the "Dies irae" ("Day of Wrath"), is played.
Which of the following outcomes resulted from the invention of the printing press? Check all that apply.
Performers could make a good living by providing music or dance instruction to members of wealthy families. The average person could learn to read and play music.
What is the texture in this specific section of the piece?
Polyphonic
What is the texture in this specific section of the piece?
Polyphonic and homophonic
"Agnus Dei" makes use of two musical techniques that "Dies irae" does not. These two techniques were defining developments in the formation of Western classical music. What are they?
Polyphony and measured rhythm
BERLIOZ, Symphonie fantastique, fifth movement, "Dream of a Witches' Sabbath" (1830)
Program Symphony, Larghetto-Allegro, Sextuple Meter The opening mood is mysterious and ominous. The soft dynamics create suspense and the high tremolo strings hint at anxiety. Later, louder passages suggest a cracking in the psyche from which comes an ecstatic and joyful melody. Towards the end of the movement, the ecstasy edges into increasing madness. Berlioz was one of the early romantic composers to enlarge the orchestra even more, adding more instruments to every section. In this recording we hear the tuba play the low brass parts, and orchestra bells, which we have not heard before. The brass section plays the "Dies irae" ("Day of Wrath") melody, which is a medieval chant for the dead. Here, it is used to hint at the protagonists impending doom. This melody is repeated throughout the movement, hinting at the ever-present prospect of death. The tempo, like the protagonist's psyche, is split, alternating between slow (larghetto) and fast (allegro). The meter is sextuple, which means six beats to the measure. Try counting out six beats during the steady tempo passages and hear how the sextuple meter works.
The sonata form of the classical era has a very definite structure, although it allows for much variation within that form. Fill in the term that describes each section of the sonata. Then, match the descriptive phrase to the corresponding section.
Recall that sonata form has a basic structure of Exposition-Development-Recapitulation. The exposition introduces two themes, linked by bridge music. The second theme is written in a different key than the first. The development section takes these themes, varies them by breaking them down into its building blocks and reassembling them into new melodies. Finally, the recapitulation section restates the original themes (again with bridge music); this time both are in the original tonic key.
If Berlioz had wanted to make his work more balanced and structured, like Beethoven's Symphony no. 5, he could have taken his main theme, the idée fixe, through sonata form. Identify the order of the sections of the sonata form Berlioz could have used. To do this, select the number from the dropdown next to each section listed below to identify if it comes first, second, third, or fourth in the form.
Recall that sonata form is sequentially organized into the following sections: Exposition, Development, Recapitulation, Coda.
What is the meaning of the term "Franco-Flemish" as it applies to Renaissance music?
Renaissance music that began in northern France, Holland, and Belgium.
Which of the following characteristics does not describe Puccini operas?
Restrained and balanced classical structures
Who was another important composer who wrote program music during the nineteenth century?
Richard Strauss
Which opera buffa composer wrote Il Barbiere di Siviglia and La Cenerentola in the early part of the nineteenth century?
Rossini
Which of the following musical techniques is used in this piece?
Rubato
Nationalism in music has had profound effects, both in the music itself and in outside realms, such as politics. Decide whether or not the statements and works below are examples of nationalism.
SEE SCREENSHOT Recall that nationalism in this context refers to any musical expression that is intended to emphasize the unique character and interests of a particular nation. Nationalism also emphasized the pride of the nation's citizen. Common musical expressions of nationalism ranged from the use of historical or other national subjects to quoting folk melodies and rhythms in new works. "The Five" sought to abandon Western musical influences and emphasize their own Russian heritage. One of these five, Mikhail Glinka, composed A Life for the Tsar (1836). Another work representative of nationalism was Semtana's Má Vlast (My Country, 1879).
During medieval times, there was a definite difference between sacred and secular music. Listen to the clips below and categorize each as either sacred or secular.
Sacred- 4 clips, all chours/ men Secular- 3 clips all women shawdows darkness"
Informal literary or musical gatherings in the homes of aristocrats.
Salons
Is this an example of sacred or secular music?
Secular; people sang this music in social settings in aristocratic English homes
Which of the following works of art were used to express the power and glory of the Catholic Church?
The Conversion of St. Paul, by Caravaggio David Slaying Goliath, by Bernini
What is a libretto?
The text of an opera
LISZT, Transcendental Étude no. 10 in F Minor (1851)
Solo Piano Music, Sonata Form, Allegro Agitato Molto, Duple Meter This opening features fast musical flourishes that descend in pitch. The music in this passage is fast, or allegro, and agitated. The performer, however, does not adhere to a robotic tempo, instead using rubato to create an undulating effect. In the middle of this passage, the loud, agitated music becomes suddenly soft and flowing. Here, the music builds again in intensity until clarity comes again in the form of the first theme. The melody is easy to distinguish because it is written in a very high register. The melody of the third theme is low in pitch, pounding the lower notes of the piano. This coda features an even faster tempo than the already quick tempo of the rest of the piece.
List and describe three significant inventions of the Industrial Revolution. How did these inventions change people's lives?
Some of the most important inventions at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution were the spinning jenny (1767), which spun sixteen threads of cotton during the time a spinning wheel could spin only one, and the cotton gin (1793), which made removal of seeds from fibers needed for cloth easier and faster. A simple type of steam engine had been used to drain mines for years, and in the 1780s improvements were invented to make it efficient enough to power entire factories. The sewing machine was invented in the 1850s, bringing down the cost of clothing. The telephone, phonograph, and electric lightbulb followed in the 1870s. All of these inventions made the world more comfortable for the growing middle class.
To what musical genre does this excerpt belong?
Sonata
What is the form of this selection?
Sonata
What voice type is featured in this excerpt?
Soprano
What is the form of this piece?
Strophic
SMETANA, "The Moldau" (1874)
Symphonic Poem, Allegro commodo non agitato, Mostly Duple Meter The meandering flutes in the beginning mimic the gentle flowing of water, collecting into a bigger river. As the streams merge, the orchestra joins in to play a flowing melody that captures the strong Moldau. You should hear the Moldau theme four times throughout the piece (the last time is in fragments). Smetana's intention was to capture the full range of moods and atmospheres that inhabit a river as it progresses throughout the days and months. You may hear a gentle and peaceful mood, a violent torrent, a calm, still moonlit night atmosphere, among other impressions. The tempo is mostly moderately fast, not moving to one extreme or the other. Within this range, it varies according to the program. The meter is mostly duple (count the beats in twos), but the Moldau theme is subdividing into six beats (sextuple).
Which of the following was an innovation credited to Franz Liszt?
Symphonic poem
Which statement below points to the different musical periods in which the two pieces were created?
Symphony no. 5, first movement, is in sonata form, whereas Symphonie fantastique, fifth movement, lacks a strict formal structure.
Which of the following statements is not true about Machaut's Messe de Nostre Dame?
The Messe de Nostre Dame contained less ornamentation and contrary motion than had been common in earlier masses.
A composition that sets a poem to music for solo voice and piano
The art song
Identify each item as a characteristic of the Renaissance motet or madrigal. Some characteristics may be true of both.
The first thing to remember is that a motet is sacred music, whereas a madrigal is secular music. From this, you know that a motet uses the Latin language, has a religious text, and is sung for religious purposes. A madrigal, meant for social entertainment, is sung in the vernacular language, and is frequently about romantic love. Motets are almost exclusively polyphonic, whereas madrigal will mix polyphony and homophony. Both were written for small choirs, usually involving four voice parts.
What invention of the medieval period makes it possible for us to study its music, whereas the musical traditions of earlier civilizations are practically unknown to us?
The further development of musical notation
CHOPIN, Nocturne, op. 9, no. 2 (1830-1831)
The melody at the beginning is gentle and introspective, reflecting the qualities of a nocturne. This melody returns several times throughout the piece, using embellishments on the repetitions to add variety. Aside from the opening melody, there are two other prominent melodies throughout the piece. Each of these melodies repeats, with embellishments. Like much of romantic music, this piece calls for the use of rubato (examples at :23, 1:03, 3:00). The use of rubato adds a great deal of expression to the music and is an essential component to romantic music. A nocturne is a "night piece" and is gentle and reflective. Even though rubato is used extensively throughout this piece, you should be able to feel a steady tempo. The pace is moderate, or andante. The meter is quadruple (four beats to each measure), but each beat is subdivided into three quicker rhythms, called triplets.
Who were responsible for the copying of music notation, and therefore also for its preservation?
The monks in the monasteries
SCHUBERT, "Erlkonig" ("King of the Elves") (1815)
The mood starts off anxious and foreboding with rapid rhythms in the piano. Throughout the course of the song, the music builds to a fever pitch (Schubert reflects the son's mounting terror by repeating the same melody at successively higher pitch levels each time he cries out to his father). Even with the rising climax, the music does, however, change along the way, sometimes becoming smooth and alluring with dramatic dynamic changes. The text is set in German. However, even if you do not understand the language, the music is enough to understand the meaning of the song: panicked rhythms indicate seriousness and quick travel. The silence at the end reflects the quietness of loss and death. The music is set for one singer, yet the text features different characters. Therefore, the singer takes the roles of narrator, father, son, and the Elf King. Schubert portrays the different roles by changing the range of notes (the father singing lower notes than the son), and indicating different tone quality (the Elf King sounds lighter).
Which statement it true?
The music employs a large orchestra with a wide variety of instruments.
Which statement is false?
The music explores dance rhythms of the era.
Which statement is false?
The music features two pianists.
Which statement is true?
The music is accompanied by both a ground bass and a basso continuo.
Which statement is false?
The music is indicative of the decline in instrumental music at the time.
Which statement is false?
The music uses both French and Latin texts.
Which statement is false?
The music was reserved for sacred medieval rituals.
Which of the following statements is not true?
The organ and the piano were the chief keyboard instruments of the baroque period.
What do we mean when we call someone a "Renaissance man"?
The person is well educated and talented in many fields.
Which statement is true?
The piece features a narrator plus three characters sung by one singer.
Which statement is true?
The piece uses a rubato tempo.
As a growing number of people learned to play musical instruments during the romantic period, how did society change?
The public was more interested in attending live concerts.
Which of the following is a difference between the two pieces that speaks to the different musical periods in which they were created?
The setting of the stories
What is the difference between a sonata da chiesa and a sonata da camera?
The sonata da chiesa is intended to be played in a church. The sonata da camera is intended to be played in the home or in a palace.
Which of the following is a characteristic of nationalism in music?
The use of folk melodies and rhythms
How does "Kyrie" achieve a more flowing rhythmic quality than "Ave Maria"?
The use of polyphony obscures a regular sense of meter.
What is the form of this selection?
Theme and variations
Josquin, Ave Maria
There are four voice parts in this a cappella piece. The texture of the piece is both polyphonic and homophonic, but it ends with homophony. At approximately 2:27 point, or the "Ave vera" verse, the meter changes from duple to triple and the music speeds up. The text is sung in Latin, and this is a good example of a Renaissance motet.
VERDI, "O terra, addio" ("Oh Earth, Goodbye") from Aida (1871)
This aria from Aida has many dynamic contrasts, creating an emotionally-charged mood, suited to the context (the two main characters confront their own deaths, as a third expresses profound feelings of guilt). The mood changes throughout the piece, from despair to peace, anger to forgiveness. The two women voices are soprano soloist and mezzo soprano. See if you can hear the slight difference in register and color of the two ranges. The male vocal part is tenor. The chorus enters periodically, bringing a sense of peace to the music and creating a sense of unity. Aida, a soprano voice, begins the aria; Amneris, a mezzo soprano voice, ends it. Try to notice the slightly lower range of Amneris as she sings. In this aria, the voices take center stage and the main purpose of the orchestra is to provide harmony and a few colorful effects. The contrasting feelings of drama and resolution mark this aria as a concluding piece of music, arriving at the very end of the opera.
Is this an example of sacred or secular music?
This is sacred music.
Which of these statements is true?
This music has no discernible meter.
WAGNER, "Grane, mein Ross!" ("Grane, my horse!") and finale to Götterdämmerung from Der Ring des Nibelungen (1876)
This music is from a part of Wagner's opera in which many tragic events have unfolded. Here, the main character Brünnhilde rides into the fire that has destroyed Valhalla, the castle of the gods and heroes. The music matches the drama, in intensity and seriousness. Wagner always thought on an epic scale and the size of the orchestra is no exception; it is huge. Although the orchestral soup is dense, certain instruments, such as flutes, trumpets, trombones, and percussion emerge occasionally to flash their colors. You can guess that the vocal range is a soprano, given the extremely high notes she must sing. Wagner makes extensive use of string tremolos (rapid bow strokes) to suggest the flickering or raging fires. The music of Wagner changes and evolves constantly from moment to moment. As a result, it is often difficult to hear a specific metrical pulse. Sometimes, when a distinct melody comes in, you can hear a strong meter for a while. There are several themes that repeat here. Perhaps the most obvious one is the famous "Ride of the Valkyries."
Which of the following statements is not true in regard to the Reformation?
Though they disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church on matters of interpretation, Protestants still saw themselves as subject to papal authority.
Why did the upright piano become popular beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century?
Uprights took up less space in the parlors of middle-class homes.
What would Renaissance composers occasionally do that composers from the medieval period would have thought inappropriate?
Use a secular tune as one of the voices in their religious compositions
Although these two pieces are very different, there are some similarities between them. Indicate all aspects below that are common to both works.
Use of church modes Lack of instrumental accompaniment Designed to be performed in a cathedral
Western classical music often uses musical devices to symbolize extra-musical ideas. Which of the following would be a good way for a composer to symbolize the Holy Trinity?
Use of triple meter
Which of the following statements is true of the pipe organ?
Using stops, a player of a pipe organ is able to control the instrument's sound more precisely than can a player of any other instrument.
Which of the following dances is least likely to be included in a baroque suite?
Waltz
When the second voice in the exposition of a fugue enters stating the subject, the first voice continues simultaneously, stating a contrasting melody called
a countersubject.
Wrongly or rightly, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is the composer most closely associated with music of the European classical era. Complete the statements below about his life and music.
When Mozart toured Europe as a child prodigy, his primary instrument was the harpsichord. Mozart experienced his first success in opera with his opera Mitridate, which was produced in Italy. Mozart's opera The Magic Flute acknowledged the financial help that the Freemasons gave him. A very disorganized person, Mozart never kept his compositions in any kind of order, and it took the efforts of Ludwig von Köchel to establish a system of cataloguing for Mozart's works. Mozart had a frosty relationship with the Archbishop of Salzburg, and he decided to quit his position as concertmaster and move to Vienna, where he spent the rest of his life. Early in his time in Vienna, Mozart had a success with his singspiel opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio. Born in Salzburg, Mozart started harpsichord lessons at age four and wrote his first composition at age five.
Which of the following statements regarding recitative is not true?
When vocal recitative is accompanied by basso continuo in addition to other instruments, it is called secco recitative.
Who was one of the most influential composers of the early Renaissance?
Who was one of the most influential composers of the early Renaissance?
Balletts, simplified versions of madrigals, were characterized by
a fa-la-la refrain.
An idée fixe is
a melody that appears in each movement.
An art song is ?
a musical setting of a poem for solo voice and piano.
Figured bass is
a type of musical shorthand that is written under or beside the bass line.
Beethoven's Symphony no. 5 is an example of _______ music; whereas Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique is an example of _______ music.
absolute; program
The standard plan of the initial section of a fugue is called
an exposition.
Arias became the focal point of operas because they
are more expressive than recitative.
In "Non Più Andrai," the singer is in the _______ range, whereas in "Si, mi chiamano Mimì," the singer is in the _______ range.
bass/baritone; soprano
Both arias feature beautiful singing, but Puccini's music uses a style of singing known as
bel canto
In Russia, during the reign of Peter the Great (1672-1725), there was an effort to
bring Western customs and ideas to its culture.
Which of these operas is an example of French naturalism, in which the characters are realistic and often poor?
carmen
Many melodies from the early German lieder were eventually used for
chorale sacred songs in the Lutheran Church.
What is the most appropriate classification for this piece of music? (mozart 23) classical concerto
classical concerto
Many medieval secular songs were strophic in form, which means that
each verse of text was sung to the same melody.
Unlike "Si, mi chiamano Mimì," "Non Più Andrai" uses a clear form to emphasize balance. Instead of structure, what romantic aesthetic does "Si, mi chiamano Mimì" emphasize?
emotion
Which statement about the Renaissance madrigal is false?
he Renaissance madrigal is often sung in Latin.
Absolute music
is composed for the appreciation of the musical sound.
Hildegard's music is similar to Gregorian chant in that it
is monophonic and is written with unmeasured rhythms.
The choral music of an opera tends to be homophonic because
it is easier for the audience to understand the words when they are sung by a group.
A toccata keyboard piece is characterized by
many scale passages, rapid runs and trills, and massive chords.
What happened after Harriet Smithson learned that Hector Berlioz had been inspired by her to write Symphonie fantastique?
married
To which genre does this music belong?
mass
When a single syllable of text is spread over several notes in a chant, that section of the chant is considered to be
melismatic.
If you were the composer of both pieces, a major difference in notating "Agnus Dei" would be the use of ___________.
mensural notation
Which of the following are musical differences between "Flow My Tears" and "When I Am Laid in Earth"?
meter form vocal reg
A musical form in which some sections use the same melody and some sections do not
modified strophic form
This music is best described as a
monophonic plainchant.
The selection is best described as
monophonic sacred song.
This music was most likely sung by
nuns in a convent.
The music fits best in the genre of
opera
This music fits best in the genre of
opera
This music is best described as an
opera aria.
This music is best described as an
opera recitative.
Chopin wrote all of the following except
operas
German romantic opera drew its inspiration from
passionate, heroic, and adventurous ideals.
Clara Wieck Schumann's primary career was as a
piano performer.
What is the texture of this music?
poly
What is the texture in this specific section of the piece?
polyphonic
Schumann's miniature character pieces can be described as
portraying a single mood, emotion, or idea.
Symphonie fantastique is a ________ in five movements.
program
As opposed to the unbalanced quality of Symphonie fantastique, fifth movement, which of the following contributes to the balanced nature of Symphony no. 5, first movement?
repetition of sections
Palestrina is best known for
returning church music to the simplicity and purity of earlier times.
The tempo of "Non Più Andrai" is mostly steady and quick. "Si, mi chiamano Mimì," on the other hand, is slower with a flexibility of tempo known as _______.
rubato
Is this an example of sacred or secular music?
secular dance music
Seeing a production of the Ring cycle is an experience like no other. Before you go, it is a good idea to become familiar with the plot of each work. Match the plot summaries below with the music dramas they describe.
see ss
Caravaggio's painting The Conversion of St. Paul
shows stark contrasts between light and dark, in keeping with baroque style.
Being able to play or sing music from notation rather than from memory is a skill called
sight singing.
Camerata is Italian for
society of friends.
This music is most appropriately identified as a
solo piano piece.
One difference between the two pieces is that "Flow My Tears" is in _______ form, whereas "When I Am Laid in Earth" is in binary form.
strophic
A musical form in which each section uses the same melody.
strophic form,
In this selection, (mozart 23)
the orchestra is accompanying the piano
Liszt developed a new symphonic form called
the symphonic poem.
The technique of using one theme that changes throughout a composition is called
theme transformation.
Music that does not use repetitions, but instead uses newly composed music throughout is called
through-composed
A musical form in which each section of music is different.
through-composed form
Unlike the slow tempo of "Si, mi chiamano Mimì," "Non Più Andrai" uses a quick tempo to reflect the jovial nature of the text. Which of the following tempo markings best captures the pace of "Non Più Andrai"?
vivace
Music that is performed a cappella is performed
without instrumental accompaniment.
