skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Author
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809: German)
- father was a wheelwright and served as the village mayor
- at age 29 he entered the service of the Esterhazys, a wealthy family of Hungarian royalty
- spent almost 30 years there
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is
- Begins with exposition of two themes, both very simple themes
- 4 variations in development
- Switches between C major and C minor
- several very loud accented notes (hence the name, surprise)
- calm ending
- quiet piece throughout, for the most part (excepting loud accented notes)
Purpose
Reflections
On the whole, I find this piece interesting, but not all that thrilling. The accents are quite startling, as they were intended to be, but the rest of the piece is just too quiet and simple to hold my attention (perhaps this is the composer's intent, to lull the listener to sleep and shock them awake)
Author
Wofgang Amadeus Mozart (1751-1791, Austrian)
(see
previous post)
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Opera buffa
- Starts with an aria by Chereubino about love, specifically love from the perspective of a young (~13 years old) boy.
- Aria takes form ABAC
- long dialogue section (recitative) next leads into a trio
- the trio is still dialogue of sorts, but much more dramatic
- several counterpunctual phrases simulate interruption in converstion
- as is characteristic of the Classical era, this piece maintains virtuosity without long single-word melismas
Purpose
- entertainment
- meant to be comic
Reflections
Once again the language barrier is an issue, though not as much in the singing sections. I find myself reading the "dialogue" (or recitative) section and hearing it in my head differently that it is being sung. But once the trio section starts, the phrases get shorter, and it gets easier to guess what words are being emphasized. Language aside, however, I like Classical opera better than Baroque because it is so much broader.
Author
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791: Austrian)
- father was a composer-violinist for Archbishop of Salzburg
- first started to compose at age 5
- had written sonatas, concertos, symphonies, religious works, and several operas by age 13.
- left the house of the Archbishop of Salzburg at age 25 after quarrel
- married in 1782
- died at age 35 of unknown causes
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is chamber music
- all in major keys
- stringed instruments only
First Movement:
- three themes alternate
- first theme is disjunct, ascending, has dotted rhythm
- second theme is more conjunct, graceful, smooth, has descending parts to it
- "closing" theme is very similar to the second; smooth, conjunct, and descending
- homophonic texture
Third Movement
- first theme (minuet) consists of two phrases, each repeated, AABB pattern
- minuet is fairly disjunct
- second theme (trio) is more conjunct, quieter, more expressive
- first theme is then repeated, this time with each phrase only once.
- homophonic
Purpose
- entertainment
- designed specifically for intimate settings, specifically for a string quartet
Reflections
An interesting piece, but I wouldn't say it's my all time favorite. Again it makes good "background" music, but listening attentively, I get too bored: there is too much repeating. It is also not a very virtuosic piece, so I think that plays into the fact that I don't enjoy it quite as much.
Author
George Fredrick Handel (1685-1759: German)
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is dance suite
- Ternary form, A-B-A
- multiple motives repeated throughout by different instruments
- clearly designed for an outdoor performance, to be heard from a distance
- homophonic, with interspersed imitative counterpoint
- alternates between disjunct (motive a) to conjunct (motive b)
- switch to minor key in middle of piece
Purpose
- outdoor performance for a royal outing on the Thames River
Reflections
This piece must have sounded quite majestic when played from the Thames river. I certainly find it relaxing as background music, but I don't think I have a good enough appreciation of music (yet!) to enjoy listening to all of the movements of this work without doing something to keep my mind occupied. (I frequently feel the same about modern popular music also). I would like to get better about that over the course of this class.
Author
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741, Venetian)
- father was a barber and later a professional violinist
- was ordained as a priest at age 25
- nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("the red priest") because of his red hair
- was violin master at an girls' orphanage early in life
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is violin concerto
- string instrumental piece
- homophonic texture
- evokes feelings of spring: playful birds, flowing brooks, thunder and lightning
- several very virtuosic solos
- two contrasting types of sound (as with all concertos): light and happy spring versus thunder and lightning
- frequently repeated (and catchy) ritornello is pervasive throughout
- several key changes, including minor key usage in "thunder and lightning" section
Purpose
- entertainment
- used for instruction in violin
Reflections
I like this piece a lot. It evokes pictures so perfectly and precisely that if someone asked me what this piece was about, without telling me the name, I would probably say spring. Perhaps this is only because I have heard it in that context before. Particularly well done, in my opinion, is the bird section. The "catchiness" of the tune is also something missing from many previous pieces, except for perhaps the Hallelujah choras from Handel's Messiah.
Author
G. F. Handel (1685-1759: German)
- embodies the worldliness of the late Baroque era
- son of a prosperous barber-surgeon
- appointed conductor to the elector of Hanover at age 25
- appointed a musical director of the Royal Academy of Music (England) at age 35.
- wrote more than 40 operas
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Oratorio
- aria is full of virtuoso
- aria is da capo form, A B A
- elaborate instrumentation
- Hallelujah chorus is strong and triumphant
- text language is English
- multiple changes in texture during Hallelujah chorus
- Hallelujah chorus comes to a strong polyphonic climax
- whole piece is quite majestic and regal
Purpose
- sacred
- oratorios were generally for telling stories (this is one of the few that does not really)
Reflections
Another piece that I would like to hear in its entirity, particularly since it is in English. Handel's style is clearly more elaborate than Bach's style, and it's decently clear that the two had different motives for writting music. I like the virtuosity of the aria, but perhaps it belongs more in a secular context.
Author
J. S. Bach (German, 1685-1750)
- came from a family that was musicians for several generations back
- orphaned at age 10
- served as a chamber musician for the duke of Weimar, then for the prince of Anhalt-Cöthen
- later served as cantor at St. Thomas's Church in Leipzig
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Cantata
- 1st movement is elaborate counterpoint
- 8th movement is homophonic and unified, easy for congregation to join in on
- text is in German
- each line in the first movement is treated fugally
- majestic
- instruments are non-obtrusive, but do play a different melody in the first movement.
Purpose
- sacred
- cantatas were meant to be sermons in song
Reflections
Another great piece; though, sadly, I still find myself wishing it were in English. It also doesn't quite feel right to listen to just the first and last movements. If I have more time, I would like to listen to the whole thing from start to finish.
Author
Henry Purcell (1659-1695: English)- Served as singer, organist and composer in three different royal courts
- has often been called England's finest native composer
- very influential both in England and throughout Europe
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Opera
- Climax on "Remember me" in B section of Aria
- Very sorrowful
- Text language is English (!)
- Ground bass line characterizes emotion of piece
- Extensive use of strings in a decently diminutive accompaniment; focus is on performer.
Purpose
Reflections
This piece is beautiful! This is what opera has been missing for me whenever I have heard it before--a comprehension. I would be much more inclined to enjoy an English opera (or any classical piece in English for that matter), because the text painting makes sense. While I have the translations in front of me for songs in other languages, it's never the same. When a song climaxes on a particular word, I never know which English word that is. Also, something about an actual English word, with all of its connotations that I can understand, being sung with such grace.
Author
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525-1594, Italian)
- worked as an organist and choirmaster at various churches, including St. Peter's in Rome
- was appointed to the Sistine Chapel Choir even though he was married
- wrote over a hundred Masses
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Mass
- 6 voices (SATTBB)
- clear text setting
- mostly polyphony
- frequent splitting and recombining of the 6 voices into groups
- text is Latin
- very "clean"; never strays too far from polyphony
- some words are held in decently long melismas, but not too many
Purpose
- sacred
- Gloria, for the Mass Ordinary
Reflections
I also like this style. Palestria's simplicity when necessary and complexity when interesting makes for a great overall musical feel. Unfortunately, this piece is still a little bit difficult for the congregation to sing; it would have to be a choir. For this reason, I'm not sure it was "good" for the church, even if it is beautiful.
Author
Josquin des Prez (c. 1450-1521: French)
- served in several courts in Italy
- later in life, returned to France to serve as provost at the collegiate church of Condé
- at least 374 works are attributed to him
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is motet
- 4 voices (SATB) in varied settings, including imitative polyphony, dialogue, and homorhythm
- text language is Latin
- frequent texture changes from homorhythm to imitative polyphony
- voice groupings also change, from 4 independents to 2 pairs to all voices together
- chant used as melodic basis
- lots of imitative counterpoint (sometimes all four parts follow in succession)
- ends with all voices unified in homophony
- still mostly in fifths, sounds hollow
Purpose
- sacred
- honors the Virgin Mary
- part of the Mass Proper
Reflections
This piece is beautiful. I love the open, hollow feeling the sound has to it; I can imagine this would sound great in a stone cathedral. The text is not perfectly understandable, but the important parts are. The general overall feel of the piece is really one of intense reverence.
Author
John Farmer (1570-1601, English)
- was active in the 1590s in Dublin, Ireland
- organist and master of the choirboys at Christ Church
- one of the less well-known composers of the English Madrigal School
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is English madrigal
- 4 voices (SATB)
- changing textures, but mostly homophonic
- text is in English
- word painting
- lighthearted text
Purpose
- entertainment, inspired by Italian madrigals
Reflections
Part of me is excited about finally hearing a piece in English (having an untrained musical ear, I thus far in my life have mostly enjoyed music for its text). But this text isn't very deep, and I actually think I prefer the counterpoint in the previous work to the homophony (mostly) in this work.
Author
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643: Italian)
- father was a doctor, apothecary, and surgeon
- published eight books of madrigals
- ordained as a Catholic priest in 1632
- Wikipedia Article
About the Piece
(much of thedescription comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Italian madrigal
- Written in 5 voices (SSATB)
- alternation of voice groups, from low to high in playful exchange
- opens with the bottom 3 voices
- imitative counterpoint
- natural images (although they don't mean anything unless you have a translation)
- parallel thirds
- no clear melody, counterpoint throughout
- ends with slow notes
Purpose
Reflections
In general, I really like the concept of counterpoint in music. It does seem to muddle the text quite a bit, but that doesn't really matter when the piece is in a language that I can't understand anyway. Anything in much more than 5 voices, though, would probably start to confuse me.
Author
Guillaume de Machaut (French, 1300-1377):
- took holy orders at an early age
- later became secretary to John of Luxembourg, king of Bohemia.
- active in the court of Charles, duke of Normandy
- spent his later life as a canon at the Cathedral of Rheims
- Wikipedia Article
Time and Place
- Ars nova era, mid 14th century
- Written in France
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is polyphonic chanson in 3 voices
- form: A-B-a-A-a-b-A-B
- Alternates between two different (melodic) phrases
- relatively low (male voice) range, but a decently wide range none the less
- very fluid and smooth
- slow
- emphasis on the word sui
- language is (Middle) French
- title means "Since I am forgotten"
Purpose
- Secular
- Very sad song
- author morns unrequited love
Reflections
I really like this song. The mornful tune fits so well with the text; it reminds me of something the modern-day band Evanescence would have sung in the Ars Nova era. For some reason, sad songs sound more like art to me than happy ones, perhaps because I feel like the artist is being honest with me.
Author
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (Southern French, c. 1155-1207):
- Was a troubador
- the son of a "poor knight" from Provence
- primarily performed in Italian courts
- died in 1207, in battle during the Fourth Crusade
- Wikipedia article
Time and Place
- Late twelfth Century
- Southern France
- Sung primarily in royal courts
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is Estampie, a type of dance song performed by a troubadour
- Instruments include a rebec, a pipe, a guitarra moresca, and nakers; however instrumental parts are improvised.
- form is strophic which means the same melody is repeated with every stanza of the poem
- the melody takes the form AABBCC
- language is (Old) French
- title means "The first of May"
- the text was written as a poem
- compared to sacred music of this era, the singer moves through the text very quickly, as if he is telling a story.
- triple meter
- sounds like a song to dance to
Purpose
- Love song to Beatrice, marquise of Montferrat
- Primarily for entertainment
Reflections
This is a fun piece, but I feel like I'm missing something. It feels that the piece is written to tell a story, but I can't understand the story because the music is in another language. Consequently, even though I have the translated words sitting right in front of me, I feel "left out". I don't know which word corresponds to which English word, so I don't know what the melody is emphasizing. Otherwise, though, the song seems much more advanced than I would have expected of a Medieval work. I would not have thought a piece like that was that old.
Author
Anonymous
Time and Place
- Notre Dame School, in Paris (Wikipedia), which was instrumental in the early development of polyphony and rhythmic modes
- circa 1200, during the period known as Ars antiqua.
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is organum in 3 voices
- Text praises Mary for destroying heresies
- Two top voices move over a sustained lower voice (tenor) in several rhythmic patterns.
- Still decently conjunct.
- Most of the piece is highly melismatic, only giving way to neumatic monophony at the end of the piece.
- The polyphony is sung in fifths, giving it a hollow sound
- Text is in Latin
Purpose
- Sacred
- Written for one of the Offices
- Sung at feasts to honor Mary
Reflections
I didn't really like this piece as much as the previous one. It makes good "background noise", but I think listening to it directly bores and frustrates me. I just wish the singer would hurry up and finish the word and move on to the next. I know this is exactly the opposite of what I said about the first chant; I think it depends on what mood I am in.
Author
Hildegard of Bingen (German, 1098-1179):
- Tithed to to church by her parents at a young age (she was the tenth child).
- Had lots of wisdom about many different topics: recipes, theology, music, etc.
- Had 'visions' on a number of different topics
- Wikipedia Article
Time and Place
- Written sometime in the twelfth century, in modern-day Germany
About the Piece
(much of the description comes from elements that were brought out by Forney and Machlis, The Enjoyment of Music, and the accompanying DVD)
- Genre is chant, or specifically "plainchant"
- The text praises the Virgin Mary
- Alternating soloist chorus, "responsorial"
- Melismas on "Alleluia" to open and close the piece
- Much of the rest of the piece is neumatic
- conjunct movement
- Monophonic
- Text language is Latin
- Three different melodic climaxes: sancta viscera tua ("holy flesh"), pulchro flore ("beautiful flower"), and pudoris tui ("your chastity")
- Narrow range
Purpose
- Sacred
- The piece was written for the Mass Proper
- Sung at feasts to honor Mary
Reflections
To me, this piece is exactly what I would expect from a piece of chant. It makes me feel like I am moving through life to quickly; I think that is what much of the modern church admires in chant (at least those who listen to it). The fact that the monks take 45 seconds to say the word "Alleluia" leaves me wondering if my praise to God is too time-effecient.