The Blog

test1

April 26, 2014 0 Comments

THE CLASSICAL ERA (CA 1750- CA 1825)

MIDDLE PERIOD “EXTERNALIZATION” (1803-1815)
• More “romantic” elements
• Increased use of chromatic harmony and abrupt modulations
• Expanded the development and Coda sections in his sonata- form movements
• Replaced the minuet and trio with scherzo and trio
• Experimented with cyclical form
• Linked movements together
• Expanded the orchestra to include piccolo, trombone and contrabassoon
• Fidelio (opera), violin concerto, symphonies nos 3 and 8

LATE PERIOD “REFLECTION”(1815-1827)
• Style became more abstract and meditative
• Employed counterpoint more frequently, including fugal writing
• Experimented further with form and content (SATB soloists and chorus to the final movement of symphony no 9)
• Frequent use of variation technique
• Representative works: piano sonatas, opp.109, 110,111. Missa solemnis, symphony no 9 “Choral”
GENRES AND TITLES:
• Solo piano works: 32 piano sonatas, “Pathetique”, “Moonlight”, “Waldstein”, “Appassionata”, “Tempest”, “Hammerklavier”, many smaller scaled works “Fur Elise”
• Symphonies: 9, no3”Eroice”, no 6 “ Pastoral”, no 9 “Choral”
• Overtures: Egmont and Leonora
• Concertos: 5 piano “Emperor no 5”, 1 violin concerto, 1 triple concerto for piano violin and cello
• Chamber : large variety, 18 string quartets, 10 sonatas for violin and piano, piano trios “Ghost” and “Archduke”
• Opera :1 Fidelio
• Other vocal works: mass –Missa solemnis; oratorio- The Mount of Olives, song cycle- An die ferne Geliebte (To the Distance Beloved)

CHAMBER MUSIC:
BACKGROUND
• Ensemble music had been popular from the Renaissance (consorts and ensembles) and through the Baroque period
• In the Classical era with the increase in amateur music- making, chamber music increased in importance
CHARACTERISTIC
• Music for small ensemble
• One player per part
• Most popular ensembles in the Classical era were the duo sonata, string quartet, piano trio

FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
MUSICAL STYLE:
• Combined classical and romantic traits
• Classical trait:
1. Approach to formal structures, for eg. Sonata from with a repeated exposition
2. Choice of forms and genres, for eg. Symphony, sonata, piano trio, string quartet
3. Symmetrical phrase structures
4. Size and makeup of orchestra

Romantic traits:
1. Use of chromatic harmony
2. Juxtaposition of major and minor tonality
3. Unexpected modulations
4. Cultivation(promotion) of Lied, lyrical piano pieces (impromptus, moments musicaux)
5. Choice of poems
6. Interest in supernatural, nature, folk elements
7. Melodic lyricism
• Influence by Mozart (lyrical melodic style) and Beethoven (symphonic writing)
• Influenced by German Romantic poets, especially Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• Close connection between text and music n art songs: uses harmony to highlight key words (word painting)
• Increased role of piano in art songs : piano accompaniment often depicts specific elements of the poem
• Introduced new psychological intensity into individual songs and song cycles
• Vocal lyricism pervaded all of his works
• Sorrow and deeply personal emotions are reflected in may works(“Death and the Maiden ‘quartet, Winterreise, Fantasy in F Minor)
• Turned to his own Lieder as a source of inspiration for new composition (eg. `Death and the Maiden `quartet, Wanderer Fantasy, and the “Trout“ quintet)

GENRES AND TITLES:
• 600 Lieder, An die Musik, Standchen, Die Ferelle, Heidenroslein, Ave Maria
• Song cycle: Winterreise, Die Schone Mullerin
• Symphonies: 9 , no 8 “ Unfinished“, no 9 “The Great`
• Chamber music : 15 string quartets (‘‘Death and the Maiden‘‘) the ‘‘Trout ‘‘ quintet, piano trios, octet for winds, duo sonatas
• Piano works: sonatas impromptus, moment musicales, variations, dances, duets,
• Choral music :7 masses
• Operas: Fierrabras

THE CLASSICAL ERA (CA 1750- CA 1825)

GLUCK AND OPERATIC REFORM
• German-born composer Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) occupies an important place in the history of opera b/c of the reforms he introduced.
• Primary goals were to restore dramatic integrity to opera. He believe that the music should serve the poetry.
• Restoration of the many chorus (long absent from Italian opera) by making it an integral part of the dramatic action
• Minimizing the contrast between recitative and aria by frequently composing in an arioso style.
• Making the overture an organic part of the score by using themes that would be heard later in the opera
• The rejection of empty displays of virtuosity in favour of as he put it “a beautiful simplicity”
• Operas Orfeo ed Euridice, Alceste, Iphigenie en Aulide, Iphigenie en Tauride.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)
  MUSICAL STYLE:
• Exemplified Viennes Classical idéals : élégance, balance, poise, refinement, and sophistication
• Virtually all classical genres were explored, advanced and developed
• Skilful use of counterpoint within homophonic texture
• Frequently utilized symmetrical phrase structures(4 measure phrases)
• Contributed to the development of sonata form
• Used double exposition sonata form in the 1st movement elements
• Influenced by the Mannheim orchestra, his orchestral writing expanded the use of wind instruments.
• Crystallized the 18th piano style both in his solo works and concertos
• Operas was central to his career; made important contributions to 3 types:
1. Opera seria ( serious Italian opera, sung throughout), Idomeneo
2. Opera buffa (Italian comic opera, sung throughout) The Marriage of Figaro
3. Singspiel (German comic opera with spoken dialogue)The magic Flute
• Created compelling, realistic character, dramatically and musically
• Used the conventional recitative secco to quickly advance the plot
• Used sectional forms in his arias to allow shifting moods and points of view in his characters
• Absorbed vocal qualities and melodic lyricism into his instrumental writing
• Works catalogued by Ludwig von Kochel in 1862 (“K” numbers in titles of works refer to this catalog)

GENRES AND TITLES:
• Symphonies: over 40, no 35 “Heffner”, no 36 “Linz”, no 38 “ Prague”, no 40 “Romantic”, no 41 “Jupiter”
• Concertos: piano 27, violin 5, flute and harp, oboe, clarinet, horn
• Chamber music: string quartets 23 “The Hunt”, and “Dissonance”, duo sonatas, trios, quintets, serenades, divertimenti
• Solo piano music: sonatas, fantasias, variations
• Operas:more 20, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte and other above
• Vocal works: Lieder, concert arias, motets, and masses Coronation Mass and Requiem Mass.

THE CLASSICAL PIANO CONCERTO
BACKGROUND
• The concerto developed in the Baroque period as 3 movement work for orchestra with soloist(s)
• The ritornello form typical of the baroque era was replaced in the Classical period with sonata form
• The sonata was adapted by Mozart into “double exposition” or “1st movement concerto” form
• The piano concerto emerged in the classical era eclipsing the violin concerto in popularity
CARACTERISTICS
• 3 movements (fast slow fast)
• 1st demonstrated sonata form with double exposition
• Cadenza launched form the cadential 6 chord usually prepared by soloist
4

THE CLASSICAL PIANO SONATA
BACKGROUND:
• Term sonata comes from Italian sonare – “to sound”
• Originally the term designated instrumental works as opposed to vocal works
• In Baroque period the term sonata was used in reference to solo and chamber works
• The Baroque keyboard sonata was typically a single movement work in binary or rounded binary form
• In Classical the sonata cycle was applied to the solo sonata , the multi movement keyboard sonata emerged

CHARACTERISTICS:
• Usually in 3 or 4 movements
• 1st typically in sonata form
• 2nd slow, could draw on several different forms (sonata, rondo, theme, an variations)
• Final – in sonata, rondo, sonata- rondo form
• Outer movements usually emphasize technical brilliance while the slow movement demonstrates lyricism

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
MUSICAL STYLE:
• Superb designer/architect: planned and meticulously revised his compositions in sketchbooks
• Employed explosive accents, extreme dynamics contrasts
• Bold innovator, a highly original and influential figure
• Incorporated new orchestral instruments: piccolo, trombone, contrabassoon
• Exploited technological improvements to piano
• Developed and expanded classical forms- sonata, concerto, sonata: transformed every genre that he touched
• Innovations:
1. Replacing minuet and trio with scherzo (symphony no 5)
2. Use of cyclical structure (symphony no 5)
3. Programmatic elements (symphony no 6)
4. Inclusion of a chorus in a symphony (symphony no 9)
EARLY PERIOD “IMITATION”(UP TO 1802)
• Absorbed the classical style traits exhibited by Haydn and Mozart (use of sonata form)
• Strum und Drang influence evident in his preference for minor keys, particularly C minor and use of tremolo and abrupt contrasts
• Representative works: 6 string quartets op. 18; symphony nos 1 and 2 ; 1st 10 piano sonatas up to op.14

CLASSICAL ERA

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN (1732- 1809)
MUSICAL STYLE

  • Although traditional in many respects, he was fond of experimentation, particularly concerning formal structure
  • Embraced the grace and elegance of pre-classical style but also the dramatic contrasts of strum und drang
  •  a humorous or whimsical nature is revealed in many of his works, for examples Symphony no 45 “Farewell”, and Symphony no 94 “Surprise”
  •  often used a monothematic exposition in his sonata-form movement
  •  considered the “father of the string quartet”, he developed this new chamber music genre to its higher level
  •  influenced by folk music as evidenced in his use of rustic melodies, pizzicato strings(suggesting a guitar) and pedal points (suggested bagpipes)
  •  contributed to the development of sonata form; often included dramatic slow introductions
  • used vivid word painting in masses and oratorios
  • dramatic elements included sudden accents and bold changes of chords or keys( for example loud C major chord in The creation to depict the word “light”)

TITLES AND GENRES

  • symphonies: over 100, No 94 “Surprise”, No 95 “Farewell”, No 101 “Clock”, No 104 “London”
  • concertos: for piano, violin, cello, horn and trumpets string quartets: 68, op.76 No2 “Quinten”, op.76 No 3 “ Kaiser”
  • piano sonatas: over 40
  • oratorios: The Creation, The Season, The Seven Last Words of Christ
    sacred vocal works: masses, Lord Nelson Mass, Mass in the Time of War
  • operas: 14, Armida
  • novelties: marionette theater works, compositions for the now-obsolete string instruments baryton

OPERA

  • Opera in 18th was the most popular form of entertainment
  • Opera seria developed to the point that the end of the century Handel’s opera seria was undermined by the unparalleled success of the John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, ballad was sung entirely in English.
  • Comic opera opera buffa: La serva padroma, “The Servant is Master”- Giovanni Pergolesi, Il matrimonio segreto “The Secret Marriage”- Domenico Cimarosa, and also master Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

THE CLASSICAL ERA ( CA 1750 – CA 1825)

THE CLASSICAL ERA (CA 1750- CA 1825)

  •   Historians often refer to the late 18ht century as the Age of Enlightenment.
  •   Era characterized by the pursuit of knowledge, rational thinking, and growing desire for equality among all people
  •   Baroque era was replaced by Classical ideas of proportion, symmetry and balance.
  •   Musicians, artists and architects in this era took their inspiration form the simplicity and clean lines of Greco-Roman architectural models.

VIENNESE SCHOOL

  • Vienna is the capital of Austria
  •   City stood at the crossroads between Europe and the East and attracted the leading artists, architects and writers and musicians of the day.
  • In 18th Vienna, Austria emerged as a musical center
  •   Principal composers include Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven leader in the forging of the Classical style.

STRUM UND DRANG

  • High level of emotionalism and dealing with the individual’s revolt against society
  • 2 writers use are Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
  • German for “storm and stress”
  • Literary movement roughly spanning the years 1760-1785
  • Artistic aim was to frighten, shock or otherwise overwhelm the reader with emotion
  • Musically, it translated into passionate outburst and emphasis on minor keys
  • Evident in the music of the sons of Bach, Haydn, and Mozart

SYMPHONY
BACKGROUND

  • Developed from the 3 section Italian overture (fast slow fast)
  •  Mannheim composers inserted the minuet and trio, thereby establishing the 4 movements sonata cycle
  •  Incorporated the newly emerging sonata form
  •  Composed with the 4 orchestral families in mind

CHARACTERISTICS

  •  Multi-movement orchestral work
  • Orchestra consisted of the 4 families: strings, winds, brass, and percussion
  • Generally had 4 contrasting movements as shown below

1st movement
Establishes tonic key
Lively
Sonata form
May commence with slow introduction

2nd movement
Often in subdominant key
Slow
Possible forms include ternary, theme and variations, rondo
Lyrical, expressive, character

 

3rd movement
In tonic key
Fast or medium-fast
Ternary form(ABA) minuet and trio
Beethoven replaced the elegant Minuet and Trio with the more dynamic Scherzo and Trio

 

4th movement
In tonic key
Fast/lively
Possible forms include sonata, rondo, sonata-rondo, and theme and variations
lively finale

MANNHEIM SCHOOL

  • Group of composers active at the court of Mannheim, Germany in the latter half of the 18th
  • Leading figures included Karl Stamitz and Christian Cannabich
  • Developed the orchestral crescendo and rocket theme exerted a strong influence on the composers of the Viennese School

KEYBOARD MUSIC

KEYBOARD MUSIC

DOMENICO SCARLATTI (1685-1757)
• Was born in the same year just like J.S.Bach and G.F. Handel, he composed Italian operas, his fame for today rests on brilliant keyboard sonatas
• Technical challenges: hand crossings, arpeggiated figures, ornaments, repeated notes, and rapid passagework, sonatas in binary or rounded binary form.
  MUSICAL STYLE:
• Brilliant harpsichordist
• Contributed to the development of idiomatic writing for harpsichord: rapid passagework, hand crossing, arpeggiated figures
• Frequent use of sequential passages
• Harmonic vocabulary also use of dissonance, acciaccaturas, suspensions, pedal point
• Absorbed international influence: Italian, Spanish, French
• Binary and round binary structures foreshadow sonata form
GENRES AND TITLES:
• Keyboard sonatas: over 500, Exercises for Harpsichord.
• Sacred work: Stabat mater, Salve regina
• Operas: Tolomeo et Alessandro.

PRE-CLASSICAL STYLE:lighter homophonic texture marked with elegant ornamentation and development of sonata form

CARL PHILIPP EMANUEL BACH (1714-1788)
• C.P.E Back was better known then his father, he worked at the court of Frederic the Great King of Prussia at Potsdam.
• Outstanding keyboard player, particularly on the harpsichord and clavichord
• Produced an enormous body of music :keyboard sonatas, concertos, symphonies, cantatas, oratorios
• Contributed to the development of sonata form
• Author of important treatise: Essay on the True of Playing Keyboard Instruments (published 1753) that served as a practical guide to all aspects of keyboard performances including the correct execution of ornaments.

WILHELM FRIEDEMANN BACH (1710-1784)
• A brilliant organist, he held distinguished posts in Dresden and Halle
• Renowned (well known) for his improvisational skills
• Composed numerous solo keyboard works, concertos, organ fugues, chamber music symphonies and cantatas

JOHANN CHRISTOPH BACH (1732-1795)
• Held a lifelong post at the court of Buckeburg
• Composed solo keyboard music, keyboard concertos, symphonies, cantatas, oratorios and operas

JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH (1735 1782)
• Converted to Catholicism and served as organist at Milan Cathedral
• Spent his last 20 years in London where he serve as music master to Queen Charlotte; historians frequently refer as “the London Bach”, or “the English Bach”
• Composed large body of music , such as keyboard works, chamber music, symphonies, and operas
• Shaped the classical concertos
• Befriended the young Mozart and exerted a strong musical influence over him

April 17, 2014 0 Comments

THE BAROQUE ERA (CA 1600- 1750)

CONCERTO GROSSO

BACKGROUND
• “concerto” comes from the Latin concertare means to collaborate or to debate; in Italian concertare means to agree or get together
• The original use of the word concerto in music was in reference to mixed vocal and instrumental ensembles (to differentiate from a capella singing)
• Developed in 17th in Italy
• Originally a work for instruments and/ or voices based on the principal of contrast

CHARACTERISTICS
• Multi-movement work for soloist /soloists and orchestra
• Generally in 3 movements fast slow fast
• Outer movements usually used ritornellos form
• There were 2 types of concertos in the Baroques period – solo concerto (with a single soloist) and concerto grosso (group of soloists)

ORCHESTRAL SUITE

BACKGROUND:
• In the Renaissance era dances were often paired to emphasize contrast as in the Pavane and Galliard combination
• In the Baroque era the grouping of contrasting dances pieces was taken a step further with the establishment of the formal dance suite
• The practice of grouping dances together began in the 17th in France where the term Ordre was used in reference to collections of dances in the same key
• In Germany a standard order for the dances was established by Johann Jacob Froberger in the 17th.

CHARACTERISTIC:
• Dances are generally in binary form
• Contrasting dances in the same key are grouped together in suites.

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759)

MUSICAL STYLE:
• A cosmopolitan figure, he absorbed the international styles of his time: German, French and Italian
• Use of very basic elements (chordal passages, scale figures) makes his style accessible and appealing
• Frequent alternation of homorhythmic passages (homophonic) with contrapuntal textures (polyphonic)
• Conveys a sense of pageantry and dramatic theatrical style through grandiose gestures such as full SATB choral sound, bold contrasts of dynamics.
• An important contributor to the development of Italian opera seria composed over 40 works in this genre
• His da capo arias were a showcase for vocal virtuosity
• Created the English oratorio emphasizing the role of the chorus
• Used both recitative secco and recitative accompagnato in operas and oratorios
• Used vivid word painting
• Virtuosic, idiomatic keyboard style, inverted the organ concerto
• Contributed to the development of orchestral and keyboard suites

GENRES AND TITLES:
• Operas: Rinaldo, Giulio Cesare, Serse, Orlando
• Oratorios : messiah, Judas Maccabeus, Israel in Egypt
• Sacred vocal work: Ode for Saint Cecilia’s Day, Te Deum
• Keyboard works for organ and harpsichord
• Orchestral works: suites-Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks; concerti grossi, organ concertos.

April 16, 2014 0 Comments

UNIT THREE: THE BAROQUE ERA (CA 1600- 1750)

OPERA IN ENGLAND

HENRY PURCELL (1659- 1695)
• The most important English Baroque composer
• Prolific composer, despite short life
• Combines elements of national styles by embracing: lyric arias( Italian style), ornamentation and the French overture (French style0 and Renaissance madrigal and choral tradition (English style)
• Effective use of word painting
• Virtuosic keyboard style
GENRES AND TITLES:
• Sacred vocal works , anthems, hymns , Te Deum, Jubilate
• Opera: Dido and Aeneas
• Dramatic music: King Arthur, The Fairy Queen
• Solo songs
• Keyboard music , suites
• Orchestral works

ITALIAN OPERA IN ENGLAND
• After 1st public opera houses in Italy in early 17th, opera seria spread throughout Europe
• Frederic Handel (1685-1759) represents an important stage in Baroque opera. He learned to perfect the craft of this works in Hamburg, Italy and Hanover. Arrival to London his 1st opera was Rinaldo 1711, later 30 years dominated the London opera scene, he has 40 operas. He incorporated aspects of French, German and English style into his dramatic works

CANTATA
BACKGROUND
• From Italian cantare “to sing”
• Originally the term designated vocal works as opposed to instrumental works
• Began as a form of chamber music for solo voice with continuo
• Adopted into Lutheran church service in 18th
• J.S. Back composed over 300, of which approximately 200 have survived

CHARACTERISTICS
• A multi-movement vocal work
• Sacred or secular
• For vocal soloists and chorus with instrumental accompaniment
• Consists of recitatives, arias , ensembles and choruses
• Sacred cantatas performed as part of Lutheran church service in 18th century Germany

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685- 1750)
MUSICAL STYLE:
• His music represents the ultimate in baroque craftsmanship and the culmination of 1oo years of polyphonic writing
• Did not invent new forms but perfected existing forms of this day like fugues, concertos and cantatas
• amazing control of polyphonic texture
• Wrote fugues throughout his career demonstrating a wide variety of techniques and approaches (The Well Tempered Clavier, Art of the Fugue)
• Also used contrapuntal texture within other genres (choral fugue in Cantata no 80 , fugal passages in Brandenburg Concertos)
• Organized large-scale works systematically (The Well Tempered Clavier is ordered chromatically by key: C major, C minor, C sharp major, C sharp minor , D major, D minor)
• Composed many “sets” of works ( 15 two-part Inventions, 15 Three- Part Inventions , 6 English Suites, 6 French suites , 6 partitas)
• Composed many sacred works for the Lutheran Church (chorales, cantatas) ; composed a mass in B minor , even though he was not catholic
• Italian influences – lyricism or operatic arias,, dynamic instrumental style
• French influences- dance rhythms, French overtures , ornamentation
• English influences- choral style , English dances
• A virtuoso organist who wrote many very difficult works for keyboard (toccatas, fugues, concertos, Goldenberg variations)
• Composed keyboard music for all levels from elementary level pieces for students (Notebook for Anna Magdalena, his 2nd wife) to concert pieces.

GENRES AND TITLES:
• Sacred and secular cantatas Coffee Cantata and Peasant Cantata; oratorios Christmas Oratorio, St.Mathew Passion and St. John Passion; motets Magnificat, Mass in B minor.
• Orchestral suites, concerti grossi- eg. Brandebourg Concerti ; solo concertos
• Chamber music , sonatas and partitas for violin, cello suites, flute sonatas solo viola da gamba sonatas – The Musical Offering
• Keyboard music, preludes and fugues, suites, partitas, variations, inventions, sinfonias- Italian Concerto, Goldberg Variations.
• Organ music, choral preludes, toccatas, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, fantasias, preludes, fugues, and passacaglias.

April 15, 2014 0 Comments

THE BAROQUE ERA (CA 1600- 1750)

FLORENTINE CAMERATA
• A group of intellectuals, poets and musicians
• Met in Florence, Italy in last decades of 16ht
• Members: Giulio Caccini – singer and composer; Jacopo Peri- singer and composer; Vincenzo Galilei- composer, theorist and father of Galileo Galilei; and Count Giovanni de’Bardi- in whose Florentine home they met.
• Discussed poetry, music and the sciences
• Their desire to re-create ancient Greek drama led to the invention of opera
• Developed monody, a musical texture that consisted of a vocal melody unfolding over a bass line supported by a simple chordal accompaniment
• Oldest surviving opera L’Euridice was performed in 1600.

LE NUOVE MUSICHE (1602)
• Monadic style
• Italian for “The New Music”
• Title page dated 1601 but not actually published until 1602
• Publication by Florentine composer Giulio Caccini
• Contains musical examples and prose descriptions of monody, illustrating the newly emerging musical texture
• Amarillli mia bella solo songs that demonstrated the new “expressive style”

OPERA IN ITALY
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI (1567- 1643)
MUSICAL STYLE:
• Embraced elements of baroque style such as the use of figured bass, major/minor tonality , monody , and “doctrine of the affections”
• Used chromaticism as an expressive device
• Used word painting in madrigals and operas
• Increase emotional intensity though the use of stile concitato
• In this operas, he increased the role of instruments to create moods and characters
• Differentiated between recitative and aria style in operas
• Increased the role of ensembles; established the love duet.
• His music is emotional passion.


GENRES AND TITLES:
• Madrigals: over 250 in 9 books
• Operas: L’Orfeo, L’Arianna , Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, and L’incoronazione di Poppea
• Sacred music: masses, magnificants and Vespers

April 13, 2014 0 Comments

UNIT THREE: THE BAROQUE ERA (CA 1600- 1750)

UNIT THREE: THE BAROQUE ERA (CA 1600- 1750)
• Derived from the Portuguese barroco – which means “oddly shaped pearl”
• Era of absolute monarchy and religious conflict
• Characteristics were reflected in the arts and culture of the period. Dramatic subject matter, vivid colors, violent images and intricate ornamentation in particular marked the visual arts
• Developments in mathematics, science and medicine.
• Many new forms, genres, and textures, new instruments have developed
• Development of figured bass and the importance of basso continuo
• The creation of the 1st opera popularized a new texture: monody, emphasizing the polarity of the outer voices with a single vocal line replaced with the rich vocal polyphony of the Renaissance. Addition, the relationship between text and music in operas and cantatas and oratorio. The quest was to show human emotions through music was realized in both vocal and instrumental genres.

OPERA:
BACKGROUND:
• Invented in Florence , Italy around 1600
• 1st opera composed by members of the Florentine Camarata
• Inspired by a renewed interest in classical antiquity (Greek drama)
• Precursors include Medieval liturgical drama (Hildegard von Bingen), madrigal cycles (Claudio Monteverdi) and Italian intermedio ( musical interlude between acts of a play)
• Most important new development in 17th music

CHARACTERISTICS:
• Drama presented through music
• All or most of the text is sung
• Components include recitative, aria, ensembles, choruses
• Brings together music with art, literature, theater and dance
• Remains popular to this day

April 10, 2014 0 Comments