Composers: Musical Style Flashcards

1
Q

Name 3 neo-classical style elements used by Ravel.

A
  • lean textures- contrapuntal writing- traditional forms
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Name 5 specific musical styles that Liszt favoured (rhythm, harmony etc.)

A
  • enjoyed thematic transformation- harmonic language often chromatic and progressive- favoured mediant relationships instead of the circle of fifths- used augmented triads and other altered chords- late works such as Nuages Gris foreshadow impressionism
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Who’s first two piano concertos were premiered and published while still a student?

A

Prokofiev

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How did Ravel’s friendship with gifted soloists affect his music? Give an example.

A
  • resulted in highly virtuosic works - ex. “Gaspard de la nuit” (one of the most difficult pieces in the piano repertoire) was premiered by Ricardo Vines
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Name the 4 periods and dates of Wagner’s music.

A
  • Early years (1833-1842)- Dresden (1843-1849)- Years of Exile (1849-1863)- Munich, Bayreuth, and Final Years (1864-1883)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Who had great demand as a conductor and championed both historical and contemporary works?

A

Mendelssohn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Expressionist elements are evident in which Bartok opera?

A

Bluebeard’s Castle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

The 4 principle characteristics (identified by Prokofiev himself) are:

A
  • classical elements- lyrical elements- motoric elements- search for innovation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

When did Bartok start composing, and what type of music was his earlier works?

A
  • 1890s- dance pieces such as waltzes, Landler, and polka - some early piano works were programmatic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Who employed contrapuntal textures and neo-classical forms fugue, sonata, rondo, and cyclic structure? What is an example of a work that shows this?

A
  • Bartok- Sonatina
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Who co founded the “New Journal of Music” and with who?

A
  • Schumann- Friedrich Wieck
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Describe Messiaen’s inspiration from non-Western musical sources. Give examples.

A
  • structural, harmonic, and particularly rhythmic elements were drawn principally from non-Western sources- influenced by his studies of ancient Greek poetry and Hindu music- drew from South American/Peruvian folk music (ex. “Harawi”)- used traditional songs and birdsongs of Japan (ex. “Sept haikai”)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Who developed the twelve tone method and what is it?

A
  • Schoenberg- a method of composition used to organize atonal music - based on a fixed order of the twelve chromatic pitches forming a tone row - a.k.a dodecaphonic music
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Who’s enthusiasm for composition grew after hearing a performance of Richard Strauss’ symphonic poem: “Also sprach Zarathustra”?

A

Bartok

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How did Prokofiev show Russian nationalism? Give an example.

A
  • through quotations of hymns and folk songs- “Alexander Nevsky”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Ravel’s rich orchestral writing was influenced by who?

A
  • Debussy- Russian composers such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Igor Stravinsky
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Who developed Klangfarbenmelodie?

A

Schoenberg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Brahms toured with a famous Hungarian violinist, who introduced him to another violinist. Who are these people?

A
  • Eduard Remenyi- Joseph Joachim
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Who used abrupt modulations, unexpected harmonic progressions, and brilliant virtuosity in his piano sonatas and concertos?

A

Prokofiev

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Who’s stirring arias and choruses convey nationalism?

A

Verdi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the 3 new romantic idioms for Mendelssohn?

A
  • concert overture- incidental music- short lyric piano pieces
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Describe Messiaen’s inspiration from nature, especially birdsong. Give an example.

A
  • birdsongs were researched and transcribed - ex. “Abime des oiseaux” (Abyss of Birds) from “Quatuor pour la fin du temps”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Name 4 of Brahms’ characteristic rhythmic elements

A
  • cross rhythms- syncopations- hemiola - augmentation (particularly at cadence points)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Who feared the number 13?

A

Schoenberg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Who was inspired by British Isles, Austria, Italy, and landscapes and regional songs and dances?

A

Mendelssohn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

In which works did Ravel use the poetry of French symbolists?

A

in his art songs (melody) and song cycles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Humour, and gentle (even naive) charm is evident in some of who’s works? Give an example.

A
  • Ravel- “L’infant et les sortilèges”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

How did Handel’s music affect Mendelssohn’s style?

A

gleaned a variety of choral techniques from Handel’s oratorios

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Who used classical style elements in the Romantic era and pulled from different composers?

A

Mendelssohn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Describe Schoenberg’s music in his American period (1933-1951).

A
  • greater stylistic diversity, with occasional returns to tonal composition- employed a more liberal approach to twelve-tone composition- more connected to his Jewish faith; many works have religious themes- “A survivor from Warsaw”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

German nationalism was evident in who’s folk song, settings, and dances?

A

Brahms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

How did Schumann embody the spirit of Romanticism?

A
  • intensely subjective viewpoint- heightened emotionalism- underlying sense of pitifulness
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

What innovations did Liszt make as a teacher?

A
  • developed the master class format - welcomed any capable student- occasionally offered instruction free of charge
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Name 3 contemporaries that Schoenberg was influenced by.

A
  • Wagner- Mahler- Strauss
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Who was a pianist, composer, educator, and ethnomusicologist?

A

Bartok

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Who was inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s music and Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography at a performance of “Les Ballets Russes” in Budapest?

A

Bartok

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

How did Bach’s music affect Mendelssohn’s style?

A

close study of Bach’s music led to a love of counterpoint and part-writing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Describe Schoenberg’s music in his expressionist period (1908-1917).

A
  • marked by rejection of tonality- disjunct melodies often span a wide range- polyphonic procedures masked by dissonance- “Pierrot lunaire”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Name 4 musical characteristics of Bartok.

A
  • rhythmic complexities- folk elements- traditional forms- dissonant harmony
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Give an example of one of Prokofiev’s works where he used polytonality.

A

“Sarcasms, No. 2”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What were Messiaen’s 3 significant sources of inspiration?

A
  • spirituality- non-Western musical sources- nature, especially birdsong
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Who had moderate use of chromaticism?

A

Schumann

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Who was Wagner especially influenced by? What works in particular?

A
  • Beethoven- Symphony No. 9 and Fidelio (opera)- influence was apparent in Wagner’s earliest compositions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

How did Mozart and the Viennese classical style affect Mendelssohn’s style?

A

inherited a preference for balanced and symmetrical phrases, and clarity of texture

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Verdi had 3 periods of musical output. Briefly describe each.

A

First period: represents gradual evolution within Italian opera tradition (Oberto, Rigoletto, Il trovatore, La Traviata)Second period: demonstrates influences from French grand opera… longer works, larger casts, grandiose orchestration (La forza del destino, Don Carlos, Aida, Messa da Requiem)Third period: composed Otello and Falstaff in the twilight of his career

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Schumann’s strongest inspirations were literary. Who did these include?

A
  • Jean Paul (Papillons)- E.T.A Hoffman (Kreisleriana)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Schumann admired the music of his contemporaries, including who?

A
  • Schubert- Chopin- Mendelssohn- Berlioz
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Describe Wagner’s output in his Years of Exile period (1849-1863).

A
  • In Zurich, his creative focus shifted to literary works- articulated his artistic philosophy in influential essays (“Art and Revolution”, “Artwork of the Future”, and Opera and Drama)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Elements of Hungarian folk and gypsy music were evident in who’s Hungarian rhapsodies and Hungarian fantasy?

A

Liszt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

What was significant about the year the Brahms started working on Ein deutsehes Requiem? Where did it premiere?

A
  • it was the year that his mother died- Leipzig
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Who’s writing is not always idiomatic, which makes it challenging?

A

Brahms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Define tone row.

A
  • fixed order of the twelve chromatic pitches - basis of a twelve tone composition- undergoes manipulations including: transposition, inversion, retrograde, and retrograde-inversion
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Who used ancient greek dramatic practice? Define this.

A
  • Wagner- construction of long protracted scenes with one character confronting another
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Who captured the spirit of Romanticism while maintaining respect for Classical tradition?

A

Mendelssohn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Who’s music was influenced by the Catholic church?

A

Liszt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Who took a scientific approach to collecting, studying, and assimilating folk music sources into art music?

A

Bartok

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Name 2 of Brahms’ musical influences.

A
  • Bach- Beethoven
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

American audiences were thrilled by Prokofiev’s performances, but critics descried his piano playing as “___, ___, and ___”.

A

“Savage, steely, and mechanic”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Who used ‘nonretrogradable’ rhythms (also called rhythmic palindromes - rhythmic patterns that read the same forward and backward)?

A

Messiaen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

What was Verdi’s first major success?

A
  • opera called “Oberto” in Milan - resulted in commission for three new operas
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Who employed a sophisticated chromatic harmony? Give an example.

A
  • Wagner- the Tristan chord
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Name 3 romantic features (other than programmatic elements) of Mendelssohn’s style

A
  • memorable melodies- unexpected modulations- virtuosic writing
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Mendelssohn was encouraged to emulate the proven models of who?

A

Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

Who presented a historic piano recital, the first of its kind, in London in 1840? What were concerts like prior to this?

A
  • Liszt- concerts before involved many performers and ensembles
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

Who was a impressionist, and musical style reflected exoticism, neo-classicism, and American jazz and blues?

A

Ravel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

Who had a natural affinity for Spanish music because of his mother’s Basque heritage? Give an example of a work that show Spanish influence.

A
  • Ravel- ex. “Rapsodie espagnole”, “Bolero”, “L’ here espagnole” (opera)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

The death of who’s mother was a crushing blow, and slowed his creative output?

A

Ravel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

Mendelssohn made structural innovations such as linking movements. Who was this inspired by?

A

Beethoven

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Who moved away from symmetrical phrases? What did he do instead?

A
  • Wagner- more continuous melodic flow referred to as “endless melody”
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Who wrote many pedagogical works, including six volumes of instructional piano solos? What was this work called?

A
  • Bartok- Mikrokosmos
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

Who was fond of palindromic (mirror) forms, and formal structure was influenced by mathematical principles such as the Fibonacci series?

A

Bartok

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

What incident marked the beginning of Bartok’s lifelong interest in researching and annotating folk music at the source?

A

he was captivated when he overheard a maid singing authentic Hungarian folk songs at a resort

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

Who often projected an impish, scherzo-like quality through the use of crisp rhythms, clipped staccatos, and colourful orchestration?

A

Prokofiev

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

What approach to rhythm did Messiaen develop? How is it shown in his works?

A
  • regarded rhythm as an accumulation of durations rather than a division of time into equal parts - many of his works are a-metrical with bar lines used only to indicate phrasing
75
Q

How did Messiaen’s early works (such as the eight piano preludes) reveal the influence of Debussy?

A
  • parallel chord streams - added sixth and ninth- aggregate chords
76
Q

What are the lyrical elements of Prokofiev’s style?

A

sweeping melodies and lush harmonies (ex. “Romeo and Juliet”)

77
Q

Who was Ravel commissioned by to write the music for “Daphnis et Chloe”? Describe the music.

A
  • Sergei Diaghilev and his Les Ballet Russes - originally scored for large orchestra, wordless chorus, and wind machine
78
Q

How did Messiaen feel about using Major/minor scales?

A
  • not necessarily unfavourable, but also used whole tone scale, octatonic scale, and created many new modal scales containing anywhere from 6-10 pitches
79
Q

Prokofiev earned international reputation as what?

A

a virtuoso pianist and composer

80
Q

Who were 4 writers that Liszt was acquainted with?

A
  • Heinrich Heine- Victor Hugo- Algred de Musset- Alphonse Lamartine
81
Q

What is a programmatic element that Schumann used?

A

descriptive titles identifying specific extramusical associations

82
Q

Describe Schoenberg’s music in his serialist period (1923-1933).

A
  • composed using the twelve tone method- returned to classical forms such as sonata, rondo, variation, and suite- “Variation for Orchestra, op. 31”
83
Q

Who’s career activities influenced compositional output? What is an example of this?

A
  • Liszt- during his years touring, he wrote and performed many piano transcriptions of symphonies, opera arias, and lieder
84
Q

Which one of Verdi’s operas was set in ancient Egypt and premiered successfully at new opera house in Cairo?

A

“Aida”

85
Q

Schumann drew inspiration from early masters such as who?

A
  • Bach (counterpoint)- Beethoven (structural innovations)
86
Q

Who inherited the legacy of the German symphonic tradition?

A

Brahms

87
Q

Describe Schoenberg’s music in his post romantic period (until 1908).

A
  • drawn to programmatic elements- chromatic harmony, lush orchestration- “Verklarte Nacht” (Transfigured Night)
88
Q

Who’s works did Schoenberg study and what effect did it have on his music?

A
  • Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms- impact on the development of his contrapuntal style and approach to formal structure
89
Q

Who mounted productions of new operas in Weimar as conductor and music director?

A

Liszt

90
Q

Who, unlike his contemporaries, showed little interest in program music, and no interest in opera or music for the stage?

A

Brahms

91
Q

Generally, who’s music is characterized by contrapuntal textures and chamber-like sonorities?

A

Schoenberg

92
Q

Name 5 classical features of Mendelssohn’s style

A
  • application of traditional forms- clear harmonic function- sonata form with repeated exposition- moderately sized orchestra (aprox. 40 players)- use of orchestral colour
93
Q

Brahms’ piano writing has distinct characteristics. Name 5 of them.

A
  • widely spaced chords- parallel chord motion- frequent chromaticism- contrapuntal textures- orchestral quality
94
Q

What were the 2 elements at the core of Schumann’s music?

A
  • literature- fantasy/imagination
95
Q

Who’s music appealed to Western audiences?

A

Prokofiev

96
Q

Describe Schumann’s use of rhythm

A

masterly use of syncopation, hemiola, and cross-rhythms

97
Q

When and where did Prokofiev play his first piano sonata?

A

while he was still a student at his Moscow debut recital (1910)

98
Q

What was significant about Ravel’s bass line?

A
  • it often followed traditional diatonic progressions
99
Q

Sergei Diaghilev commissioned a ballet for his Les Ballet Russes from this composer, and it eventually resulted in the popular “Scythian Suite”.

A

Prokofiev

100
Q

What are 3 folk elements that Bartok used to show his Hungarian nationalism?

A
  • pentatonic and other non-traditional scales- irregular rhythms and phrase structures- dance types
101
Q

What were some of Messiaen’s final works?

A
  • his only opera, “Saint Francois d’ Assise” - orchestral compositions that reflected his spiritual and metaphysical approach to his craft
102
Q

As a composer, Bartok was searching for ___ ___ ____, not the stylized music of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies, or so called “___ ____”

A
  • authentic Hungarian “voice”- “gypsy music”
103
Q

What did Messiaen call the modal scales he created?

A

modes of limited transposition

104
Q

What was Ravel’s first published work?

A

a piano solo: “Menuet antique”

105
Q

Who had fondness for alliterative rhymes? Define this.

A
  • Wagner- when several stressed syllables been with the same consonant
106
Q

Name 5 impressionist style elements used by Ravel.

A
  • use of modes- pentatonic and whole tone scales- parallel chord streams- unresolved seventh and ninth chords- aggregate chords (chords built on top of the other)
107
Q

Describe Mendelssohn’s orchestra style

A
  • vivid orchestration- rapid leggiero string passages- chordal texture in the winds
108
Q

Who further developed Romantic idioms such as the concert etude and lyric piano piece?

A

Liszt

109
Q

What are the classical elements of Prokofiev’s style?

A
  • use of classical forms such as sonata and rondo- cultivated classical genres including concerto, symphony, sonata, suite (ex. Symphony No. 1 in D, “Classical”)
110
Q

Which opera launched international fame for Verdi?

A

Bucco

111
Q

Name 3 characteristics of Ravel’s musical style.

A
  • brilliant orchestration- incisive rhythms- Lisztian virtuosity
112
Q

How is search for innovation found in Prokofiev’s style?

A
  • progressive features such as unabashed dissonance, abrupt changes of key, and rhythmic complexities- unique approach to pianistic writing. Shown by novel textures and percussive effects (ex. “Diabolical Suggestion”)
113
Q

Who became increasingly disillusioned with the European political situation prior to WWII, and contemplated emigrating?

A

Bartok

114
Q

Who contributed to the development of the formal structure of the romantic concerto?

A

Mendelssohn

115
Q

Who continued to explore new approaches to form, including a more continuous musical design, moving away from the traditional “numbers” approach?

A

Verdi

116
Q

Why did Bartok travel to Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and North Africa?

A

to collect and record folk songs other than Hungarian that he studied

117
Q

Verdi composed Messa da Requiem in honour of who?

A

Alessandro Manzoni (Italian writer)

118
Q

Who’s harmonic language was grounded in tonality, though often very dissonant (example of expanded tonality)?

A

Prokofiev

119
Q

What are the 3 periods (and the corresponding years) that Liszt’s career can be divided into?

A
  • concert pianist 1827-1847- Weimar years 1848-1861- late years: Rome, Weimar, Budapest 1861-1886
120
Q

Who is associated with Gesamtkunstwerk and what does it mean?

A
  • Liszt, Wagner- “Music of the Future”, “total artwork”- a movement that supported the fusion of music and drama- all elements of the production are given equal status
121
Q

How does Liszt’s musical style display duality in his personal life?

A
  • virtuosic, but also inspired by religious beliefs- many pieces have religious titles or symbolism
122
Q

How did Messiaen think of chords and modulations?

A

he thought of them in terms of colours, personally describing them as resonance chords, rainbows, and stained effect (ex. “Chronochromie”)

123
Q

Who experimented with formal structure, and forms were often generated by content?

A

Schumann

124
Q

What about Ravel does his ballet and opera show?

A
  • clever wit- eye for the theatrical
125
Q

What are the motoric elements of Prokofiev’s style?

A

constant rhythmic drive resulting in a feeling of ‘moto perpetuum’ (ex. “Toccata”)

126
Q

Why did “Pierrot lunaire” create a stir after its 1908 premiere in Berlin?

A
  • unorthodox instrumentation- new Sprechstimme technique
127
Q

Who’s musical eclecticism was revealed in wide range of genres?

A

Prokofiev

128
Q

Who enjoyed thematic transformation?

A

Schumann

129
Q

Who completed the first twelve-tone composition in 1923?

A

Schoenberg

130
Q

Who cultivated programmatic writing, is credited with inventing the symphonic poem, and contributed to the development of program symphony?

A

Liszt

131
Q

How did Beethoven’s symphonies influence Wagner’s operas?

A
  • Beethoven’s symphonies inspired Wagner to infuse his operas with a more symphonic approach to writing, such as closely weaving vocal and orchestral trans into a complex musical fabric
132
Q

In which period did Liszt retire from his performing career?

A

Weimar years 1848-1861

133
Q

Schumann focused on composing works for what instrument?

A

piano

134
Q

In what work by Ravel is there attraction to American jazz?

A
  • first movement of Piano Concerto in G- second movement of Violin sonata (entitled “Blues”)
135
Q

Who’s works did Wagner like?

A

Berlioz and Liszt

136
Q

Who maintained traditional diatonic harmonic language with moderate use of chromaticism?

A

Verdi

137
Q

When was Schumann’s “Year of Song” and what did he do during it?

A
  • 1840- wrote over 150 songs
138
Q

Who had 18th century style, and was called “Mozart of the 19th century” by Schumann?

A

Mendelssohn

139
Q

Who had a multi-faceted career including composing, teaching, performing, writing, and painting?

A

Schoenberg

140
Q

Which one of Verdi’s three commissions after “Oberto” failed miserably?

A

the first commission: “Un giorno di regno”

141
Q

What are the parts of classical tradition that Brahms respected?

A
  • Sonata form- theme and variations- passacaglia
142
Q

Leitmotif technique is central to who’s operas?

A

Wagner

143
Q

What contrapuntal elements played a key roll in Brahms’ music?

A
  • imitation- intricate voice leading- well crafted bass lines- frequent pedal points
144
Q

Why did Brahms adhere to musical tradition (Bach and Viennese classical composers)?

A

because of Marxsen’s teaching

145
Q

Who was one of the few opera composers to write his own librettos?

A
  • Wagner- he always worked on the libretto before composing the music
146
Q

Describe Verdi’s arias.

A
  • virtuoso coloratura with soaring melodies, spectacular runs, and vivid ornamentation- structured approach: well defined sections, balanced phrasing and lyrical melodies that are occasionally reminiscent of folk songs
147
Q

Who in their later works, adapted serial principles to melodic and rhythmic elements, instrumentation, and dynamics?

A

Messiaen

148
Q

Describe Wagner’s music in his Dresden period (1843-1849).

A
  • “The Flying Dutchman” and “Tannhauser” marked dramatic departure from operatic tradition, showing the evolution of a new style- began formulating ideas for what would become “The Ring of Nibelung”
149
Q

What was Bartok’s first major success?

A

nationalist symphonic poem “Kossuth”

150
Q

Who objected to the “numbers” approach in Italian opera (recitative-aria-chorus-recitative-etc.)? What did he do instead?

A
  • Wagner- created a more seamless, through composed type of opera in which the distinction between recitative and aria is blurred
151
Q

Who used colourful orchestration and special effects to heighten drama?

A

Verdi

152
Q

Describe the librettos that Verdi selected.

A

selected from dramatic possibilities and human elements: love, passion, fate, intrigue, courage

153
Q

With what song cycle did Schoenberg abandon tonality, marking a radical departure from his earlier style?

A

The Book of the Hanging Gardens

154
Q

Describe Messiaen’s inspiration from spirituality. Give an example.

A
  • strong catholic faith reflected in religiously-themed works- employed actual chant, as well as melodies influenced by the melodic shapes and forms of chants- ex. “Vingt regards sur I’enfant Jesu”
155
Q

How did Schoenberg break the harmonic conventions of the past?

A

replaced it with the twelve tone method

156
Q

What was Liszt’s form like?

A
  • displayed freedom in innovations in terms of form- wrote single movement works with complex internal structures, such as the Piano Sonata in B minor
157
Q

Who helped Berlioz and Wagner in their careers and conducted the first performance of Wagner’s “Lohengrin”?

A

Liszt

158
Q

What is the name of the work that Messiaen published in 1944? What did it outline?

A
  • “Technique de mon langage musical” (Technique of my Musical Language)- outlined his compositional approach, especially with regard to rhythmic and pitch modes
159
Q

What are the 2 ways that Bartok used to preserve authentic folk songs?

A
  • by notating the music- by creating historic sound recordings at the source of the music (small villages of central Europe)
160
Q

Who gained international reputation for the Soviets through his style of music and play?

A

Prokofiev

161
Q

Name 3 romantic features (programmatic elements) of Mendelssohn’s style

A
  • descriptive titles- natural imagery- literary references
162
Q

Name 2 romantic features that Brahms used.

A
  • modal and chromatic harmony- unexpected modulations
163
Q

Liszt had an artistic circle based in Paris. Who did this include?

A
  • Hector Berlioz- Vincenzo Bellini- Gaetano Donizetti- Fredric Chopin- Nicolo Paganini
164
Q

What special modifications did Wagner do to the orchestra?

A
  • expanded orchestra, often over 100 players- invented the Wagnerian tuba
165
Q

What was Ravel’s approach to harmony?

A

tonal but marked by chromaticism

166
Q

Describe the general structure of the majority of Verdi’s operas.

A

feature conventional “numbers” approach in which overtures (or preludes), recitatives, arias, ensembles, and choruses alternate

167
Q

Who’s choral music reflects love of polyphony and life long interest in historical styles (Handel, Haydn)?

A

Brahms

168
Q

Who often displays a percussive approach to instrumental writing and biting harmonic dissonance verging on atonality? What is an example of a work in which this is used?

A
  • Bartok- Out of Doors
169
Q

Bartok’s early compositions reveal enthusiasm for ____ ____ (person), and ____ _____ style.

A
  • Richard Strauss- post-romantic style
170
Q

What genres did Liszt’s composing activities focus on during his concert pianist period?

A

orchestral music including symphonic poems, program symphony, and piano concertos

171
Q

Who had a reputation as a virtuoso pianist, but also worked as a conductor, music director, and teacher?

A

Liszt

172
Q

Who published “Harmonielehre” (a treaty on harmony)?

A

Schoenberg

173
Q

Where did Wagner draw principle inspiration from?

A
  • Norse mythology- Celtic legends and medieval epic poems, all with symbolic subject matter
174
Q

Unlike many piano composers of his time, who did not embrace virtuosity for its own sake?

A

Schumann

175
Q

How did Liszt change the culture of piano performance?

A
  • played from memory- sat with profile to audience- referred to concerts as recitals
176
Q

Liszt was an important figure in developing modern piano technique. What are some of the techniques (bravura effects) he invented/used?

A
  • extreme registers- wide leaps- a variety of arpeggiated figures- thunderous octaves- tremolos- cascading passages- rapid repeated notes
177
Q

Why did Prokofiev have a reputation as an “enfant terrible”?

A

for his wild playing style and percussive, dissonant compositions

178
Q

Who paid careful attention to language, with integration of text and music, and poetic speech?

A

Wagner

179
Q

As a revolutionary, who evoked more opposition than any of his contemporaries?

A

Schoenberg

180
Q

Light Scherzando writing is a hallmark of who’s style?

A

Mendelssohn

181
Q

Who had significant influence on successive generations of composers including Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, and Arnold Schoenberg?

A

Wagner

182
Q

How was unity and flow achieved in Verdi’s operas?

A

through “signature” themes, recurrent motives (ex. Curse Motive in Rigoletto)

183
Q

Who is “Le tombeau de Couperin” by Ravel dedicated to?

A
  • mother’s memory- friends who perished during the war
184
Q

What are the 5 periods (and dates) that Schoenberg’s style can be split into?

A
  • post romantic period (until 1908)- expressionist period (1908-1917)- Years of Silence and Gestation (1917-1923)- serialist period (1923- 1933)- American period (1933-1951)