Italian term meaning “singing style”
Cantabile
short lyrical composition for vocal solo based on poetic text
Vocal Art Song
German for “song(s)”
Lied(er)
instrumental equivalent to vocal art song
Primarily used in piano music
Character piece
“Golden age of the Piano”
Romantic Period
(Elf King) – famous vocal art song by Franz Schubert
Die Erlkonig
instrumental piece that develops a particular technical skill
Etude
the expression of a composer’s national identity through musical composition
ex. – Chopin’s Polish Mazurkas and Polonaises for piano
Musical Nationalism
instrumental music with literary or pictorial associations ex. – Berlioz Symphonie fantastique
Program Music
realism in opera – everyday people in familiar life situations ex. – Puccini’s opera La Boheme
Verismo Style
merging of heightened drama and music into one expression ex. – Wagner’s Die Walkure
Music Drama
Vocal Art Song
Franz Schubert
Piano Character Piece
Robert Schumann
“Poet of the Piano”
Frederic Chopin
Program Music
Hector Berlioz
Virtuosic Etudes
Franz Liszt
Ballet Music
Peter Tchaikovsky
Verismo Opera
Giacomo Puccini
Music Drama (Opera)
Richard Wagner
most important contribution of 19th century France Transition to modern period Suggestion rather than realism
Impressionism
leading impressionistic composer
Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun (orchestra)
Claire de lune (piano)
Debussy
No subjective or grand No emotional expressionism No romantic landscapes No imaginative ideas about mankind or fate No lyrical melody
Impressionism is a reaction against romanticism
deliberate representation of the crude and uncultured
Primitivism
representation of Asian and Polynesian music influences
Exoticism
art movement associated with distorted images Focuses on intense impact, but with themes of the strange, macabre, grotesque, unconscious realm
Expressionism
Arnold Schoenberg
Bela Bartok
Igor Stravinsky – Rite of Spring ballet
Sergei Prokofiev
Modern Composers to Know
3 types of plays
Tragedy
Comedy
Melodrama
Statement about human frailty & failing
Tragedy
light or amusing subjects/ or serious and profound subjects in a light, familiar, or satirical manner
Comedy
6 types of comedy
- satirical – ridicule
- character – individual ridicule
- manners – ridicule of social conventions
- ideas – ridicule of conventional thinking
- romantic – traces from trouble to triumph in love
- intruigue – intricate plot of reversals with artificial, contrived situations
exaggerated plot and characters to appeal to the emotions
Melodrama
Main Characters Include:
- hero – fearless
- heroine – love of hero, needs saving
- villain – likes heroine
- villain sidekick – comedic, gets in way of villain
Author of Play
Playwright
Playwright’s document
script
Contains dialogue and action used by actors
Playwrights document
Story of the play
Plot
Progression of thought & action in a play
Story of the play
the psychological motivation of the people acting in a play most plays include both major and minor characters
Character
the central personality who determines the action of the play the main character
Protagonist
Seating on all 4 sides or all around the stage
Arena Theatre
Seating on 3 sides- stage thrusts out into audience
Thrust Theatre
Seating facing a box stage
Proscenium Theatre
Creation of theatrical stage scenery
Scenic design
Creation of apparel for an actor or performer
Costume design
Creation of lighting, atmosphere, & time of day for a play in response to the text
Lighting Design