What are the key features of Symphony in D, Stamitz?
Style
Instrumentation
Structure and Tonality
Texture
Dynamics
Melodic features
Mannheim school
2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, strings and basso continuo
4M, M1 is an early sonata form
M2 is in sub-dominant key = standard
S1 and S2 is reversed in the recapitulation
Mostly melody dominated homophony
More crescendos, dynamic markings
Mannheim techniques - roller and hammer at the start
What are the key features of Symphony in E minor, C. P. E Bach?
Style
Instrumentation
Structure and Tonality
Texture
Dynamics
Melodic features
Empfindsamer stil
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 horns, 2 strings, basso continuo
3M - fast - slow - fast = standard early Classical
attacca
M2 is in the relative major = standard of minor symphonies, sudden key changes
Some ornamentation, less than Baroque
Mostly melody-dominated homophony
M1 - sudden tempo changes at the end
Sudden dynamic changes
What are the key features of Symphony No. 2 in C, Haydn?
Style
Instrumentation
Structure and Tonality
Texture
Dynamics
Melodic features
Early Classical
Bassoon plays the same melody as cellos and basses - remnant of basso continuo
M1 - sonata, M3 - rondo (typical finale) —> 3M
M2 is in the dominant key, lots of ornamentation, 2 polyphonic lines, bass feels like a basso continuo (Baroque)
Mannheim techniques- strong thematic material, simple tutti textures, energised rhythms
Baroque style terraced dynamics
Sequences and imitation
What are the key features of Hornsignal, Haydn?
Style
Instrumentation
M2 style and metre
M4 structure/form
Early classical
4 horns, 1 flute - they got more prominent parts
M1 - sonata form is fully developed
M2 - reminiscent of a concerto grissom
4M, M4 is themes and variation - became common
M2 is in the ‘Sicilian style’ (metre and rhythm)
What are the key features of ‘Farewell’, Haydn?
Style
Instrumentation
M4 structure
Sturm and drang
Bassoon plays same part as cellos and basses ≈ basso continuo
4M includes slow adagio, extended coda where players leave 1 by 1 - not a grand finale
strong dynamic contrasts, use of dissonance, ‘stormy’ feeling
What are the key features of Symphony No. 40 in G minor, Haydn?
Instrumentation
Structure and Tonality
Two clarinets
More independent woodwind and brass, especially in M3 and 4
One of only two Mozart symphonies in a minor key
What are the key features of Symphony ‘Eroica’, Beethoven?
Instrumentation
M3 structure
2 clarinets, 3 trumpets, timpani - ‘Full’ Classical era orchestra + extra horns
4M, M3 has a scherzo and trio - used in symphonies from now on
M4 theme and variations
What are the key features of Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Beethoven?
Instrumentation
Structure
Piccolo, contrabassoon, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones
4M
Attacca between M3 and M4 and reprise if M3 in development section of M4 blurs distinction between M3 and M4
What are the key features of ‘Pastoral’, Beethoven?
Instrumentation
Structure
Significance
Piccolo, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones
5M, M4 attacca into M5
M have programmatic labels and correspond to 4M structure
First explicitly programmatic symphony —> describing the countryside
What are the key features of Symphony No. 9, Beethoven?
Instrumentation
M3 structure
M4 structure
piccolo, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trombones, cymbals, bass drum, triangle, SATB soloists and choir
4M, M2 - scherzo and trio
M3 - slow movement
M4 - theme and variations w/choir based around Ode to Joy theme
symphony within symphony
What are the key features of Symphonie Fantastique, Berlioz?
Instrumentation
Structure
Tonality
Melody
- M1 has four bassoons and cornets!! Brass section is no longer limited as cornets have valves allowing them to play chromatically
- M1 has 30 violinists (v ambitious)
- M2 has 4 harps
- M3 has 4 people on timpani and cor anglais
- M5 has woodwind players doubling for the first time
- Sonata form - waltz - slow movement - (?) - (?)
- M1 introduction (5 minutes long) and coda are extended
- M1 C minor introduction to C major exposition —> M2 A major —> M3 F major (pastoral) —> M4 G minor —> M5 C major
- Recap in M1 is in dominant key
- ‘idée fixe’ - early version of the leitmotif (M1: b. 72-79; M2: 121)
What are key features of Präludien Symphony, Liszt?
Instrumentation
Structure
Form
Melody
- First to use the tuba
- Symphonic poem (later referred to as a tone poem) - what the symphony developed into
- One movement broken down into episodes by changes of time signature/tempo
- Cyclac form - predominant structure of symphonic poems as it has distinct sections
- Loose form and structure
- L’istesso tempo = section 2 = represents love (also includes second melodic motif)
- Allegro ma non troppo = section 3 = struggles (b. 2 features second melodic Otis)
- Un poco pig moderato = section 4 = pastoral
- Allegro marziale animato = section 5
- Programmatic
- Bar 2 strings and b. 6 flute- melodic motif
What are key features of Symphony No. 7, Bruckner?
- M 2 and 4 have the first use of Wagner tuba - commissioned by Wagner so there is an instrument between oboe and trombone
- 4M
- Three themes in M1 exposition, recapitulation is the same order??
- M3 scherzo and trio??
What are key features of Symphony No. 3, Saint-Saëns?
- Two movements
- M1 - slower section
- M2 - begins with a scherzo
- collapsed the two movements
- At the start of the “second movement” an organ is introduced instead of the piano
What are key features of Symphony No. 9, Dvořák?
- He drew inspiration from Native American folk tunes
- Pentatonic (like other folk music)
- Otherwise conventional four movement symphony
What are key features of Symphony No. 6, Tchaikovsky?
- M1 = sonata form
- M2 = 5/4
- M3 = ending seems like a finale
- M4 = slow movement, emotional
What are key features of Symphony No. 2, Mahler?
- Choir in fifth movement
What are key features of ‘Also sprach Zarathustra’, Strauss?
- Tone poem
- Strauss was the main composer of tone poems
- Organ