sonata- allegro form

Sonata Allegro form was a development of the classical era.
It was named "Sonata Allgro" because the final Allegro movement of a Sonata was most often created in this form.
Sonata Allegro form can simplistically be described as an ABA form.
the first A section is called the Exposition, this section is repeated, actually making the overall form AABA.
the B section , or Development forllows the Exposition.
In the A section of Recapitulation, the A material returns relatively intact.

The sonata-allegro form is part of the Sonata Cycle, which is the blueprint of Symphonies, string quartets, and other works like sonatas in the classical period. It is also called the First movement form, as it is always used as the first movement in the sonata Cycle. The sonata-allegro form contains three components sections; Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation.

In the Exposition, theme 1 or theme group 1 is introduced in the tonic key, Haydn, a composer in the Classical period, was one of the unique composers who usually implemented a slow introduction before the actual introduction of theme group 1.
the Exposition is repeated.
In the Development section, themes from the Exposition is fragmented, inverted, and articulated to show the extreme possibilities of this section.
A Coda is Italian for tail.

"Sonata allegro" form would be more propely called sonata form, since a sonata form movement need not be allegro, it could be slower, such as Andante (walking pace).
One of the most famous examples is the first movement of Beethoven's fifth symphony in c minor. the form is in three main parts; exposition, development and recapitulation.
The exposition has a first subject and one or more second subjects.
the recapitulation is a more- or- less repeat of the exposition but with differences.

The Sonata Cycle

the 18th century composers left us with a large scale structure that became known as the ' Sonata Cycle". The typical sonata cycle has three or four movements The sonata cycle became popular in the early 1700s and remained very common through the late 1800s. Beethoven loved the Scherzo and Trio (fast) sonata cycles usually began and ended with fast movement tempos. that's a common and very workable approach to begin and end a composition with a bang. sometimes a sonata cycle would only have three movements, In this case, the third movement structure would usually be omitted, giving a fast-slow-fast pattern. Many of these sonata cycles, while retaining the same dramatic structure, show amazing amounts of variety from piece to piece. The average symphony has four movements. Early ones tended to have two or three. Haydn composed over 100 symphonies in his lifetime. He was Acknowledges as the 'father of the sumphony' In his extremely short lifespan, Mozart compose4d nearly 45 of symphonies, many of them still very popular. One of Beethoven's innovations was to add singers to what had been a purely instrumental form. Other innovators in the 1800s included French composer Hector Berlioz, who in 1830 composed the bizarre and remarkable "Symphonie Fantastique" the name concerto was derived from the word concertare, meaning ' to compete. The concerto is performed by an orchestra with a solo in strument " competing" for the listener's attention. If the solo instrument is a piano, the piece is called a "Piano concerto" If the solo instrument is a violin, it is called a "violin concerto" A concerto grosso is the name given to a concerto with a larger number of soloists, usually four or more. A concerto will usually have three movements, omitting the minuet/scherzo and trio movement. the typical fast-slow-fast structure was the most commonly used. the first movement used a structure similar to, but not quite a sonata form. Very often the third movement was a rondo. J.S.Bach was another Baroque musician who impacted on the concerto. Bach was the first to composed concerti for the kayboard, which for Bach was the harpsichord. When the mechanism of the piano was perfected by Cristofori, piano concerti were written. Another type of Baroque concerto, the concerto grosso was an important development. the concerto grosso differed from the standard concerto in that is had a large number of solo instruments, not just one or two. J'S.Bach composed six concerti grossi to audition for a job. The Margrave of Brandenburg didn't think too much of them and turned down Bach for the job. Modern musicians consider these "Brandenburg concerti", as t hey have been nicknamed, the best concerti grossi ever written. the concerto as a musical format was one of the popular staples of the Classical Era. the new instrument of the era, the piano, quickly became exploited in the concerto format. The cadenza is a section in the concerto where the composer has the orchestra stop playing. the soloist is given a chance to improvise on themes of the movement and display his musical ability. Today musicians very cautiously play a pre-written cadenza, but in those days a musician was expected to really make things up on the spot.

Ludwig Van Beethoven's Resume

Quote: " Never use the piano while composing" Beethoven told a student, which shouws the ability to listen to music internally was important to Beethoven. Dates: 1770-1827 Born In Bonn, Germany. Beethoven's father pushed his son and his musical abilities, hoping he would be a child prodigy like Mozart, but Ludwig's talents took longer to develop. He had an unhappy childhood, living with his alcoholic father who often woke his son late at night so that he could entertain friends. It is thought that he suffered ear infections as a child and had his ears "boxed" by his father which may have pjlayed a role in his deafness later in life. At the age of 10, Beethoven started taking lessons from Christian Neefe and he did well with his patient teacher. By age 12, Beethoven was allowed to direct an orchestra part of the time and he had begun to compose. Beethoven played the orgen in the court chapel by age 12, then harpsichord and viola in the orchestra at 18. He made a trip to Vienna during this time and played for Mozart, who was impressed by young Ludwig. Beethoven gained many aristocratic admirers and unlike Haydn, he demanded respect and freedom from his patrons. Beethoven also earned money through concerts and publishing. In 1802, after losing his hearing and struggling with this at a retreat in Heiligenstadt, Beethoven decided to continue writing music and make his art his salvation and source of happiness. Beethoven was a difficult man, very intense, but revered throughout Europe. Though Beethoven always professed his desire for true love, many of the women that he admired were contentedly married. He was often unaware of his physical surroundings and preoccupied with his own thoughts. When Beethoven died at age 57, ten thousand people are said to have attended the funeral in Wahring. he had become a public figure, as no composer had done before. Perhaps his unhappy childhood contributed to Beethoven's angry, passionate and darker music. Beethoven's musical development is generally divided into three distinct periods- early, middle, and late: The early period (until 1802) works mostly stayed within the bounds of classical conventions established by Haydn and Mozart. Works include the 'Moonlight" Piano sonata, op. 27. During the middle period (1802-1812), Beethoven began to experment with new forms, expanded conventional forms, and produced works on an enormous scale. Finally, the late period (1813-1827) was when Beethoven's hearing was failing and he was no longer concerned with the audience's preferences or conventions. The two volumes of Beethoven's piano sonatas are considered to be the New Testament for piano performers, the Old Testament being Bach's two volumes of the Well Tempered Clavier. A cadenza is a passage near the end of a movement where a performer improvised and showed off their technical skills. Beethove wrote one opera, Fidelio, as opera was still an important genre for composers to prove themselves and receive royal approval. Fidelio was Beethoven's only opera, but the effort went on for over ten years due to revisions. Beethoven replaced the graceful Minuet and Trio with the more playful and jubilant Scherzo and Trio. Beethoven wrote out the cadenzas, thus placing his stamp of originality in areas that were previously controlled by the performer. Beethoven and Symphony no. 5, op. 67 born in Bonn, Germany, to a musical family father Johann, was a singer and he was a harsh, severe parent who became an alcoholic. received early musical training from father. briefly studied with Haydn, dedicated his first three piano sonatas to him. Beethoven's patrons occasionally experienced his wrath if he took offense to their musical demands. On one occasion, Prince Lichnowsky requested that Beethoven entertain some french officers; he responded by angrily storming off into the driving rain! On another occasion, Beethoven wrote the following words to his patron; "Praince, what you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am of myself. There are and will be thousands of princes, but there is only one Beethoven." Had many romantic infatuations, but remained single. began to lose hearing in his mid-twenties; attempts at treatment failed wrote a letter to his brother (known today as the Heiligenstadt Testament) in which he revealed his inner turmoil and conflict; contemplated suicide bu rose above the crisis. gained custody of nephew Karl after a lengthy legal battle with his sister-in -law. totally deaf in later years; visitors wrote in conversation books. spent final years living in isolation; became increasingly withdrawn and anti-social. Beethoven was apparently an undesirable tenant, he moved thirty- three times in thierty-five years, lived in a complete mess, grew increasingly unconcerned with his personal hygiene and appearance, and was incorrigible to his landlords and landladies. devastated by Karl's suicide attempt. died apparently from pneumonia. highly respected in Vienna; funeral attracted thousands of admirers superb musical architect; planned and meticulously revised works in sketchbooks. explosive accents, extreme dynamic contrasts incorporated new orchestral instruments; piccolo, trombone, and contrabassoon. Before Beethoven was buried, many admirers who viewed the body snipped locks of his hair as keepsakes. One of these locks has survived , and in 1994 several members of the American Beethoven Society purchased it at auction. Scientific tests were conducted on the hair; these tests revealed that Beethoven suffered from lead poisoning, whcih may have affected his personality and contributed to his numerous illnesses. Russell Martin documented the history of this particular lock of hair in his book, Beethoven's Hair.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Resume

Austrian, born in Salzburg (died in Vienna)

Best known for his operas.

Only one other child survived infancy- his older sister Maria Anna (Nannerl was her nickname).

The brother and sister played for royalty and nobility, admired by all; Mozart was perhaps the most gifted child in the history of music.

Mozart chafed against being treated like a servant after the admiration he received as a child, By age 26, he was married to Constanze Weber and lived in Vienna.

Together they had six children and loved each other during their years together. Constanze brought no dowry to the marriage and Mozart struggled to provide for his family. Though his income as a musician was average, Mozart was a spender and suffered financial difficulties.

the peak of his career came with the opera The Marriage of figaro when he was 30.

His opera The Clemency of Titus failed to impress in Prague.

Mozart still managed wo magnificent works in his final year: The Magic Flute and the unfinished Requiem.

The Order of Freemasons originated from the medieval guilds of the stonemasons. Its present organizational form began in London in 1717. Today, it is the largest worldwide society. It is religious in that a belief in God is the prime requirement for membership, but it is non-sectarian as no religious text is used. The purpose of freemasonry is to enable men to meet in harmony, to promote friendship, and to be charitable. Famous members have included Valtaire, Mozart and Sir John A. Macdonald. Mozart intended there to be representation of Freemasonry in his final opera, The Magic Flute.

Mozart travelled all over Eutope as a child.

Mozart also met Haydn- Mozart's six string quartets are dedicated to Haydn and are a testimony of his influence in Mozart's life. It is not known for certain if Mozart and Beethoven met.

Mozart died from a feverish illness, he was not poisoned, as has been speculated, and was bujried in a mass grave outside Vienna.

There is no folk element in his music, like Haydn, but rather a refined sense to all of his music.

Mozart wrote his music with virtually no corrections.

Mozart's instrumental music includes 41 cymphonies, including the Haffner, the Linz and the Jupiter.

Mozart's operas span three different genres; opera seria; opera buffa; and singspiel.

Opera buffa is the Italian version of comic opera.

The Requiem was commissioned by a music-loving count who though himself a composer- he intended to call the Requiem his own.

Mozart became obsessed that this Mass for the Dead was intended for himself and that he would not live to finish it. His premonition came true, and his student, Sussmayr, completed the work.

Unlike Hydn, Mozart struggled with the constraints of the patronage system throughout his career.

born in Salzburg, Austria

he often performed with his older sister Maria Anna (Nannerl), who was also a gifted musician.

Mozart was a first violonist at 13, and later on, his wife was a court singer.

mother died while on tour with him in Paris.

dissatisfied in Salzburg, requested dismissal from the Archbiship

he tended to live beyound his means.

despite successes, financial wores persisted throughout his career.

became good friends with haydn to whom he dedicated several string quartets

married Constanze Weber, an opera singer, against his father's wishes; only two of their six children survived.

he married the youngest sister, Constanze.

as both were flirtatious and careless with money. After Mozart's death, Constanze lived a long and comfortable life, re-marrying and benefiting from his growing fame. In fact, her second husband, Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, became Mozart's first biographer.

Opera was central to his career.

there's opera seria, opera buffa and singspiel

Don giovanni was an opera buffa

Eine kleine Nachtmusik, k 525 was a serenade for strings, intended to serve as light entertainment for an aristocratic audience.

Franz Joseph Haydn

Franz Joseph Haydn's Resume austrian, born in Rohrau Haydn had two brothers , both of whom became musicians. Haydn also had three sisters. Hayden had several patrons in Vienna before becoming employed by the Hungarian Esterhazy family when he was 29. In 1761, he became the Kapellmeister for the family, the most important musical position. Haydn remained with this royal family for almost 30 years. He conducted, trained musicians, composed, taught music to the family and generally co-ordinated the musical life of the palace. After Prince Esterhazy's death in 1791, Haydn spent the rest of his life composing in Vienn\a and made tow trips to London. Haydn's wife died in 1800 and his two brothers passes away within the next six years. during his years at the Esterhazy's country extate he met many viennese composers, including Mozart and Beethoven. Haydn retired to Vienna and died there during the French invasion of the city at the age of 77. Debussy died in Paris in 1918 during the German invasion of the French capital. Haydn's positive attitude and sense of humour made him a favourite among musicians. Mozart looked to 'Papa Haydn" as a mentor a nd the master of the string quartet form. Haydn's sense of humour was often evident during his years with the Prince Esterhazy. One story is that the Prince somtimes fell asleep while listening to Haydn's music. Haydn decided to create a symphony that would get the Prince's attention. The second movement of this particular symphony was designed to be so soothing that the Prince would surely fall asleep, which he did. Then, suddenly, a loud chord leapt out of the music and the Prince awoke with a jump! Haydn's most illustrious pupil, Beethoven, was the direct beneficiary of Haydn's musical imagination, though the two often had a stormy relationship due to differences in age and personality. Being Austrian, Haydn grew up with fold songs and dances of contrasting dynamics and colours as part of his heritage. Haydn combines these melodies with his own stylistic techniques. Haydn's music was not always light; he frequently brought a dramatic style to his compositions. The quartets are central in Haydn's compositions, He is regarded by many as the father of the modern string quartet. After hearing Handel's oratorios, Haydn wrote one of his own ; The Creation, perhaps his greatest and most ambitious work. Haydn was influenced by folk music which is evident in some of his rhythmic and melodic coices. He featured different instruments in different passages in his sympnonies, thus developing the idea of instrumental colour. Haydn used humour in his music by providing the unexpected. Untexpected modulation or pause, syncopation or instrument which suddenly speaks up, the result is usually humorous for the listener.

Musical overview of the Classical era.

the brief period between the Baroque and Classsical eras is known as the Rococco period , The word originates from the French word rocaille, or 'shell'. Rococco style compositions can be found in the works of French composers Francois Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau. One German composer has also become associated with the Rococco ideals: Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (J.S.Bach's son). the Classical period was from approximately 1750 to 1825. from 1740 to 1825, Austrian capital of Vienna became the musical centre of Europe and works of the period are often referred bo as being in the viennese style. The trio of musical geniuses who formed the heart of the so-called Viennese Classical School were Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. The town of Mannheim became a great centre of music in Germany, particularly when Johann Stamitz was the conductor. An example of a rocket theme would be the opening of the third movement of Beethoven's Fifth Synphony, or the finale of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Many of our modern performance practices can be traced to the Mannheim orchestra. The orchestra is notable for a number of reasons; its relatively large size, it's virtuoso performers/ and the orchestra's precision, attention to detail and performance innovations. Fewer composers were employed exclusively by the church than during the Baroque era. Empfindsamkeit was an expressive, singing style that developed in Germany in the mid 18th century. It refers to music with elements of surprise, abrupt harmonic changes, modulations, suspenseful pauses, changes of texture, and sudden dynamic shifts. the term also applies to stormy, emotional, minor-keyed symphonies of the Classical period. In contrast, Style Galant refers to a clear, elegant uncomplicated style that arose in contrast to the more complex style of Baroque counterpoint. This style of music rejected the old system of the figured bass and replaced it with the more lively Alberti bass ( a broken chord arrangement) Diatonic harmony refers to music based on the seven tones of a major or minor scale. and to harmonies that are firmly rooted in the key. Symmetrical phrasing is very common in Classical music, with it's clear-cut structurebased on phrases of four or eight measures. Absolute music became extremely popular in the Classical era. the Classical era saw the development of several important genres: the symphony, string quartet, and solo sonata being the most popular. Haydn is known as the father of the symphony as he standardized the four-movement format. He often used monothematicism in his works ( a sonata0allegro movement that is based upon a single theme, rather than a contrast between two different thematic groups). Haydn enjoyed writing monothematic symphonic movements, whereas Mozart and Beethoven more often preferred the contrast made possible between two different themes. One definition of chamber music is music written for a small audience in a smaller room or chamber. Another definition is music written for a small number of players. The word symphony means a sounding together. The Baroque Italian sinfonia is probably the most direct ancestor to the symphony. It was used as an orchestral overture for operas, oratorios, and cantatas. The Italian overture was another Baroque form that pre-dated the Classical symphony. this type of overture evolved during the 17th and 18th centuries. It is also characterized by it's three movement form, once again consisting of fast, slow, and fast tempos. The fully developed Classical symphony had four movements. A typical symphony's movements consisted of ;sonata-allegro form; theme and variations; minuet and trio ( or often a Scherzo and Trio in Beethoven's case), and finally a rondo or sonata-allegro once again. The multi-movement structure found in sonatas, string quartets, symphonies, concertos, and other large-scale works of the Classical era is known as the sonata cycle. the three major sections of the sonata-allegro form are the exposition, development and recapitulation. Exposition (A) First theme and bridge Second theme Codetta. Development (B) this was the section where a composer could show off his creativity, explore foregn keys, (particularly in Beethoven's music) A dominant preparation (usually a repeated dominant chord in the bass) indeed "prepares" the listener for the return of the tonic key. Coda: Meaning 'tail' in Italian, the coda aptly finishes the movement. It is usually fashioned from material previously heard in the codetta to which new matter is sometimes added. The coda rounds off the movement with a final cadence. The primary difference between rounded binary form and ternary form is the type of cadences at the end of each section. A form often used for the second movement of the sonata cycle was the theme and variations. The third movement of the sonata cycle is usually a Minuet and Trio. The Minuet is stately 3/4 time The Minuet is often a clear-cut structure based on phrases of four and eight measures. The trio was originally arranged for only three instruments but even after this practice ended, the name stayed the same. In the 19th century, the Minuet was often replaced by the scherzo, with its faster pace and lively rhythm. It was particularly favoured by Beethoven. The fourth movement was often a rondo. It can be simple rondo style: A-B-A-B, or have three contrasting: A-B-A-C-A, or else there is the ambitious Classical rondo: A-B-A-C-A-B-A Another popular form was sonata-rondo, designed as a combination of sonata and rondo form (such as the finale of Beethoven's 8th symphony). Soonata, meaning 'to sound', describes an instrumental composition in several movements for piano solo or instrumental combinations with piano accompaniment. As the piano became more important, so did the solo keyboard sonata as a genre. Some sonatas had three movements, others four. Musicians often refer to J.S.Bach's 48 preludes and fugues in the well tempered clavier (two volumes) as the 'old testament' of the pianist's repertoire, in other words, indispensable works for any aspiring pianist. Like wise, Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas (usually presented in two voluments) are considered the New Testament. The average solo concerto lasts approximately 30 minutes. Traditionally, the three movements of a concerto are fast-slow-fast. Common elements found in the Classical concerto include the cadenza, which is usually an improvised and ornamented passage, performed by the soloist near the close of a composition or movement. Cadenzas are mostly found in arias or concertos. Originally, soloists improvised the cadenza passage. but composers, particularly Beethoven, began to write down specific notes. Most cadenzas end with a trill- it was the soloist's way of indicating to the orchestra that it was time for them to join in once again. Genres that developed during the Baroque era, such as opera and oratorios, were still popular with Classical composers.Oratorios used the same compoments as operas (arias, recitatives, choruses, etc.) but they used a religious text. Historians often refer to the late 18th century as the Age of Enlightenment. While Italy was the center of musical activity in the Baroque era, the city of Vienna took on this role in the Classical period. Not one of the three great giants of the 'Viennese School' (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven) was born in Vienna, yet all were drawn to the city by it's vibrant culture and patronage of the arts. Haydn thrived while working for the same family throughout his career; Mozart had difficulty maintaining patronage appointments; and Beethoven , though he had loyal supporters, never worked for a single employer. Of the many musical developments that took place, the emergence of sonata form, with its focus on structural balance, stands out as the defining achievement of the Classical period. Classicism: refers to the cultures of Ancient Rome and Greece as well as the art, architecture, and music of the late 18th century. emphasis on symmetry, balance, and proportion Viennese School refers to the musical style forged by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven and thier contemporaries. in late 18th century Vienna, Austria flourished as a musical center. Absolute music also known as 'pure music' Sonata cycle emerged in the classical era multi-movement structure demonstrated in the symphony, sonata, or concerto. menuet and trio menuet: a stylized dance of French origin develope4d in the BAroque period. in triple meter. trio: contrasting middle section ternary form (ABA) rondo form (sonata allegro form) consists of Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation sonata-rondo form typical layout; ABACABA ( ABA- functions as an Exposition; C- developmental section - second ABA- functions as a recapitulation Chamber music music for small ensemble (two to ten players) usually performed without a conductor Sturm und Drang German for 'storm and stress' Empfindsamer Still German for the sensitive style re[resemted om ,isoc pf C.P.E. Bach a melancholy, introspective, expressive style that foreshadows Romanticism. the most important musical structure to evolve in the Classical period was sonata form. Also known as first-movement form, or sonata-allegro form, sonata form developed from the rounded-binary principle. codetta generally concludes with repeat sign Sonatinas are miniature versions of sonatas, as the suffix 'ina' indicates.

George Frederic Handel's resume

Dates: 1685-1759

Nationality: German , born in Halle

Best known for his oratorios.

Handel's father, George, was a respectable barber-surgeon who was not interested in Handel pursuing music.

Handel later spent one year at the University of Halle stufying law.

At the age of 12, Handel became the assistant organist at the cathedral of Halle.

Handel spent three years in Italy and it was here that he absorbed many Italian traditions that would influence his operatic style. He also met the famous harpsichordist,Domenico Scarlatti. In 1710, Handel was appointed conductor for the Elector of Hanover.

The Academy was launched to promote Italian opera, a genre which Handel enjoyed composing and to which he contributed over 40 operas.

The Academy lasted eight years before going bankrup due to mismanagement, fighting and extravagance, plus the English public did not enjoy operas in the Italian style.

Like Bach, he went blind near the end of his life and dictated his music.Handel also continued to appear in public, conducting and playing the organ.

He collapsed just after his 74th birthday. Handel was given the honour of being buried in Wetminster Abbey in London, with a funeral attended by thousands.

Unlike opera, oratorios are performed in concert without costumes, scenery, or staging and are consequently less expensive to produce.

recitatives do not repeat text but move the story forward.Arias are emotional high points with orchestral accompaniment.

Handel's most important contribution to music history undoubtedly lies in his oratorios. He was considered one of the greatest organists of his time, along with J.S. Bach.

The Messiah, 1742

genre: Oratorio

Librettist: Charles Jennens

Origins of text Mainly Biblical

Messiah was so popular at its premiere that the ladies were asked to wear skirts without hoops and the gentlement to leave their sword behind to ensure the maximum number of people could attend each performance.

Messiah premiered in the city of Dublin, Ireland, having been written to raise funds for charity.

Handel continued to direct Messiah to raise money for some years to come.

He apparently wrote this masterpiece in only 24 days, using chorus, soloists, and simple orchestration.

the work is written in English prose, (non-rhyming) unusual for a Handel oratorio.

Unlike Bach, Handel was not born into a musical family, but his talents were quickly realized by his father.

Bach had no interest in opera but wrote instead many religious works such as Cantatas, Passions, and Masses.

Both men would be afflicted with cataracts in their old age and undergo surgery at the hand of the same oculist, John Taylor.

Oratorio is a large-scale work for soloists, chorus, and orchestra

serious subject, generally based on biblical texts

developed in the baroque era.

French overture is a baroque orchestral genre, generally in two parts

recitative is a speech-like style of singing used in operas, oratorios, cantatasusually used to advance the plot or storyline, moves through text quickly.

recitativo secco is italian for dry recitative

supported only by continuo

recitativo accompagnato is italian for accompanied recitative.

supported by instrumental ensemble or orchestra

da capo aria is the big deal.

the most common song type in Baroque opera and oratorio

melisma is a group of notes sung on a single syllable/vowel

libretto is the text of an opera, oratorio, or cantata

homorhythmic texture is all voices sing the same rhythm

results in a blocked chordal texture

Bach and The Well-Tempered Clavier

the Bach family provided generations of musicians to Northern Germany, but the best-known and most-respected family member was Johann Sebastian. The life and music of Johann Sebastian bach (1685-1750) born in Eisenach, Germany music was the family profession for five generations orphaned at age ten, musical training continued by oldest brother, Johann Christoph academic studies included Latin, Greek, theology sang in choirs, became accomplished violinist and virtuoso organist trained in instrument building and repair Early Career: Arnstadt, Mulhausen married Maria Barbara Bach (distant cousin) shortly after arriving in Mulhausen. Two of their children, Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm friedemann, became successful musicians Weimar: court organist and chamber musician to the Duke of Weimar. accepted a salary advance for a new position at Cothen; this angered the Duke of Weimar, which resulted in a month in jail. Cothen: sudden death of Maria Barbara married Anna Magdalena Wilcke, a court singer; their sons, Johann Christian and Johann Christoph, became successful musicians. Leipzig important large scale works written in this period: Goldberg Variations, Art of Fugue frequently traveled to test new keyboard instruments died july 28, likely cause was a stroke Musical Style and contributions": composed works in virtually every genre of his day, except opera as a devout Lutheran, Bach dedicated all his works "to the glory of god" Stretto: from the Italian stringere, meaning 'to tighten' tierce de Picardie: a work in a minor key ends in the tonic major (raised 3rd) 'Well-tempered" refers to the newly invented tuning system for keyboard instruments that allows for pieces to be written in any key. "Clavier" is the German word for any keyboard instrument other than organ. two books. Each book contains twenty-four preludes and fugues, Both books begin with preludes and fugues in c major and c minor then move up chromatically be semitone, ending with b major and b minor. toccata: a very fast keybaord work demonstrating a virtuosic, improvisatory character. This dazzling, virtuosic organ toccata is among Bach's best-known works: How here's tid bits of info from another book: Johann Sebastian Bach's Resume: best known for embracing the equal temperament s ystem and writing fugues. he married his cousing when he was 22.Bach became known as an organ virtuoso However, Bach could not leave the employ of the Duke unless he was dismissed. Bach did eventually quit, and was put in jail for a month due to his disrespectful behaviour. In Anhalt-cothen, Bach's career prospered under the patronage of Prince Leopold of Cothen. The prince favoured chamber music which Bach wrote, along with keyboard music. Bach's first wife died so he eventually remarried to the singer Anna Magdalena. In total, Bach had 20 children, 10 of whom survived to adulthood. Bach stayed for the longest time in the city of Leipzig, from 1724 until his death in 1750. He also became known as the greatest organist in Germany. Bach also wrote poetry. His eyesight failed him in the last year of his life, and then Bach had a stroke, but continued dictating right until the end. Bach wrote for every genre of his era except for opera. Bach's works were not published until after his death and were therefore not heard except for the original audiences, and Bach did not travel like Handel, spreading his music throughout Europe. Frederic Chopin admired Bach above all others and knew the 48 preludes and fugues by heart. Almost all of Bach's vocal music deals with the Christian tradition and were written for lutheran church services. Bach wrote 48 preludes and fugues in the two well-tempered clavier books. Bach wrote two books: Art of the fugue and The musical offering homophony is a single melody with chords He enjoyed writing complex polyphonic, contrapuntal works such as fugues. He did not develop any new genres and he wrote no operas The books were not published during his lifetime, that took another 51 years and the efforts of his sons. Each book consists of 24 preludes and fugues, one prelude and one fugue for each of the twelve major and minor keys. It was a common Baroque trait to end a minor key work in the tonic major. fugues generally have three to five independent melodic lines. Bach was particularly gifted at the art of counterpoint, that is, the musical ability to say two things at once and still be understood. Did you know? J.S.Bach often entered into contests where he would be given a subject with which to spontaneously improvise a fugue on the organ or harpsichord. The fugues in Bach's two volumes of the Well-Tempered Clavier each begin with a subject, which is a short melodic idea played in only one voice. Some subjects are a few notes, others are four or five bars long. The second statement of the opening subject is known as the answer- it is generally in the dominant key and is played by another voice. If the theme is altered slightly in the answer, then it is said to be a tonal answer. if it is entirely unaltered, it is a real answer. there may also be countersubject playing ( a secondary theme which accompnies various entries of the subject and /or answer. the form of a fugue can vary, but a typical fugue has an exposition, development, and coda. The exposition is the beginning of the fugue. The subject (or answer) must appear in all voices An episode is a connective passage or area of relaxation between subject entrances Diminution is when the subject may appear in shorter time values (usually by half), and augmentation is the opposite.

Vivaldi and The Four Seasons

Vivaldi was an ordained Catholic priest. Because of his red hair, he was nicknamed the red priest.

ritornello form:

the opening passage is re-stated throughout the movement.

ripieno:

Italian for full or complete.

a term used to denote the use of the full orchestra in the Baroque concerto.

ostinato:

Italian for obstinate or persistent.

A rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period.

drone:

a sustained bass note that provides a rudimentary harmonic foundation

common in folk music.

solo concerto:

for soloist and orchestra

frequently employed ritornello form

intended to showcase the virtuosity of the soloist.

La Primavera

It is considered a programmatic work because poetic images are depicted graphically in the music.

genre: solo violin concerto

date of composition: 1725

In his lifetime, Vivaldi was best known as a composer of operas.

Think of sequential numbering for vivaldi's birth: 6-7-8 or 1678

dates: 1678-1741

His first love was to music, not to the church.

Vivaldi spent many years as maestro de concerti )director of instrumental music) at the Conservatorio del'Ospedale della Pieta, a famous music school for girls in Venice.

He wrote much of his music for the concerts at the Conservatorio, and these concerts became famous with visitors from around Europe.

Vivaldi became maestro di cappella to the Governor of Mantua. he was also a composer for the St. Anglo opera house in Venice and also performed his works in italy, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

The pope apparently asked Vivaldi to come and play the violin for him at a private audience. Apparently King Louis xv so enjoyed Spring from the four seasons that he asked Vivaldi to come to Versailles to perform the piece.

Little is known about the end of his life and despite having earned good money during his lifetime, he was buried in a pauper's grave in Vienna, Austria ( much like Mozart)I.

One of the most recent organizations of all of Vivaldi's works was done by Peter Ryom, who used the abbreviation RV.

Vivaldi was influenced by the earlier works of the Italian composers such as Arcangelo Corelli.

He was one of the first composers to introduce the cadenza (technically demanding solo passages).

He wrote works for the ancestor of the clarinet, the clarino.

Vivaldi began the practice of writing concertos in three movements: fast-slow-fast, which became the standard form for composers to follow. Vivaldi also made ritornello form popular and used the idea of a recurring theme in many of his works.

The four seasons is a wonderful collection of pieces based upon four Italian sonnets that Vivaldi presumably wrote.

Word painting refers to a musical technique where the music imitates the emotion, action, or descriptions of the text.

Ritornello, Italian for little return, is a passage for full instrumentation that is often repeated between instrumental solos.

tremolos is the same note played repeatedly and very quickly on a string instrument.

Ostinato is the Italian word for unceasing which refers to a short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a composition, or portion of a composition.

a drone is a note performed throughout a composition as a sustained bass note.

Musical overview of the Baroque era (1600-1750)

The French term Baroque likely originated from the Portuguese word barroco, which means 'rough pearl".
the year 1600 is usually given as the beginning of the era and the death of J.S.Bach in 1750 is considered the approximate end of the Baroquoe period.

Patronage of the arts refers to a person or group that supports artists, such as painters or composers, through financial or other means.
Rather than fluctuations of volume, Baroque music relied on a passage being forte, for example, followed by one that was uniformly soft, creating the effect of light and shade. this shift from one level to another has come to be known as terraced dynamics and is a characteristic of Baroque style.

Improvisational skills were highly prized in the Baroque era. The figured bass, also known as thorough-bass, was a common type of Baroque improvisation.
Figured bass is a system of musical shorthand.

Two of the greatest improvisers were J.S.Bach and Handel. Singers and players were expected to add their own embellishments, so that Baroque music sounded altogether different in performance from what it looked like on paper.
Kayboard instruments such as the harpsichord and clavichord could not sustain a note for very long, so a trill would lengthen the value of a note.

Doctrine of Affections was a philosophy that related to projecting one clear emotion for an entire movement or composition.
One of the most significant changes in all music history was the transition from medieval church modes to a system of major and minor keys.
This change to major and minor keys was possible due to equal temperament, which is a system of tuning keyboard instruments in which all semitones are spaced equally apart.

A cantata is Italian for "song", and is it based on a lyric or dramatic poem.
A cantata is generally shorter in length than an oratorio and is similar to a very short, unstaged opera.

An opera is a staged work, with costumes and sets, soloists and often a chorus, with a libretto to which the music is added. Soloists were featured in arias and were often the musical highlights in an opera.

An oratorio is a large-scale music drama that is not staged. The word oratory comes from Latin and means 'a
place to pray".

Finally, a Passion is similar to the oratorio, but the subject matter is based on the gospel account of the last days of Jesus (at Easter). the word Passion originates from the Latin passio, meaning 'suffereing'.

recitative is a type of speech-like singing which serves for dialogue or narrative and is clearly different from the arias. Arias are elaborate accompanied songs for solo voice.

All four genres- oratorios, cantatas, operas and Passions- may contain recitatives, arias, and ensemble numbers, and all have orchestral accompaniment.

In the beginning, opera was an art for the court, intended for a relatively limited public.
The work 'opera' is the plural of opus, or 'work'.

Monody is a form of speech-song taken from the Greeks, which featured a single voice supported by only simple accompaniment. the florentine camerata united these two ideas in an attempt to return to the aesthetic ideals of the Greeks. The florentine Camerata was a group of Italian artist, writers, and musicians who sought to revive the Greek drama- this led to the birth of opera.
The Florentine Camerata helped to create monody, recitative and opera.

The first true opera composer was Monteverdi, whose first opera, L'Orfeo, was performed in 1607.

Dance tunes, which are usually short and catchy, had their origins in simple folk dances. The length of each melody and the number of phrases was fixed because the dance steps depended on regularity; eight bar phrases were the most common.

The two types of concertos used in the Baroque era were the solo concerto and concerto grosso. the small group of instruments is called concertino and the entire ensemble is called tutti or the ripieno.
In the Baroque era, the concerto grosso becamae very popular- Corelli, Handel, J.S.,Bach and Vivaldi wrote hundreds. The most important i nstrument for concertos in the Baroque era was the violin and the form usually consisted of three movements- fast, slow, fast. One of the most famous sets of concerto grossos in J.S.Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, a set of six concertos which feature different instruments including the trumpet.

Modern instruments and their organization

Saxophone is a woodwind because it has a reed (versus brass instruments with valves).
The highest pitches in the orchestra are played by the piccolo.
(All four instruments listed below have four strings each): violin, viola, cello (also known as the violoncello), and double bass which has the lowest notes in the string section.
the harp and guitar are also classified as strings. the harp has strings which are plucked and the feet control all seven pedals. It has the widest range of all the orchestral instruments.

woodwinds:
piccolo means small in italian.
oboe has a mouthpiece with a double reed.
english horn is actually an alto oboe with a double reed, it is neigher English nor a horn.
clarinet is a single reed instrument
Bassoon is a double reed instrument
Double bassoon is also called the contrabassoon.
Saxophone has a single reed, it is a woodwind instrument made of brass.

Brass:
trumpet, an instrument which uses valves.
French horn, is descended from the ancient hunting horn.
Trombone
Tube is the bass of the family with the lowest pitches.

Percussion
Glockenspiel is a pitched steel bars mounted on a frame and struck by hammers.
Gong is a non-pitched suspended disk of metal which is struck, also known as a tam-tam.
Kettledrums are also known as the timpani, they feature a copper bowl and a head which is struck with mallets. They can be tightened by means of a pedal or keys- this then changes the pitch.

Larger instrumental groups- orchestras
There are three main types of orchestras: chamber orchestra, symphony orchestra, and string orchestra.

The most common, and the largest, is the symphony orchestras

Circa- meaning "approximate" and often abbreviated to ca. It is used in instances where the exact date is not known, such as in pieces and composers from the Middle Ages.
Form- the structure in which music is created. common forms include binary, ternary, strophic, through-composed, sonata-allegro, etc..
Impresario- an entertainment promoter, manager or owner who books and staages public, usually music or theatre, Seigei Diaghilev of Les Ballets Russes is one of the best-known 'impresarios' of the 20th century.
Instrumentation - also called " orchestration", it is the art of arranging a composition for performance by an instrumental ensemble. this is often referred to as scoring the composition.
Kapellmeister _ German for 'music director', the term is often used when describing the musical post of composers such as Handel and Haydn.
Modulation - when music changes from one key to another.
Opus - the Latin word for 'work'
Sacred comes from the Latin word sacer, meaning 'holy'.
Secular - in music, it refers to non-religious works.
Synopsis - in music, it generally means a summary of a libretto or other text.

The first beat of a complete measure, known as a downbeat, generally has the strongest accent. The meter is the fixed patterns of strong and weak beats, which creates the rhythm in the music. Rhythm and metre are often described separately; metre is the basic pulse of the beats and rhythm is the actual time values of notes.
When the music begins with an incomplete measure, or upbeat, this is called an anacrusis. This weak note anticipates the downbeat that will occur on the first note of the first complete measure. A deliberate shift of the musical accent to a weak beat is known as syncopation. Its is used to create a rhythmic surprise in the music, or a certain kning of rhythmic pattern, such as in ragtime. An ostinato is a short rhythmic or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period, commonly used in boogie pieces. Finally, a hemiola is a temporary shift of the metric accent, created by using two notes in the time of three or three notes in the time of two. This was a common technique in Baroque music.

Monophonic is a single line of unaccompanied melody, such as a soloist singing alone or a group of instruments, all playing the same notes at the same time.
Homophonic is a single line of melody supported by a harmonic accompaniment such as a singer with a piano accompaniment playing chords.
Polyphonic is a combination of two or more melodic lines, such as a piano piece where the right hand melody is then imitates by the left hand. This combination is also called counterpoint, or note against note.

Another musical concept is known as text setting, which describes the relationship between text and music. when there is one syllable or word per note, this is known as syllabic. If there are two or three notes per work/syllable, this is neumatic, and when the word is stretched out over many notes, this is knosn as melismatic.

a symphonic movement in sonata-allegro form with an exposition, development, and recapitulation is actually ABA1

the purpose of harmony

The most memorable part of a song, the part which we hum along with and allows us to identify a piece, is the melody. A melody is made up of different component of a sound; high, medium or low, and notes are used to convey the different pitches. The distance between two notes is called an interval, and the range is the distance between the highest and lowest notes of a melody. Most melodies are sung using a comfortable range of ten notes or less.
The word conjunt is used to describe melodies that move mostly in steps, and a disjunct melody contains frequent leaps and changes in direction.

Melodies are often built upon a motive- a short melodic/rhythmic fragment used in within a melody. One of most famous examples of a motive is the first fout notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. the famous "three shorts and a long" that open the symphony are developed and appear throught the four movements of the work.
A longer musical 'sentence' is called a phrase and is a series of notes that is a more complete musical idea. the phrase was first developed in singing so that the singer could take a breath in an approprite place. A curved line under or over the notes indicates the lengthof the phrase. A cadence consists of two chords at the end of a phrase and serves as a resting place, or type of musical pumctuation.

Harmony is used to support the melody and is viewed vertically, whereas a melody is a horizontal line. Think of a cake, where the icing is the melody, but the actual cake that supports the icing is the harmony. The harmony provides the structure in music, changing when the melody does. A chord is a combination of two or more pitches which creates a unit of harmony. A common combination is the triad consisting of a root, third, and fifth. the term harmonic rhythm describes the rate of chord changes per measure.
Diatonic means the mucis is built from the notes of a major or minor scale, whereas chromatic music includes all 12 notes available withint the octave.
Furthermore, a combination of tones that provides a sense of relaxation ans stability is described as consonance, versus dissonance for tones that sound dicordant, creating restlessness and tension in the music.

Another dimension is added to music through harmony, which supports the melody and provides context. Melody and harmoney are interdependent. Just as melody creates the horizontal or linear aspect of a musical fabric, harmoney provides a vertical element, giving additional layers to the sound.

The terms below are all related to musical texture.

counterpoints: combination of two or more melodic lines

monophonic texture: single line of unaccompanied melody

homophonic texture: single line of melody supported by a harmonic accompaniment

polyphonic texture: combination of two or more melodic lines, also referred to as counterpoint.

And understanding of the terms listed below will also enhance your study of musical compositions:
dynamics: the level of volume in music
timber: the quality of sound specific to a voice or instrument for example, the silvery sound of a celesta, the nasal tone of an oboe
tempo: the speed at which music is performed
tenre: the classification of a composition type
opus: Latin for "work"


baritone: a male voice with a range that straddles the tenor and bass range.
mezzo-soprano: a female voice with a range that straddles the soprano and alto ranges
coloratura soprano: a high female voice trained to execute rapid passsagesademanding great agility.

Keyboard Instruments.

organ: A keyboard instrument dating back to the Midddle Ages often associated with church music. Sound is generated by air passing through pipes or reeds.

harpsichord: A keyboard instrumnent popular from the late 16th through 18th centuries. Sound is generated by small quills inside the instrument that pluck the strings.

clavichord: A small keyboard instrument popular from the late 16th through 18th centuries. Sound is generated by small metal tangents that strike the strings inside the instrument.

piano: A keyboard instrument invented in the early 18th century. Sound is generated by hammers inside the instrument that strike the strings.
synthesizer: A device (usually played with a keyboard) that generates and modifies sounds electronically. Robert Moog popularized the synthesizer in the 1960s.



The noted English composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation to create a large-scale orchestral work that would introduce young audiences to the instruments of the orchestra.

my method of studying

As I type my music history studies, it helps me memorize the facts, so that's what I'm doing on this blog.
It's just a method of studying to me.
I hope you enjoy reading