Music Study Guide

***Listening***
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Unit #1
01 Stravinsky the Firebird (L'Oiseau de Feu) Scene II
 Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
 Scene 2
 Contemporary
 1910

Unit #2 (a) MEDIEVAL

12 Beatriz, Countess of Dia A chantar
 Troubadour song
 Beatriz, Countess of Dia
 A Chantar (I must sing)
 Troubadour song, late twelfth century
 Voice, vielle
 Listen for the differences between phrases with open and closed endings and for the climax in phrase
d.

13 Anon Estampie
 Estampie
 Dance music, thirteenth century
 The estampie, a medieval dance, is one of the earliest surviving forms of instrumental music. In the
manuscript for this estampie, a single melodic line is notated and, as usual, no instrument is specified.
In our recording, the melody is played on a rebec (a bowed string instrument) and a pipe (a tubular
wind instrument). Since medieval minstrels probably improvised modest accompaniments to dance
tunes, the performers have added a drone—two simultaneous, repeated notes at the interval of a fifth,
played on a psaltery (a plucked or struck string instrument).

Unit #2 (b) RENAISSANCE

16 Josquin "Ave Maria...virgo serena"
 Josquin Desprez
 Ave Maria…virgo serena (Hail, Mary…serene virgin)
 Motet, ca. 1475
 Listen for the polyphonic imitation among four voice parts and for the change from duple to
triple meter at Ave, vera virginitas.
 The short melodic phrase on Ave Maria is presented by the soprano voice and then imitated in turn by
the alto, tenor, and bass. The next two words, gratia plena (full of grace), have a different melody,
which also is passed from voice to voice. Notice that each voice enters while the preceding one is in
the middle of its melody. This overlapping creates a feeling of continuous flow. Josquin adapted the
melody for the opening phrases from a Gregorian chant, but the rest of the motet was not based on a
chant melody.
19 Dowland "Flow My Tears"
 John Dowland
 Flow My Tears
 Lute song, 1600
  Listen for the minor key that expresses the melancholy of the text. Notice the descending four-
note pattern, representing falling tears, which is varied in pitch and rhythm throughout the song.
 “Flow My Tears” consists of three brief musical sections (A, B, C) that are each immediately repeated:
AA (stanzas 1 and 2), BB (stanzas 3 and 4), CC (stanzas 5 repeated to the same melody). Dowland’s
music heightens the mood of grief through its slow tempo, minor key, and descending four-note
melodic pattern that represents falling tears. This descending pattern appears throughout the song
with variations of pitch and rhythm.
 The opening four-note descent, in minor, on Flow my tears, is immediately repeated—with greater
emotional intensity—on higher, slower notes to the words fall from your springs.

Unit #3 BAROQUE
26 Vivaldi La Primavera (Spring) Concerto No 1 in E Major RV 269 I Allegro
 Antonio Vivaldi
 La Primavera (Spring), Op. 8, No. 1, from The Four Seasons, first movement
 Concerto, 1725
 Ritornello form, quadruple meter ( ), E major
 Solo violin, string orchestra, harpsichord (basso continuo)
 Listen for the musical imitations of bird song in the first solo section (1.b.), murmuring streams in the
second solo section (2.b.), and thunder and lightning in the third solo section (3.b.).
 Like most of Vivaldi’s concertos, Spring has three movements: (1) fast, (2) slow, (3) fast. Both the first
and last movements are in ritornello form.
 The first movement, allegro, in E major, opens with an energetic orchestral ritornello depicting the
arrival of spring. Each of the ritornello’s two phrases is played loudly and then repeated softly, in the
terraced dynamics typical of baroque music. After the ritornello, the movement alternates between
extended solo sections containing musical tone painting and brief tutti sections presenting part of the
ritornello theme. In the first solo section, birdsongs are imitated by high trills and repeated notes
played by the violin soloist and two violins from the orchestra. (A trill is an ornament consisting of the
rapid alternation of two tones that are a whole or half step apart.) In the second descriptive episode,
murmuring streams are suggested by soft running notes in the violins. The next solo section contains
string tremolos and rapid scales representing thunder and lightning. Following the storm, the ritornello
appears in minor instead of in major. All the pictorial passages in this movement provide contrasts of
texture and dynamics between returns of the ritornello theme. The allegro’s tunefulness, rhythmic
vitality, and light, homophonic texture evoke the feeling of springtime.

32 Handel Messiah “Every valley shall be exalted”

 George Frideric Handel
 Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted, from Messiah
 Oratorio, 1741
 Listen for the word painting in this aria for tenor and strings: rising rapid notes on exalted (raised up),
and the rising and falling melodic phrase for every mountain and hill made low.
 The aria “Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted” is based on a verse from Isaiah (40:4) describing the creation
of a desert highway on which God will lead his people back to their homeland. Like many baroque
arias, it opens and closes with a string ritornello. This aria is striking in its vivid word-painting, so
characteristic of baroque music. On a single syllable of exalted (raised up), forty-six rapid notes form a
rising musical line.

Unit #4 CLASSICAL

34 Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K 550 I Molto allegro

 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550, first movement
 Symphony, 1787
  Sonata form, duple meter ( ), G minor
 Flute, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns, 1st violins, 2d violins, violas, cellos, double
basses
 Listen for the contrast between the agitated main theme in minor, dominated by a short-short-
long rhythm and the lyrical second theme in major, divided between strings and woodwinds.
Notice that in the exciting development section, the main theme is presented in increasingly
small fragments, and in the recapitulation both themes are in minor.
 Like most classical symphonies, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor has four movements: (1) fast, (2) slow,
(3) minuet, (4) fast. A quiet but agitated opening theme in the violins sets the mood for the entire first
movement, which is in sonata form. A throbbing accompaniment in the violas contributes to the feeling
of unrest. Dominating the violin melody is the rhythmic pattern short-short-long, first heard in the
opening three-note motive.

37 Beethoven String Quartet in C Minor, Op 18, No 4 IV Rondo (Allegro)

 Ludwig van Beethoven
 String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4, fourth movement
 Chamber music, 1798–1800

 Duple meter ( ), C minor

 1st violin, 2d violin, viola, cello
 Listen for the rondo form—A B A C A B A—in this concluding movement of a string quartet. Notice the
contrast between the energetic main theme (A), in minor, and the lyrical, legato theme (B) and playful
theme (C), both in major keys.
 The exciting rondo movement may be outlined A B A C A B A. Its lively main theme, A, in the style of a
Gypsy dance, is made up of two repeated parts: a a b b. An unexpectedly held tone in part b suggests
the improvisatory playing of a Gypsy fiddler. The main theme, in minor, contrasts with the other
themes, which are in major. Theme B is a lyrical legato melody. Theme C is playful, with quick upward
rushes. At its final return, the main theme (A) has a faster tempo, prestissimo, and leads into a
frenzied concluding section.

42 Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 I Allegro con brio

 Ludwig van Beethoven
 Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, first movement
 Symphony, 1808

 Sonata form, duple meter ( ), C minor

 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, 1st violins, 2d violins,
violas, cellos, double basses
 Listen for the way the short-short-short-long rhythmic motive dominates the movement. First played
by the strings in unison (monophonic texture), it immediately repeats a step lower. Notice that the
French horns play a variant of this motive (short-short-short-long- long-long) to introduce a contrasting
lyrical melody, which is accompanied by the basic motive. In the development, listen for the short-
short-short-long-long-long motive broken into smaller fragments, and notice the new expressive oboe
solo in the recapitulation.
 The first movement, allegro con brio, is an enormously powerful and concentrated movement in sonata
form. Its character is determined by a single rhythmic motive, short-short-short-long, from which
Beethoven creates an astonishing variety of musical ideas. Tension and expectation are generated
from the very beginning of the movement. Three rapid notes of the same pitch are followed by a
downward leap to a held, suspenseful tone. This powerful idea is hammered out twice by all the strings
in unison; the second time, it is a step lower in pitch.

44 Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 III Allegro

 Sonata form
 Fourth movement
  Beethoven (1770-1827)
 Added a piccolo, 2 trombones, contrabassoon
 March like
 The rapid third movement is a scherzo, in C minor, with three sections: A (scherzo) B (trio) A'
(scherzo). The fourth movement, in sonata form, is the climax of the symphony. It brings the victory of
C major over C minor, of optimism and exultation over struggle and uncertainty. For greater power and
brilliance, Beethoven enlarged the orchestra in the finale to include three trombones, a piccolo, and a
contrabassoon. Brass instruments are especially prominent and give a marchlike character to much of
the movement.

Unit #5 ROMANTIC
45 Schubert "Erlkönig," Op 1 (Sony: Erlknig)
 Frank Schubert (1790’s-1820’s)
 Art Song
 1815
 Romantic Era
 Listen for the way one singer creates the effect of narrator, son, father and the Erlking through
changes in the music and shifts among higher and lower vocal registers. Notice how the tension of a
wild ride is evoked by the piano’s rapid octaves and menacing bass motive in this thorough-composed
song.

50 Chopin Etude in C Minor op 10 no 12 "Revolutionary"

 Chopin (1810-1849)
 Romantic era
 Piano song
 Piano only
 Allegro con fuoco (allegro with fire), duple meter ( )
 Piano
 Listen for the continuous rapid notes in the pianist’s left hand and the dotted rhythm of the passionate
main melody.
 The Revolutionary Étude, in A A' coda form, begins with a dramatic outburst. High, dissonant chords
and downward rushing passages lead to the main melody, marked appassionato (impassioned), which
is played in octaves by the right hand. Tension mounts because of the melody’s dotted rhythms and its
tempestuous accompaniment. After a climax at the end of section A', the coda momentarily relaxes the
tension. Then a torrential passage sweeps down the keyboard to come to rest in powerful closing
chords.

56 Smetana Ma Vlast (My Fatherland, or My Country) “The Moldau”

 Smentana (1824-1884)
 Symphonic Poem
 Program music?
 Two springs
 The river
 Peasant wedding
 Forest hunt
 Bedřich Smetana
 The Moldau
 Symphonic poem, 1874
 Allegro commodo non agitato (unhurried allegro, not agitated), sextuple meter ( ), E minor
  Piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 French horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba,
timpani, bass drum, triangle, cymbals, harp, 1st violins, 2d violins, violas, cellos, double basses
 Listen for the contrasting musical sections that represent different scenes described in the program,
such as “Two springs,” “The river,” “Forest hunt,” and “Peasant wedding.” Notice that this symphonic
poem is unified by a recurring “river” theme, and by running notes representing the flow of water.
 The Moldau falls into contrasting musical sections that represent different scenes and episodes
described in the program. Hunting along the riverbank is suggested by horn fanfares; a peasant
wedding by a rustic polka, the Bohemian dance; and a moonlit night by shimmering woodwinds and a
serene melody in high muted strings. An expansive folklike theme that recurs several times symbolizes
the river. Smetana unifies the symphonic poem with running notes evoking the movement of water,
sometimes rippling, sometimes turbulent.

60 Bizet Carmen Toreador Song

 Oprea
 Georges Bizet
 Toreador Song, from Carmen
 Opera, 1875
 Listen for the swaggering opening melody that moves down the minor scale. Notice the contrasting
Toreador melody in major, opening with the rhythm long-long-short-long, and the repetition of the
Toreador melody by the chorus.
 The Toreador Song opens with a brilliant orchestral introduction that anticipates Escamillo’s
swaggering opening melody in minor. This melody suggests the bullfighter’s self-confidence as it
steadily descends the scale in an accented rhythmic pattern (short-short-long).

Unit #6 CONTEMPORARY
72 Copland Appalachian Spring melody “Simple Gifts”
 Aaron Copland
 Appalachian Spring, Section 7: Theme and Variations on Simple Gifts
 Ballet music, 1943–1944

 Theme and variations, duple meter ( ), A flat major

 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, timpani, triangle,
glockenspiel, harp, piano, 1st violins, 2d violins, violas, cellos, double basses
 Listen for the changes of tone color, tempo, and dynamics in the five variations. Notice that the legato
theme is introduced by the clarinet; in variation 1 it is played by the oboe; in variation 3 it is played
staccato by the trumpets and trombones at a very fast tempo; in variation 5 it is played by the whole
orchestra, at a slow tempo.
77 Adams A Short Ride in A Fast Machine
 John Adams
 Short Ride in a Fast Machine
 Orchestral, 1986
 Delirando (deliriously)
 2 piccolos, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 4 clarinets, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 French horns, 4
trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, wood blocks, pedal bass drum, large bass drum, suspended
cymbal, sizzle cymbal, large gong (tam-tam), tambourine, triangle, glockenspiel, xylophone, crotales, 2
synthesizers, 1st violins, 2d violins, violas, cellos, double basses
 Listen for steady wood block pulsations, rapid-note ostinatos in synthesizers, and repeated chords
alternating between regular and irregular rhythms. Notice the prominence of percussion instruments
and the climactic effect of the fanfare-like trumpet melody near the end of the Short Ride.
81 Leon Inura the Sharing
 Tania León
 Section 2: The Sharing, from Inura
 2009
 Sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, 1st violins, 2d violins, cellos, double bass, percussion
  Listen for the polyrhythm of the percussion group and the contrast in tone color between instrumental
sections and those with voices and instruments.

***TERMS***

Sound – vibrations traveling through a medium

Natural Mediums – air & water

Elements
Pitch – the speed of the sound wave / Range & Interval
Dynamics – Volume / Strength of the sound wave
Duration – Steady beat, tempo, rhythm, meter
Pitch- highness or lowness of a sound
dynamics Degrees of loudness or softness in music.
Legato- Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.
Tempo- Basic pace of the music.
tone color- Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument or voice from another.
chord Combination of three or more tones sounded at once.
percussion family Instrument of definite or indefinite pitch whose sound is produced by striking by hand, or
with a stick or hammer, or by shaking or rubbing.
rhythm Ordered flow of music through time, the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
phrase Part of a melody. Often, but not always, phrases are heard in pairs known as question-answer or
antecedent-consequent. Together they create a complete musical thought.
meter Organization of beats into regular groups.
aria Song for solo voice with instrumental accompaniment, usually expressing an emotional state through its
outpouring of melody; found in operas, oratorios, and cantatas.
key Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are
heard.
rhythm Ordered flow of music through time, the pattern of durations of notes and silences in music.
key Central note, scale, and chord within a piece, in relationship to which all other tones in the composition are
heard.
legato Smooth, connected manner of performing a melody.
string quartet Composition for two violins, a viola, and a cello; usually consisting of four movements. (Also, the
four instrumentalists.)
melody Series of single tones that add up to a recognizable whole.
texture Number of layers of sound that are heard at once, what kinds of layers they are, and how they are
related to each other.
through-composed form Vocal form in which there is new music for each stanza of a poem.
voice (vocal ranges) Voice ranges include coloratura soprano, lyric soprano, dramatic soprano, lyric tenor,
dramatic tenor, basso buffo, and basso profundo, among others. The most basic voice ranges from high to low
are soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.