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Listening Log for Music Theory Matt Schroeder 11/19/2010 Music of the 19th century, often referred to as Romantic music due to the increased emotional weight of many of the pieces of this time, has many aspects and features which set the genre apart from the earlier parts of the Common Practice Period and signify the onset of the 20th century. Romantic music differentiates itself though a combination of expansion on previous practices as well as the use of brand new techniques and ideas. This style utilizes dissonances and chromaticism much more frequently than that of earlier works. In addition, composers began to experiment with modulating to distant, unrelated keys. These increased complexities, combined with the technological advances of instruments at the time, saw a shift of focus from vocal music to instrumental music. Romantic music brought with it a slew of new innovations including advanced chord progressions and brand new chords. These chords were often heavily influenced by chromaticism, such as the Neapolitan triad and chromatic mediance, and some were even unclassifiable by previous methods, including altered dominance and the Italian, French, and German augmented sixth chords. With these new chords also came the idea of “borrowing” chords from the parallel minor key. New chords such as these greatly expanded the set of tools and tricks composers could use to better convey their feelings and ideas. These changes combined to give music of the 19th century both a much deeper and complex feel as well as a new sense of freedom which was not present in the strict rules of the early common practice period. Works from this time began to feel much more unique and individualized. Romantic music continued to evolve throughout the 1800s until finally culminating in the end of the common practice period in the 20th century. Les Preludes Andante Maestoso Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 6 November 2010 This piece begins in a major key in 4/4 time. There is a brief grand pause and then the orchestra comes back in quietly, making use of sequencing to build up to the climax of the introduction. The brass is prominently featured and sounds like a fanfare. The prelude continues to use sequencing and contrasting phrases of differing lengths. Near the end, the time switches to a three feel in a light, bouncy section which contrasts with the heaviness of the rest of the piece. It ends, sort of unexpectedly, with a quiet and deceptive flute cadence. The work utilized a number of tonicizations, mostly leading tones, as well as a few modulations, most of which were to closely or somewhat-closely related keys. The piece sounded very chromatic at several times, typical of the style of romantic music of the 19th century. Les Preludes Allegretto Pastorale Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 6 November 2010 This movement begins rather mysteriously, with light, imitative woodwind melodies over an ascending bass line in a minor key. The feel stays very light and simplistic as the three feel in a new major key keeps the piece moving in a sequence on the main theme which alternates between different sections of the orchestra. The phrasing is relatively simple, with most phrases being identical or similar and generally in eight-measure sections. Some brass fanfare takes the piece to a powerful restatement of the main idea but this time in four. A bit of sequencing in the strings then builds to the regal maestoso climax, which has returned the time from four to three. This prelude ends with a short yet powerful tonic chord, resolving the perfect authentic cadence. This movement was not as chromatic as the first, and made use of less tonicizations and modulations. Fidelio Overture Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 25 September 2010 This piece opens with some loud brassy fanfare followed by a progression of dark and mysterious chromatic chords. The overture is in a major key and a bouncy compound time signature. The dynamics contrast greatly as the strings bring forth the wild melody, using quick crescendos and sequenced patterns to build the excitement. Tonicizations and other chromatic chords are used to build tension as the piece becomes more and more wild, but a sudden and unexpected grand pause leads the way for a short, relaxed phrase with melody in the woodwinds. This doesn’t last long, though, and the strings create havoc with rapid, ascending scalar patterns. The climax feels as though the piece is about to fly out of control, but the tight perfect authentic cadence at the end ties everything together beautifully. This piece felt a little simpler than a lot of other romantic music, which is probably due to the fact that this piece was written very early in the romantic time period. Leonore Overture #3 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 25 September 2010 This overture begins suddenly with a powerful chord which slowly steps down the scale of the major key. Chromatic pitches are used to convey a sense of uncertainty and mystery beneath a dark melody in the flutes and strings. An ostenato in the strings builds rapidly to a section where the woodwinds play quarter notes accented by commanding chords in the rest of the orchestra. Suddenly the melody feels very march-like, and the same string ostenato as before raises the piece to an exciting battle between the brass and strings. A reoccurring theme in this piece involves a few sections playing simple melodies which are suddenly interrupted by quick blasts from the rest of the orchestra. After a long section of this, a trumpet fanfare gives way to a calm, playful melody in the flute which contrasts with the power and energy of the rest of the overture. This piece plays around a lot with sudden changes between loud and soft dynamic levels. Like the previous Beethoven Overture, it was early in the romantic period and does not have the usual chromaticism but does feel very free. Impromptu in G Major, op.90 No. 3 Franz Schubert (1797-1828) David Watanabe (Friday at 1) 12 November 2010 The piece begins with a simple melody over a figuration in the left hand. The A section is repeated once, and then followed by the move active B section. This section has more chromatic pitches and more intricate harmonies than the first. Following that, the A section is repeated once more, but this time is extended by an unexpected deceptive cadence which leads into some phrases reminiscent of the more volatile B section. These alternate with themes from the A section and ultimately lead to a perfect authentic cadence at the end. This ballad-like piece is very representative of the Romantic period; it comes off as very free and expressive and has a certain lyrical feel to it. Compared to other pieces of the era, though, it is harmonically not as complex (not the ear, at least). Sonata, op.13 Grave: Allegro di molto e con brio Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) Kristin Mullen-Muhr (Friday at 1) 22 October 2010 Powerful chromatic chords open this piece, creating a very dark tone for the rest of the piece. The introduction feels very improvisatory, and is played with much rubato and marked by numerous embellishment-like runs. The main theme begins intensely and is accented with many short sequences, followed by a few long ones which are used to build the piece. After a booming half cadence, this section repeats. The harmony sounds very complex, although the heavily ornamented style of the piece helps to retain some of the free-flowing motives set up in the introduction, which makes a return after the repeat of the A section concludes. It is cut short, however, by the arrival of a new B section, which utilizes sequences much like the A section. After a quick bridge in the form a sweeping scalar run, the first section makes another return, followed again by a few phrases of the introduction, and then ends strongly with a traditional perfect authentic cadence. Notturno op.54 No. 4, Notturno Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) Meredith Schlabig (Friday at 1) 17 September 2010 This piece opens with a descending sequence in the bass under a free-flowing lyrical melody. Ornamentation, such as long, dramatic trills, is prevalent. The section ends with a half cadence, but cleverly leads the listener to believe it will resolve to tonic as an authentic cadence. The section then repeats, and ends with a perfect authentic cadence. This piece is unusual for this time period because it lacks any sort of contrasting B section. The strophic form of this piece contributes to the free and expressive style, however, which is very typical of the lyrical styles of the Romantic period. Requiem in D minor Introit Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 15 October 2010 Mozart’s Requiem opens with a canon among the woodwinds above a simple harmonic pattern in the strings, which disappears as the chorus enters. The piece begins in a minor key but after a short section modulates to a major key. The motive from the canon returns in a short instrumental bridge between sections. At this point the piece seems to periodically drift between major and minor keys. In the section following, sequences are used to build the piece to the climax, which ends abruptly with a half cadence. Requiem in D minor Recordare, Jesu Pie Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 15 October 2010 The introduction of this movement gives way to a duet between the soprano and bass, which uses both imitation as well as unison lines. The two are joined by a couple more voices, and in the next section the bass and tenor soloists sing in a sort of mini-canon while the soprano and alto sing in harmony above them. This movement begins in a major key, but has an entire middle section in minor, along with a couple shorter modulations to minor keys throughout the piece, which bring contrast to the selection. After a return to the global key, the A section repeats. The movement ends with a perfect authentic cadence. Requiem in D minor Benedictus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra 15 October 2010 A brief introduction by the orchestra sets the tone for the first soloist, who imitates the motive performed in the opening statement. This motive has a lot of ti-do motion. The following section has more complex harmonies and is more chromatic than most of the other movements of this Requiem so far. Following this section, though, the A section returns but the solo this time is performed by a bass instead of soprano. Both times this section has been performed there has been a deceptive cadence about halfway through. An orchestral interlude leads into a new section full of sequencing and imitation, which ends suddenly with a perfect authentic cadence. My experience with this music from the nineteenth century confirms all of the characteristics assumed to be typical of the Romantic period. These pieces all have a very lyrical feel and emotional weight unlike most of the works of the earlier common practice period. Many utilize very complex harmonies and chromaticism, while still retaining or even expanding on many techniques and traditions which had long been established by classical composers such as song form and cadence structure. Another noticeable feature of these works is the use of imitation and sequencing to build the melodic and harmonic material. Many pieces feel both deeper and more free thanks to the less strict rules of this era combined with the new tricks and techniques developed by nineteenth-century composers.