October 20, 2011 Lesson/Week 6: Vienna, Prague, and Russia (Brahms, Bruckner, Gustav and Alma Mahler, Dvořák, Mussorgsky, and Tchaikovsky) Introduction This lesson focuses on the prominent composers of the latter part of the nineteenth century: , the primary composers being Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, and Gustav and Alma Mahler. Check Czech composer Antonín Dvořák will also be considered, along with N as will n ineteenth- century Russian composers Modest Mussorgsky and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Objectives: Upon successful completion of this lesson you will: aurally identify specific excerpts of Brahms, Bruckner, and Beethoven. name the composers in “The Five, ” lead by Balakirev. identify absolute and programmatic pieces of music by their titles. identify the orchestra make-up of the late Romantic era. define the genre of b B allet and recognize the major Russian contributor, Tchaikovsky. recognize that Gustav Mahler’s songs and some symphonies were drawn from folks and ethnic dances. determine the instrumentation in the late Romantic orchestra describe the advanced harmonic treatment of Ala ma Schindler- / Mahler’s composition “The Quiet City.” Page 1
Transcript
October 20, 2011
Lesson/Week 6: Vienna, Prague, and Russia (Brahms, Bruckner, Gustav and Alma Mahler, Dvořák, Mussorgsky, and Tchaikovsky)
Introduction
This lesson focuses on the prominent composers of the latter part of the nineteenth century:, the primary composers being Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, and Gustav and Alma Mahler. Check Czech composer Antonín Dvořák will also be considered, along with Nas will nineteenth- century Russian composers Modest Mussorgsky and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this lesson you will:
aurally identify specific excerpts of Brahms, Bruckner, and Beethoven.
name the composers in “The Five,” lead by Balakirev.
identify absolute and programmatic pieces of music by their titles.
identify the orchestra make-up of the late Romantic era.
define the genre of bBallet and recognize the major Russian contributor, Tchaikovsky.
recognize that Gustav Mahler’s songs and some symphonies were drawn from folks and ethnic
dances.
determine the instrumentation in the late Romantic orchestra
describe the advanced harmonic treatment of Alama Schindler-/Mahler’s composition “The Quiet
City.”
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Timeline for Lesson ____
[Heath: refer to the Excel file with the lesson timeline, below]
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Reading Assignment: Read the beginning of chapter 58, pages 566– thought 571, in “Music in Western Civilization,”.
Music in Vienna
Vienna was one of the largest cities in Europe during in the second half of the nineteenth century. During the time when Emperor Franz Joseph ruled, the city grew to twice the size of the population in the 1820’s when Beethoven and Schubert (lessons 3 and 4) were lived in the city.
[file: Franz_Joseph.jpg]
Caption: Emperor Franz Joseph who ruled from 1848 to 1916.
Vienna was known for the highbrow music with the likes of Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms.
[Heath: put a more info link here – a popup, not the text in the lesson] More info: The origin of the wordThe word “highbrow was coined in 1884,,” according to the Oxford Dictionary of Music, occurred in 1884. The term was popularized in 1902 by Will Irvin, a reporter for The Sun (New York), who supported the pseudoscience of Pphrenology (the study of the shape of the skcull), which notion claimed that more intelligent people have high foreheads.]
In addition, music for dance there was a growing in popularity of music for dance. Social dancing has a long history of popularity in Vienna. The most popular dance at this time was the waltz. Huge dance halls cropped up all over the city.
[file: BallViennaCityHall-1904.jpg]
Caption: Ball in Vienna City Hall, 1904.
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a477485, 10/26/11,
There's no sense of scale here. I don't know whether "twice the size of the population in the 1820s" is impressive because I don't know what the population was in the 1820s. Give concrete numbers.
a477485, 10/26/11,
In addition to what?
In the American jazz/swing era there were “musical royalty,” namely, tThe King of Swing (Benny Goodman), The the Duke of Swing (Duke Ellington), and the Count of Swing (Count Basie). Vienna had their own “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss, Jr. (not to be confused with Richard Strauss, – lesson 8). His orchestras played to huge crowds throughout the city.
[File: johann_strauss1.jpg]Caption: Johann Strauss, Jr.
Listen to and view the notation for the Blue Danube Waltz, one of the signature waltz compositions by Johann Strauss, Jr.
[Heath: use the scroller here: Audio file: 01 Blue Danube Waltz.mp3Notation files: Strauss_Blue_Danube_Page_04.jpg through Strauss_Blue_Danube_Page_11.jpg (8 pages total)
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Excellent analogy here! Could we put Brahms reference in here as well? Since he is the first composer focused on after this. TR: Brahms does not fit into this comment at all, Heath. My idea is to introduce Johann Strauss in a novel way. So, I prefer to leave it as it. My flow here is the same as the book in chapter 58 – the music of Vienna and then on to Brahms.
Johannes Brahms (1833– – 1897)
? Question: What did Brahms do in his teenage years to supplement his family’s meager income? Answer: He played piano in German bars and pubs.
File: BrahmsYoung.jpg]
From: http://www.arthurcolman.com/m_brahms.html
One of the most famous melodies that Brahms composed was his “Lullaby.” Listen to a performance of it on a music box.
Johannes Brahms came from a humble beginning being born in the slums of Hamburg, Germany. His parents recognized his prodigious musical talents and provided him with lessons at an early age. In his teens, his father found jobs for him in the Hamburg bars and bordellos, playing piano to help support their meager family income.
Brahms, like Wagner and Beethoven, was renowned as a composer during his lifetime. Composer and conductor Robert Schumann announced that Brahms was the up –and- coming musician in Vienna when Brahms was just 20 years old. His career began, as Beethoven and Schumann’s did, as a concert pianist.
There is a phrase in music "the three B’s.”" This refers to Johann Sebastian Bach, who composed prior to the Age of Enlightenment during the Baroque era, Ludwig Van Beethoven , and Johannes Brahms. “The three Bs” phraseThis moniker was first coined in 1876 after the premier of Brahms’s first symphony. Brahms strived to continue the Ssymphonic legacy of Beethoven, and his first symphony received the nickname of “the 10thtenth sSymphony,” following Beethoven’s nine. Brahms was a well-known and respected composer in Vienna and throughout Europe by the end of his illustrious career.
Brahms never married, but he did have a long relationship with Clara Schumann (see lesson 4), the wife of Robert Schumann. Brahms became a close friend of the family in his twenties, and after Robert’s death, he helped Clara through her grieving. He remained a close friend of Clara’s for the rest of his life, though they never married.
Brahms aAs a composer, Brahms followed in the style of Franz Schubert, Robert Schuman, and the late period of Beethoven (see lessons 3 and 4). He composed in a Romantic style, melodically and emotionally, while maintaining a sense of Cclassical form. He preferred to reflect back on the masters from of the past, including J.S. Bach and Handel.
He, like Beethoven, was in constant search ofconstantly improving his compositions via through edits and re-writes. Brahms, was also heavily influenced by folk songs. Brahms He composed 144 pieces for piano and voice based on German folk songs. Brahms was almost certainly influenced by the technological development of the piano, which essentially reached essentially its modern form during his lifetime. Much of Brahms's piano music and many of his lieder make use of the deep bass notes to obtain a rich and powerful sound.
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[New page]
Brahms Symphony No. 3
Brahms composed four symphonies from between 1876-–1885. All were similar to Beethoven’s, with four movements and traditional forms. – aAll of the first movements use Ssonata- aAllegro form,. aAnd they are written for an orchestra of mModerate size. The work is tightly unified by a short, melodic fragment (see pages 569 and 570 of Music in Western Civilization).
Listen to the F-Ab-F theme in the first movement (refer to the notation on page 569 in Music in Western Civilization). 1. The opening bars:
[Heath: insert audio: Brahms3Mvmnt1Opening.aif]
2. The closing bars of the first movement: [Heath: insert audio: BrahmsSymNo3Move1Ending.aif
Like Beethoven, Brahms uses this theme throughout the first movement. However, unique to Brahms, he brings back the theme in final, fourth movement of the symphony.
Listen to the F-Ab-F theme in the fourth movement. (refer to the notation on page 569 in Music in Western Civilization). [Heath: insert audio: BrahmsSymNo3_4thMovmntEnd.aif]
Listen to the entire first movement of Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90[Heath: Please use the Scroller here
insert audio: 06 Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90_ I. Allegro con brio.mp3[Brahms: Symphony No. 3 & Serenade No. 2; Bernard Haitink, Conductor; Copyright: 2004 London Symphony Orchestra Ltd]Notation file: 26 pages - Brahms_Sym_No_3_1_Allegro_con_brio__Page_01.jpg through Brahms_Sym_No_3_1_Allegro_con_brio__Page_26.jpg
Interview: Maestro Marin Alsop’s comments on Brahms and his symphonies: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=11888689&m=11947520Full story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11888689
Brahms composed a variety of choral music, which included music for chorus and orchestra, and unaccompanied chorus. His most famous choral work is “The German Requiem” (1868). Brahms extended the tradition of Franz Schubert and composed more than 200 German lLieder (songs). The folk song influence in his music is presentcan be seen in his composition “Feldeinsamkeit” (In Summer Fields). See page 571 of in mMusic in Western Civilization for more details on this composition.
This composition, despite its simplicity, includes chromatic harmony, (def: a chord or chords containing a note or notes foreign to the tonic or home key of the piece). Notice the chromatic movement in the piano accompaniment in measures 22, 23, and 24.
Translation of the text: [Heath – please put the German and English side by side]
“Feldeinsamkeit”
Ich ruhe still im hohen grünen GrasUnd sende lange meinen Blick nach oben,Von Grillen rings umschwirrt ohn Unterlaß,Von Himmelsbläue wundersam umwoben.
Die schönen weißen Wolken ziehn dahinDurchs tiefe Blau, wie schöne stille Träume;Mir ist, als ob ich längst gestorben binUnd ziehe selig mit durch ew'ge Räume.
“In Summer Ffields”
Quite still I lie where green the grass and tallAnd gaze above me into depths unbounded,By voices of the woodland a constant call,And by the wondrous blue of Heav'n surrounded.
The lovely snow white clouds drift far and wide,Like silent dreams through deeps of azure wending,I feel as though I long ago had died,To drift with them through realms of bliss unending.
Listen to and view the notation of “Feldeinsamkeit.” Make note of the simplicity of the overall accompaniment and how it supports the text of the song.
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[Heath: please use the scroller here: Audio file: 02 Sechs Lieder, Op.86_ II. Feldeinsamkeit.mp3Notation files: Brahms_Feldeinsamkeit_Page_1.jpg (3 pages)
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The War of the Romantics
The War of the Romantics refers to the aesthetic disagreement among prominent musicians in the second half of the 19th nineteenth century. There were a handful of primarynumber of issues of contention, such as the limits of chromatic harmony, musical structure, and absolute music as opposed to program music. There were two opposing parties in the conflict. The Conservative Circle, founded by Felix Mendelssohn, was based in Leipzig and Berlin and included Johannes Brahms, Robert, and Clara Schumann and the Leipzig Conservatoire.
The radical progressives, on the other hand, were represented by Frank Liszt, Richard Wagner, and members of the New German School (also known as “Neudeutsche Schule”). Musicians in the conflict were primarily from Germany and cCentral Europe, although some musicians from Italy, France, and Russia were also involved. Both sides considered Beethoven as their spiritual and artistic hero, although they looked at him from different perspectives. The progressives saw Beethoven’s work as a new beginning for music while the conservatives saw him as an unsurpassable high for music and composition.
The conservative faction included:
Robert Schumann Clara Schumann
Felix MendelsohnMendelssohn
Johannes Brahms
The futurist faction or New German School included:
Franz List Richard Wagner
Hans von Bülow
Brahms openly abhorred the wave of ultra-rRomanticism embodied in the works of Liszt and Wagner, with their unabashed theatricality and virtuosity. He also felt music did not need a program or story to be effective.
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Excellent material here! Thanks.
Reading Assignment: Read the rest of chapter 58, pages 572–5 thought 576 in “Music in Western Civilization.,”
Anton Bruckner (1824-–1896)
[File: Bruckner.jpg]
Symphonies
Anton Bruckner, unlike Brahms, did not begin his career as a composer until he was in his mid-forties. Prior to that time he was an accomplished church organist and teacher. Bruckner moved to Vienna in 1868 as an instructor for the Vienna Conservatory. His list of students is quite impressive and includes Gustav Mahler (featured later in this lesson) and Arnold Schoenberg (lesson 10).
In Vienna, Bruckner concentrated on composing symphonies. He composed nine symphonies in all, with the last, the ninth, left unfinished when he died in 1896. Bruckner’s symphonies are longer than any that came before them. They are clearly in the New German school style of composition such as Wagner and Lizt (lesson 5) as they are epic in length. They have recurring themes, another trait of the New German School and they are approximately twice as long as Brahms symphonies. The audiences did not find his symphonies easy to listen to, hence so he was not the an instant star as waslike his contemporaries Wagner, Brahms, and Liszt.
Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, is one of his most popular. The first movement of the symphony is in a modified sSonata -Aallegro form. The length of the movement is longer than most of Mozart’s entire symphonies and more than twice the length of Beethoven’s symphonies. The first movement alone is nearly 22 minutes long.
Listen to and view the first movement of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, movement 1, Aallegro mModerato:
[Heath: Insert the audio only: 01 Symphony No. 7 in E major (ed. Haas) (1996 Digital Remaster)_ I. Allegro moderato.mp3(Bruckner: Symphony No 7 in E; Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic; (C) 2005 EMI Records Ltd.)
Vocal Music: Christus Factus Eest
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Is there any reason as to why his symphonies were so long? Might be useful info to put in if there is a story behind it. Or give your personal experience of sitting through one of his symphonies. TR: Added some addition information – from the book – page 572
Bruckner composed two forms of music: symphonies and choral compositions for the Catholic liturgy. He composed several motets (def: A short piece of sacred choral music, typically polyphonic and unaccompanied) most of which were a capella or unaccompanied vocal pieces. Refer to pages 573 and 574 in Music in Western Civilization for more information on the composition.
As you listen to this piece, you may find that the harmony is reminiscent of Wagner (lesson 5), specifically, the harmony that Wagner introduced in the Prelude to the opera “Tristan and Isolde.”
[Heath: Please use the scoller here: Audio file: 11 Christus Factus Est (Motet).mp3 (Bruckner: Motets; Matthew Morley, Conductor; (C) 1994 Naxos)Notation: 4 pages: Bruckner Christus Factus Est_Page_1.jpg through Bruckner Christus Factus Est_Page_4.jpg
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Workshop 6.1 – “Drop the Needle”: iIs it Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, or Bruckner?
When studying music history before the advent of CDs and digital music, the listening tests were called referred to as “dropping the needle,” as the instructor would drop the needle of the turntable and ask students to identify the composer and/or composition.
[file: Turntable.jpg]Caption: Crosley Music Writer CD Recorder
Most people can identify pieces with which they are familiar. If you hear a piece enough times, you can recall it from memory. For example, consider the familiar four4-note theme of the opening of the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth sSymphony.
[Heath: insert file: Beethoven5Theme.aif]
The other approach is to try to pick out general traits that the composer used in his works. This is much more difficult as composers often used a variety of styles in their pieces, so a generalization can be completely wrong at times.
Listen to the instrumental excerpts, below. Then, attempt to identify the composer. Keep trying until you match all three examples.
Composers: Beethoven Brahms Bruckner
[Heath –drag and drop the audio file – when they drag it to the correct answer, the composer and composition is revealed as well as my comments]
1. Example 1: [Heath correct answer = Beethoven - Symphony No. 7, Movement 2, Allegretto – audio file: Beethoven 7 example.aif. Comments that should appear or a place where the user can click on it to read them: The harmony in this example, from Beethoven’s 7th SeventhSsymphony, is relatively simple. The melody is made of a series of short phrases, a technique Beethoven used frequently in his symphonies.
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2. Example 2: [Heath correct answer = Brahms Symphony 3, Movement 3, Poco Allegretto Audio file: Brahms Sym 3 example.aif Comments that should appear or a place where the user can click on it to read them: Brahms is known for his flowing, lyrical melodies and this example from his third symphony is no exception.
3. Example 3: [Heath correct answer = [Heath: Correct answer is Bruckner. – Symphony No. 7 Movement 1, Allegro Moderato. audio file: Bruckner Sym. 7Sample.aif Comments that should appear or a place where the user can click on it to read them:This example from Bruckner’s 7th Seventh Symphony is similar to much of his writing as it contains a variety of melodic and harmonic styles. The first thirty seconds of this example has Beethoven-like harmony and then it moves to a more Wagner-like, chormaticchromatic approach.
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? Question: What did Antonín Dvořák’s father do for a living?Answer: Professional player of the zither, an innkeeper, and a butcher
[insert file: Zither1.jpg]
Antonín Dvořák (1841 –1904)
File: Dvorak_colour_portrait.jpgCaption: Antonín Dvořák
He was born in Prague, now the capital of the Czech Rrepublic, but at the time it was under Austrian rule. They actually had two opera houses in the city, one in the Czech language and one in German. His compositional style is aligned to the conservative side of the War of the Romantics, with a close relationship with the music of Brahms, who helped him significantly throughout his career.
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[file: Dvorak-and-family-in-the-US.jpg]Caption: Dvořák and family in the US
In 1892, he come to New York and directed the National Conservatory of Music. He took a keen interest in American folk songs during his four-year stay in New York.
[icon] Dvořák’s compositions are unique in that his nationalistic influence was not restricted to his home country. Refer to pages 574 and 575 of Music in Western Civilization for more information on Dvořák and his musucmusic.
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Symphony No. 9 (New World)
As was the case with other Romantic composers, including Weber, Liszt, and Wagner, Dvořák demonstrated a strong nationalistic approach to his compositions. When composing pieces representing other cultures, he tried to include melodies that were indigenous to them. For example, when he came to America, Dvořák captured the essence of the African-American folk song in his infamous second movement of the Ninth Symphony. The melody in this movement has become one of the most popular classical music melodies, perhaps second only to “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s ninth Symphony.
After the introductory chords, the melody of the famous theme is heard. It was later given lyrics: “Goin’ home, goin’ home.”
[Heath: Enter the graphic and the audio file, below:
Audio: New World Theme.aifGraphic: GoinHomeTheme.png]
The English Hhorn is similar to the oboe. However, it is larger and lower in pitch.
[file: oboeeh.jpg]
Caption: English horn above an Ooboe
Dvořák’s nNinth Ssymphony demonstrates two trends in the late nineteenth century:
1. Use of and imitation of folklore from specific places.
2. Absolute music— – music that does not try to tell a definite story.
Listen to and view the entire second movement from Dvořák’s Symphony Number No. 9 (New World). The notation is from a piano reduction of the complete score. Notice the folk- song– like melodies throughout.
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[Heath: use the scroller here – Audio file: 02 Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 _From the New World__II. Largo (Instrumental).mp3Notation files: (5 total pages): NewWorldMovment2piano_Page_2.jpg through NewWorldMovment2piano_Page_7.jpg]
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Reading Assignment: Read chapter 59, pages 576 thought 584 in “Music in Western Civilization,”
Russian Music: The Kutchka (The Five)
Russian music, throughout the early and mid-nineteenth century, was dominated by European composers and musical styles. Opera and bBallet were the most popular genres. During the reign of Tsar Alexander (1855-1881), music in St. Petersburg was revamped and the future fortunes of native composers brightened. Russia also had a conflict of approaches to music, similar to the War of the Romantics in Europe. There was the pro-Wwestern faction who wanted to preserve the European approach and there was a faction who wanted to establish music with a Russian influence.
On the pro-Western side was virtuoso pianist and composer, Anton Rubeinstien (1829-1894). His piano technique was compared to that of Franz List (lesson 5). He was a proponent of the European style of composition such as Schumann, Verdi, and Brahms.
[file: anton-rubinstein-7-sized.jpg]Caption: Anton Rubinstein
Russian composer Mily Balakirev (MEE-lee bah-lah-KEE-rehf) (1837-1910) was opposed to the strong European influence in Russia and wanted to see Russian folk songs utilized. and hHe promoted musical materials that broke with European tradition. An informal group of supporters was formed that included composers Rimsky-Korsakov, Cesar Cui, Alexander Borodin, and Modest Mussorgsky. They were called The Kutchka (Handful). The group is also sometimes referred to as tThe Five.
[icon] See pages 577 and 578 in Music in Western Civilization, with specific reference attention to St. Petersburg, Russia and how this community of young musicians were drawn to Balakirev’s powerful personality
[file: Tchaikovsky_and_The_Five_2.PNG] Caption Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (top left) and The Five (counter-clockwise from bottom left): Mily Balakirev, César Cui, Alexander Borodin, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
“Be aware of how……………when reading pages 577 and 578.”
[New Page]
?Question: In addition to that of a composer, what else did Mussorgsky do to earn a living?Answer: He was a Ccivil sServant.
Modest Mussorgsky (1839– – 1881)
[File: Mussorgsky.jpg]
Modest Mussorgsky was not a famous composer during his lifetime. He was part of tThe Five, but made his living in the military and working for the government. He composed in a variety of genres including his popular opera “Boris Godunov.” His other principal works include the programmatic pieces “Pictures at an Exhibition” and “Night on Bald Mountain,” as well as three song cycles “The Nursery,” “Songs and Dances of Death,” and “Sunless.”
[icon] See pages 578 and 579 in Music in Western Civilization for more information on the Mussorgsky’s “Sunless” song cycle and the effect that realism had on his choice of song poetry.
It is interesting that Mussorgsky’s most popular pieces today are versions that were edited or orchestrated by others. “Pictures at an Exhibition” was originally written for piano. Maurice Ravel orchestrated the version that is played today by orchestras throughout the world. “Night on Bald Mountain” was edited and arranged several times by the composer, but the version that is popular today was arranged by Rimsky-Korsakov, after the composer’s death.
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Again summarize/point out a specific area: “Pay attention to how Mussorgsky……………….when reading pages 578 and 579.” TR: Added
“Night on Bald Mountain”
Composed in 1867, the programmatic composition, “Night on Bald Mountain” was inspired by a short story by the Russian writer, Nikolai Gogol. The Russian title translates to “St. John's Eve on the Bare Mountain.” The story is about a witches Sabbath that is celebrated at night on a bald or bare mountain.
The piece is in several sections:
1. Subterranean sounds of unearthly voices.
2. Appearance of the Spirits of Darkness, followed by Satan himself.
3. Glorification of Satan and celebration of the Black Mass.
4. The Witches' Sabbath.
5. At the height of the orgy, the bell of the little village church is heard from afar. The Spirits of Darkness are dispersed.
6. Daybreak.
Listen to and view the piano reduction of the full score, below.
[Heath: Use the Scroller here:Audio File 16 Night on Bald Mountain.mp3(Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain; New York Philharmonic; Leonard Bernstein, 1987, Sony Classical)Notation files: (17 pages) Moussorgsky-Tchernow_Night_on_Bald_Mountain_Page_03.jpg through Moussorgsky-Tchernow_Night_on_Bald_Mountain_Page_20.jpg]
More info: “Night on Bald Mountain” was featured in the finale of Walt Disney’s Fantasia (1940). The Disney animators followed the original programmatic intention of the composer. YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8Ca_edg6RE
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Pronunciation: http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/d1576/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky) was the most famous Russian composer of the Romantic Eera. He, like Mozart, excelled in all genres of music popular at the time. He wrote six operas, six symphonies, symphonic poems, chamber and solo music, and he was the first leading composer of the late nineteenth century to compose for ballet.
He has many extremely popular pieces, including some of today’s most memorable and recognizable melodies. Tchaikovsky wrote a programmatic orchestral piece for the opening of a cCathedral in Moscow in 1880, the “The 1812 Overture.” The final theme from the piece is perhaps his most popular melody. The entire composition runs approximately 16 minutes. His immortal music for the Nutcracker Bballet will be discussed later in this lesson.
Listen to the final theme from the “1812 Overture”:
More info: Spelling of the name Tchaikovsky. Because of the difference in the alphabet of the Russian language, it is difficult to translate words and names into English. Even Tchaikovsky used different spellings of his name in English throughout his career. http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/forum/forum0059.html His first name Pyotr is often spelled Peter.
Life
Tchaikovsky was the son of a wealthy mining engineer. His study of piano began at age 6. In his teens, he entered school to study law and completed his studies at age 19. Like Mussorgsky, his first job was working for the government. However, his love for music won out and he decided to study music full time at the age 23 and entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where he was a student of Anton Rubenstein. At age 25 he was appointed professor of composition at the conservatory and began his career as a composer full time. In 1891, he traveled to America where he was invited to conduct the New York Symphony at the opening of Carnegie Hall. He died from cholera in St. Petersburg in 1893 at age 53.
Tchaikovsky was the first major composer in the Romantic era to focus on bBallet. Ballet had is origin in France. The concept of the ballerina dancing on point shoes was created in Paris during the nineteenth century.
[icon] See pages 580 and 581 of Music in Western Civilization for more information on this genre.
He composed several ballets, some of his most popular works then and now. These include:
Swan Lake (1886)
The Sleeping Beauty (1889)
The Nutcracker (1872)
[file: Vzevolozhsky's_costume_sketch_for_Nutcracker.jpgCaption: Vzevolozhsky's costume sketch for the Nutcracker
Ballet, from a composition standpoint, can be compared towith Oopera. There are two main parts in oOpera – —the music and the libretto. In ballet, it is music and dance. Most composers, with the exception of Wagner (Llesson 5) worked with a Llibrettist to create the story and lyrics used in the opera. With bBallet, the composer works with a Cchoreographer who designs the dance routines in the Bballet and typically has a leading influence on the music that is composed.
Prior to Tchaikovsky, there were bBallets, but most of the serious composers shied away from it as typically the cChoreographer would give specific instructions as to what was expected of the composer (see page 582 of Music in Western Civilization).
The Choreographer
Ballet was established in St. Petersburg, Russia early in the nineteenth century by visiting French dancers and choreographers. At the end of the nineteenth century, the leading figure in bBallet in St. Petersburg was
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French immigrant Marius Petipa (Mar- yus PET- ee -pah), who lived from 1818 to 1910.
[file: Marius_Ivanovich_Petipa_-Feb._14_1898.JPG]Caption: Choreographer Marius Petipa
Tchaikovsky collaborated with Petipa on two of his most famous works, The The Sleeping Beauty and tThe Nutcracker.
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The Nutcracker Suite
After the incredible success of “The Sleeping Beauty,” Petipa and Tchaikovsky were approached by the director of the Imperial Theater, Alexandrovitch Vsevolojsky, and asked to create another ballet. Vsevolojsky suggested that they consider a story called “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice” by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffman which was published in 1816. In the end, Vsevolojsky went with a different version of the story written by Alexandre Dumas called “The Story of Hazel Nutcracker.”
The story went through some changes before it pleased both Pepita and Tchaikovsky. Petipa created a new character with the name of, the Sugar Plum Ffairy. This became the main character rather than the character Mariereplaced Marie as the main character. This change to the story is how the bBallet is most often performed today. See pages 581, 582, and 583 of Music in Western Civilization for more details on The Nutcracker Ballet.
Tchaikovsky was one of the first truely ingenious orchestrators. An orchestrator finds unique ways to combine instruments and sounds to create sonic effects. This is evident in the “Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy” in Act II. Tchaikovsky used a keyboard instrument, the celesta (or celeste) (pronunciation: http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/Celeste), whose keys strike a metal plate giving it a bell-like quality.
[File: celesta.jpg] Caption: Inside of a cCelesta or Cceleste
There were two versions of Tthe Nutcracker that Tchaikovsky composed. The first was Opus 71 and then the edited version Opus 71a. The Opus 71a version of the Sugar Plum Fairy is slightly shorter than the original which had an additional faster coda that was omitted in the Opus 71a version.
Listen to and view a performance of the “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker, Suite Ballet Op. 71a, Act II.
The form of the piece is simple rounded Binary form: Iintroduction (measures 1–-8) A (measures 9 – 20) B (measures 21-32 Ccelesta Ssolo (measures 33–-36) A (measures 37 to end
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Again summarize a specific area: “Pay attention to how ……………….when reading pages 581 and 582.” TR: Heath – as we discussed – I think we may have to agree to disagree on this one. If I point out one item, then it may make the reader think that is the only piece of information to focus on in the reading. And, I don’t think a summary is needed – that’s why the book is an integral part of the course. So, I would like to leave this one as is.
More info: “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” was also featured in the Walt Disney’s Fantasia (1940). YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usAHZ4cYBkQ.You will notice that the tempo of this version is significantly slower than the audio version. The tempo is at the discretion of the composer and choreographer, since the tempo marking sn is a general statement, not a specific metronome mark (see lesson 1).
Select one of the following genres presented in this lesson and in lesson 5:
Operaopera
s Symphony
Bballet
1. Choose the one you think can best represent the Romantic style. Include your comments and opinions about specific compositions, composer(s) and other unique factors. Include at least two references from Music in Western Civilization (500–-1000 words).
2. Include at least one YouTube link to a performance or portion of a performance of a piece that is not covered in lessons 5 or 6 from the genre you have selected.
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Reading Assignment: Read the end of chapter 60, pages 585– thought 593 in “Music in Western Civilization.”
?Question: Who was Gustav Mahler’s teacher in Vienna?Answer: Anton Bruckner
Gustav Mahler (1860-–1911)
File: gustav_mahler.jpg
Life and Career
Gustav Mahler started his career in music at age 15 as a virtuoso pianist. Sound familiar? It should, as Mozart, Schumann, Brahms, and Beethoven all started out their careers in a similar manner. However, Mahler did not want a career as a concert pianist. So, he sought other options.
In the 1984 filme Amadeus, there is a scene where Wolfgang’s father, Leopold, is visiting him in his apartment in Vienna. Leopold asks his son “do you have any students?” Wolfgang replies “I don’t want students, I want time for composition.” Leopold’s response: “Composition doesn’t pay.” This was true in the Classical era and continued into the Romantic era and to the present day, with a few exceptions. Since composition could not be counted on for a living, musicians turned to other avenues including:
Ttouring cities and performing for audiences.
Tteaching in a college or conservatory of music
You could argue a third— and that is to getgetting someone to sponsor you. Both Wagner and Beethoven had this option, but but it is rare. With the rise of the mMiddle Cclass, another option can be added to the list: cConductor of Ooperas and Ssymphonies. Schumann and Rossini took advantage of this as a music career option. Mahler chose conducting as his career path.
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Mahler was the conductor of orchestras and opera companies in Kassel (1883), Prague (1885), Leipzig (1886), Budapest (1888), Hamburg (1891), Vienna (1894), and the New York Philharmonic Society (1911). Since his compositions did not bring him notoriety during his lifetime, he became a “summer composer” and wrote music when the orchestra season was over during the summer months.
[icon] See pages 585 and 586 of Music in Western Civilization for more information on Mahler’s life including his role as conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic, his heritage, and how he made he a living as a composer/conductor.
.
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Again summarize a specific area: “Pay attention to how Mahler……………….when reading pages 585 and 586.” TR: Added areas that are covered in the reading.
Mahler’s Songs
Mahler specialized in the two most popular genres of the day, the song and the symphony. Songs (Llieder) have been composed since the early part of the nineteenth century, starting with Franz Schubert (lesson 4). Mahler wrote several song cycles, and for the first cycle he wrote the poetry himself. The other composer this brings to mind is Wagner (lesson 5), as he composed the music and the librettos for his operas.
Mahler turned to literary sources after the first song cycle,, like the poetry of Friedrich Rucker. Clara Schumann also used Rückert’s poems as inspiration for her compositions including “Liebst du um Schönheit.” (lesson 4).
[File: Friedrich Rückert.jpg] Caption: Friedrich Rückert
Mahler used one of Rückert’s poems “Um Mitternacht” (At Midnight). The poem is about a man who awakes at Midnight searching for the meaning of life. The translation of the text is as follows:
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[Heath – please keep this next to each other]German:
Um mMitternachtHab' ich gewachtUnd aufgeblickt zum Himmel;Kein Stern vom SterngewimmelHat mir gelachtUm Mitternacht.
Um MitternachtHab' ich gedachtHinaus in dunkle Schranken.Es hat kein LichtgedankenMir Trost gebrachtUm Mitternacht.
Um MitternachtNahm ich in achtDie Schläge meines Herzens;Ein einz'ger Puls des SchmerzesWar angefachtUm Mitternacht.
Um MitternachtKämpft' ich die Schlacht,O Menschheit, deiner Leiden;Nicht konnt' ich sie entscheidenMit meiner MachtUm Mitternacht.
Um MitternachtHab' ich die MachtIn deine Hand gegeben!Herr! über Tod und LebenDu hältst die WachtUm Mitternacht!
English:
At midnight I awokeand gazed up to heaven;No star in the entire massdid smile down at meat midnight.
At midnightI projected my thoughtsout past the dark barriers.No thought of lightbrought me comfortat midnight.
At midnight I paid close attention to the beating of my heart; One single pulse of agony flared upat midnight.
At midnight I fought the battle, o Mankind, of your suffering; I could not decide it with my strength at midnight.
At midnight I surrendered my strength into your hands! Lord! over death and life You keep watch at midnight!
As with many of Mahler’s compositions, he raised the bar. With his songs, he frequently wrote the vocal accompaniment for an entire orchestra so he could call upon a wide range of sounds and textures. He also preferred to change the music for each and every verse. This is called tThrough cComposed and is the opposite of sStrophic composition, where the same music is used for each repeated verse (lesson 4).
Mahler’s “Um Mitternacht” is performed with full orchestra and just piano accompaniment. Listen to and view both versions, below. Notice the difference in the tonal expression with the full symphonic version.
Version 2: Ffull oOrchestra and vVoice [Heath: use the scroller here Audio: 5-05 Rückert-Lieder - Um Mitternacht.mp3(Mahler - Vol. 2; Leonard Bernstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, Thomas Hampson2010Decca InternationalNotation files: (10 pages) Mahler_Um Mitternacht Orch_Page_01.jpg through Mahler_Um Mitternacht Orch_Page_10.jpg
[icon] For additional information on this and other Mahler’s songs, song cycles, and the German folk poems he set to music, refer to pages 586 and 587 in Music in Western Civilization.
The Romantic eEra featured music that expressed all types of feelings and emotions. There were several compositions dedicated to the morose. For example, Mussorgsky’s “Songs and Dances of Death” and “Night on Bald Mountain;” Schubert’s “Erlkonig” (Llesson 3); and Gustav Mahler’s “Songs on the Death of Children.”
File: Mussorgsky-Songs-And-Dances-cover.jpg] Caption: Album Cover: Songs and Dances of Death
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Summarize/point out what the students should be paying attention to while reading this. TR: Heath – I added a list of items in the reading.
Mahler’s Symphonies
In the late nineteenth century, the sSymphony continued to be in important genre. Brahms, Bruckner, and Mahler focused on symphonies and ignored opera almost entirely. Richard Wagner’s prediction that music would focus primarily on the “music drama” (lesson 5) did not come to fruition.
The composer of symphonies first had to select the instrumentation. Brahms wrote for a relatively small Orchestra, similar to that of Beethoven. However, Bruckner and Mahler choose to write for a much larger orchestra. Mahler revived the use of voices similar to Beethoven’s nNinth sSymphony. He included voices in his second, third, fourth and eighth symphonies.
Mahler re-worked the traditional form of the symphony. Rather than compose with a traditional form as did Brahms, he favored using different forms for his symphonies. The other significant aspect of Mahler’s symphonies is they were not programmatic. In his writings, he was skeptical about giving instrumental music a programmatic meaning. He did, however, recognize that a programmatic meaning is helpful for the listener in order to better comprehend the piece. He composed nine complete symphonies, with the tenth left unfinished at his death in 1911.
Like Bruckner, Mahler’s symphonies were not well received by audiences at the time. The length and complexity of the works made them difficult for the audiences to comprehend.
[icon] Refer to pages 588, 589 and 590 in Music in Western Civilization for additional information on Mahler’s symphonies such as the way he felt about providing a program for his symphonies.
Symphony No. 1
In 1888, Mahler completed his Symphony No. 1 after working on the composition for five years. The symphony, like much of his work, includes folk songs and inventive melodies. It was first performed in Budapest in 1889. The original version had five movements, one more than the traditional four, and had the title “Symphonic Poem in Two pParts.” The initial reception was not positive so Mahler re-wrote it and in 1893 added the title “ Titan- Tone Poem in Symphonic fForm.” He used “The Titan” from a German novel by Jean Paul. The thematic connection with the book is that of a broken heart. In 1896, he dropped one of the five movements, removed the reference to “The Titan,” and re-titled the piece as absolute music “Symphony in D major, for Llarge Orchestra.” All of these changes did not make the work any more liked by the audiences of the time.
Movement Three
The third movement begins with a familiar folk song, “Frere Jacques” (Brother John), in a different tonality than it is typically sung. In Austrian, Tthise folk song in Austrian had several names:, including “Bruder Martin” (Brother Martin) and “Bruder Jacob” (Brother Jacob). He sets the melody in the minor mode and uses an interesting orchestration to give it a haunting effect. The bass section of the orchestra plays the melody in a high range.
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
How did this affect him? Discouraged or more determined to make the symphony appeal better to his audience? TR: I have not read any research on how this affected him. My comment here is on how the audience received his works, not how he felt about them.
[insert file: MahlerSleepingTheme.png]
[Heath: insert audio file: Sym1 Theme.aif (no need to the scroller as it is a short excerpt]
Later in the movement, the sounds of a Klezmer (Def: musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe) like dance is heard, perhaps harkening back to Mahler’s Jewish heritage.
Listen to and view the third movement from Mahler’s Symphony No. 1:
[Heath: use the scroller here:Audio file: 03 Symphony No.1 in D - 3. Feierlich und gemessen, ohne zu schleppen.mp3Notation files (17 pages): Mahler_-_Symphony_No.1_Mvt.III__complete_score__Page_01.jpg through Mahler_-_Symphony_No.1_Mvt.III__complete_score__Page_017.jpg]
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Workshop 6.3: The Orchestra in the Llate -Romantic era
Due Friday
The orchestra was expanded in size and complexity by some of the composers in the late- Romantic era, including such as Mahler and Bruckner. Create the instrumentation used in a typical Romantic Oorchestra (drag and drop Flash with the instruments – correct and incorrect ones)
Review the graphic of the late- Romantic symphony, below and then answer the questions about the approxiamteapproximate number of instruments used.
[Heath: This is a similar activity that was done in lessons 1 and 3. This should be a drag and drop Flash animation with the instruments – correct and incorrect ones. this workshop will be repeated later in the course two times so the format can be the same just the answers are different]
[Heath: we need to create a similar graphic as the one below – but with the instrumentation listed below in the correct answers. Keyboard should be on the right of the seating chart
[Heath: This is not the exact graphic I want – this is the best I could find online – can this be created? Just the instruments in the correct answer below should be listed – and the correct number of instruments – this photo is not the same. This graphic comes from http://www.sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3
Select the best answer for each section of the orchestra:
1. Conductor:None Holding a baton and standing [correct response]
File: AlmaMahlerDiaries.jpgCaption: Book cCover with photograph of Alma Mahler. Author: Antony Beaumont; Faber & Faber (September, 2000)
Life
Alma Mahler was born on August 31, 1879 in Vienna. Her father, Emil Jakob Schindler, was a prominent Viennese painter and her mother was a professional singer. She began composition studies with Alexander von Zemlinsky in 1897 and she composed Llieder and instrumental pieces, as well as beginning to compose an opera. She has been described as “the most beautiful girl in Vienna.” She married the composer and conductor Gustav Mahler, who was 20 years her senior. After Mahler’s death, she married twice more to world famous figures: Walter Gropius, a famous German architect, and Franz Werfel, a Czech-born poet, playwright, and novelist.
Some of Alma’s favorite composers were Schubert and Schumann, but she was most impressed by the music of Richard Wagner (lesson 5): "I am more endeared to him than anyone else on earth - I swear!" In particular, her favorite opera was Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde.
There have been several movies and plays about Alma and her fascinating life. The most recent was a “Bride of the Wind,” (2001, Paramount) starring Sarah Wynter, Jonathan Pryce, and Vincent Perez. The trailer can be viewed on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtpLutBH_CA&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1
For more information on Alma Mahler, her life, music, and muse, read pages 591 and 592 in Music in Western Civilization. Also, the Alma play -companion website has a plethora of information about her life and loves. http://www.alma-mahler.com/
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Heath Nisbett, 10/27/82,
Summarize/point out what the students should be paying attention to while reading this. TR: Added some descriptors to the sentence.
File: AlmaAndGustav.jpgCaption: Record cover from “Alma Mahler & Gustav Mahler: Lieder” (aAudite Musikproduktion records)
Alma composed over one hundred songs (Llieder), several instrumental pieces, and began composing an opera. However, only sixteen lLieder have survived. Her other compositions were lost during the Second World War.
One of the agreements of Alma’s marriage to Gustav Mahler was she would no longer compose music. After a while, their marriage was in crisis and Gustav began to take an interest in her compositions. He published several of her songs (Lieder) in 1910. The song “Die Stille Stadt” (The Quiet Town) was placed first in the collection of fourteen of her songs that was published in 1910. The poet of “Die Stille Stadt” was Richard Dehmen (1863-1920). The harmonic approach Alma took in her songs is daring and reminiscent of that which Wagner used in “Tristan and Isolde.” Seemingly unrelated chords and tonalities, stretching the harmonic foundation, that was begun in the Classical era, to its limit.
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[Heath: please put the German and English side by side]
Die sStille StadtText: Richard Dehmel
German:
Liegt eine Stadt im Tale, Ein blasser Tag vergeht; Es wird nicht lang mehr dauern, Bis weder Mond noch Sterne, Nur Nacht am Himmel steht.
Von allen Bergen drücken Nebel auf die Stadt, Es dringt kein Dach noch Hof noch Haus, Kein Laut aus ihren Rauch heraus, Kaum Türme nach und Brücken.
Doch als der Wandrer graute, Da ging ein Lichtlein auf im Grund; Und aus dem Rauch und Nebel Begann der Lpbgesang Aus Kindermund.
English Translation by Hyperion Records
A town lies in the valley;A pale day fades.It will not be longBefore neither moon nor starsBut only night shall rule the heavens.
From all the mountaintops Mists descend upon the town; No roof nor yard nor house Nor sound can pierce the smoke, Not even a tower or a bridge.
But as the travellertraveler felt fear A tiny light shone below, And through smoke and mist And a soft song of praise began From the mouth of a child.
Listen to and view the notation of “ Die Sstille Stadt.” Pay close attention to the harmony used throughout the piece.
Heath: please use the scroller hereAudio file: 04 Lieder_ Die stille Stadt.mp3Notation files: (3 pages) Mahler, Alma the quiet town_Page_1.jpg through Mahler, Alma the quiet town_Page_3.jpg]
Video: Interview with an expert or author on women and classical music.
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Workshop 6.2: Terms rReview – from chapters 58, 49, and 60.
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Quiz 6: Wright/Simms, Music in Western Civilization, Cchapters review (15–-30 questions in multiple choice format) from chapters 58, 49, and 60.
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Assignment 6
Due Sunday
Your assignment is to:
1. Select one of the sides of the European “War of the Romantics” –, conservative or futurist.
2. Select a composer representative of your position and describe one characteristic work. Choose a work that is not presented in this lesson. Summarize the main concepts that places this piece in the conservative or futurist camp (500–-1000 words).
3. Include one or more links to performances of the selected work from YouTube or other sources.
.
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Summary
In this lesson, we explored the latter nineteenth century composers in Vienna: Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, and Gustav and Alma Mahler. The concept of program and absolute music was investigated and the War of the Romantics was discussed along with the works of Prague native, Antonín Dvořák. The expanded instrumentation of the Romantic orchestra was explored along with the significant contributions of Russian composers Modest Mussorgsky and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The influence of Balakriev had with “The Five” was also considered.
In lesson 7, we will move to the music of England, Italy, and France at the turn of the century.
