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Berlioz Flashcards

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1
Q

Why was Berlioz unusual?

A

Not a keyboard player

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2
Q

What makes the piece fantastic?

A

Large sense of fantasy

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3
Q

Describe the typical features of Romantic music

A 
Extremes
Features the supernatural
Challenges and expresses the composers individuality
Second half on 19th century
Nationalistic elements
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4
Q

Why did Berlioz think of his work as a symphony?

A

Large-scale orchestral work with several movements

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5
Q

Describe the story

A

Young musician falls in love with a beautiful woman

whenever he thinks of her a music theme comes to mind

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6
Q

What did Berlioz invent?

A

Idee Fixe

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7
Q

Describe movement one

A

Various emotional states

Dreamy, melancholy, unfocused joy, passion, fury and jealousy

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8
Q

What’s the background of the piece?

A

1830
Frances revolution had brought Louise Phillipe to the throne
Berlioz optimistic for the future

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9
Q

What’s unusual about Berlioz for the time?

A

Exceptionally large forces

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10
Q

What strings are there?

A

at least 60 strings, 15 first violins, 15 seconds, 10 violas, 11 cellos, nine double bases

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11
Q

What’s unusual about the bassoons?

A

four rather than two

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12
Q

How many horns are there?

A

two cornets a pistons and two trumpets

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13
Q

What are cornets a pistons?

A

valved brass instruments that were new in his day

allowed chromatic notes not available in trumpets

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14
Q

What gives additional brilliance to the orchestral sound?

A

Second flute player plays the piccolo instead at times

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15
Q

What does Berlioz pay particular attention to?

A

Sonority, especially instructions

e. g ‘off stage’ effect in oboe in mov. 3
e. e ‘not forceful’
e. e ‘as quietly as possible’
e. g ‘muted with the point of the bow’

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16
Q

`What dynamics does Berlioz explore?

A

wide range
ppp-ff
extremes = mental termoil

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17
Q

Describe the texture

A

chiefly homophonic

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18
Q

What textual variety is there?

A

mel-dom-hom in slow intro
chordal homophony in close
Dialogue between lower strings and sighing w.w
monophony at start of idee fixe

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19
Q

How is Berlioz textually inventive?

A

solo oboe plays expressive melody accompanied by fragments of idee fixe in imitation

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20
Q

How are the main beats marked out?

A

By the double bass

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21
Q

What do clarinets and bassoons play?

A

consistently off-beat chord pattern

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22
Q

What do first violins play?

A

repeated note crotchet triplets

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23
Q

What does movement one begin with?

Study These Flashcards
A

extended slow intro marked largo (broadly)

24
Q

What is as expected in emotional music?

Study These Flashcards
A

many tempo adjustments

25
How is the main section marked?
Allegro agitato e appassionato ) fast, agitated and very passionately)
26
How is the piece rhythmically varied?
``` Wide range of note values Succession of rapid notes in Allegro Triplets and Sextuplets Syncopation Dotted notes ```
27
What is the structure?
Sonata form
28
Explain the Largo
Extended slow intro beginning in Cm
29
Explain the Allegro
Fast 'main part' in C | Sonata form
30
What is weird about the instrumentation?
In the w.w more than the strings
31
How does Berlioz alter the Sonata form?
Development in recapitulation | Recapitulation in G (dom) rather than the tonic (c)
32
What shows sighing in the idee fixe?
semitones
33
Who does the idee fixe represent?
Harriet
34
What's unusual about the idee fixe?
in the tonic major
35
Describe the idee fixe
Flute and violin Medium tesitura begins with annacrusis descending sigh like motif
36
What is the writing?
Fregmental | Fragments of idee fixe heard and developed
37
How is Berlioz melodic writing varied?
``` Urgent repeated note patterns Repetition of short motifs Song like melodies Chromatic ascents Some irregular phrase lengths Melodic sequence ```
38
What do song-like melodies combine?
stepwise movement and small leaps
39
Why is it not surprising the leaps are easily singable?
important melodic material is borrowed from vocal works
40
Describe the harmony
Functional | Defined by perfect cadences
41
Are pedals used?
Yes | Most strikingly the prolonged Ab in the Largo
42
What creates spectacular effects?
Parallel chromatic movement | e.g first inversion triad
43
What are most chords?
triads or 7th chords
44
Does the piece include diminished 7th chords?
yes
45
What do unusual harmonic effects result from?
surprising juxtapositions of 'ordinary' chords
46
Why is the dominant 9th chord in Cm interesting?
7th and 9th above the base are neither prepared nor resolved
47
Is Berlioz happy to disregard the 'rules' of harmony and part-writing?
Yes | Often navigates by sound and instinct
48
What does 'A punta d'arco' mean?
At the point of the bow
49
What are 'baguettes d'esponge'?
Sponge-headed sticks | Softer sound
50
What are 'baguettes de bois recouvert en peau''?
wooden sticks covered with skin
51
Unusual/harsh instrument
Ophicleide
52
Berlioz mov. 4
``` March to the scaffold Opening = timpani with soft headed beaters, double bass divided into 4 playing pizz, unclear/muddy - funeral 4 bassons countermelody homophonic just ww and brass opening Imagery of crowd = cross rhythms Everything stops then Idee Fixe on solo clarinet head falling = muted strings ```
53
Berlioz mov. 5
``` Dream of a Witches Sabbath Church bells Bassoons and Tubas play the Dies Irae Tubular bells off stage Pizz wood of the bow = skeletons pppp-ff dance rhythms fugal texture complicated rhythms 'almost to nothing' ```
54
Mendelssohn - A midsummer nights dream
Programme music 1827 Sonata form (traditional) Traditional orchestra double wind orchestra Ophicleide Subject 1 = fairy music (just strings and fast quavers) - quick, silver texture Harmony in thirds Second first subject = royal court of Thesins (forte, homophonic, full orchestra, regular rhythm) Second subject = love theme passed around orchestra (major) Second second subject = Common people (Bergomask called Rupeltanz on Opheiclide)
55
Tchaikovsky - Romeo and Juliet
``` 1880s Sonata form Love theme = two families themes united string melody over the flute w.w homage to lovers ```
56
context
``` Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) 1830 - Paris revolutionary masterpiece - invented idee fixe - autobiographical nature brand new 1827 Berlioz saw Hamlet and fell n love with Irish Actress Harriet Smithson playing Ophelia ```
57
How long is the Idee fixe?
42 bars

Music (19 decks)

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