Haydn - Symphony 101, 2nd Movement - The Clock

Question 1

At what dynamic does the movement begin?

Answer 1

Piano

Question 2

Describe the dynamics in the second melody of the first A section

Answer 2

They contrast between forte and piano

Question 3

What is significant about the dynamics at the start of section B?

Answer 3

There is a dramatic change to forte

Question 4

Dynamically, what is significant about the dynamics in the 1st Violin syncopated melody in the B section?

Answer 4

It uses sforzandos

Question 5

What happens to the dynamics at the start of A2?

Answer 5

They return to piano

Question 6

What happens to dynamics after the general pause?

Answer 6

They are piano again, with a sudden crescendo at the augmented sixth chords

Question 7

What are the dynamics like during the tutti in A2? What effect do they have?

Answer 7

They are forte and fortissimo, and emphasise the climax of the movement

Question 8

What happens to the dynamics just before the coda?

Answer 8

They reduce dramatically to piano

Question 9

What is the metre of the piece?

Answer 9

2/4

Question 10

What is the tempo of the piece?

Answer 10

Andante

Question 11

Describe the use of rhythm in the melody

Answer 11

Dotted and double-dotted rhythms are used in the melody throughout, such as in the violin melody of the A section

Question 12

Describe the ‘ticking’ theme

Answer 12

Alternating ostinato staccato quavers in the bassoons, and pizzicato quavers in the second violins and cellos/double bass (later joined by staccato flute in A2)

Question 13

How does Haydn mark the change between sections?

Answer 13

With alternating D and C# semiquavers, for example in the violin between B and A2

Question 14

Describe the rhythm of the new violin melody in section B

Answer 14

It is syncopated, beginning on the second quaver of the bar which is tied to another semiquaver

Question 15

Describe what the flutes and oboes play in the tutti section of A2

Answer 15

A quaver countermelody over the violin melody

Question 16

What interesting rhythmic feature is added in the tutti section of A2 in the melody, creating a sense of movement?

Answer 16

Sextuplets are added to the melody of the flutes, oboes, and violins

Question 17

What is used in A2 to move into the coda instead of the prior D-C# alternating pattern?

Answer 17

Sextuplet scalic patterns in the violins, flutes and oboes link into the coda

Question 18

How does the piece finish?

Answer 18

With quaver chords in strings, brass and woodwind

Question 19

What is the form of the piece?

Answer 19

Extended ternary form (A, B, Developed return to A)

Question 20

What takes place in the first A section structurally?

Answer 20

The main two melodies are introduced and repeated

Question 21

What takes place in the B section structurally?

Answer 21

A contrasting G minor section

Question 22

What takes place in the first part of the second A section structurally?

Answer 22

The main theme is reorchestrated with the flutes joining the bassoons in the ticking theme, and the oboes also adding harmony

Question 23

What takes place in the middle of the second A section structurally?

Answer 23

There is a general pause, and then a variation of the theme in Eb major, incorporating all the strings and woodwind (flute plays countermelody, oboes, clarinets and bassoons play minim chords, 1st violin plays melody, other strings play ticking theme staccato)

Question 24

What takes place in the last part of the second A section structurally?

Answer 24

There is a contrary motion link in woodwind and strings to D major and a monophonic D-C# chromatic link in 1st violin to a tutti version of the theme with added sextuplets

Question 25

What happens in the coda structurally?

Answer 25

Dynamics and texture reduce, woodwind, horns and strings play three quaver tonic chords to finish

Question 26

How does the first melody begin?

Answer 26

It outlines the notes of the G major triad

Question 27

How is the melody structured in a way typical of the Classical period?

Answer 27

It has a balanced rising a falling shape

Question 28

Describe the first melody rhythmically

Answer 28

It uses dotted and double-dotted rhythms

Question 29

What ornamentation is used in the first melody?

Answer 29

The first melody uses acciaccaturas

Question 30

Describe the phrasing of the melody

Answer 30

The first phrase is four bars long, while the second is five bars long due to the melodic sequence

Question 31

How is this melody played in the first A section?

Answer 31

It is played by the first violin, doubled by the flutes in the second half

Question 32

How is the melody played in the developed A section?

Answer 32

In the first part, it is played by the first violins while the flutes play a contrary-motion counter melody. In the tutti section, the melody is played by the oboes and first violins

Question 33

Describe the structure of the second melody

Answer 33

It begins as a repeating melody in sequence before modulating to D major with a descending semiquaver D major scale

Question 34

Describe a feature of the second melody typical of the Classical period

Answer 34

The use of staccato notes followed immediately by slurred, legato notes

Question 35

What does the oboe do when the second melody is played in the first A section?

Answer 35

It plays an inverted pedal over the top

Question 36

Describe the instrumentation of the piece as a whole

Answer 36

Classical orchestral instrumentation: - 2 flutes - 2 oboes - 2 clarinets in A - 2 bassoons - 2 horns in G - 2 trumpets in C - Timpani in D and E - Violins 1 and 2 - Viola - Cello - Double bass

Question 37

Which instruments are transposing and what does this mean?

Answer 37

The clarinets, horns and trumpets are transposing, all having music written in a different key so that it sounds the same as that of the other instruments

Question 38

Which notes are the timpani tuned to?

Answer 38

The tonic and dominant (I and V)

Question 39

What technique is used by the second violins and cellos/basses when playing the ticking theme in A1?

Answer 39

Pizzicato

Question 40

Describe the texture at the beginning of the piece

Answer 40

Homophonic

Question 41

Why can the texture at the beginning of the piece be described as homophonic (melody and accompaniment)?

Answer 41

The first violin plays the main melody, while the bassoons and lower strings play the 'ticking' theme accompaniment staccato/pizzicato

Question 42

How does the oboe add to the homophonic (melody and accompaniment) texture in the second half of the main theme?

Answer 42

It plays an inverted pedal

Question 43

What happens to the texture at the start of section B?

Answer 43

It becomes much thicker due to the tutti. Polyphony is also used here

Question 44

What happens to the texture at the start of A2?

Answer 44

The texture is reduced significantly - only flutes, oboes, bassoons and first violins play

Question 45

Where is there a call and response between violin 2 and cello/double bass?

Answer 45

During the second melody of the A1 section

Question 46

Describe the texture just after the start of section B of the first and second violins and the viola

Answer 46

Their texture is antiphonal - they imitate each other

Question 47

Describe the texture in the tutti section of A2 for the final variation of the theme

Answer 47

The texture here is polyphonic

Question 48

Where is there a unison texture in the piece?

Answer 48

In the strings violins and oboes during the second melody of the A1 section

Question 49

Where is there a monophonic texture in the piece?

Answer 49

In the violin 1 D-C# transition from B to A2, and in the same chromatic link between the thin-textured Eb major section and the tutti D major section of A2

Question 50

What is the texture of the coda?

Answer 50

Homophonic

Question 51

In what key is the piece written predominantly?

Answer 51

G major

Question 52

What happens harmonically to the second melody of A1?

Answer 52

It cycles through the dominant key of D major through the use of a descending D major scale

Question 53

What happens harmonically to the first melody of A1?

Answer 53

The first phrase ends in the key of D major due to the C# accidental. The second phrase ends on a perfect cadence in G major

Question 54

What type of harmony is used for the second melody of A1?

Answer 54

Tonic and dominant harmony, e.g. the D inverted pedal played by the oboe

Question 55

How do the strings harmonise with the A1 melody?

Answer 55

Violin 2 and cello/double bass play pizzicato and arco (staccato) quaver, mostly tonic and dominant, harmonies . The viola plays pizzicato triple stops containing the tonic and dominant

Question 56

In what key does the B section begin?

Answer 56

In G minor (the tonic minor)

Question 57

What chord progressions are used at the start of the B section?

Answer 57

i - V(7)c - ib passing chord progressions are used in the keys of G minor, C minor and F major (bass notes ascend in step)

Question 58

What happens harmonically after the tutti G minor section?

Answer 58

There is a modulation to Bb major (the relative major or G minor)

Question 59

What cadences are used in the Bb major section and what do they achieve?

Answer 59

Imperfect cadences (V7-I) are used, creating tension

Question 60

What other cadence is used in the Bb major section?

Answer 60

A cadential 6/4 is used (Ic-V7)

Question 61

To what key does the piece modulate to after the general pause?

Answer 61

Eb major, a completely unrelated key

Question 62

What happens harmonically after the modulation to Eb major?

Answer 62

There is a contrary-motion link in woodwind and strings to the key of D major

Question 63

On which chords does the piece end?

Answer 63

On tonic (G major) chords

Question 64

What was typical of phase lengths in the Classical era?

Answer 64

They were balanced

Question 65

What was typical of the melodies of the Classical era?

Answer 65

They were clearly defined, usually with two or more contrasting themes

Question 66

What was typical of the rhythms of the Classical era?

Answer 66

They were clear and regular

Question 67

What was typical of the dynamics of the Classical era?

Answer 67

There was a greater range used compared to those of baroque

Question 68

What was typical of the timpani in the Classical era?

Answer 68

They played the tonic and the dominant notes

Question 69

What was typical of the texture of the Classical era?

Answer 69

It was usually homophonic to make the main melody stand out