I. Haydn Haydn has a special preference for writing music in a bundle of six. Each of the six pieces has its individuality while sharing many common features at the same time. Haydn’s solo keyboard sonatas show striking diversity in type and style. They often could be categorized by their style periods and each of them reflects a corresponding social background. Sonatas composed from 1773 to 1784 were intended as “public” works from the very beginning, with a clear conception of the taste, preferences, and instruments available to the musical public of Vienna. The Sonata in F Major, Hob. XVI: 23; L38 written in 1773 for solo harpsichord is the best known and most virtuosic of his set of six sonatas (Hob. XVI: 21-6). Haydn wrote the six sonatas for Prince Nicklaus Esterházy and they strictly follow the court-style. Sonata in F has three movements: Allegro moderato, Adagio (Larghetto) and Presto. The contrasting tempo and the fast motion between the fingers allow the player to give a virtuoso impression without acquiring over-demanding technique. In the opening movement, demanding 32nd-note passages create an improvisatory flavor. Haydn intentionally inserted a sequence of diminished 7th chords to make an unusual tonal appearance. The unique middle movement in F minor portrays a Baroque flavor. The finale is well-organized and filled with contrapuntal passages. Nearly a decade later, Haydn wrote another six three-movement sonatas named the Auenbrugger sonatas. The composer himself had become acquainted with some talented Viennese amateur musicians. The Sonata in G Major, Hob. XVI: 29; L 52 was written in 1780 and with the rest of the set was dedicated to the Auenbrugger sisters. Although the sonata piece is in Haydn’s usual three movement style, he has secretly added in a number of new ingredients in each movement. The sonata begins with the Allegro con brio with lighthearted rondo variations. The most interesting aspect of this movements is that Haydn intentionally returned to the theme of the Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Hob. XVI: 36. However, the new movement includes two independent episodes, one in the tonic and the other in its relative minor. The Adagio movement is rich in ornamentation. A written-out cadenza is designed to for the trio. The finale Prestissimo returns to sonata form in a rocking ... ... middle of paper ... ...to one masterpiece. When listening to the piece, the music struck me as similar to story-telling. The Adagio opened the Fantasy with a dark, overcastting atmosphere. His use of key (C minor in this case) sets the mood unmistakably. The main theme is altered between both hands with variations. The progressive melodic embellishment serves as a useful model for the performer and they are compositional models for successive stages in the variation of a theme. The piece then moves on to a “march” like Allegro. This section includes a brief middle section in F Major which introduces the following Andantino. If the audience finds the peacefulness in the “Andantino movement” to be inconvincible, the finale unquestionably brings an even bigger surprise. It’s like a storm has just arrived after a quiet afternoon. The main theme reappears in the end in an even darker manner. From the drama, expressive language to the grand gesture, this particular Fantasy reminds me of Beethoven in various ways. As a major art form in the era, Mozart’s piano sonatas presented “models of fluency”. They revealed both the composer’s and the player’s musical virtuosity and clarity.
Music of the 1700s is often characterized as highly structured and balanced. A favorite form for pieces of many kinds was the sonata form, which relies heavily on the basic movement between different tonalities (especially tonic and dominant or relative major). Ludwig van Beethoven wrote over 30 sonatas for piano alone and used the structure for symphonies and many other instrumental works. Most other composers of the classical time period also used sonata form, and music historians have spent much time discussing why this might be so. Some historians pose this question strictly within a musical world: How did earlier musical structures give rise to sonata form? Others ask what it was in the surrounding historical context that made sonata form appealing.
From the concrete structure of the Baroque period to the free-form structure of the Modern period each composer brings forth a new understanding and value to their time period. Within these pieces that they creatively compose it brings new light and displays the culture of the time period. The composers each have story to tell and has each creatively constructed their own works within the diameters of their era.
...n 1705, his first composed pieces where published. These pieces were his Opus 1 which was twelve Sonatas for two violins and basso continuo in conventional style. His second collection, Opus 2 was published it was the same as the format of the first. Twelve sonatas meant for the two violins and basso continuo in conventional style. Opus 3 was the breakthrough that he was looking for. It was twelve concerti for one, two and four violins. This piece was dedicated and sponsored to the Grand Prince of Tuscany, Ferdinand. Stabat Mater was one of his earliest masterpieces. Even though the piece looked like it was written in haste, the string parts were simple, movements one, two, and three were repeated in the next three, and not all the text was set it was a wonderful piece. Perhaps he wrote it that way on purpose and it was just the forced essentiality of the music.
...are presented, the development beings. This is where the composer develops his themes; it is similar to the body paragraphs of an essay. During the development the violins carry the majority of the theme, while the main theme is fragmented, and then varied in the solo violin part. As the development ends the solo violin descends into the lower register, and the orchestra crescendos. After the development, comes the cadenza. The cadenza is the place in the music where the soloist is allowed to show off his virtuosic quality. The first composer to use a cadenza was Mozart, however the first composer to use virtuosic quality was Vivaldi. Mendelssohn’s cadenza is unique because he wrote it all out, leaving no room for interpretation or improvisation. The cadenza is played with the solo violin only, and is made up of broken chords and many trills. The main melody is
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven are two of the greatest composers ever to write music. Both men lived in the early 18th and 19th century, but their music and influences are still felt today. The men faced similar experiences, yet they both lead very different lives. All together the pieces that these men composed amounts to over 300 published, and unpublished works of art. The people of their time period often had mixed feelings about these men, some “complained that Mozart’s music presented them with too many ideas and that his melodies moved from one to the next faster than audiences could follow, yet the ideas themselves seem effortless and natural, clear and unforced.” (Bonds 210-211) Beethoven’s criticisms ranged from ‘genius’ to grim dislike. Mozart and Beethoven were influenced by things going on around them such as: love, nature, and the Enlightenment.
...ers and the audience. The dramatic nature of this piece alone is something to be reckoned with as it is extremely passionate. The symphony is presented in 4 movements as is common and begins with a Poco Sostenuto- Vivace, followed by a Allegretto movement, Presto movement, and finally ends on an Allegro con brio movement. the central theme of this piece is introduced in the first movement by a flute playing in tripple meter continuously ascending up the scales rising in dynamic contrast, continuing to grow into a louder and more stark contrast between it’s highs and lows. Consistently dance like, the piece is celebratory of its roots buried in historical Austrian music that has been present in the culture for years. The accomplishments of the soldiers for which the piece was composed for are easily told of simply by the energy and power present throughout the piece.
A sinfonia (Italian for symphony) broadly refers to a number of instrumental works from the Baroque period, including symphonies, sonatas, canzonas, concerti, and Italian opera overtures. Even J.S. Bach titles his “three-part” inventions for harpsichord “Sinfonia”. Torelli’s Sinfonia in D (G.8) is a four-movement “concerto” for trumpet, strings and harpsichord continuo. Unlike a concerto grosso, where a main theme is presented and then reappears in fragments, the main themes of Sinfonia in D are developed rather freely. The second movement (Adagio) is a very short, slow, interlude without trumpet that introduces the third movement (Allegro). Hence, the program shows these two movements as “adagio-allegro” joined together.
Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, like all symphonies at that time, was in four movements. The First Movement was in sonata form; which was considered to be quite powerful, as it opened up with the Fate motif. This usually ran throughout the First Movement, in one way or another. Beethoven's music often strikes with a dramatic explosion with wonderful shades of orchestral color; from the dark trombones to the sweet woodwinds, this piece definitely made an impact worth remembering, that also lasted throughout the ages. And although Liszt’s piano transcription of the First Movement of Beethoven’s Great Fifth Symphony in C minor, Op. 67 does not possess the same dramatic effect of the orchestral version, it is melodically almost identical and is
Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart baptized as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg Austria. Mozart was an esteemed composer, widely recognized as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music. Unlike other composers in musical history, he wrote in all the musical genres of his day and excelled in every one. His taste, his command of form, and his range of expression have made him seem the most universal of all composers; yet, it may also be said that his music was written to accommodate the specific tastes of particular audiences. His father, Leopold was the author of a famous violin-playing manual which was published in the year of Mozart’s birth. His mother, Anna Maria Pertly, was born of a middle-class family active in local administration; Mozart and his sister Maria Anna were the only two of their parents’ seven children to survive. Mozart was extremely talented at an early age his father considered him the miracle of Salzburg, his early life and two of his biggest masterpieces are the three topics that will be discussed in this paper.
The three pieces in the Etude were at first were called “Trois caprices poetiques,” which means “Three concert studies,” and their names were Il Lamento, La Leggierezza and Un Sospiro (Feiner). The pieces were written between the years 1845 to 1849 and were de...
Haydn is an Austrian composer who worked under patronage of the Esterházy court. Haydn composed over a hundred symphonies through his entire career. He is especially popular for the twelve symphonies in 1790s in England. Known as the London Symphonies or Salomon Symphonies. Haydn’s symphonies and his quartets are the spiritual birthplace of Beethoven’s style.
Franz Joseph Haydn is widely imitated because of his excellent technique that makes his music, so rich in quality and quantity by having one of the most fertile musical minds. Haydn is one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is also known as one of the pivotal figures in all western musical history. Here I will try to showcase and highlight some of Haydn’s brilliance by talking about the life he lead growing up, his work and career, a little introduction to his music, touching on some of his compositions, his contributions to music, and finally Haydn’s influence.
This paper discusses Mozart's life, his compositions and his importance to the world and the world of music. It explains how Mozart's music is still some of the most popular classical music played today and his life is still studied because his music is so well known and liked.
The Classical Period brought forward new musical innovation. The sudden change in emotion and contrast in the music from the classical era is one of the many fascinating topics. However, the topic most talked about to this very day is Mozart’s Requiem. The mystery of which parts were composed by Mozart puzzles many. Even the rumor that surrounds Mozart’s cause of death is fascinating. Peter Shaffer’s play Amadeus, added more controversy to this intriguing mystery.
Franz Liszt is said to be the most astounding piano virtuosos that existed during the Romantic era. This essay will discuss his achievements as a pianist as well as a composer. This essay will examine his life and will examine what influenced him at an early age. It will also look at his accomplishments as a pianist as well as a composer and examine how he became as well known as he is today. It will use his background to show what exactly influenced him to become a successful pianist and composer and it will discuss how essential he was during the Romantic era.