Mus 318 Music History II EXAM THREE STUDY GUIDE

 Items from Exams #1 and #2 (material drawn only from exam itself)
o Any terms from exam 1-2
o Templates from exam 1-2: know title and composer only
 All mega time periods
Antiquity- 800 BCE- 476CE
Middle ages- 476CE -1450
Renaissance- 1350- 1600
Baroque-1600- 1750
Enlightenment – 1730- 1770
Classical 1770-1820
Romantic- 1820-1914
 Bartok’s ideas about using folk tunes in an original composition
He used folk melody intact
Bartok didn’t want his music cluttered with nonsense
Composer invent melodies that reflects peasant music

 Zhdonov’s Formalism and Socialist realism. How these and Shostakovich’s relationship to soviet authority played out
for Shostakovich; his rise to fame, political writing, his ‘decadent’ opera and fall from grace, etc.

Formalism—it was used as a catchall condemnation for anything in music—atonality, emancipated dissonance,
rhythmic dislocation, disturbing or erotic subject matter—that was difficult for or unsettling to the average listener.

Socialist--the soviet’s demand for realism was a symptom of a broad movement in the arts of the time, not a cause of
that movement.

 Be able to map out the fugue statements in a clean score of “Cool”, talk about Bernstein’s language in portraying the
storyline

 Post-WWII composition ideas of ‘random’ and ‘control’: what do these terms mean, and how do works like Concret
PH and Threnody demonstrate these ideas

Control was exerted by systems of composition—total serialism and phase processes are examples—which reduced
free choice.
Random were things that couldn’t be controlled during the performance.

Threnody—Random: individual choices of each performer (Volume, entrance timing, speed repetition)
Control: specific graphic notation, strict range parameters, dynamics, length of passage
Concret—random: the charcoal; uncontrollable burning
Control: editing of the sounds to amplify the burning charcoal
 Explain both types of indeterminacy, and be able to explain how compositions like Music of Changes and Concerto
for Piano and Orchestra exemplify these types

Indeterminacy of composition: the composer removes self from choices of musical materials—should remove any/all
sense of personal style; decisions are left to chance

Indeterminacy of performance: composer creates parameters, including elements of freedom—many of the

performance choices are made by performers.
 Music of changes method: takes a first step toward this new orientation by which a composers willingly relinquishes
control over the details or even the entire substance of a new work.

Concerto for piano and orchestra: this element of composer’s taste is largely removed because the materials are
selected by processes involving chance.

 We reviewed four types of jazz (from New Orleans to Cool Jazz). Be prepared to discuss number of players per part,
role of improvisation, size of ensemble, relationship to one other type of jazz; and, for each, name one primary
mover/shaker

New Orleans: High use of improvisation, syncopations, a medium sized ensemble maybe 2 per part
Mover: Louis Armstrong
Swing: swing rhythm, big band arrangements, improv is not the primary focus, but the melodies are danceable
Mover: Duke Ellington
Bebop: musicians meet after hours to play for their own enjoyment; made from one or few melody instruments and a
rhythm section usually with piano, drums and bass.
Mover: John “Dizzy” Gillespie
Cool: close to bebop but without the “breakneck” tempos or aggressive melodies.
Mover: Miles Davis
 Minimalism: be prepared to explain its primary traits, and then describe a minimalist composition that demonstrates
these primary traits (choose one that we have covered in class or one that you found in your quiz work)

Primary traits include repetitive patterns or pulses, steady drones, consonant harmony, and reiteration of musical
phrases or smaller units. An example would be steve reich’s phase music

 Anthologies:
o As stated above, know title and composer for any works that showed up in exams #1 or 2
o For all exam #3 anthologies, know: Composer, Title, Genre, Scoring, Large Structure, Musical Roots,
Innovations, Poli/social/religious. Full credit on these call for detailed answers in the Roots, Innovations, and
Poli/soc/rel categories. These are important in Holm’s view of learning goals for this class (who are the
movers/shakers, how/what changed, and the larger context).
Exam #3 anthologies

71 (Bartok) 187 11:19

74 (Shostakovich) 191 12:8
76 (Copland) 197 12:15
77 (Bernstein) 201 12:19
78 (Penderecki) 203 13:2
80 (Varèse) Poème électronique 13:7 (no score)
81 (Parker) Koko 13:10 (no score)
82 (Reich) 212 13:15

Anthologies from previous exams

Chapter Template number CD info

49 (Beethoven) Piano Sonata in C 139 8:8
53 (Chopin) Nocturne in Db major 149 9:6
56 (Verdi) Orthello 156 10:1
57 (Liszt) Hungarian Rhapsody 157 10:2
61 (Elgar) Enigma variations 166 10:11 & 10:12
69 (Schoenberg) String Quartet 182 11:14

Chapter 71

Composer Bela Bartok

Title Concerto for Orchestra, first movement (1943)
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Symphony
Scoring (performing forces) Full orchestra
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Sonata form
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) Mixed: th I leaps, th II lyrical
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) Pentatonic melodic and harmonic materials

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types Based on classical symphonies of Haydn and Mozart, plus use of
of compositions served as a foundation for this work the sonata form. Also based on folk melodies and harmonies

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used Combines classical structure with folk music melodies and
in this piece that are new and unusual harmonies and rhythms (pentatonic melodies, short-long fold
rhythms)
Five movements, programmatic, pentatonic scale and folk
rhythms
Political/social context Written during middle of WWII, Bartok had fled from the Nazis
and emigrated to the US from Hungary. Hungary’s boundaries
prior to the end of WWII extended south to the Adriatic Sea, east
into Romania, and north into present-day Poland, Russia and
Czech Republic. Budapest was a city rich with culture, music
education and performance, including opera and symphony.
After the war, boundaries were significantly reduced, economic
hardship followed. Prior to the war, Bartok and Kodaly gathered
folk music materials from peasant around Hungary. Kodaly also
developed an education system for vocal music training using
Sol-Fa and based in pentatonic melodies.

Chapter 74

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich

Title Piano Concerto no.1, Movement 1
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Concerto
Scoring (performing forces) Orchestra plus solo instruments piano and trumpet
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Sonata form
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) Mixed
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) Tonal center with non-tonal progressions

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types Roots are in the classical concerto form with three movements:
of compositions served as a foundation for this work Fast—Slow—Fast

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used Rather than having orchestra plus one solo instrument,
in this piece that are new and unusual Shostakovich uses two solo instruments, modern harmonies,
obvious sense of humor, seemingly obvious parody of the
classical style, pokes light-hearted fun at standard gestures of
communication (juxtaposition of keys, inclusion of discord,
 impetuous changes in line and character etc.)
Political/social context Following the end of WWI and the rise of the Soviet Union,
the fate of music was unsure. Under Lenin, Anatoli
Lunacharsky tried to balance opposing factions while
protecting artistic freedom from the threat of political and
proletarian ideology. However, with Stalin’s rise to power,
control of music was centralized under the “Union of Soviet
Composers”, placing political and military figures in charge
rather than artists. Composers had the restrictions of “Soviet
Realism” placed on them. This work written prior to WWII,
created to satisfy the demand for Soviet Realism in all arts.

Chapter 76

Composer Aaron Copland

Title Appalachian Spring (Suite 1945), Variations on a shaker
tune
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Ballet
Scoring (performing forces) Full Orchestra
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Theme and Variations
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) Mixed
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) Tonal

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types Rooted deeply in American folk traditions but also features
of compositions served as a foundation for this work the composer’s distinct style and techniques.

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used Copland introduced variations on rhythm and syncopation
in this piece that are new and unusual that depart from the original folk rhythm adding interest and
complexity to the piece.
Political/social context Composed during a tumultuous period in world history
marked by WWII, and its aftermath. The US was heavily
involved in the conflict both internationally and
domestically. This period was characterized by significant
geopolitical shifts, the emergence of new world powers, and
discussions about post-war reconstruction and global
cooperation.

Chapter 77

Composer Leonard Bernstein

Title West Side Story (1957), “Cool”
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Musical
Scoring (performing forces) Soloist, Orchestra
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Verse/Refrain—fugue—verse/refrain
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) Disjunct
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) Jazz, atonal, tonal mix

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types of Broadway musicals with story, dancing, solos, orchestra
compositions served as a foundation for this work accompaniment

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used Bernstein significantly raises the level of difficulty for
in this piece that are new and unusual singer, dancer, and orchestra via complexity of form (fully
developed fugue), harmonic tension, challenging jazz
styles mixed with tender tonal portions
Political/social context Post WWII in the US included much racial tension, and
this work portrays that. Period of relative world peace, and
the US was enjoying a significant period of economic
growth even through rising cold war tensions. Musical
theatre was popular, and orchestras also enjoyed a period
of strong growth.

Chapter 78

Composer Krzyzstof Penderecki

Title Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima (1960)
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Tone Poem
Scoring (performing forces) 52 Strings
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Through Composed
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) No melody, rather sound masses
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) No harmony, rather sound masses

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types of Roots are the computer generated random-yet-controlled
compositions served as a foundation for this work compositions of composers such as Xenakis and
Stockhausen.

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used Innovations are that Penderecki uses real instruments to
in this piece that are new and unusual create these sound masses rather than computer generated
or computer-manipulated sounds, and he balances both
freedom (performers make many choices) with control (so
many prescribed aspects) to create this unique work.
Political/social context The musical world is still strongly reacting to music of pre-
war neo-classicism, thus still very much in favor of novel
approaches to music. Poland was beginning to separate
itself from an old-fashioned socialist realism and moving
towards greater artistic freedom. Politically, Poland still
under the yoke of Soviet Union, but economic/social
problems led to considerable unrest and riots, eventually
leading to a break from Soviet Union (1990).

Chapter 80
Composer Edgar Varese
Title Poeme Electronique (1958)
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Electronic Work
Scoring (performing forces) Electronic tape of natural and electronic sounds
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Through Composed
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) No recognizable melody, though occasionally fragments
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) No recognizable harmony; random

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types of Roots are Musique Concrete of Pierre Schaeffer, with real
compositions served as a foundation for this work sounds.

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used Arese combines “real” sounds with electronically
in this piece that are new and unusual generated sounds. Real sounds include voices, percussion
instruments.
Political/social context Late 1950s, compositional climate open to and
encouraging experimental music, including electronic
music and total serialism. This work written for the 1958
world’s fair in Brussels. Post WWII, already more than a
decade into the cold war with all its international tensions.

Chapter 81

Composer Charlie Parker

Title Koko
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Bebop Jazz
Scoring (performing forces) Two melody instruments and a rhythm section of piano
drums, bass
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Intro, two 64-measure choruses (solo improv) percussion
interlude, repeat of intro material ABBCA
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) Conjunct
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) Jazz harmonies, but more complex use of 9ths and 11ths
and non-diatonic chords
Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types of Roots are big band jazz, with improvised solos and
compositions served as a foundation for this work standard structure

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used The contrast is its reaction against swing’s structure,
in this piece that are new and unusual arrangements, danceable, and size of ensemble (much
smaller). Here, use of complex chords, greater speed,
irregular rhythms, improvised pitches (added 9ths and
11ths)
Political/social context Post WWII, swing bands lost popularity and bebop took
 their place in the development of jazz. Period in which
former music styles and practices were rejected in favor of
control and innovation, including serialism and electronic
music. This is also the beginning of cold war and
international tensions.

Chapter 82

Composer Steve Reich

Title Clapping music
Genre (opera, symphony, suite, etc.) Phase Music
Scoring (performing forces) Two Clappers
Large Structure (ABA, sonata, binary, etc.) Through Composed phase music
Melody (conjunct, disjunct, mixed) No melody
Harmony (serial, tonal, modal, quartal, etc.) No harmony

Musical roots: what traits, styles, techniques, types Based on electronic ‘looping’ techniques as well as
of compositions served as a foundation for this work chance music that has pre-determined parameters.

Innovations: what ideas, techniques, forms are used In this work, Reich creates an entire structure using one
in this piece that are new and unusual simple pattern performed by two players and setting it
on a phase pattern; this work is as much a ‘process’ as
a performance
Political/social context Early 1970s, composers looking for ways to reconnect
with audiences rather than ignoring. The
tough/hard/dissonant music of the 60’s was viewed as
academic and old-fashioned. The social upheavals of
the 1960s had settled down into a more peaceful
international relations, but much civil unrest in the US,
especially connected with the Vietnam War. Cold War
still prevalent but less conscious threat; economic
prosperity became higher priority.