Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Music

Brass Instruments: Facts and History

The Trumpet

How is the Trumpet Used?

The trumpet has been used by many composers, especially in jazz and in general in the twentieth century.

Name a Trumpet Composition

One notable composition is Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.

Instrumentation for Pictures at an Exhibition

While originally for piano, the famous orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition includes prominent parts for brass instruments such as the trumpet, tuba, and trombone.

What Country was Modest Mussorgsky From?

Modest Mussorgsky was from Russia.

The Tuba

What is the Length of a Tuba's Tubing?

The tuba typically has approximately 4.35 meters (14.3 feet) of tubing.

Name a Horn Concerto

A well-known example is Mozart's Horn Concerto No.

The Literature of the Baroque

The Baroque was the cultural movement of the seventeenth century, the second of the Spanish Golden Age. In contrast to the Renaissance's desire for naturalness and harmony, the Baroque is the triumph of exaggeration and contrast. Against the optimism of the Renaissance, the Baroque is characterized by pessimism and disappointment. Both attitudes have their origin in the sense of decadence in the country. Baroque artists constantly reflect on death and time. The most important authors are:

• Poetry: Góngora and Quevedo
• Theatre: Lope de Vega and Calderón de la Barca
• Prose: Quevedo and Baltasar Gracián

Baroque Poetry

Formally, Baroque poetry is expressed in a lively style, far from the artifice and naturalness of the previous... Continue reading "Spanish Baroque Literature: Authors, Styles, and Works" »

Western Music Masterpieces: Periods and Characteristics

Medieval Music (c. 476 – 1400)

Puer natus nobis

• Author: Anonymous
• Features: Song of the Church, Latin text, free themes, free rhythm, modal system, monodic, a cappella.

Ondas do mar de Vigo

• Author: Martin Codax
• Time: 13th Century (S. XIII), Troubadour music
• Features: Secular music written in Galician-Portuguese, monody with instrumental accompaniment, rhythmic structure, non-religious themes, modal system.

Cantigas de Santa Maria

• Author: Alfonso X the Wise
• Time: 13th Century (S. XIII)
• Features: Secular music written in Galician-Portuguese, monody with instrumental accompaniment, rhythmic structure, non-religious themes, modal system.

Viderunt Omnes

• Author: Léonin and Pérotin
• Time: 13th Century (S.

Understanding Opera's Core Elements and Evolution

The Role of Bass and Melodic Lines

In operatic compositions, the bass voice often follows melodic lines, providing the foundational rhythm and harmony. It partners with melodic instruments, such as the basso continuo (keyboard and cello), to create a rich musical texture.

Recitative: The Spoken Song

Recitative (from the Basque "Errezitatua") is a style of vocal music that imitates the rhythms and inflections of speech. It is commonly used in opera, cantatas, passions, and oratorios to advance the plot and convey dialogue. The bass voice, in particular, often delivers recitative passages, akin to ongoing declamation, sometimes with instrumental support.

Airoso: Embellished Recitative

The Airoso style... Continue reading "Opera's Evolution: From Recitative to Buffa – A Historical Journey" »

Folk Music: Definition and Transmission

Folk music, also known as traditional music, is a cultivated art form that is often anonymous and has been orally transmitted for centuries. This means that many songs and dances are learned by ear, rather than from written scores.

The Role of Music in Traditional Societies

In traditional societies, music is almost always associated with major events of human existence, particularly the life cycle. Many events that mark each age group are accompanied by a specific type of music. For example, there are lullabies to help babies sleep, and so on.

Music is also very important in the annual festivals of certain communities. Celebrations are held on specific dates, such as New Year, and are enlivened with music.... Continue reading "Traditional Music and Spiritual Chanting Practices" »

Sixteenth Century Renaissance Poetry

The poetry of the 16th-century Renaissance began to express new sentiments. The focus shifted towards humanism (the 'man center'). Castilianization was increasingly evident, appreciating a degree of influence, as seen in figures like Joan Boscà. Sentiments related to commerce and the Americas also began to appear.

Catalan Poetic Influences and Innovations

• Ausiàs Marc's Influence: Catalan poetry, influenced by Ausiàs Marc, attempted to introduce metrical innovations derived from Italy, such as the decasíl·lab (decasyllable), while maintaining a traditional air.
• Poets of Mixed Tradition: Poets like Pere Serafí and Joan Boscà mixed Catalan and Spanish elements.

Pere Serafí (PS)

His work includes “Two Books”,... Continue reading "Literary Movements in Catalan and Spanish Poetry History" »

Catalan Theater Revival: Post-War to 1970s

The Post-War Resurgence (1946-1950s)

After the Civil War, Catalan-language drama was banned from professional stages until the end of World War II. Since 1946, Catalan theater resumed its activity, nurturing traditional patterns and forms. Josep Maria de Sagarra sought to address the moral nature of contemporary conflicts in Galatea (1948). However, Sagarra's proposed renewal was dismissed by critics and audiences, forcing him to return to earlier dramatic forms, including poems and comedies of manners.

New Platforms and Influences (Late 1950s - Early 1960s)

Throughout the second half of the 1950s and the first half of the 1960s, renewal emerged from various platforms, both strictly professional and commercial.... Continue reading "Catalan Theater Revival: Post-War to 1970s Transformations" »

Renaissance Music in Italy

Secular Music

Italian secular music features:

• Homophonic writing
• Syllabism
• Simple, higher melody
• Various types of interpretation (a cappella, with voice substitution for an instrument, or just instrumental)
• Strophic structure
• Lively, animated rhythms
• Simple harmony

Forms:

• Frottola: A form of polyphonic singing that was developed especially in aristocratic and bourgeois circles. The theme is love, with 4 voices and a dance-like rhythm.
• Villanela: A Neapolitan folk song of origin, with a dance-like rhythm and 3 voices. Instruments were also used.
• Madrigal: A song of contrapuntal distillation derived from a troubadour song, making allusions to pastoral poetry with a sentimental or erotic theme, and is for 4 voices.

Religious Music

Venetian

Religious Music of the Middle Ages

Religious music of the Middle Ages began to take shape when Emperor Constantine granted freedom of worship for Christians in 313.

Pope Gregory the Great and Gregorian Chant

Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) was considered the creator of the Gregorian chant, but he was not really the creator. He leveraged his entire organization as a way to strengthen a sense of Christian unity.

Characteristics of Gregorian Chant

Gregorian chant is:

• Music destined to serve the liturgy.
• Uses Latin as a language.
• Monodic in texture.
• Free musical rhythm, according to the melody.
• Text notation differentiates between three styles of chant: syllabic, neumatic, and melismatic.

Troubadours and Minstrels

Troubadours: Poets and musicians, usually... Continue reading "Medieval Religious Music: From Gregorian Chant to Polyphony" »

Foundations of Renaissance Thought

Francesco Petrarch and Humanism

Why was Francesco Petrarch important? He was one of the primary promoters of Humanism. This movement introduced Anthropocentrism: the belief that the human being is the center of all things.

Erasmus of Rotterdam: Tolerance and Secularism

Who was Erasmus of Rotterdam? He was a Dutchman who defended religious tolerance and emphasized the importance of secular Christianity.

Baldassare Castiglione's Ideal Man

What were the ideas presented in the work of Baldassare Castiglione? The ideal of the knight and the cultured and educated man.

Medieval vs. Renaissance Ideals

Comparing Medieval and Renaissance ideas reveals fundamental shifts:

• Culture Development: Culture developed primarily in monasteries