Adam de la Halle, Claudio Monteverdi, and William Byrd - Essay Example

?Adam de la Halle Adam de la Halle is a thirteenth century composer who spent a good part of his life in Arras and is known as one of the last true trouveres. He was also known as Adam la Bossu and Adam d’Arras. Even as it is known that he was the son of a magister, little is known about his career other than the information that is referenced within the pieces that he wrote and that still exist today. The works Conges and Jeu de la Feuilles are considered to have been written between 1276-1277, which have references to him leaving Arras to go to Paris where he would have resumed his education that had been interrupted by his marriage. Because of the dedications in his chansons, it is likely that he was under the patronage of the wealthy bourgeoisie and members of the aristocracy. Although his poetry is indicative of possible aspects of his life, it is impossible to distinguish what is art, what is fiction, and which of the different aspects reflect his life ad which reflect that of his patrons. He died in 1288 and it is estimated that he was in his late forties or early fifties at this time (Marshall and de la Halle). Le Jeu de Robin et Marion According to Dane, “Le Jeu de Robin et Marion is among the first secular vernacular dramas. It is in part a dramatization of the medieval lyric pastourelle (a quasi-dramatic lyric type involving an encounter between a knight and peasant)” (49). The piece was written in French and represents the social opposition in which the story of Robin Hood is most often thematically written. The presentation of the play is only available through hypotheticals, a given representation not having been passed down in history, although it is considered the historic example of the beginnings of the comic opera. The music is highly rhythmic and representative of medieval troubadour music. Fi maris The chanson is courtly music that is “about love, rather than love songs in any Romantic sense” (Marshall and de la Halle 3). The trouvere was more a commentator on love, than a translator of his own experience, even though the music was presented from first person positioning. According to Marshall and del Halle, “The courtly poet, in the guise of reflections on his own experience made in the first person singular, was representing himself as an exemplum of some aspect of fine amour itself. He did not, like a Romantic poet, reach out for the universal from a basis of personal experience” (Marshall and de la Halle 4). Fi Maris is written to express a witty look at infidelity and is written in French. Its monophonic tone and rhythmic background with harmonic vocals supply the form of the piece. Je muir, je muir d’amourete Je muir, je muir d’amourete is a rondeau, meaning that it had a rigid structure in which the verse and the refrain are repeated, from which the poetic rhythm scheme can be translated as AbaAabAB. Formed from the monophonic traditions, this piece is a gentle and sentimental work that has a beautiful introduction. The repetition sets up a sense of the emotions of the work. It is in French, with a gentleness that brings forward a meaning that is beyond the lyrical translation. Works Cited Dane, Joseph A. Abstractions of Evidence in the Study of Manuscripts and Early Printed Books. Farnham, England: Ashgate Pub, 2009. Print. Fi Maris. Youtube.com. 24 September 2010. Lumina Vocal Ensemble. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnDZrJLJ2uk Je muir, je muir d’amourete. Youtube.com. 26 July 2010. Quellidelgiardino. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8MbPkdIppc Le Jeu de Robin et Marion. Youtube.com 17 May 2010. Cowboybepopp444. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ENI8s6tgY &feature=related Marshall, John H. and Adam de la Halle. The Chansons of Adam de la Halle. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1971. Print. Claudio Monteverdi Claudio Monteverdi was born in 1567 and died in 1643 and was a composer, singer, and musician playing the viola da gambe. His work can be considered for its transitional position between the Renaissance and the Baroque, using both the polyphonic aspects of the Renaisance, while introducing the basso continuo form of the Baroque. His introduction to music came from participation in the cathedral choir and he later continued his studies at the University of Cremona. His career was spent in the court of Mantua, his last position being as the court conductor. His last job was at the basillica at St. Marks in Venice as the maestro di cappella. His work represents a “fusion of improvisation and formal discipline”, giving it a balance that is considered fresh and light for its time period (Monteverdi and Stevens 12). L’orfeo This work is one of the first operas to have been written. The baroque sound of the heavy drop of the first beat is prevalent in the first section of he piece. There are unexpected touches as the lyric drops in during the second beat a moments during the second section. The triplicates of the third section presented in the performance on Youtube is enhanced by the use of the human body as representational of tangible elements of the opera. The opera, written Italian, was first performed at an annual carnival in Mantua. The work is based upon the story of Orpheus as he descends into the underworld to find his dead wife, Eurydice. Considered as a baroque opera, the piece is still performed and has found a modern audience, allowing it to be one of the lasting works of this period. Duo Seraphim Duo Seraphim is a concerto from The Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (Vespro della Beata Virgin) written in 1610. This piece, it could be said, was written as a way to look for a new position, and it is said to have led to his placement with St. Marks in Venice. This piece is considered to be the liaison between the Renaissance and the Baroque period as well as an innovation in how vespers would be written. Often, vespers had been constructed through bits and pieces of music, but Montiverdi saw this piece as a whole, the music written specifically to be joined together as a unified work. The Duo Seraphim is deeply resonate, the transition between music periods evident in the work as the strings are interlaced and the dissonance distinct until it falls back into harmony. Cantate Domino This work was published as part of an anthology in Bonometti’s Parnassus Musicus Ferninandius which was dedicated to the Archduke Ferdinand who would later become Emperor Ferdinand II (Monteverdi and Stevens 100). The work is designed for voices and basso continuo and is written in Latin. As a sacred work, it is intended to best be heard in a cathedral and sung by a choir. The distinction of the pronunciation of the t’s during the vocals is relevant to the sound of Baroque sacred music. It is typical of the rise in tone at the end of each ending section, symbolizing the rising of the heart towards God. The end of each section is founded on the even repetition of notes, with the fall by a half step, then back to the original note. The work is based off of Psalm 96. Works Cited Claudio Monteverdi - Cantate Domino. Youtube. 12 October 2007. N1ck1991. 11 June 2011. Claudio Monteverdi - Duo Seraphim. Youtube. 23 April 2009. Pelerinagedelarosa. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =CeZZcarSb8o Claudio Monteverdi - L’orfeo. Youtube. 10 January 2009. Ladiszka3. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb2TURdBeEQ Monteverdi, Claudio, and Denis Stevens. The Letters of Claudio Monteverdi. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1980. Print. William Byrd As the most distinguished English musician of his time, William Byrd was born around 1542 and is quite likely the son of Thomas Byrd of the Chapel Royal. Little is known about his early career, but in 1563 he became the organist at Lincoln cathedral and after seven years, he was sworn in as Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, a distinction of those who serve the royal sovereign through sacred works and is a body comprised of musicians and priests. He composed a great body of work and was prone to serious forms for both vocal and instrumental works. According to Le Huray, he acquired a “fluent contrapuntal technique and an ear for impressive sonorities” (230). He penned some 470 works, taking the Latin polyphony form and combining it with Continental motet, thus creating works that were in line with the English forms, but were defined by his interpretations of the European forms that were popular on the rest of the continent (Le Huray). The Batalle This work is part of Byrd’s manuscript, My Lady Nevell’s Book, a set of 42 compositions for the keyboard. Batalle is Spanish for Battle, and the music has a decided military tone, a formal march at the beginning introduces the concept with a formal 4/4 time, with an eventual battle seeming to commence between the rhythm of the left hand, which comes into a musical conflict with heightened tensions from the right hand. The formal time signature begins to be challenged as the music presents the higher register as a more rapid translation of the battle. In the third section, the temp increases dramatically as the right hand begins to climb the musical register and the rhythm creates a more heated interchange between the two hands. In Nomine Byrd used mixed key signatures in his sacred music, and this can be observed in this work. The trio of strings reflect a movement that is interrupted within the key signature change, but still fluid as it elevates the sacred notion. The time signature also changes in this work, creating a complexity of emotions. This piece was most likely written by 1511 and was included in a manuscript of sacred works. The reflections still present from the Baroque period are evident, with the elevated sounds of the Reformation being heard in the overtone. The Bells This work can be found in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, a virginal being a small harpsichord. The book was likely transcribed during a 20 year prison sentence by Francis Tregian, who was condemned for his Catholicism (William Byrd “The Bells”. Youtube.com). This piece can be considered an environmentally inspired piece, the sound of the bells coming across as they keep time, as they call to the congregation, and as they ring through the environment. A heavy drop on the second beat provides a sense of ‘time’, with the chime as the bell would be struck, and the runs completing the ringing of the bell beyond its strike. The runs are established through a repetitiveness that is announced through that distinct sense of the striking of the bell. The work presents a taste of both the time period, of the surroundings in which Byrd worked, and of the nature of keyboard music of the time. Works Cited In Nomine for Viol-consort by William Byrd. Youtube.com. 11 June 2011. Enrstoltz. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AycjnXFhGEM Le Huray, Peter. Music and the Reformation in England 1549-1660. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1967. Print. William Byrd “the Batalle” (excerpt) My Lady Nevell’s Book. Youtube.com. 25 January 2008. Ernstoltz. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=k UIkc52LMW4 William Byrd “The Bells”. Youtube.com. 22 May 2006. Maxwellsteer. 11 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmbbmQmepys Johann Sebastian Bach From Germany, Johann Sebastian Bach was a composer and musician who was born in 1685 and died in 1750. It is written in some works of the period that he died at the age of 66, so his birth or death date might be in error. His works were both secular and sacred, his style presenting as Baroque with elegantly translated forms of contrapuntal which was used through forms of music from all of the European continent. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was central in his hometown of Eisenach as a director. His uncles were also famous musicians of the region. Beethoven considered him the “father of all harmony”, where Reger called him the “beginning and end’ of all music” and Debussy said of him that he was “the Good Lord of music” (Geck and Hargraves 1). Toccata and Fugue in D Minor This work is often heard in horror film, most notably showing up in versions of Phantom of the Opera and Tales from the Crypt. Schweitzer states that “A single dramatic ground thought unites the daring passage work of the toccata, that seems to pile up wave after wave; and in the fugue the intercalated passages in broken chords only serve to make the climax all the more powerful” (269). The music compels the listener through a ‘freshness of invention’, as the music has been interpreted over and over through different forms and interlacing of genres (Schweitzer 269). The piece is composed for the organ and is typical of northern German structures and can be traced to inspirational moments from other composers of this region, which was a common practice of the time period. Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor This piece has a dark tone that is also suitable for use in horror films, but a sense of delight castes a light over the dark undertones. A more playful fugue section allows the established patterns to dance across the audio experience. This piece was also written for organ and the original manuscript of the work is lost, thus it has been recreated through transcriptions and copied works. The origin of the main theme is most likely taken from Andre Raison’s Christe: Trio en Passacaille which is very much like the themes of Bach’s beginning. The piece is written in ? time and the theme is translated into 21 different variations. The piece has been converted for instrumentation so that orchestra and piano, extending the listening varieties that can be found. Brandenburg Concerto No 5, Allegro The Brandenburg Concertos were presented to Christian Ludwig, a margrave of Brandenburg-Shwedt in 1721. The full score was not used until after Ludwig passed because he did not have the appropriate number of players to fully orchestrate the pieces. They were not published until 1849 after they were discovered in archives, but they are now considered some of the finest examples of Baroque music. The Allegro, No 5 has a joy that exemplifies the best of Baroque music, the energy profound and exuberant. The runs are complex, balanced off of each other through the genius of instrumentation and harmony that was central to Bach’s work. The swift movement of the runs are challenging to play, but when done well, leave the listener in the depths of the kinetic joy with which the music has been rendered. Works Cited Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No 5: Allegro. Youtube.com. 12 July 2006 Bachojo. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49IOKnhX0Sk Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Youtube.com. 10 December 2005. Smalin 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipzR9bhei_o Geck, Martin, and John Hargraves. Johann Sebastian Bach: Life and Work. Orlando: Harcourt, 2006. Print. Huckvale, David. Touchstones of Gothic Horror: A Film Genealogy of Eleven Motifs and Images. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010. Print. Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, Part 1. Youtube.com. 7 September 2008. Staticmesh. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= QlpoH1jim2g Schweitzer, Albert, Ernest Newman, and Charles M. Widor. J.s. Bach. London: Breitkopf & Hartel, 1911. Print. Jean Philippe Rameau Rameau was born in France and is considered wone of the more important composers of the Baroque period. He was born in 1683 and died in approximately 1764. His entry into public recognition did not occur until 1720 when his theoretical work, Treatise on Harmony, was published. Deep into his middle aged years, he began a career as a composer of opera, his first opera creating a sensation and controversy for its unusual structures. He has a sparse collection of work up to this time, only about fifty pieces for harpsichord and sixteen designed for trios are known before he enters as an operatic composer, and these works did not win him fame during his time (Girdlestone 14). Hippolyte et Aricie - Ouverture The Ouverture for the opera Hippolyte et Aricie announces an importance and regality, even within the sense of frivolity in which it is constructed. As his first opera, Rameau introduced the work at the Academie Royal de Musique in 1733. The libretto of the work is founded on Phedre (1677), a dramatic tragedy by Jean Racine. Parts of the opera were too difficult for the musicians, leading to the cut of a trio, the Trio des Parques which was dedicated to the Fates. As a tragedie en musique, the work was considered brilliant, but many found it to be uncommon and disturbing and could not relate to the dissonance and invention. The tragedie en musique was created by Jean Baptiste Lully, and the opera Hippolyte et Aricie was designed in Lullian style. The ouveture sets the mood of the work, the mythical themes enhanced by the regality of the music lending a sense of what will come within the opera (Girdlestone). Les Fetes d’Hebes - Minuet I & II In his second work, Rameau opened in the Paris Opera in 1739. During Rameau’s time, the piece enjoyed great success, far greater than his first opera opening during several different years and being a staple for the 18th century French opera. The libretto was written by Antoine Gautier de Montdorge, and although not considered a strong storyline, the work that Rameau did elevated the work to popular fame. The work is written in three acts and presents a story set in ancient Greece, providing a setting for love and marriage. The work is an opera - ballet. Nais, Prologue , L’Accord des Dieux 1 This opera was first performed in Paris on April 22, 1749. The format is one of the pastorale herioque, which is typified by its ballet/opera format and was first developed by Jean Baptiste Lully. The themes are usually developed around classical storylines which are first explored through allegory in the beginning of the work. The prologue is energetic, with a choral of voices emoting in French, the nature of the allegory leading up to the exploration of the libretto. Rameau borrowed much of the music within the work from other pieces he had already written, including Les Fetes de Polymnie and Les Paladins for Nais (Girdlestone). The basic story is founded on the concept of love between Neptune and Nais, with the god going into a human disguise to charm Neptune. Two rival suitors eventually face Neptune, creating the climax of the opera. The opera was written to commemorate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession when the treaty was signed, ending the conflict (Girdlestone). Works Cited Girdlestone, Cuthbert. Jean-philippe Rameau: His Life and Work. New York, NY: Dover Publ, 1969. Print. J. P. Rameau - Hippolyte et Aricie - Ouverture. Youtube.com. 31 March 2009. Harmonieuniverselle. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= X9Xi HWFbVfI J. P. Rameau - Les Fetes d’Hebes - Minuet I & II. Youtube.com 19 February 2009. Harmieuniversalle. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=HtrAqerxrMI Mackenzie, Compton, and Christopher Stone. The Gramophone. London: C. Mackenzie, 1923. Print. Rameau: Nais, Prologue , L’Accord des Dieux 1. Youtube.com. 14 August 2009. Dardanus42. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qtv MaFqkvA Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart On a multitude of layers, the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a miraculous and amazing journey. A child prodigy, Mozart was playing in public from the age of five, and after he was put through a series of tests at the age of nine it was determined that he had “premature and supernatural talents” (Solomon 4). His talent was not limited to music, but was extended to many academic pursuits, including the ability to speed read and comprehend multiple languages at one time when several sentences were put in front of him. Auguste Tissot, Swiss philosopher and educater, stated after meeting Mozart that he had “character of force, which is the stamp of genius, that variety which proclaims the fire of imagination, and that charm which proves an assured taste” (Solomon 4). By the age of five, when he entered the public as a musician, he had already begun as a composer and during his short lifetime he wrote more than 625 works. He was born in 1756 and was gone by 1791 at the young age of 35. Twelve Variations on Ah Vous Diraj-je, Mamon There are many great works done by Mozart, but one of the more historically interesting pieces is based upon variation on the tune for Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Published in 1785, it is likely that they were written in 1781. The poem by Jane Taylor had been sung to Ah Vous Diraj-je, Mamon, from which Mozart developed this simple, sung nursery rhyme music into a series of variations. In listening to the reproductions of the theme music into different versions, his brilliance shines through, the music cascading, running, and harmonizing in different ways in each unique incarnation. The Marriage of Figaro This piece of opera is developed as an opera buffa, which means it is developed as a comedic opera. The work was written 1786 and was first performed in the same year. The libretto was written Lorenzo da Ponte and was composed in Italian. The theme of the play was based upon creating satire on of the aristocracy, and although the opera was received immediately, the play was originally outlawed in Vienna for its themes. The Imperial Italian Opera company commissioned the work from Mozart and he was paid well for the work, exceeding his usually yearly income by three times. This opera is now the standard on how operatic form should be structured, being the example of its genre (Soloman). The Magic Flute This opera was developed in two acts and was set to a German libretto written by Emanuel Schikaneder. Revealing his lack of barriers where language was concerned, it has been shown that French, Italian, and German verbal language bore no barriers to the ability that Mozart had to interpret emotional context in opera. Written in 1791 and first performed in Vienna, Mozart acted as the conductor of its debut performance, but did not survive to see the full length of the run of performances as he died later that year. It is often considered that the work is an allegory that provides a discourse on enlightened absolutism. The challenges of the work for the singers requires great instrument ability within their singing capacity. The voice, in the Youtube example, is pushed to such a clarity, that a lesser voice would not be able to approach the work. Works Cited Mozart: 12 Variations “Ah Vous Diraj-je, Mamon” KV265 (Clara Haskel). Youtube.com. 30 August 29. Pianoplayer002. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO-ecxHEPqI Solomon, Maynard. Mozart: A Life. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995. Print. The Magic Flute (vaimusic.com). Youtube.com. 3 June 2010. Vaimusic. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vm0j-6wU8U&feature=fvst The Marriage of Figaro (vaimusic.com). Youtube.com. 11 June 2010. Vaimusic. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HMGqq6WfC4 &feature=fvst Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 and died in 1827, the last half of his life, including time periods in which he composed, spent without hearing, deaf to the music he was writing. Having moved to Vienna, he studied with Joseph Haydn. Beethoven’s life is well documented and has as much drama as does the music that he wrote. His expressive music was developed with a dark intensity that is easily discerned from other composers. A famous letter at the end of his life, addressed to his Immortal Beloved, a woman who is not specifically identified, although many possibilities on her identity exist, is begun “My angel, my everything, my very self…” (Doyle 57). Beethoven was ill for quite some time before his death, although the actual cause of his death is unknown. There are many speculations about his illnesses, and the cause of his deafness is not known. Sonata Pathetique Composed when he was 27, this sonata was dedicated to Prince Karl von Lichnowsky and there is some speculation that the piece was inspired by Mozart’s work, Piano Sonata K, 457 because of the structure and the key signature which is in C minor. This is also referred to as Piano Sonata 8 and was written in 1798. The first section of the piece is only ten measures long and is a Grave, but the intensity of the beginning sets up the thematic direction of all three sections. The use of the pedal is the defining technique of this section, the striking of the chords with the pedal providing the perfection of the intensity (Johnson 7). The second movement, the Adagio Cantabile uses a series of minor keys to enhance the cantabile theme. The third movement, however, the Rondo Allegro, brings all three movements into collaboration, providing the finale of continuity for the whole piece (Johnson 8). The Creatures of Prometheus This ballet by Beethoven was written in 1802, the Op 43 beginning with classic strong chords and dramatic pauses before moving into a section that sounds more like the pastorals. The ballet was written for a libretto by Salvatore Gavano who was the “ballet master of the Viennese court” (Beethoven FC). The myth of Prometheus is brought to life through the god’s ability to form humans from clay and imbue them with gifts. In a part of the ballet, there is a musical representation of a thunderstorm in which the wrath of Zeus is displayed within the music (Beethoven FC). Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight Sonata” The Adagio of this piece is readily played near the beginning of learning to play the piano, and although the music of it is easily learned, the strict tempo required and the emotional content and context is not quite so easily mastered. The piece has a mysterious quality and as it filters through in singular melodic form without much in the way of harmony, it reaches deep into the listener to touch a soulful and artistically rendered landscape. There is a melancholy that is familiar in the work of Beethoven, but is most poignant in the deceit of the simplicity of this piece. It is dedicated to his student, a 17 year old Countess by the name of Guilietta Guicciardi with whom it is highly probably that Beethoven was in love. Works Cited Beethoven, Ludwig . The Creatures of Prometheus: Op. 43 : the Complete Ballet Music. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2002. Musical score. Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 8, Op. 13 in C Minor,Krystian Zimerman, Klazz Brothers. Youtube.com 13 October 2008. Victor5530. 12 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdb3RCB-NIg&feature=fvst Beethoven - The Creatures of Prometheus, Op 43. Youtube.com. 8 December 2008. Ekh714. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=TEz8rtrdP4w Doyle, Ursula. Love Letters of Great Men. New York: St. Martin's Press, 2008. Print. Johnson, Jeffrey. Piano Lessons in the Grand Style: From the Golden Age of the Etude Music Magazine (1913-1940). Mineola, N.Y: Dover, 2003. Musical score. Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 “Moonlight Sonata” Youtube.com. 15 January 2008. Poloshia. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com /watch?v=B2LcJTqwVug Joseph Haydn Joseph Haydn’s contribution is such that he has held many profound monikers such as ‘father of the symphony’ and ‘father of the string quartet’. He was born in 1732 and died in 1809 and was a teacher to Ludwig van Beethoven. He was an Austrian and was within the court of the Esterhazy family, which pushed him outside of the circles of other musicians, forcing him to be innovative. He developed many forms, most notably the form of the sonata which he perfected and brought to standards that are still accepted today. His family was comprised of musicians, however, and he was acquainted with Mozart so his exposure to music was completely insular. The period of time in which he worked is noted for the Sturm and Drang, which is interpreted as storm and stress, but that soon lifted to a lighter period in which he developed more whimsical pieces (Chambers). String Quartet Op. 33 No. 1 The Opus 33 string quartets were written 1781 and were dedicated to the Grand Duke Paul of Russia. The premier of the works was on Christmas day of that year, although it is not known if they all appeared at that performance. The first sting quartet written in a set of six of Op. 33 is a delightful, light piece of music. It is a refined example of the string quartet piece, a combination of four instruments that play against, with, and around one another to create an interlaced affect, as they rotate between being together and at odds, but rounding out in harmonious end to a phrase or section. Even thought it begins in D major, the key signature shifts to D minor (Chambers). String Quartet Op. 33 No. 2 “The Joke” The Opus 33 No. 2 is nicknamed ‘The Joke’ because it is “justifiably famous for the comical disjunctions of its closing measures, (as it) is also rich in playful manipulation of the forms rhythms of contrast and recurrence. One of the more powerful uses in the piece is that of silence, the pauses creating moments of light tension that lead the listener to reach for the next phrase. There are light differences in the form that produce the whimsy, such as the way in which the end of the rondo comes to a full close, rather than into a transitory phrase. This is an example of Haydn’s tendency towards “elements of unpredictability, rhetorical impact and structural novelty (Grave and Grave 123). The Seasons This work is an oratorio, which is defined by its use of full orchestration and chorus with the use of soloists and ensemble within the work. The difference between this form of composition and that of an opera is that the opera is staged, where the oratorio is a work for a concert, even though they are sometimes presented each in their opposing form. The libretto of The Seasons was written by Gottfried van Swieten, the same writer who wrote the libretto for Haydn’s The Creation. The work premiered in 1801 in Vienna, although it is not considered as good as his work The Creation. Modern performances of the work echo this belief with The Creation appearing far more often than The Seasons. The work ’paints’ the auditory palate with elements of the four sections of the seasons, a plowman’s who whistles a formerly written tune by Haydn and shots are heard during the hunting moments (Grave and Grave). Works Cited Chambers, William. Biography: Exemplary and Instructive. London [u.a.: Chambers, 1881. Print. Grave, Floyd K, and Margaret G. Grave. The String Quartets of Joseph Haydn. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Internet resource. Haydn Op 33 n 1, 1 mov. Youtube.com. 22 April 2009. Digitalsign. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF7v-utu2zI Haydn Oratorio The Seasons “Spring” Part 1. Youtube.com 3 July 2009. Whomakemefeel. 13 June 2011.http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=iRNkHtX7k7g Haydn String Quartet Op. 33 No. 2 “The Joke” IV. Presto. Youtube.com. 10 April 2010. Caitlinviola. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= LDkWBzH6dkE Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri was born in Italy in 1750 and died in 1825. His name is most familiar to domestic audiences because of the possibly exaggerated adversarial relationship that he held with Mozart from within the film Amadeus (1984). This relationship was inspired from the urban myths around the relationship from the time period in which he was alive through letters that Mozart wrote to his father about Salieri thwarting his progress, and because rumors abounded about his possible part in Mozart’s death through poisoning (although the most common belief is that Mozart died of rheumatic fever). During his lifetime, Salieri was considered the master in Italian opera within Vienna, as Italian opera was the fashion. He also conducted works by Haydn, specifically The Creation, as well as other composers introduced to the Viennese court. He instructed composers such as Schubert, Czerny, and Beethoven (Graybill 75). Fashion has been an integral part of Salieri’s existence in music history as he fell out of fashion shortly after his own time and has only reappeared on performance lists due to the film’s popularity in the late 20th century. Salieri was mad, suffering from dementia, for the last period of his life (Bone and Johnson). L’amoure Innocente Written in 1770, this Italian language based pastoral opera was written by Giovanni Gastone Boccherini and is Salieri’s second opera. The opera was received in Vienna at the Burgtheater for carnival. The setting for the opera is unusual in that it is set in a village in the Alps, which is a part of the Italian countryside. One of the main focuses, from a musical point of view, is on the development of the viola through harmonic modulations. The nature of the work is discovered through its unique and experimental structures, some of the reasons why Salieri had such popularity in his time. This was his second opera and through this work can be seen the various ways in which he grew as a composer (Rice). Armida The opera Armida is considered developed as a dramma per musica, which is translated as a drama set to music. It is defined as having been written specifically for the intent of being set to music, the origins from an epic poem written by Torquato Tasso which was used by other composers such as Handel and Lully. The writer of the libretto was Marco Coltelllini, during their one and only collaboration. The libretto was passed to Giuseppi Scarlotte first, although the score from Scarlotte is not in existence (Rice 163). Salieri’s version was performed in Vienna in 1771, a fact known because of a letter Joseph II, to Leopold, his brother, telling him of the performance (Rice 162). Piccolo Requiem Salieri’s Requiem in C minor, also known as his Piccolo Requiem, which he wrote in 1804. This was one of his last works, the performance of the piece not occurring until his own funeral. This sacred mass was performed as a final respect to his life, his own work debuting even as his own passed. The piece highlights the use of the Piccolo, a soulful work in which the runs are balanced against the nature of the chord progressions in order to create an uplifting piece of work that provides context through music of the sacred. Works Cited Bone, Jan, and Ron Johnson. Understanding the Film: An Introduction to Film Appreciation. Lincolnwood, Ill., USA: National Textbook Co, 1991. Print. Graybill, Guy. Bravo!: Greatness of Italian Music. Boston: Dante University Press, 2008. Print. Rice, John A. Antonio Salieri and Viennese Opera. Chicago [u.a.: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1998. Print. Salieri - Armida - Overture. Youtube. 18 April 2011. FranzLisztFerentz. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_CxgiZHkQI Salieri. L’amoure Innocente - Overture. Youtube.com 12 March 2007. Kyrie620. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCO1ldC4B wc&feature=related Salieri: Requiem in C minor - Introitus & Kyrie 1. Youtube.com. 14 May 2008. Thrax1892. 13 June 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy523_JQiso Read More