Chapter 11 Prelude: Music and the Enlightenment Form in Classical Music

Key Terms Repetition Cadences Sonata form Minuet form Rondo Theme and variations form

Form in Classical Music How can you extend a musical work over a long time span when music must be “natural,” simple, & easy to understand? A problem faced by Viennese Classical composers The solution involved several elements Repetition & return Transitions between themes Clear cadences

Repetitions and Cadences (1) Repetition & return The 1st theme repeats immediately The 1st theme often returns later Other main themes handled the same way Repetition makes themes easier to remember Return provides a familiar feel, like coming home Especially appropriate near the work’s end

Repetitions and Cadences (2) Transitions between themes Themes are led into & connected with transitions Transitions have distinctive features Prominent–distinct from surrounding themes Not very melodic–no clear tune & no repetition A sense of urgency to get to the next theme A transition makes the beginning of the next theme stronger, more important

Repetitions and Cadences (3) Clear cadences Themes are often closed off distinctively They end with passages that repeat cadences two, three, or more times The more important the theme, the longer & more emphatic the cadence repetitions Clear cadences make the ending of a theme stronger, more important

Haydn, Symphony No. 95, II (1) Formal sounding, deliberate music Four cadences in all Haydn keeps the repetition interesting Color changes–passed from violins & bassoons to French horns to full orchestra Dynamics changes–gradual diminuendo with surprise ff at the end

Haydn, Symphony No. 95, II (2) Haydn follows expected formulas, but in surprising ways Everything contributes to a strong ending

Mozart, “Ho capito” At the aria’s end, singer sings the same cadence over & over again The singer (Masetto) is angry at Zerlina His “over-the-top” repetition reflects anger, bluster, & sarcasm simultaneously Follows formula, but in a revealing, comical manner

Classical Forms (1) Classical composers & audiences relied on only a few forms Sonata form, Minuet form, Rondo form, & Theme and variations form These provided a common, well-understood frame of reference Audiences could easily find their way around in new pieces Repetitions, transitions, & cadences help clarify these forms & their themes

Classical Forms (2) Forms provided framework that permits contrasts–“pleasing variety” Classical composers filled their music with contrasts of all kinds Seemingly inexhaustible emotional range Forms control, even tame the contrasts Contrasts always sound elegant, never excessive Music, even in the most terrible situations, must never offend the ear, but must please the hearer, or in other words must never cease to be music. — Mozart, 1781