Mozarts Requiem

genre: requiem mass

homophonic

soloists are integrated into total structure, not given their own movement

Billings: Africa

genre: hymn

syllabic

melody in tenor

straight forward rhythms

commom metre

Beethoven: Symphony no. 3

genre: symphony

many ideas

motive development

fugue

Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C Major

genre: piano sonata

exploring unusual tonalities

exploring extremes of the piano

biggest textures

generally more virtuosic

Beethoven: String Quartet in Bb Major

genre: string quartet

covatina and adagio

"song without words"

expresses peacefullness

Schubert: Erlkönig, Prometheus, and Wanderers Nachtlied

genre: lied

changes voice per character

Goethe: poet of these pieces

Fany Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in D minor

genre: piano trio

"song without words"

lyrical

prosaic

Chopin: Mazurka in A Minor, op.17, no. 4

genre: Mazurka

triple metre

ABA form

harmonically ambiguous

lyrical

reference to Poland

no modulation

Chopin: Preludes, op. 28

melody oriented

harmonic vagery

Chopin: Ballade in G minor, op. 23

nostalgic

Schumann: Carnaval, op. 9

4 pieces

Liszt: Nuages gris

vague tonality

lack of melodic or harmonic direction

prominence of augmented 4th

Wagner: Tristan und isolde:

"tristan chord"

Strauss: An der schönen blauen Donau

genre: waltz/dance

non programmatic

periodic phrasing

homophonic

lilting triple metre

Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker

genre: ballet

exotic

drone bass

pentatonic scales

rapid fire passages

Brahms: Symphony no. 4

genre: symphony

based on Bach's contata no. 150

ABA form

series of 30 variations

homophonic

Dvorak: Symphony no. 9 largo

genre: symphony

drone bass

pentatonic melodies

walking bass

use of sonata form

Mahler: Symphony no. 1

genre: symphony

funeral march

Fréré Jacques

Debussy: Prelude à l'Apres midi d'un faune

genre: tone poem

large orchestra

rhythmic fluidity

used in ballet

programmatic

chromatic line (tri-tone)

successive 7th chords

Bartok: Diminished Fifth

genre: character piece

solo piano

featured diminished fifth

Debussy: Violes

genre: character piece

solo piano

general ABA form

pentatonic scales

rhythmically free

whole tone scales

emphasis on timbre

Ives: The Cage

genre: art song

voice and piano

quartal harmoines

atonal

strict, declamatory rhythms

no indicated metre

very repetitive and mechanical

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

genre: ballet

orchestra

1913

repeated 5-note figure

solo trumpet and flute against string quartet

traditional harmony (opening)

polytonal

highly symbolic of humanity metaphysical questions

Bartok: Six Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm

genre: character piece

solo piano

1932-1939

frequent repetition of rhythm

rhythms influenced by jazz

polytonal

use of phrigian mode

displays influence of Eastern European folk music

Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras:

genre: character piece

piano and orchestra

1930

tocatta

Cowell: The Banchee

genre: character piece

piano

1925

tempo rubato/lacks pulse

string played directly with fingers

unearthy wailing sounds

aformal

damper pedal held throughout

Schoenberg: Pierrot lunaire

genre: song/cycle

instruments and voice

1912

atonal

dissonant, non-triadic

melodic leaps

through-composed

demanding vocal range

declamatory, half-speech, half-sung

Berg: Wozzeck

genre: opera

voices and orchestra

1925

use of traditional form

atonal

speech-like melody

difficult melodic leaps

extensive range required

Schoenberg: Piano Suite op. 25

genre: piano suite

solo piano

1923

atonal

use of serial tradition

use of canon

intricate rhythms

developing variation

rhythmically and melodically disjunct

Berg: Lyric Suite

genre: string quartet

string quartet

1926

quotes the "tristan chord"

atonal but tonal implications

use of hexachords

repeated 16th note motives

use of serial techniques

Tailleferre: Concertino for Harp and Orchestra

genre: concertino/fugue

harp and orchestra

small fugue appearance

rondo form includes fugue

neoclassical

Bartók: Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta

genre: orchestral piece (suite)

string, percussion, celesta

1986

unusual orchestrations

arch form (symmetrical)

opens with rhythmic palindrome in xylophone

tonal, but not triadic

sweeping figures in piano and celesta

Copland: Rodeo-Hoedown

genre: ballet

orchestra

1942

use of folk songs

open 5th chord

galloping, syncopated rhythm

expansion of motivic ideas

wide orchestra/timbral spacing

Shostakovich: String Quartet no. 8

genre: string quartet

string quartet

1960

tonal, but highly chromatic

pedal bass used

opening motive spells monogram

oom-pah-pah rhythm

non-lyrical

Messiaen: Quatuor pour la fin du temps

genre: quartet

violin, clarinet, cello, piano

1940

violin/cello harmonies

layering of strict and free rhythm

nonretrogradable rhythms

use of isorhythms

tonal, but nonfunctional

clarinet and violin imitate

bird calls

piano repeats a 2 9 chord progression

Bernstein: West Side Story

genre: Broadway Musical

voices adn orchestra

1957

bass ostinato

recitative like, declamatory passage

jazz influenced harmonies and rhythms

complex harmonies

Penderecki: Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima

genre: tone poem

strings (52)

1960

use of microtones

lack of metre (only time indicated)

percussive violin techniques

dense cluster chords

5 sections

unusual timbral effects

Babbit: Three Compositions for Piano

genre: character piece

solo piano

1947

first ever pieces composed with tonal serialism

combinational

16th note as basic unit

structurally symmetrical

Le Caine: Dripsody

genre: electronic

tape recorder

1955

based on the sound of a drop of water

variety of sonic effects

produced via splicing

ends in the proverbal "dripping faucet" sound

arpeggiated tones

lack of form of measure

unnotated (exists only in recordings)