Marriage of Figaro

Opera buffa by Mozart
Premiere in 1786 at Imperial Court Theatre in Vienna

Wolfgang Amadaeus Mozart

1756-1791
Born in Salzburg, Austria (died in Vienna)
Famous: His spontaneity when writing his music, beautiful melodies especially in operas
Family- musically talented
Toured around Europe at an early age by his father... no childhood?
Child Prodigy!
Taught music by his father
Worked for the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg; did not like his treatment as a servant
Married and lived in Vienna

• No dowry
• Mozart- average pay
• Extravagant spender->financial hardships

Teacher

Tidy scores

Climax of career- Opera The Marriage of Figaro

Freemason

Clemency of Titus opera did not impress people in Prague

The Magic Flute and Requiem written in his last year.

Majority of works composed for a certain occasion or purpose.

Works organized by: K.

Symphonies: Haffner (no. 35)

• Haffner (no. 35)
• The Linz (no. 36)
• Jupiter (no . 41)
• Choral works: Requiem, Grabmusik, and Davidde Penitente
• Operas: Idomeneo, Cosi fan tutte, Don Giovanni, Magic Flute, Marriage of Figaro
• Chamber music: Ein kleine nachtmusik- double string quartet
• Keyboard: Fantasia in C Minor, piano sonatas

Operas: singspiel, buffa, and seria. Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte (MOF, DG, CFT)

Great relationship between content and form as one relies upon the other.

Chromatic harmony->Beethoven

Franz Joseph Haydn

1732-1809
Austrian
Famous for his string quartets and symphonies (developed it)- most well known Classical composer during his life
Employed by Hungarian Esterhazy family as Kapellmeister ("music director") and stayed with them for almost 30 years.
Symphonies: Surprise, Military, Clock, Farewell, London.
14 masses (Lord Nelson Mass, Coronation Mass)
Oratorios: Creation, The Seasons
Operas: Armida
Keyboard sonatas
Secular choral music
Chamber music: "Russian" string quartet op. 33 no. 1
"The Joke" No. 2,
Piano trios and divertimentos
Haydn's sense of humor (Surprise symphony)
Tost Quartets
English sonata in C Major
Sturm und Drang
Keyboard Concerto in D Major
Some of his symphonies: Monothematicism- 1 theme lasting for the whole movement
Easily recognizable themes
Melody after human voice

The Creation

By Joseph Haydn
Oratorio
Instrumentation
Soprano, tenor, bass soloists and SATB chorus
Unknown librettist; Baron von Swieten translated the English libretto into German so that Haydn could use it.
Genesis chapter 1
Additional text: Milton's Paradise Lost epic poem (7th and 8th books)
Work originally written: 1798
Massive work!!!!!!!
Popular in its time!
3 angels describe 6 days of creation in recitative
*Praises God and portrays Haydn's optimism regarding Christianity!!!
Grand chorus of praise concludes each day.

Overture: Representation of Chaos-

• Starts with resounding C chord with the absence of a third
• We are clued in to C Minor, then A flat major
• CHAOS- no recognizable key!

Part 1, scene 3:
Uriel's Recitative (no. 12)- "Let there be light"
recitativo secco, C Major
free rhythm to reflect words
Jubilant C Major!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4/4, Andante

Uriel's Recitative (no. 13)- "In splendour bright"
2/2, Andante, D Major, recitativo accompagnato

Chorus and Trio no. 14- "The Heavens are Telling"
C Major
Begins with chorus and full orchestra in a firm C Major opening. Half note at start of each bar- unity
Chordal
Homorhythmic- all voices are in motion simultaneously
First time trio sings- minor key
Chorus- major!
imitation, polyphonic
Clues listener into minor before end
Men and women separate in singing

Ludwig van Beethoven

1770-1827

Born in Bonn, Germany

Famous for his passion in his symphonies and music

Ludwig's father, Johann, a singer in the Court of the Archbishop of Cologne, drove his son fairly hard in his musical talents to become like Mozart, a child prodigy, but Ludwig's gifts needed a longer time to develop.

Sad childhood- cruel, alcoholic father who died when Beethoven was 18

Supported his family

Pupil of Haydn and accompanied him to Vienna, tired of being a "pupil of Haydn"

Stayed in Vienna rest of life, but also traveled

Impressed Mozart by playing

Respected throughout Europe, but strange and intense

Upon losing hearing and having a hard time with it at a retreat in Heiligenstadt in 1802, he resolved to still compose music and make it his happiness and salvation.

Aristocrat, noble admirers

Big funeral

Works organized by: opus numbers and WoO

Works:

9 symphonies (no. 3 Eroica and No. 9 Choral)

32 piano sonatas (Pathetique and Moonlight)

1 opera (Fidelio)

Overtures (Egmont, Leonore)

5 piano concertos (no. 5 Emperor)

Song cylce- An die ferne Geliebte ("To the distand beloved")

Choral music, (Missa Solemnis)

Wrote for himself

Displayed the artist's life as becoming property to mankind and a hero.

His music differed from the technical style of the Baroque period in some ways in relation to his regard for feeling in his music.

Transition from Classical to Romantic- more daring

Works:

Early Period until 1892-

generally within the boundaries of Classical customs set up by Mozart and Haydn.

Moonlight piano sonata, op. 27

Spring violin sonata, op. 24

Middle Period- 1802-1812

Experiments with new forms

Works on a huge scale

expanded customary forms

Apassionata Piano Sonata, op. 57

lyrical "Emperor" piano concerto, no. 5, op. 73

"Pastoral" Symphony no. 6, op. 68

Late Period0 1813-1827

Hearing failing

No interest of pleasing audience

Inward anguish, despair->hope

"Hammerklavier" Piano sonata, op. 106- MIGHTY

Choral Symphony no. 9, op. 125

Piano sonatas- New Testament

Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier- Old Testament

Beethoven wrote out cadenzas in "Emperor" concerto and that became a standard custom for composers.

Revolutionized string quartets-

first ones- traditional

later- revolutionized genres

1 opera- Fidelio

way to prove oneself to receive royal favor

Fidelio was initially criticizd as too bold and shrill

Revolutionized symphony form

-full orchestra, soloists, and chorus

Symphonies lasted for a long time!

Expanded coda- dramatic ending, not formal

Substituted graceful Minuet and Trio with the boyant and joyous Scherzo and Trio

Piano sonatas and string quartets- length increased

Wrote out cadenzas- leaving his own mark on places that were normally conducted by the performer

Frequently dedicated works to patrons on whom he leaned for commission for his works... BUT exterior powers did not control his ingenuity.

Sonata in d minor- L 413, K 9

By Domenico Scarlatti

Rounded binary (A-B+A)

6/8, Allegro

Begins in d minor, modulates to F Major (2nd theme and codetta with open cadence)

B- F major, LH arpeggiated chords played in a sequence that brings the music back to d minor (d minor until end)

Bridge and 2nd theme again

Coda- series of D octaves in LH for last 3 bars and a matching RH D that is trilled appropriately.

Domenico Scarlatti

1685-1757

Famous for keyboard sonatas- many composed for Queen of Spain, his employer

Italian

Keyboard writing- idiomatic, not singing style

Keyboard sonatas- rounded binary form