Schoenberg Listening Journal (Gavotte)

Musical Elements:

Atonality (throughout)
Dotting (0:10)
Varying rhythmic beats, ranging from 16th notes to quarter notes (throughout)
Hemiola (0:32)
Stacking of atonal harmonies using broken chords (1:05)
Instrumentation: Solo piano
Texture: Seemingly polyphonic
Meter: Duple simple

Structure:

Difficult to discern from timecode, but most likely a twelve-tone composition (using rows)
Brief moments of tonality dispersed throughout (1:27 - 1:34, 1:42 - 1:44, 1:58 - 2:01)
Mostly atonal, no clear main theme

Context:

Composer: Schoenberg
Intended social function: Gavotte (French folk dance)
True social function: To demonstrate the integration of tonal and atonal elements
Era: Modernism
Genre: Twelve-tone

Schubert - Ganymed

The piano accompaniment of this Schubert lied starts out simple and relatively flat with few dynamic changes. It shifts between major and minor tonalities with many modulations. The tempo also changes relatively frequently. Chromatic motion is employed both chordally (iv-I cadences) and melodically (chromatic runs in the right hand). Embellishments such as grace notes are used. Later on in the piece, changes in dynamics are more pronounced in the piano part.

The purpose of the piano accompaniment in this Schubert lied is clear: The piano accompaniment provides a canvas populated with notes over which the singer can project a smooth melodic line.

Listening Journal: Classical String Quartet

String Quartet no. 62 Op. 76 by Franz Joseph Haydn

II. Poco Adagio

Musical elements

Tempo - Adagio (of course)
Timbre - four string instruments: two violins, a viola, and a cello
Texture - homophonic with the violin leading
Meter - duple simple (4/4)
Eighth note lines with chromatic motion
Use of staccato style in accompaniment to contrast with legato melody
Embellishments in first violin part

Form

ABA form:
    1. legato, more polyphonic opening section
    2. clearly homophonic middle section with staccato accompaniment and legato melody
    3. return of first style

Clearly recurring melodic theme
Initial melody builds on itself with embellishments and ornamentation as the piece progresses

Context

Era: mid-classical
Purpose: likely to be played for a royal family
Composer: Haydn
Country of origin: Austria

Mozart Concerto Listening Journal

Listening Journal - Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat, K. 482

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hgaxI3JRgg

Excerpt: 0:00 - 6:00

Musical elements

Timbre/Instrumentation - full orchestra (violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, brass)
Staccato style in strings
Hemiola is present, often used to transition between themes
Meter - duple simple (occasionally duple compound)
Texture - homophonic
Many scalar runs in right hand of the piano
Dynamic level varies heavily from fortissimo to piano

Form

Orchestral expository section
Piano expository section
Section with call-and-response between piano and orchestra
Harmonic sequences present 3:20 - 3:30
Portions of unison with orchestra (see 3:50 for example)
Although I did not listen to this section, there is a cadenza in this concerto (improvised piano section near end)
Sections of transition/hemiola between duple simple and duple compound (for example around 5:50)

Context

Era - mid-classical
Time period - late 18th century
Composer - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Country of origin - Austria
Sanctity - sacred

LG Fugue vs. "Little" Fugue

1. List of iterations in LG Fugue:

- D minor (i) measure 1
- A minor (v) measure 6
- D minor (i) measure 15
- C minor (V/IV) measure 24
- Eb major (IV/VI) measure 32
- Bb major (VI) measure 36
- G minor (iv) measure 54
- D minor (i) measure 57

2. The forms of the pieces start similarly; they both modulate to the v key, then modulate back to the tonic key. Then, the pieces take different trajectories: the LG fugue begins to migrate into secondary dominants and subdominants from measures 24-32 while the little fugue continues to remain close to the original key. Both pieces contain a middle section in which they take on a major tonality (measures 32-36 in the LG fugue and measures 33-41 in the little fugue). Then they both end by modulating to the iv key and then to the i key.

Both fugues have a main subject (as they both, indeed, follow fugal form). They also both have sequential progressions that help transition between variations of the subject. Both fugues also have false iterations, but the LG fugue uses the rhythm of the subject to transition during key changes/modulations (see measure 51) while the little fugue does not do anything like this - meaning that when the subject is played, it is expected that the subject stays in the same key until it finishes.

3. Musicians in the baroque era would probably think of this piece as being a valid example of a fugue. They may think that the subject itself is strange due to its dissonant nature and strange rhythm, but the transitions sound like they "fit in" to the context of the baroque era.

Toccata A Dur (Early Baroque Listening Journal)

Henry Purcell - Toccata A Dur

Musical elements

Timbre - one harpsichord (chordaphone)
Tonality - A major
Meter - duple simple
Tempo - moderately fast (allegro)
Improvisatory style, jagged rhythm

Structure

Form - F minor
Tempo fluctuates throughout the piece
No clear dynamic (mf throughout)

Context

Era - early baroque
Composer - Henry Purcell
Country of origin - England
Genre - toccata

L'Orfeo - Monteverdi Journal

Listening journal - Atto II from Montiverdi's L'Orfeo

Musical elements

- Meter: triple simple

- Timbre: male voice with harpsichord and violin accompaniment

- Text-setting: syllabic

- Texture: homophonic

- Tonality: F major with frequent modulations to Bb major

Structure

- Strophic

- Strophes followed by ritornellos

- Binary form (ABAB)

Context

- Sanctity: secular

- Language: Italian

- Country of origin: Italy

- Genre: opera/aria

Gabrieli Listening Journal

Gabrieli - Benedictus Dominus Deus Sabaoth

Musical Elements

Timbre - Mostly male voices with organ accompaniment
Texture - Polyphonic with some parallel motion
Meter - Duple simple with a momentary shift to duple compound near the end
Tempo - Moderately fast (allegro)
Tonality/Key - D minor/F major, ends on a Picardy 3rd

Structure

Form - no clear form (no sections repeat)
Dynamics - mostly mezzo-forte to forte
The organ provides only accompaniment (never provides the melody) while the melody weaves between the constituent voices

Context

Language - Latin
Sanctity - Sacred
Time period - 17th century (Renaissance)
Country of origin - Italy
Genre - Italian madrigal

Des Prez Listening Journal

Listening Journal

Josquin Des Prez – Mille Regretz

Musical elements:

Texture: polyphonic; voices move mainly together in similar rhythms

Harmony: use of 3rds and 6ths

Melody: constantly flowing, stepwise motion

Timbre: 2 male and 2 female voices, SATB

Meter: duple simple

Tempo: Moderate tempo (but ambiguous due to free meter)

Form/structure:

Appears to have ABC form but it is difficult to tell due to the flowing nature of the structure

No real buildup of voices; dynamic appears to stay the same throughout the piece with decrescendo at the end

Context:

Time period: 1500s - Renaissance

Composer: Des Prez

Sanctity: Secular

Language: French

 Country of Origin: France

Perotin Listening Journal

Listening Journal

Perotin – Viderunt Omnes

Musical elements:

Texture: polyphonic with a drone tone; voices mainly move in parallel motion

Text-setting: melismatic

Harmony: many perfect intervals (especially 5ths)

Melody: stepwise motion

Meter: free with a duple compound feel

Tempo: Moderate tempo (but ambiguous due to free meter)

Form:

Polyphonic sections, one per syllable, with monophonic interludes in middle and at end; in this sense it is ABAB

Shift in mood after each syllable, marked by a pause and change in tone

Context:

Time period: 1300s – Middle Ages

Composer: Perotin

Sanctity: Sacred

Language: Latin

Genre: Organum

Country of Origin: France