History of Western Music (Music 330B)

Frequently Asked Questions

Midterm Exam No. 2 (Spring Semester 2005)

(Monday, March 28):

Question: What date should we use for Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique": the date it was written (1830) or the date it was published (1845)?

Answer: The date conventionally used is the date of the first performance (1830), but either date is fine. To be safe, you can add "date composed" or "date published" in parentheses.

Question: What are the important aspects of the form in the examples of Mendelssohn's "Songs without Words"?

Answer: As with so many of the domestic genres (pieces written for home use) and the "character" or "characteristic" pieces, these works are often in A-B-A form or some closely related variant (this applies to the piano pieces in NAWM by Schumann). Individual details would include the A-B-A-B-A variant of Mendelssohn's "Spinning Song" (NAWM 106b), and the embedded ternary forms in Schumann's "Grillen" (NAWM 107a).

Question: The "Code Rossini": what exactly is it and what does it apply to?

Answer: "Code Rossini" is a label applied to a group of forms that Rossini used in his operas, and, because his works were so popular, other composers of Italian opera used them as well. Note that Rossini did not create these forms, but as the most popular composer of operas in the early decades of the nineteenth century, they were very influential. They also carry over into the next generation of composers, including Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi.

As diagrammed in the textbook on p. 604, the basic component parts of Rossini's aria form consist of a slow section (called "primo tempo" or "cantabile" -- either term is fine) and a faster section ("cabaletta"). The cabaletta also includes some repetition of the melody, and it is expected that the singer will ornament the repeat, even though it is written out the same way in the score (this ornamentation is done on the recordings provided for electronic reserve). Between these two sections there is often a "tempo di mezzo" (middle section) which is used to bridge dramatically the slow and fast sections. Note that the "tempo di mezzo" was omitted by Rossini in the particular selection in the anthology (NAWM 117) but is present in the Bellini example (NAWM 118, beginning at m. 61 on p. 441). Also optional is the music before the "primo tempo," which can include accompanied recitative (found in the Bellini example -- the "cantabile" begins on p. 432) and an orchestral or choral introduction.

(Wednesday, March 30):

Question: What is Verdi's duet form?

Answer: Closely related to the aria form of the "Code Rossini" is the duet form. This also contains a "cantabile," "tempo di mezzo," and "cabaletta," but these parts are usually prefaced by a "tempo d'attacco." The "tempo d'attacco" is often in "parlante" style, which means that the orchestra provides the musical continuity and the voices tend to exchange lines above it (sung, of course). This opening section prepares the dramatic situation, such that the voices can then be more expressive in the following slow section. Note that the example in the anthology (NAWM 119) only includes the first two sections of the duet form -- the "tempo di mezzo" and "cabaletta" are not present, although Verdi composed them, and they can be heard in a complete recording of the opera.

Question: What is a "cavatina"?

Answer: The term as used in Italian opera in the first part of the nineteenth century refers to the first aria of a major character. It does not distinguish the form of the Code Rossini in any way, but simply refers to the function of the aria in the dramatic action. In the anthology, the arias from "Il barbiere di Siviglia" (NAWM 117) and "Norma" (NAWM 118) are both cavatinas, because they are both the first arias for their characters.

Question: Is there a definition for "thematic transformation"?

Answer: This term (also referred to as "transformation of themes" and "thematic metamorphosis") refers to the altering of a theme or motive's emotional content. The melody may be changed in various ways (by mode, intervals, or rhythm), but it can always be recognized, and it is usually applied to a programmatic purpose. A good example is the melody that Berlioz labeled "idée fixe" in his Symphonie fantastique. For the statements in the third and fourth movements (as examined in class -- see NAWM 105), the theme is altered in ways that reflect the new context in the program. Liszt also uses "thematic transformation," and there are examples in Grout & Palisca on p. 556 and pp. 584-585.

Question: I have a question about Beethoven's influence. I know there are some composers on which Beethoven had an influence -- could you provide examples?

Answer: This idea is mentioned briefly in Grout & Palisca on p. 546, and there is more detail in the discussions of each individual composer. Schubert was inspired to write symphonies on a larger scale, as found in his Symphonies No. 8 and 9. For Berlioz, the inspiration was Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral"), which has a program as well as five movements, and both of these aspects are found in Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique. There is less influence on Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Liszt, but Brahms and Bruckner (coming later in the century) were both intimidated in different ways by the example of Beethoven (see the comments on pp. 558-563).