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Reminders. Exam II on April 8 (NOT APRIL 3!!!) Activity 2 due Thursday (3/30). Review. What is program music? What is absolute music? Program music was considered progressive, absolute music conservative. What is the story of Berlioz’s Symphony fantastique?
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Reminders • Exam II on April 8 (NOT APRIL 3!!!) • Activity 2 due Thursday (3/30)
Review • What is program music? • What is absolute music? • Program music was considered progressive, absolute music conservative. • What is the story of Berlioz’s Symphony fantastique? • What do the two movements we listened to depict?
Review • What is the idée fixe? The Dies irae? • What are some of the musical differences between classical and Romantic music?
Smetana and Nationalism • Bedrich Smetana (1824-84) • Founder of Czech national school of music • A Bohemian born composer who was caught up in the political movement for independence from Austria • Ties into a larger tend of nationalism everywhere
Smetana and Nationalism • 8 operas in the Czech language • Dance music • Programmatic works, depicting aspects of his homeland
Smetana's Ma Vlast • Means “My Fatherland” • a series of 6 symphonic poems • Definition of Symphonic poem (also called tone poem) • a new genre • a single movement orchestral work • Based on an extramusical program
The Moldau • A symphonic poem from Ma Vlast • Named after a river in Bohemia • Story of the tone poem is about different parts of Bohemia as the river as it flows through it
The Moldau • Some things represented in music...-bubbling brook (source of the river-The mighty stream: broad expansive melodies-Hunting scene: brass fanfares
The Moldau • -Peasant dance: polka-like dance rhythms-Nymphs in the moonlight: special instrumental effects, high strings, harp etc.-St. John rapids: agitated, frantic music
The Moldau • -Largest part of the River: exuberant triumphant music-Castle Vysehrad: hymn-like, triumphant section-River flows on, fading away
The Romantic symphony • More conservative composers still writing absolute music... • Four-(or more) movements in traditional forms: sonata allergo, scherzo-trio, etc.
Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) • A Bohemian (Czech) composer • Wrote both program music and absolute music • Wrote music in the character of Czech folk melodies (a nationalistic thing) • Spent some time in the US… • And encouraged US composers to use their own folk music
Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) • Americans followed European models • Dvorak: the best folk material for Americans was African-American music • He had African-American students and learned spirituals from them
Dvorak: New World Symphony • Written in the US • Standard 4-movement symphony, with traditional forms • Loosely based on Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha • melody of slow movement has the character of an African-American spiritual (Goin’ Home)
Johannes Brahms • Known for being a more conservative composer… • Because he wrote in traditional forms... • And most works don’t have programmatic titles
Johannes Brahms • Wrote 4 symphonies • Among the best known in the repertory • Wrote the first one at age 40 (afraid of the standard Beethoven set)
Johannes Brahms • Symphony #3 • Not on assigned listening • Uses sonata form • Development varies theme 1 and moves away from the tonic (main key0