Johann Strauss
P.I. Tchaikovsky
Antonin Dvorak
Gustav Mahler
Arnold Schoenberg
100
What Strauss known for popular music or classical?
Strauss was known for popular music.
100
Where did Tchaikovsky receive his conservatory training?
Tchaikovsky received his conservatory training in St. Petersburg.
100
Who is Dvorak?
Dvorak is a Czech nationalist composer.
100
Gustav Mahler was originally Jewish but converted to another religion. What was this religion and why did he convert?
Mahler converted to Catholicism so he could be the Kappellmeister in Vienna from 1897-1907. He was primarily a conductor there, but he composed during the summer.
100
What Schoenberg's religion throughout the course of his life?
Schoenberg was born Jewish, but converted to Lutheranism. Upon leaving Germany, and then leaving Paris, and finally settling in LA, Schoenberg reconverted to Judaism.
200
List three composers that Strauss gleaned his traditions of classicism from.
Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
200
Where did Tchaikovsky have an institutional position?
Tchaikovsky had an institutional position at the Moscow Conservatory.
200
What are the Native American aspects in the "New World Symphony" from? Describe the techniques used to evoke each.
The Native American aspects are from the transcription by Theodore Baker in his book "On Music of North American Savages". The scherzo is representative of the Native American culture. The allegro con fuoco that uses a pentatonic scale is also reflective of that. Dvorak also took inspiration from the Longfellow poem "The Song of Hiawatha".
200
Vienna is known as the birthplace of what movement? List some other famous figures known for this movement.
The movement is modernism. The other famous figures are Freud, Klimt, Karl Krauss, and Schoenberg.
200
Describe the three periods that Schoenberg's work are categorized in.
From 1898-1912, Schoenberg wrote his early post-Romantic work and experimental expressionist work, including "Pierrot lunaire". In 1920, he wrote his first serial works. His late period choral works include "A Survivor from Warsaw" written in response to the Warsaw ghetto uprising.
300
What is the city of pleasure and Gemutlichkeit? (and what does that word mean?)
The city is Vienna and Gemutlichkeit means something along the lines of 'coziness'.
300
What are two personal challenges that Tchaikovsky dealt with in his life?
Tchaikovsky struggled with depression and homosexuality.
300
What is the form of Dvorak's "New World Symphony" and why?
This piece has the conventions of a traditional symphony because it has four movements.
300
Mahler felt compelled to leave Vienna. What year did he leave, where did he go, and why did he feel this need to go? What did he do after that?
Mahler left in 1908 to go to NYC. He felt the need to go because of the anti-Semetic remarks made about him. In NYC, he became the conductor of the New York Philharmonic and toured with them to branch out. He went back to Vienna before he died.
300
True or false: Schoenberg was pleased when audiences enjoyed his music.
False. Schoenberg hated that people liked his works because he thought it made his pieces common if they were too easily understood.
400
What was the importance of the social dance and the waltz in the 19th century?
The social dance and the waltz were a vehicle for display, sexual intimacy, and group identity. In this sort of dance, everyone was doing the same thing. It broke down social and personal boundaries and eased social awkwardness.
400
Tchaikovsky is known for his compositional breadth and diversity. What are some of the genres he composed for?
Tchaikovsky composed ballets, operas, symphonies, and overtures.
400
List some of the aspects of other composers found in Dvorak's "New World Symphony".
The scherzo is the evocation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. There are also sections which are quasi-quotations of Schubert and Beethoven.
400
What are some past references made in Mahler's "Symphony #1"?
There are references to Frere Jacques, the 2nd Movement of the Eroica Symphony, Klezmer music, and the Funeral March in Beethoven 3.
400
When was Schoenberg's "Pierrot lunaire" written and what was it about? Was it popular or classical music?
"Pierrot lunaire" was written in 1912. It is about a character from the commedia dell'arte, the moonstruck Pierrot. The poetry is by Albert Girard and was connected to the symbolist movement in poetry. It was both popular and classical music.
500
What are some prerequisites of dance music? Give an example of dance music by Johann Strauss.
Some of these prerequisites are clear and regular metrical structure, colorful and readily accessible melodies, and regular phrase structure. An example of dance music by Johann Strauss is "Blue Danube Waltz" or "An der schonen blauen Donau", composed in 1867.
500
Describe Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker".
"The Nutcracker" was written in 1892 based on the story by ETA Hoffman. The music contains elements of exoticism and orientalism, which are not exactly true to the actual culture being depicted. The music has strict phrase structures. "The Nutcracker" is known for its status and social function.
500
Besides Native American music, what is the other 'American' element found in Dvorak's "New World Symphony"? And who is this from?
African-American music is also found in the "New World Symphony". Henry Burleigh is attributed for much of the music found. This piece is an exchange between the symphony and the spiritual.
500
What is the music of Mahler's "Symphony #1" connected with and how did Mahler instruct the musicians to play this piece?
The music is connected to Mortiz von Schwind's "How the animals bring the hunter his grave" and, along this same idea, Mahler instructed his musicians to play the music as a parody.
500
List some of the musical aspects of Schoenberg's "Pierrot lunaire".
This piece has definite rhythm, but not pitch. It was not really singing, but more like speaking or chant. The texture, orchestration, and tonality create an odd relationship with music of the past.
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