The Symphony - Class Notes from 8/27 and 8/29.



Large Scale, Multi-movement Work for Orchestra

Movement - self-contained part of a larger work. Has beginning, middle, and end, and sounds complete in itself, but is part of a larger work. Similar to a chapter in a book, but in a book, each chapter picks up where the last left off. In a musical work, the ÒchaptersÓ do not need to fit together as much.

Key - the ÒhomeÓ sound of a musical work. Contains all the notes in a scale to sound satisfying in a short song. In a longer scale work, the listener will become bored with the same key for very long.

The key will change in a large work, but it WILL return to the home key (usually at the end). The journey is the interesting part, discovering how the composer approaches the keys and gets the listener back to the home key.

In a larger scale work, it is important that there are landmarks to help you on the journey. Like taking a long trip in the car, ÒHereÕs the gas station that we make the left, go past the drug store and keep going until you see the fence...Ó
In music, weÕll listen for landmarks as well. It might be a new melody, a new instrument sound, a new key, a change of tempo, or an obvious cadence. Something that will reassure you that you know where you are going.

Bach Bourree for guitar.
Begins in the key of E Minor. By the end of the first section we are in the key of G major. The second section starts with G major, and must work around many other keys in order to return to E minor. It is easy to go from home to somewhere else, but more difficult to figure out how to return home. You canÕt go the same way back.
Binary Form - AABB. ||: A :||: B :||

Sammartini - Symphony in F
From the Rococo Period. Between the Baroque Period and the Enlightenment / Neoclassical Period. ÒUgly DucklingÓ period, as it has not figured out what it is trying to do. Has ideas that eventually become standard in the Classical Period, but must work out the details first!
Rounded Binary Form - AABaBa. ||: A :||: B a :||
Return of the A section and key at the end.
3 Hammerstrokes (single repeated notes) are the cue for each new section.
The end of the B section is signalled by a loss of energy and momentum, with the Tonic (home) key and main theme returning for the ÒaÓ section.

The Hammerstrokes are the landmark to keep track of where you are.
Longer works will require more landmarks, as there is more time in between each section. The Mozart symphony has about two minutes for each section, so landmarks must be included within each section so as to not get lost.