Study Guide: The Nineteenth Century - Chapters 37, 39-42, 44-45

Quiz Details

• Date: April 3
• Format: In-class via Google form link
• Points: 20

Key Definitions

Musical Terms

• Lied: German art song for solo voice and piano, prominent in the Romantic period.
• Song Cycle: A series of songs designed to be performed in sequence.
• Nocturne: A dreamy, lyrical piano piece; often evokes night themes. (Chopin)
• Rubato: Subtle rhythmic manipulation in performance.
• Etude: A short musical composition designed for practice of a particular skill.
• Polonaise: Stately Polish dance in triple time.
• Mazurka: Lively Polish folk dance in triple time with strong accents.
• Program Symphony: Multi-movement orchestral composition telling a story or depicting a scene.
• Idée Fixe: A recurring theme representing a specific emotion or character (Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique).
• Concert Overture: Single-movement orchestral piece often based on a literary or descriptive program.

Concepts and Themes

• Nationalism in Music:
  • Rise of nationalist elements in music to express national identity.
  • Incorporation of folk music, national themes, and legends.
  • Development of distinct national styles (e.g., Chopin, Dvorak, Wagner).
• Leitmotif: Recurrent theme associated with a particular person, idea, or situation.
• Gesamtkunstwerk: "Total work of art" integrating various art forms (championed by Wagner).

Special Areas

• Chapter 40: Music, Gender, and Domesticity
• Chapter 41: Musical Instruments and New Technologies

Music Titles and Content

Erlkönig

• Poem by Goethe: Depicts the death of a child pursued by the Erlking.
• Franz Schubert's Composition: A notable setting of Goethe’s poem.

Rigoletto

• Story: A tragic opera by Verdi about the hunchbacked jester Rigoletto and his daughter Gilda.
• **Main Characters: **
  • Duke of Mantua: Morally corrupt ruler.
  • Rigoletto: The jester who mocks others.
  • Gilda: Rigoletto's daughter, seduced by the Duke.
  • Sparafucile: Assassin hired by Rigoletto.
• Plot Points:
  • Rigoletto mocks a nobleman and is cursed.
  • Gilda is seduced by the Duke.
  • Rigoletto plots revenge but faces tragedy when Gilda sacrifices herself.

The Ring of the Nibelung

• Composer: Richard Wagner
• Structure: A cycle of four operas:
  • Das Rheingold
  • Die Walküre
  • Siegfried
  • Götterdämmerung
• Themes: Power, love, greed, betrayal, and fate.
• Main Characters: Gods, mortals, Valkyries, Rhinemaidens, Giants, and Nibelungs.

Composers

• Franz Schubert: Austrian, known for Lieder and symphonies (Unfinished Symphony).
• Clara Schumann: German pianist/composer, promoted Robert Schumann’s legacy.
• Frédéric Chopin: Polish composer, famous for piano works.
• Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: German composer, known for chamber music and piano pieces.
• Hector Berlioz: French, known for Symphonie fantastique.
• Felix Mendelssohn: German, famous for Wedding March.
• Edvard Grieg: Norwegian, known for Peer Gynt Suite.
• Giuseppe Verdi: Italian opera composer, known for Aida, La Traviata, Rigoletto.
• Richard Wagner: German opera composer, known for The Ring Cycle. Controversial figure due to antisemitic views.