lecture notes

MUSIC HISTORY & LIT I: CHAPTER 18

Early 1700s Italy and France

Century of Change

■ In France – King Louis had depleted the treasury with lavish lifestyle and expansions and fell as a military power (French Revolution occ'd at the end of the century)

■ Vienna, Austria – became the leading musical influence in Europe

■ 1701: Prussia emerged as a world power. Poland was split between Prussia, Russia, and Austria, which erased Poland from the map for about a century

■ American Revolution (1775-83) occ'd

American Colonies ■ There was not one strong musical influence in the American colonies

■ European, Caribbean, Native America, African, Spanish influences

■ Visiting composers were intrigued by the sounds of Native American songs and African spirituals

■ Early settlers and colonizers were not concerned with musical traditions as much as they were consumed by survival.

– This caused most music education to become in adequate and they were unable to keep up with the developments in Europe.

■ Colonial singing schools

■ Western (European) music traditions became standard

Back to Europe.... Economic Expansion ■ Improved agricultural methods created a population boom

– Crop rotations, fertilizer – Potatoes

■ Roads – Made travel/trade faster – Postal system developed

■ Trade increased – Middle class grew, aristocracy became less important

Education and Learning

■ New schools were founded – Elite/upper class: focus on traditional Greek and Latin – Middle class: more practical education

■ Austria and Prussia (unsuccessfully) set out to require primary school for all children – Though unsuccessful, the literacy rate was up to about 50% (males) by 1800

■ Rise of newspapers (1702) and book publishing – Novels became popular (Robinson Crusoe, 1719)

■ Socially expected to discuss current events and politics

Music ■ Around 1700, composers were no longer inventing new techniques – they were

extending established traditions. – Affections, Basso continuo, Concertato medium, Tonality – Genres of opera, cantata, concerto, sonata, and suite

■ Focus on nature – The landscape was urbanizing, people liked the nostalgia of rural life

■ Growth of middle class meant more people were interested in music, high demand

■ New demand for music created an overlap in styles – Baroque and Classical

■ We get a better look at the composers of this time, as their lives represented the musical developments of the late Baroque era.

– Vivaldi, Couperin, Rameau

Italy

■ Musical centers were Naples, Rome, and Venice

Naples ■ Had been under Spanish possession (1503), then Austrian (1707), then

independent kingdom ruled by the Spanish king (1734)

■ Conservatories – There were 4 in Naples, homed orphan boys and taught them music – These conservatories eventually grew in music education reputation, and

students became paid musicians

■ Castrati – Many of the conservatory singers were castrati – Leading male opera roles were often written for castrati, and many were church

singers – These were the pop stars of the time (Farinelli)

■ Opera was the leading form of music

Farinelli 1705-1782 (Carlo Broschi) ■ Very famous singer who was a castrati

■ 3 octave vocal range with the breath support to sustain a note for a full minute

■ His abilities to execute rapid and difficult passage work, along with interesting embellishments, gained him fame

■ He was able to retire after a 3-year career

Rome

■ Opera was not as popular in Rome – More attention was given to other genres – The Pope forbade women to perform on stage

■ Wealthy patrons attracted talented composers and musicians – Rome became a training ground for musicians

Venice

■ While declining in political power, Venice still held the attention of those interested in performances and the arts.

■ Street musicians and gondoliers, large amateur musician population

■ Opera was still the most popular genre, and there was competition between opera houses

■ Ceremonies, public performances, and church music were also widely popular

Antonio Vivaldi ■ Best known Italian composer of the early 1700s –

virtuosic violinist and teacher. Trained for both music and priesthood.

■ Vivaldi started his career at The Pieta (1703-1740) – Home for orphaned, illegitimate, or poor boys and

girls; run like boarding schools – Children were trained to be great musicians and

performers (girls had to promise never to perform in public when they left)

– Pieta performances attracted large audiences

■ Vivladi's job was to maintain the string instruments and teach students to play

■ His compositional output at the Pieta consisted mainly of instrumental sacred pieces and concertos for students of varying abilities.

Vivaldi, cont. ■ Vivaldi was well-known for creating concertos, due to having skilled soloists at his

disposal at The Pieta – He was able to experiment with texture and color, and instrument groupings

■ He finalized the "core" orchestra that accompanied the soloists – 1st violins, 2nd violins, violas, cellos, basses – Usually with a continuo instrument and varying combinations of

brass/woodwinds

■ 3 movement structure – Opening fast movement, slow middle movement, final fast movement – By being consistent and creative with this format, Vivaldi established this

structure as a standard that lasted over 3 centuries

■ Ritornello form, and slow movements

Vivaldi, cont.

■ Due to ritornello form, Vivaldi had a formula and a process to composing that allowed him to compose and create parts quickly

■ Beside his music for The Pieta, Vivaldi also wrote on commission and earned money through publications

■ Vivaldi wrote many in many styles and genres, his works were Baroque, however, he is considered the founder of the Classical symphony

Performing Vivaldi

Music in France ■ Unlike Italy, France only had one musical center – Paris

■ Operas could be performed all over, but only premiered in Paris

■ Musicians were supported by royal patrons, though patronage was beginning to die out

■ Outside of Paris, amateur musicians were able to participate in concerts

■ Italian music was considered a "foreign influence," but some composers strived to incorporate both Italian and French styles

Francois Couperin (1668-1733) ■ Blended the Italian and French styles

■ Organist to the king, but earned most of his money teaching harpsichord lessons

■ Wrote sacred organ music, chamber music, harpsichord music, and wrote a harpsichord textbook for his students

Couperin, cont.

■ Primary influences were Lully (French) and Corelli (Italian)

■ He regularly combined French and Italian composition techniques – French overture with a trio sonata – Sonata followed by a suite of dances – Added French agrements to Italian sequences

■ His harpsichord/keyboard works were often character pieces – The Visionary

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1638-1764) ■ Though he was a composer and organist, he was

best known for his work with music theory. – Wrote "Treatise on Harmony" in 1722 – Based his music theory beliefs on acoustics

■ Fundamental bass – Rameau coined this term as way to pinpoint

the root of a chord, even when it was inverted

■ He also invented the idea of tonic, dominant, and subdominant

■ Modulation

■ Rameau's ideas on music theory are what every music student learns today

Rameau, cont.

■ Wrote primarily for harpsichord, and when writing chamber music, allowed the harpsichord to be a lead instrument vs. continuo

■ Also wrote secular and sacred songs before finding a bit of success in opera – Rameau the theorist influenced Rameau the composer, most of his

compositions were rooted in tonality and harmony

■ Closing of Act IV of Hippolyte et Aricie

Audiences in the Early 1700s

■ Opinions! – With a rise of the postal service and newspaper, audiences could share

opinions quicker and wider – Ticket and music sales

■ Resulted in styles coming and going frequently

Composer Paper

■ You should have gathered sources and begun to take notes/create outline on general biographical information

– This will be much of your paper

■ Citations

■ Scholastic resources