Music Compare and contrast

For my first pairing I wanted to compare works of the same composer. I chose BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in C Minor IV and BEETHOVEN: Symphony No 5 in C Minor, III. Not only did I want to use the same composer, I also wanted to use the same scale. The exciting rondo movement from Beethoven’s String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4, may be outlined A B A C A B A (Kamien, p. 204). What that means is that, this piece has three main themes, A, B and C. The themes A and B are repeated with C in the middle. This selection gets right off to a fast pace start. I could hear the violin and recognized it immediately. I listened to this selection a few times trying to figure out the other instruments playing. I was astonished to learn that it was just violins. That knowledge made me appreciate the piece even more. BEETHOVEN: Symphony No 5 in C Minor, III is a very popular piece used in numerous different ways. It was used in an Intel commercial, the Pink Panther and sample by numerous musicians today. There is a curious alternation of mood between his odd-numbered symphonies (Symphonies No. 3, 5, 7, and 9), which tend to be forceful and assertive, and his even-numbered ones (Symphonies No. 4, 6, and 8), which are calmer and more lyrical (Kamien, p.239). The more forceful mood was heard immediately. The aggressive bowing from the violinist expressed the mood of the selection perfectly. Totally opposite of the light an airy mood the String Quartet. Utilizing the same instrument and creating totally different sounds is amazing. The power of music and the ability of musicians to understand and be able to create different moods is lost on most musicians of today.

My second pairing is of MOZART: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, III and HAYDN: Symphony No. 94 in G Minor II. Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik is a serenade, a work that’s usually light in mood, meant for evening entertainment (Kamien, p.203). The double bass compliments the string section adequately. Although, it is supposed to be light in mood while listening my mood wasn’t light. This isn’t as aggressive as Beethoven’s 5th, but the strings section had some assertiveness to them. I could see royalty entering a Gala to this piece. It demanded attention in an inconspicuous way, you wouldn’t even realize that you are being commanded by the music. Haydn’s piece on the other hand felt more like evening entertainment. I could see a Minuet being performed to this piece. Haydn composed his most famous symphony, Symphony No. 94 in G Major (Surprise), in 1791, during his first visit to London (Kamien, p. 210). Haydn titled this piece Surprise and 32 seconds into the selection you will understand why. The piece starts off with a soft melody that’s repeated and then “surprise” the full orchestra reached a crescendo and then the soft melody repeats. I was surprised by the crescendo and then when I read about the piece and saw what he titled it I smile and thought, fitting.

My third pairing is between MOZART: Requiem in D Minor and BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata in C Minor, II. The somber tones of the violins and the chant like vocals in the background gave me the feeling of utter doom. In the last two months of his life, Mozart composed nine movements of the Requiem and part of a tenth (Kamien, p235). Mozart felt the mood of this piece was a reflection for him. He died trying to complete the Requiem. His friend and student Franz Xaver Süssmayr, was the one who completed the Requiem. For the first time since listening I got the affection of the selection correct. I felt the mood, the composer was trying to convey. Following this piece up with Beethoven’s was a match. This mood of this piece in my opinion felt like the danger and doom that Mozart was warning about came to fruition in Beethoven’s piece. The way that the piece started off so slow was what gave me that end feeling. Like someone who was tormented just died and is in pain no more. As the chords repeated and elevated in pitch it reinforced the end. Deep tones inserted into the beautiful melody during the first movement reminds you of the tragedy.