Classical Music From 1760 To 1810

Classical Music From 1760 To 1810 Why is the music of 1760-1810 described as classical. Explain the meaning of the term and how it relates to the music of that time. Refer to specific composers and works. In musical context, the term classical refers to the classical period which falls between the Baroque and Romantic period. I am going to be looking at the most well known composers of this era (J. Haydn, W.A. Mozart L.V Beethoven) and analyse how their music differentiates from that of the Baroque period and how it led into the Romantic era. Starting from c.1760, the first composer I will be looking at is Haydn. At the time when the influence of church on music development was diminishing, Haydn was lucky enough to be employed by one rich family of the Austrian Empire. This proved rewarding, as it gave him the freedom to explore many different aspects of music, which led to his crucial role in the establishment of the key classical forms (such as the Symphony, the String Quartet, the Sonata and the Concerto). Although versions of all these existed, Haydn standardized these into well established musical forms and promoted them. Due to the many operas in which he wrote before this period, Haydn was well acquainted with the sinfonia form. However he was not content with adhering to this Italian model and the striving for originality (which led to the success of his career) became apparent in his works from 1761. He added two oboes, two horns to his first symphony. The wind parts show nothing unexpected, while the oboes often double the strings. The horns play fan-far like figures. The melody is divided between the violins (treated as if the work were a trio sonata) although often they play in unison. The lower strings are bound together almost entirely as their function is to provide harmony while maintaining a forward driving rhythm. There are many baroque features, as to be expected. When Haydn ran the Esterhazy orchestra during the 1760s he had the opportunity to experiment with symphonic writing, and it was during this decade there where he produced his first great symphonies. Over these 10 years, he wrote approximately 40 symphonies, around half of which followed a four-movement form with an added minuet as the third movement. He also composed a long list of works in other genres, including operas, oratorios and choral works. Specifically referring to his first set of symphonies , (No.6 Le Matin, 7 Le Midi, and 8 Le Soir), Haydn used a variety of stylistic influences. The most evident quality of these works is their added richness (compared to the first symphony he wrote), which is not from the use of novel or unexpected instruments, but from the utilization of the concerto principle within the symphonic framework. In some movements the strings are scored as ripieno with a concertino of two violins and a cello. In almost all movements the wind players depart from the role of sustaining harmonies to become soloists. In all three symphonies, the trio of the minuet movement contains a prominent part for the double bass recalling baroque practices in the concerto grosso; yet Haydn, using the standard combination of flutes, oboes, bassoons, horns, and strings, creates a modern orchestra which are retained and used by him in his later symphonies. Haydns main intention at this time seemed to be the virtuosity of his musicians, as each of these three symphonies abounds prominent solos from almost every section. Haydns efforts to standardize the type of symphony proved successful and for that must be credited with the far-reaching innovation of adding one of the Dance forms as a separate movement (most commonly a Minuet although only used from the third symphony and thereafter). This was the most consistent design for a scholastic and artistic style of the Symphony. By the early 1770s, Haydn was well known throughout Europe and in 1781 his symphonies were published in England for the first time. One problem that Haydn gave his immediate attention to was that of unifying thematic material, it is out of such attempts his great innovation of the 1780s were evolved. Sometimes Haydn would base a whole movement upon a single melodic fragment; more often, when decided harmonic contrasts exist between theme groups, the second theme is derived from the first. Haydn seems to have not appreciated, in these early works, the importance that he would later be attached to just the element he tried to expunge, namely, the element of thematic contrast or conflict. Even in his later works the contrasts were seldom as clearly established as in the compositions of Mozart and early Beethoven. Thematic contrast is missing almost entirely in Symphonies No.3-42 (1759-1771), and lyric themes, such as occur in Mozart repeatedly, are equally rare. Haydn was well known throughout Europe when Mozart was a child. His six string quartets (often referred to as the Sun quartets) were written in 1772 and are said to be the inspiration for the six string quartets that Mozart wrote during his 1773 visit to Vienna. Haydn developed the polyphonic techniques he had gathered from the previous era to provide structural coherence capable of holding together his melodic ideas. During this time, Mozart developed an enthusiasm for violin concertos, producing a series of five which increase in their musical sophistication and technical difficulty. In 1776, he turned his efforts to piano concertos and in early 1777 his E-flat concerto was so popular, it is now considered to be his breakthrough work. It was around 1783-84 that Mozart met Haydn in Vienna when Mozarts reputation was on the rise. His opera the abduction from the seraglio had premiered with great success in Vienna and was in the process of being performed in many other cities. Mozarts Haydn quartets were written during the early years of their friendship and were published in 1785. These works are thought to be stylistically influenced by Haydns Opus 33 series which were released in 1781. This series was Haydns next important breakthrough, where melodic and harmonic roles segue among the instruments and often it is unclear what is melody and what is harmony. While Haydn spent much of his working life as a court composer, Mozart wanted public success in the concert life. This meant opera, in a virtuoso style. Moreover, Mozart also had a taste for chromatic harmony (and greater contrasts in harmonic language generally). In Mozart, Haydn found a greater range of instrumentation, dramatic effect and melodic writing. Their learning relationship worked both ways. Mozarts works, like Haydns stand as an archetype of the classical period. He was a versatile composer, and wrote in every major genre (symphony, opera, solo concerto, chamber music and the piano sonata). These forms had been well established by Haydn, but Mozart advanced the technical sophistication and emotional reach of them all. He almost solely developed and popularized the Classical piano concerto. The main features of the classical style are all present in Mozarts music. Clarity, balanced phrases, and transparency are the hallmarks of his works, but any simplistic notion of delicacy masks the exception power and force of his finest masterpieces, such as his Piano Concerto No.24 in C minor, his Symphony No.40 in G minor and the opera Don Giovanni. During Mozarts last decade as a composer, he exploited the use of chromatic harmony with remarkable confidence, which was rare at the time, but with great effect. At the peak of the classical period, composers were faced with a dilemma: enlarging the classical forms or simply abandoning them for a new musical paradigm. The political and social context around this time was calling for a major reshape of musical expression. When the age of revolutions began in 1789, the growing role of middle-class saw an increasing involvement by a new generation of artists and composers and this was reflected in the music that they wrote. Amongst this new generation of composers was Beethoven, who was the most crucial figure in this transitional period between the Classical and Romantic period, specifically his early years, which is known as his heroical period (up to 1812). From Beethovens first set of three piano trios, some of Mozarts techniques are evident such as avoiding the expected cadence. Haydn and Mozart were his strongest influences, but he explored new directions and gradually expended the ambition in his works. He did this through a number of techniques: a downward shift in melodies, increasing durations of movements, and the shift from vocal writing to pianistic writing. Also the increasing importance of varying accompanying figures to bring texture forward as an element in music became evident in his Symphonies. Slowly, direct influences of the Baroque period continued to fade: the figured bass grew less prominent as a means of holding performance together. The late classical period was demanding music that was internally more complex. The growth of concert societies and orchestras, marking the importance of music as a part of the middle class lifestyle, contributed to a booming market for pianos, piano music, and virtuosi. Furthermore, due to the growing number of performances where the composer was not present, it led to increased detail and specificity in scores. The transition became apparent with Beethovens 3rd Symphony (written in 1804), given the name Eroica which s Italian for Heroic. As with Stravinskys Rite of Spring, it may not have been the first in all f its innovations, but its aggressive use of every part of the classical style set it apart from its contemporary works: in length, ambition, and harmonic resources. Conclusion During the Vienna years, when Mozart was influenced by Swieten to take up the study of Baroque counterpoint, Haydn loaned him his personal copy of a textbook by Fux, a copy which was heaFux, a copy which was heavily covered with Haydns personal annotations.

The Radio Makes My Ears Bleed :: essays research papers fc

The Radio Makes My Ears Bleed There is a major problem these days in entertainment, and that is there is such a lack of diversity in the music industry. Because of this problem, fewer bands will have the opportunity to go big, or get signed to a major record label. Small, local bands will never be able to get the popularity they deserve because every band is compared to one another. The same bands are played on the radio all the time, and instead of playing a variety bands, the same songs are looped and played all day long. This creates a problem because people, who think its only cool to listen to the radio, only experience the same pop music from bands signed to major labels. As a result of this, all the money stays in the corporate, record labels. I believe the main reasons are that people don't like change. It should be easier for listeners to access music of different genres. Radio stations are a major contributor to the problem of this lack of variety. They are afraid that if they play music other than what is pop, they will lose money and listeners, but in fact I believe that their listeners will grow if they expand their genres. There are several large, corporate record labels that basically empower all of the radio airwaves and MTV. I think that bands are afraid to try new styles also because once they get signed; they are controlled by their label and are influence by all the money that is tossed around. I think that some ways to fix all of these problems start with radio stations. There needs to be a station that can be accessed from all over that plays music from independent labels. I think that MTV needs to be taken off the air because the shows that it plays are all reality TV, and it no longer stands for what it was created to do, play music videos. Finally I think that another way to get independent music spread around is that have more tours like Warped Tour. I think there need to multi-stage, multi-band concerts that travel the United States. Clear Channel for example, is a company that owns of 1,200 radio stations, 37 T.V. stations, and 240 more investments in radio stations throughout the whole world. This is a great example of how all radio is the same, and controlled by a large company. They are in 248 of the top 250 radio markets, and control over half of all rock music stations. When one company owns more than half of our radio stations, you can understand why

Foreign Born American Writers Essay

American literature has changed and evolved from the early colonial days to develop characteristics that are unique and which identify it from other literary works. Several writers have contributed to the development of American literature. Some of these writers immigrated into the United States and their works were accepted into the American literary canon. Some of the notable foreign born American writers include Vladimir Nabokov, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and CzesA‚aw MiA‚osz (Czeslaw Milosz). Vladimir Nabokov was born in Russia in 1899 and moved to the United States in 1940 together with his family. Nabokov produced both fiction and non-fiction works including novels, short stories, drama, poetry, and some translations. Among his works is his 13th novel titled Pnin published in 1957 and built around the life of a Russian professor who moves into the US as a refugee and the challenges that the professor encounters in a new world (Boyd 271-287). Isaac Singer was a Jewish American author born in Poland and was the 1978 Nobel Prize winner in literature. Among his many collections is Gimpel the Fool and other Stories published in 1960. It has twelve short stories with a mix of contemporary and folk legend aspects and heavily based on Jewish life in Poland (Kirkus). Born in 1911 Poland, Czeslaw Milosz became an American citizen in 1970. Milosz is known for his poetry, essays, prose, and translations. He was the Nobel Prize winner in 1980 for his literary works. His A Magic Mountain poem reflects his personal experiences of living in Berkeley, CA (Kirkus). The three writers have received various recognitions for their contribution to the American literature. Each of the writers has written about his life experiences in the US depicting the differences and the challenges of adapting to a new world. References Boyd, Brian. Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 1991. Kirkus Rev. of Bells in Winter by Czeslaw Milosz. New York, NY: Ecco Press (1978). 2010. 5 May 2010. < http://books. google. co. ke/books? id=THVhAAAAMAAJ&source=gbs_book_other_versions> Kirkus Rev. of Gimpel the Fool and other Stories by Isaac Singer. New York, NY: Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. (1960). 2010. 5 May 2010. < http://books. google. co. ke/books? id=yZJnPwAACAAJ&dq=isaac+bashevis+singer+gimpel+the+fool&source=gbs_book_other_versions>

Should Abortion Be Legal - 1452 Words

Travis Lignell Argumentative Essay 04/28/2015 With forty five million abortions per year worldwide, the abortion debate is full of what people consider being right or wrong, or whether deliberately terminating a pregnancy before the birth of the child is in essence, murder. (6) Abortion is an extremely painful topic for both men and women who have put themselves in the situation of whether or not to end a pregnancy. It is one of the most polarizing moral issues and most people are very strong opinionated on one side or the other, with very few people considering themselves undecided. Twenty-one percent of all pregnancy’s end in abortion (8), and I will argue that abortion should be illegal, with exception to those who are victims of rape or incest. My opponent made many excellent arguments about why abortion should be illegal. First, he stated that even in cases where the mother has been raped, she should still deliver the baby. Second, he argued, that the mental health of the mother, while important, should not come bef ore the life of the fetus due to the fact it is not the baby’s fault of how it has been brought into this world. He argued that the life of the baby should not be sacrificed for any reason. However, in this essay I will argue that my opponent, while right on many levels, should not illegalize abortion entirely, but should in fact allow abortion when the circumstances result in unwanted pregnancy due to rape or incest. According to the fact sheet doneShow MoreRelatedAbortion Should Not Be Legal1647 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the most highly debated topics is abortion and whether or not it should be legal. People who oppose abortion, meaning they are pro-life claim that abortion should be completely illegal with no aspects of it whatsoever; it can be a murder for the people standing against it. The other side of the argument, meaning people who are pro-choice, defend it by believing it to be a right been given to the women. They also claim even if abortion was to be illegal, it would still be practiced. EveryRead MoreAbortion Should Not Be Legal920 Words   |  4 Pagesworld has struggled with for ages and one thing that people are advocating around the world for is abortion. Abortion is either a procedure or pill that stops a fetus s heart. Abortion should not be legal because life beings at creation, abortions are a direct violation of the 14th amendment, and thousands of people would love to adopt a child: handicapped or otherwise. Abortion should not be legal because life begins at creation. What is creation? Some people say conception, but it actually isRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1320 Words   |  6 PagesAbortion, as you all may know, is a really popular topic. There have long been many debates between the two groups, pro-life and pro-choice. People who are pro-life believe that part of the government’s job is to protect all forms of human life. Those who are pro-choice believe that every individual should have control over their own reproductive systems. Pro-life supporters strongly believe that even an undeveloped fetus has life; it is still growing and it needs to be protected. And this soundsRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1217 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 2015 Should Abortion be Legal Among all the issues that have been fought for or against in the United States, abortion may be one of the most popular issues that Americans are passionate about. Abortion is defined as the removal of the embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. Thousands of abortions take place every single day, and yet public opinion remains at a standstill as to whether or not abortion is ethical. Everyone holds different opinions on abortion. The proponentsRead MoreAbortion Should Not Be Legal Essay1596 Words   |  7 Pages Abortions have been performed on women for thousands of years. Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy. Most often it is performed during the first 20 weeks of being pregnant. The controversy over whether or not abortion should be legal continues to divide Americans till this day. An important landmark case was the Roe v. Wade case, where the Court argued that the zone of privacy was broad enough to encompass a woman s decision whether or not to terminateRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal? Essay1089 Words   |  5 PagesWhen the word abortion is heard, it is always associated with many negative things such as murder and inhumanity. However not legalizing abortion creates a huge problem for women around the world. Having a child takes consideration, planning and preparation and if pregnancy happens without any of this, why bother to have it at all? The reasons why abortion should be legal is that it supports the fundamental human rights for women by giving them a choice, it reduces crime by reducing the number ofRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1135 Words   |  5 PagesKelsi Hodgkin Composition 1 Professor Chipps 19 October 2015 Should Abortion Be Legal A common debate in the world today involves abortion, the deliberate end of human pregnancy, and whether or not it should be legalized. â€Å"Every year in the world there are an estimated 40-50 million abortions. This corresponds to approximately 125,000 abortions per day† (â€Å"Abortions Worldwide this Year†). On one side of the argument, people are not disturbed by this grotesque number, and on theRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?963 Words   |  4 PagesLegal or Illegal? Which would you prefer? Not many are willing to discuss such a gut wrenching topic, but this needs to be addressed. It is a very controversial topic with having to do with women rights and activists. Since there are two sides to every argument, there is one side such as to make abortion legal and the opposing side to keep abortions illegal. In my opinion making abortion illegal can regulate the amount of women who do get pregnant. I believe that making abortions legal will let womenRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?867 Words   |  4 PagesABORTION Abortion is a deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. There are series of legal, moral and ethical issues which may arise about abortion. Most arguments about abortion are often focused on political insinuations and the legal aspect of such actions. Some frequently asked questions’ regarding the issue is if the practice should be outlawed and regarded as murder or should women have the right to practice it. For example, prior toRead MoreShould Abortions Be Legal?939 Words   |  4 PagesShould abortions be legal? Abortions have been a big issue since the Roe v Wade case. There have been a lot of disagreements between the Pro-life supporters and the pro-choice supporters. Pro-life supporters feel like abortions deter murder, while pro-choice supporters believe that the women should be able to make their own decisions. I am a part of the pro-life supporters because I feel like abortions are wrong for several of reasons. Why should women get an abortion if there are other choices for