iGCSE Music: Paper 1

Common questions
Melodic shape:
 Ascending / descending
 By step / by leap
 Combination, e.g. initial ascending leap followed by descending scale

Rhythm:
 Syncopated
 Polyrhythm
 Ostinato
 Time signature
 Metre
 Fast or slow

Style

Baroque:
 Bass line is very important/prominent
 Figured bass: BASSO CONTINUO (harpsichord/organ; cello/bass)
 Small orchestra
 CONTRAPUNTAL/polyphonic texture (OR homophonic, chorale-like texture in chorus)
 More DISSONANT than Classical in High German style (Handel, etc. = consonant)
 Lots of ornaments

Classical:
 Short, regular phrase-lengths (e.g. 2 4-bar phrases)
 Symphony
 String quartet
 Minuet (+ trio)
 CONSONANT harmony
 Tonic-dominant harmony

Romantic:
 Big orchestra
 Bigger brass section than in the Classical period
 Programmatic (tells a story)
  More CHROMATIC harmony than Classical
 More expressive
 Greater dynamic range than Classical music

20th Century:
 Very DISSONANT, some ATONAL
 Much more complex rhythm, e.g. SYNCOPATION, POLYRYTHM
 Form becomes much more complex and unpredictable

Rudiments
 Standard European staff notation including:
 dynamic: alterations in the volume of a piece of music.
 tempo and expression markings
 simple ornaments and articulation signs: embellishments to a melody. The most
common ornaments are trills and mordents. Other ornaments include acciaccaturas,
appoggiaturas and turns.
 treble, bass and alto clefs
 key signatures up to 4 sharps and 4 flats in major and minor keys
 time signatures
 intervals:
Number of semitones Name
1 Minor 2nd
2 Major 2nd
3 Minor 3rd
4 Major 3rd
5 Perfect 4th
6 Augmented 4th
7 Perfect 5th
8 Minor 6th
9 Major 6th
10 Minor 7th
11 Major 7th
12 Octave

Melody and Rhythm

 Major (scale): In a happy sounding key
 minor (scale): In a sad sounding key
 chromatic (scale): A scale consisting of all the 12 semitones of the octave
 pentatonic (scale): A scale made up of five notes used a lot in traditional Chinese and
Scottish Music – usually has no semitones.
 Melodic movement by step or leap
 Phrasing
 Duple, triple or irregular metre
  syncopation: when notes are played off the beat
 polyrhythm: music which features several different rhythmic patterns, playing it at the
same time (a common feature of African music).

Harmony
 Primary chords: I, IV, and V(7)
 secondary chords: II and VI
 Perfect (VI), imperfect (IV), plagal (IVI), and interrupted (Vnot I, usually
VI) cadences
 Modulations to related keys

Ensembles and instruments/voices

 Orchestras: Large groups of instruments made up of members of the four families -
strings, woodwind, brass and percussion.
 wind and jazz bands
 choirs
 chamber ensembles
 the main instruments and voices used in the above ensembles
 Piano, harpsichord, organ
 Gamelan: percussion-based Indonesian music played with gongs and metallophones. It
usually has a heterophonic texture (due to its strong element of improvisation), and often
consists of a fast upper part and a slow lower part.
 rabāb: A bowed string instrument from Arabia with a very small resonating chamber,
giving it a breathy, flute-like timbre. It usually has one string, or at most three.
 kora: 21-stringed harp-lute from Africa, which includes both plucked and sympathetic
strings. It is used by professional musicians among the Mandika people of Gambia.
 xylophone: A tuned percussions instrument used in African music, which consists of
wooden notes resting on gourd resonators. It is also used in Western music.
 ‘ūd: a low-pitched plucked string instrument from Arabia that looks like a lute, but
without frets. It has a large resonating chamber, giving it a guitar-like timbre.
Etymologically, ‘ūd’ is the same word as ‘lute’, although it also has fewer strings (but
quite a few nonetheless).
 sitar: solo instrument for raga; best-known instrument for improvisation in India; gourd
sound box and a long neck with moveable frets 1; 7 main strings, one of which is the main
melody string while the others play drone notes; the main string is often pulled to bend
notes.
 sārangī: A bowed, violin-like instrument from India.
 tablā: a pair of single headed drums, used for playing the tala in India; different parts of
the drum-head make different sounds; often used for improvisation around the tala.
 ch’in: A plucked string instrument from China.
 erh-hu: A Chinese, violin-like instrument with a breathy timbre.
 shakuhachi: A flute-like instrument from Japan.
 koto: a plucked string instrument from Japan.
1
Ridges across the fingerboard of string instruments
  bandoneon: a type of accordion used (instead of an orchestra) as an accompaniment to
the tango from Argentina.
 quena: a type of flute from the Andes, generally tuned in G
 pan pipes: wind instruments from Central/South America.
 guitar: used in Caribbean music in Reggae (a bass guitar playing a loud riff), Calypso (a
steel guitar accompanying singers along with maracas), Mento (accompanying singers,
sometimes replaced with a banjo, playing fast, syncopated chords, while other
instruments play their own syncopated rhythms), and Rock Steady (a bass guitar playing
bass riffs).
 un-tuned percussion instruments: Instruments which accompany mbiras and voices in
African music.

Instrumental and/or vocal effects

 Arco: bowing a stringed instrument.
 pizzicato (pizz): plucked strings.
 glissando: sliding quickly over adjacent notes.
 tremolando (tremolo or trem): literally means trembling
 harmonics: musical tones which are parts of the harmonic series above a fundamental
note, and may be heard with it.
 double stopping: The act of playing two notes simultaneously on a melodic percussion
instrument (like a marimba) or stringed instrument (for example, a violin or a guitar). In
performing a double stop, two separate strings are depressed (‘stopped’) by the fingers,
and bowed or plucked simultaneously.
 strumming: playing (a guitar or similar instrument) by sweeping the thumb or a plectrum
up or down the strings.
 pitch bending (or portamento): a slide from one note to another, especially in singing
or playing the violin.
 mute: A device fitted to a musical instrument to alter the sound produced: by affecting
the timbre, reducing the volume, or most commonly both.
 roll: A rapid succession of beats (especially drumbeats).
 melisma: lots of notes to one syllable
 blue notes: flattening certain notes of the scale such as the 3rd or 7th

Structure
 Binary: A musical structure with two parts of approximately equal length, which are both
typically repeated.
 ternary: Made up of three sections like a sandwich (A-B-A)
 rondo: 4 parts in the pattern: ABACA
 theme and variations: A compositional technique where a main motif is altered every
time it is repeated.
 ground bass: the term used in Baroque2 music where a bass part is repeated over and
over again.
2
A period of European music between the years 1600 and 1750
Compositional devices
 Repetition: a device often used in African music to organise the music.
 imitation: where one voice or instrument copies what has just been played by another
 sequence: a pattern of notes which goes up or down in pitch every time it is repeated.
Sequences can be divided between instruments.
 canon: A passage or piece of music in which a theme is taken up by two or more parts
that overlap.
 inversion: playing a musical figure upside down, with the intervals3 inverted.
 ostinato: A continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm.
 drone: A pipe (especially in a set of bagpipes) or string used to sound a continuous note
of low pitch.
 Alberti bass: Accompaniment consisting of chords broken up into patterns played in the
left hand of the piano.
 pedal: a single note that is held on or repeated in the bass. The chords above the bass
may change, but the bass note stays the same.
 contrary motion: The general movement of two melodic lines in opposite directions.
That is, when one of the lines moves up, the other line moves down. If the voices always
move by the same intervals (in opposite directions) they are said to be in strict contrary
motion.

Texture
 Melody and accompaniment: a melody which can be sung or played on an instrument,
with an accompaniment. A song with piano accompaniment falls into this category.
 homophonic: literally means ‘sounding together’. Homophonic music is played in block
chords. Sometimes, homophonic music is called chordal music, it means the same thing.

 polyphonic: literally means ‘different sounds or voices’. Polyphonic music has parts that
weave in and out of each other. Sometimes this is called contrapuntal music – it means
the same thing. Polyphonic music may contain an element of imitation, where one voice
or instrument copies what has just been played by another.
 monophonic: having a single melody either without accompaniment, or accompanied by
simple chords, or often a drone4.
 heterophonic: A type of texture characterized by the simultaneous variation of a single
melodic line. Such a texture can be regarded as a kind of complex monophony in which
there is only one basic melody, but realized at the same time in multiple voices, each of
which plays the melody differently, either in a different rhythm or tempo, or with various
embellishments and elaborations.

3
The distance between two pitches or notes; usually expressed in terms of steps
4
A note that is sustained or repeated throughout a section of music
Style
o Baroque (1600-1750)

The Baroque era was a period of great change in music. It is here that the foundations of
harmony5 as we know it developed, as composers replaced modes 6 with the familiar major
and minor scales. Music was written to order in these times and all composers worked for a
patron - such as the Church, a royal court, or a wealthy noble.

Key features

Key musical features

 Music is generally polyphonic7 in texture
 There is usually a harpsichord continuo part
 Music is clearly defined in major and minor keys
 Melodies are long and flowing imitation8 and sequences9
 Terraced dynamics are employed where the music is either loud or soft, depending on the
texture of the music
 Ornaments10 are used frequently

Important composers
 Claudio Monteverdi 1567-1643
 Henry Purcell 1659-1695
 Antonio Vivaldi 1678-1741
 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750
 George Frideric Handel 1685-1759

Pitch, texture and timbre

The following glossary covers all the important musical features used in the Baroque period:

Pitch
 Polyphonic/counterpoint is where the melodies of the music interweave with each other.
They are often used in Fugues11.
 Figured bass or continuo is a bass line for the continuo player (harpsichord, organ or
lute) shown by numbers. These numbers indicate the intervals 12 of the chords to be
played.
 Ornaments include Trills, Appogiatura, Turn, Acciaciatura and Mordent.

5
A combination of notes played at the same time to create a chord
6
A scale pattern made up of intervals of whole and half steps
7
Two or more melodies or parts that play at the same time, weaving in and out of each other
8
The repetition of a phrase of melody by a different part
9
A pattern of notes which goes up or down in pitch every time it is repeated
10
An embellishment or decoration to the melody
11
A musical form based on imitation
12
The distance between two pitches or notes; usually expressed in steps
Texture
 Orchestra: made up of the strings (1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses),
woodwind (a pair each of flutes, oboes, oboe d’amore), brass (3 trumpets), percussion
(kettle drums, timpani) and keyboard (harpsichord).
 Solo instruments: e.g. organ prelude, violin partita.
 Choral: choirs (sometimes a capella13) or accompanied by ensembles or harpsichord.
 Ripieno/ Concertante: a group of instruments/solo group of instruments. The Baroque
composers made use of contrasts between groups of instruments and solo instruments.
 Sequence: melodic phrases repeated at different pitches, has the effect of smoothly
flowing lines of melody.
 Homophonic: a musical texture which involves a melody14 accompanied by harmonies.
 Polyphonic: where the melodies of the music interweave with each other.

Timbre
 Bach trumpet: sounds much brighter than a modern trumpet. Parts were florid and
difficult to play.
 Harpsichord: typically Baroque, very distinctive tone colour15, main keyboard
instrument.
 Oboe: reed instrument. There are two kinds, oboe and oboe d’amore, the latter is lower in
pitch16.
 Violin: replaced the viol17. Vivaldi composed many brilliant violin pieces.

Musical forms

Orchestral

 Fugue: a musical form based on imitation 18. It has main melodies (called subjects), and
counter-melodies (called counter subjects). These are repeated at higher and lower
pitches and different keys and can also be altered in different ways. The effect is of very
interweaving textures. It is like a very large and complicated round. Bach is a well known
and popular composer of this form and has a book of Toccata and Fugues.
 Overture: a piece of instrumental music written in 1 movement. It’s often used as an
introduction to an opera or oratorio19.
 Concerto: solo20 instrument accompanied by orchestra, usually in 3 movements
 Concerto Grosso: the same as a concerto, however, it uses a group of solo instruments
(concertante) and a group of accompanying instruments (ripieno).

13
Vocal music performed without instrumental accompaniment
14
Notes arranged rhythmically to create a musical phrase
15
The quality of sound or timbre of an instrument
16
The position of a tone in a musical scale; dependent on the speed of the vibrations from the instrument; a fast
speed produces a high pitch, and a slow speed produces a low sound
17
A stringed instrument used primarily in the Baroque period
18
The repetition of a phrase or melody by a different part
19
A piece of music for vocals and orchestra that tells a story without the use of props or scenery
20
A passage or phrase performed by just one voice or instrument
Vocal/Choral
 Opera: a plot set to music for solo singers and chorus with orchestral accompaniment.
There are two main features: ‘Recitative’, quickly sung dialogue and ‘Aria’, a song
usually for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment.
 Oratorio: similar to opera but it is performed as a concert without costumes or acting and
the words have religious meaning eg the Messiah by Handel.
 Chorale: a solemn hymn tune, harmonised in 4 parts, invariably without syncopation.
 Passion: an oratorio in which the words are about the suffering and the death of Jesus e.g.
St. Matthew’s Passion by Bach.
 Cantata: a short oratorio with solos, chorus and instrumental sections.

o Classical (1750-1810)

The phrase ‘classical music’ often refers to all music which is not ‘pop’. But in music
history ‘Classical’ refers to the music composed between 1750 and 1810.

Evolution from Baroque to Classical

Although we date the Classical period as starting around 1750 the transition from Baroque21 was
an evolution not a clean break. Many musical forms persisted, and the Classical symphony grew
out of the Baroque trio sonata:

Trio sonata  Classical sonata  Italian overture  Classical symphony

Key features

Key musical features

 has simple, ‘singable’ melodies

 usually comprises 4-8 bar phrases22
 clear, homophonic23 texture (usually)

 dynamics (or volume) now uses crescendo and diminuendo (getting louder and quieter)

 timpani are often the only percussion used

Important composers of the Classical period:

 Mozart 1756-1791

 Haydn 1732-1809

21
A period of European music between the years 1600 and 1750
22
A section in which music seems to fall naturally that can often be played in one breath
23
A single melody being played with accompaniment
Types of composition:
Music Type of composition
Instrumental music Chamber music (e.g. String quartet)
Church music Mass, Requiem
Dance music Suite, Minuet
Orchestral Symphony, Concerto, Overture
Vocal Opera, Oratorio, Chorale, Aria

Pitch and texture

Pitch:
 Theme or subject: an important melody which occurs more than once in a piece of
music. A theme may be just a melodic figure.
 Sequence: the repetition of a melodic figure or phrase is repeated at a higher or lower
pitch.
 Figure (motif): a short melodic phrase.
 Concord: a harmonious chord.
 Alberti bass: a bass line that consists of broken chords, a prominent feature of Classical
music.
 Arpeggio: the notes of a chord played one after another instead of at the same time.

Texture:
 Chamber music: for playing in a room or chamber, ie written for a small number of
instruments. For example, a string quartet (2 violins, viola and cello), piano trio (violin,
cello and piano) or string sextet.
 Orchestra: expanded in size, dynamics and textual range.
 Music is more homophonic, in contrast to mainly polyphonic Baroque, and so lighter and
clearer.

Musical forms

Many forms, e.g. the suite, the concerto, the overture, the mass, the chorale – continued little
changed from the Baroque period.

Below are some distinctive forms typical of Classical music.

Orchestral:

 Symphony: a large orchestral work, usually in four contrasting movements.

 Minuet: a dance in 3/4, often part of a Minuet and Trio.
 Sonata form: consisting of two themes or groups of themes, linked by a bridge passage.
The three sections are known as ‘exposition’, ‘development’, and ‘recapitulation’.
Vocal/Choral:

 Requiem: a Roman Catholic mass for the dead with solo voices, chorus and orchestra.
 Opera: A dramatic piece for orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists combining acting with
music. An opera starts with an overture, for orchestra followed by choruses and arias (a
solo singer with orchestra). They also have recitatives, half spoken and half sung music.

Evolution of orchestra and piano

Changes to the orchestra:

 The harpsichord continuo gradually fell out of use.

 There was a growing use of wind instruments, especially horns.

 In the early classical period, orchestras were still small and variable, typically strings, 2
horns, 1 or 2 flutes or a pair of oboes.

 Later composers included flutes and oboes, 1 or 2 bassoons, and occasionally 2 trumpets
and a pair of kettledrums. Clarinets found a regular place towards the end of the 18th
century.

Evolution of the piano:

 During the Classical period music for instruments became more important than music for
voices for the first time.

 Bartolomeo Cristofori from Italy invented the piano as early as 1698. By 1700 he had
built one and called it gravicembalo col piano e forte, (harpsichord with soft and loud).
Instead of plucking the strings they were struck by small hammers.

 With lots of piano music being written the Alberti bass developed, consisting of simple
broken chords repeated in the left hand.

 Mozart was one of the first musical celebrities when he performed as a child before the
Emperor of Austria in Vienna.

Symphony and concerto

The symphony

 Essentially this was a sonata, which had 3 or 4 contrasting sections, played by the
orchestra.

 It was also influenced by the Italian overture, which had three sections: fast, slow, fast.
  It was perfected by Haydn and Mozart during the classical period.

 The three movements of the early symphony became four with the addition of the Minuet
and Trio.

Basic symphonic form

Structure Description
1st movement fairly fast, in sonata form
2nd movement slower speed, more song-like, often in ternary
form (3 parts in the pattern: ABA)
3rd movement often called minuet and trio
4th movement fast speed, light-hearted, often in rondo form (4
parts in the pattern: ABACA)

The concerto

 The concerto features a solo instrument in competition with the orchestra, developed
from Baroque solo concerto.

 The soloists and orchestra are of equal importance.

 There is a dialogue between melodic lines and themes between the soloist and orchestra,
with each taking turns to accompany the other.

 There are three movements (fast, slow, fast) like the early symphony (no minuet or trio).

 Concertos usually last 35-40 minutes.

o Romantic (1810-1910)

The emphasis in Romantic music was much less on formal balance and much more on
individual expression.

Key features

Key musical features

 There was more freedom of form and design, and an emphasis on intense expression of
feeling (contrast to the balance between expressiveness and formal structure in Classical
period).
 Romantic music is emotional, with dramatic contrasts of dynamics 24, registers, tone
colours25 and tempos26.

24
The volume at which a note is played; an example of a dynamic instruction is forte, which means to play loudly
25
The quality of sound or timbre of an instrument
26
The speed at which a piece of music is played
  It has song-like melodies, often above homophonic27 texture.
 Classical forms are expanded, leading to large scale compositions28.

 Much music was written for soloists (especially on the piano), designed to show off the
player’s brilliance of technique.

Important composers:

 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

 Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

 Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

 Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849)

 Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Types of composition
Music Type of composition
Instrumental music Chamber music, Sonata (solo instrument)
Church music Requiem
Dance music Waltz, Polka, Mazurka
Orchestral Symphony, Symphonic poem, Solo concerto,
Programme music
Vocal Lied, Opera, Song Cycle

Pitch, texture and timbre

The following glossary covers some of the most important musical features of the Romantic
period.

Pitch

 Modulation: moving from one key to another.

 Modes: now came back into use, particularly in music drawing on folk traditions.

 Register: the pitch range of an instrument. Extremes of pitch were now being used, made
possible by advances in instrument making and playing techniques.

27
A single melody being played with accompaniment
28
Composition is what something is made up of
Texture

 Symphony orchestra: Typically consisted of strings (up to 60 violins, violas, cellos and
double basses), woodwind (piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, high
clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons and a double bassoon), brass and percussion.

Timbre

 Glissando: sliding quickly over adjacent notes.

 Flutter tonguing: a way of blowing an instrument, usually the flute, that has the effect of
very fast trilling.

 Arco: bowing a stringed instrument.

 Pizzicato (pizz): plucked strings.

 Tremolando (tremolo or trem): literally means trembling.

 Ponticello (pont): draw bow across string very close to the bridge on a stringed
instrument.

 Sotto voce: very softly, literally under the breath.

Musical forms and styles

A few forms, such as the mass and the requiem, continued little changed from the Baroque
period. But many new and distinctively romantic forms were developed:

Orchestral

 Symphony: expanded compared to the classical symphony.

 Solo concerto: a large scale work in 3 or 4 movements for solo instrument and orchestra.

 Symphonic poem (tone poem): a piece of music in one movement which explores
emotions, programmatic.

 Sonata: a composition for a solo instrument with piano or solo piano. A fairly long work
in several movements eg Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven.

 Programme music: a composition for orchestra based on a story or a particular idea.

 Dances: new folk dance forms were introduced, partly as a result of the interest in
nationalist musical styles. The Waltz was a dance in 3/4 time, the Polka a round dance in
2/4 time and the Mazurka was a Polish dance in 3/4 time.
Vocal / Choral

 Opera: a wider range of subjects and, in the case of Richard Wagner, much bigger in
scale.

 Lied (plural is Lieder): a German song (always sung in German).

 Song cycle: a collection of Lieder.

Styles

 Nationalist: music concerned with creating specifically national styles different from the
dominant Austrian and German styles created by Beethoven, Schubert and others. Major
composers include Dvořák and Grieg.

 Impressionist: a style which sets out to create a sensory impression, often of aspects of
the natural world (e.g. La Mer by Debussy).

Expansion of the orchestra

It was the demands of Beethoven’s symphonies that brought about the dramatic expansion of the
orchestra during the Romantic period. Beethoven’s First Symphony is the real beginning of the
modern orchestra. It was scored for:

 1st and 2nd violins

 violas

 cellos

 double basses

 2 flutes

 oboes

 clarinets

 bassoons

 trumpets

 horns

 kettledrums
Note that in Beethoven’s orchestra:

 the keyboard instrument was replaced by strings.

 the development of the valve meant that brass instruments now had greater range and
flexibility.

The symphony

In the Romantic symphony:

 the first movement is always fast (Allegro).

 the second movement is usually much slower (Largo) and varies in mood.

 the third movement is a Scherzo - energetic with strong rhythms and sometimes using
folklore.

 the fourth either imitates the first or contrasts it.

Three important symphonic composers were Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Mahler.

Brahms

 Brahms enlarged the orchestra with trombones and the double bassoon and occasionally
the bass tuba in his symphonies.

 His first symphony (composed when he was 40) was nicknamed the ‘tenth’, suggesting it
was a worthy successor to Beethoven’s nine symphonies.

Dvořák

 Dvořák (like Beethoven) composed nine symphonies

 His ninth symphony was written in 1893 and first performed in New York.

Tchaikovsky

 A Russian composer, he was influenced by folk music.

 Originally educated as a lawyer, he did not devote himself to music until the age of 23.

 Of his 6 symphonies, the last three are best known.

Mahler

 German composer of symphonies and ‘Lieder’.

 During his lifetime he was thought of as one of the world’s leading conductors.

 He wrote 10 symphonies with the last being unfinished.

o 20th Century (including impressionism, serialism, neoclassical, jazz)

The 20th Century was a time of great exploration and experiment in music.

Key features

Key Musical Features

 harmonic exploration, moving away from traditional keys
 development of new composition techniques, e.g. tone row29 and serial music30
 a backlash against Romantic ideals, with new focus on sound and timbre 31 rather than
melody
 improved communications brought much bigger (ultimately worldwide) audiences, and
introduced composers to a wider variety of musical styles
 composers drew on ‘popular’ influences such as ragtime, blues, jazz, folk music and
popular dance styles
 new techniques in recording, instrument making and amplification lead to new ways of
music-making

Important composers
 Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
 Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
 Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
 Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
 Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
 Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

Pitch and texture

New kinds of pitch and texture were widely experimented within this period.

29
A series of notes using all 12 notes from the chromatic scale
30
A method of composition whereby a composer constructs a series of intervals using, in any order, all 12 notes of
the chromatic scale
31
The quality of sound from one instrument that allows it to be distinguished from others
Pitch

 Tone row (note row): a compositional technique which uses all 12 semitones organised
into an order by the composer.

 Retrograde: the playing of a musical figure such as a tone row backwards.

 Inversion: playing a musical figure upside down, with the intervals32 inverted.
 Modulation: moving from one key33 to another.

 Atonal: music with no key.

Texture

 Orchestra: As Romantic, but extended use of percussion including a variety of drums,

rattle, tubular bells, gongs, cymbals, xylophones, glockenspiels, marimba etc.
Saxophones are sometimes added also.

 Electronic music: music produced by electronic means, often recorded and then
manipulated.

 Experimental sound production: for example, in prepared piano, invented by John

Cage, objects such as rubber bands, nuts, bolts and hairpins are attached to the piano
strings to produce unusual sounds when the keys are struck.

Musical forms

New forms were developed while many traditional forms continued to thrive.

Traditional forms
Musical form Composition
Instrumental music Chamber music, Solo pieces
Church music Requiem, Cantata
Orchestral Symphony, Solo, Concerto
Vocal Opera, Song cycle
Technological Electronic

New forms
 Serial music: music that uses the Tone Row34.

 Microtonal music: music composed using tones smaller than a semitone.

32
The distance between two pitches or notes; usually expressed in terms of steps
33
The main note of a piece of music
34
A series of notes using all 12 notes from the chromatic scale
  Minimalist music: music in which phrases are repeated over and over, with small
changes introduced one by one.
 Neo-Classical: music which uses much dissonance35 and less feeling of key – developed
by composers such as Stravinsky and Bartók who wanted to move away from the
emotion of Romanticism.

 Aleatoric music is the music of chance applied to many works written after WWII.
Composers using this technique include Cage, Lutoslavski, Stockhausen and Xenakis.
Often the actual musical material is pre determined but it is the performers who decide
which sections are played in which order.

Serialism and Minimalism

These were particularly influential innovations in 20th Century music.

Serialism
 Schoenberg was the founder of serialism, a 12-note system that replaced tonality 36.

 The composer first arranges the 12 notes of the chromatic scale in any order of his or her
choice. This becomes the note-row.

 All 12 notes are of equal importance and they should appear in the order of the note-row,
although they can be repeated.

 As well as using the note-row in its original form, it may be used backwards (retrograde),
upside down (inversion), or both backwards and upside down (retrograde inversion).
 Each of these can be transposed37 to begin on any note of the chromatic scale.

 Schoenberg’s pupils Berg and Webern also took up serialism.

 Berg was much freer in his approach and often brought in extra material not drawn form
the series.

 Webern was much stricter in his use of serialism.

Minimalism
 This kind of music uses repeated ostinati38.

 Small changes in musical phrase are introduced one by one.

 This may include phase shifting in which parts gradually move out of sync with each
other.
35
Two or more notes that, when played together, create a discord, or a jarring sound
36
The organisation of melodies and harmonies to give the piece a centre key or pitch
37
To rewrite a piece of music in a different key from the original
38
A phrase or pattern that is repeated throughout a section of music
  The music has a hypnotic quality.

 Music technology may be employed.

 Philip Glass and Steve Reich are prominent minimalist composers.

Jazz and folk influences

Popular traditions had a big impact on 20th century art music.

Jazz influences

Several ingredients in general 20th century music can be traced back to the influence of
American Jazz:

 fresh vitality in rhythm, relying on syncopation39

 syncopated melodies above a steady beat

 blues notes – flattening certain notes of the scale such as the 3rd or 7th

 muted brass effects

 a keener interest in percussive sounds

 instruments playing in shrill registers

 improvisatory elements – even resulting in aleatoric music where improvisation and

performance choice is at the core of the composition

Ravel, Milhaud, Gershwin, Kurt Weill, Stravinsky, Walton and Copland are amongst
composers who have used jazz elements in their works

Examples: ‘Ragtime for eleven instruments’ by Stravinksky; ‘Piano Concerto’ by Gershwin.

Folk influences

 During the first half of the 20th century, nationalism had a large influence on the music.

 Many composers studied folk songs and used folk melodies in their compositions.
Examples are Britten, Copland, and Williams.

39
An alteration of a rhythm when a weak beat is accented
Soviet composers

Three of the great 20th century composers were from the Soviet Union (now Russia).

Sergei Prokofiev

 He studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1904.

 After the Revolution he was given permission to travel abroad.

 When he returned to Russia he found himself out of favour with the authorities and in
1948 the subject of particular and direct censure.

 He died in 1953, on the same day as Stalin, and so could not enjoy the subsequent
relaxation in musical censorship.

 His most famous piece is probably ‘Peter and the Wolf’.

Dmitry Shostakovich

 Like many Soviet composers of his generation, he tried to reconcile the musical
revolutions of his time with the urge to give a voice to revolutionary socialism.

 His career varied with the political climate in Russia.

 His opera ‘Lady Macbeth’ was condemned by Stalin.

 His ‘Ninth Symphony’ brought criticism from officials who thought it too frivolous.

 After Stalin’s death he had more freedom to compose.

Igor Stravinsky

 He studied music with Rimsky-Korsakov in Russia.

 After the Russian Revolution of 1917 he moved to Western Europe, and then to the USA
in 1939.

 In the post-war years he turned from a style of eclectic neo-classicism to composing in

the twelve-note technique invented by Shoenberg.

 His most famous work was probably ‘The Rite of Spring’, containing representations of
prehistoric pagan Russian rituals and sacrifice.
Genre
 Opera: composers were seeking to re-create the drama of the ancient Greeks by fusing
poetry, theatre, visual arts and music. The first big opera, Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi,
was performed in 1607.
 oratorio (including recitative, aria and chorus): similar to opera but it is performed as
a concert without costumes or acting and the words have religious meaning e.g. Handel’s
Messiah.
 musical: in early 20th-century America, the booming musical theatre and the cinema
industries stimulated the composition of much new music.
 symphony: essentially a sonata, which had 3 or 4 contrasting sections, played by the
orchestra.
 concerto: features a solo instrument in competition with the orchestra, developed from
Baroque solo concerto.
 string quartet: 2 violins, viola and cello
 sonata: A 3-part from, with an exposition, followed by a development, and finally a
recapitulation
 march: very popular in America. (The composer John Philip Sousa was known as The
March King, and invented a special bass instrument for marching called the
‘sousaphone’.)
 waltz:

o Originating in Vienna, during the 19th Century the waltz became popular all over
Europe. A father and son, both called Johann Strauss, composed a huge number of
waltzes. Johann Strauss (the son) was called The Waltz King.

o The Waltz always has three beats in the bar and has a bass note on the first beat.
Waltzes can be identified by the ‘um cha cha, um cha cha’ that forms the
backbone of the music.

o They commonly feature a low pitched accompaniment and a higher series of

elegant melodies.

o The speed of the waltz is usually fairly quick and lively.

 minuet and trio

o The Minuet was a popular dance of the Classical period. It had 3 beats in the bar
and was played at a moderate speed.

o The style was so well-loved that composers like Mozart put minuets into
orchestral symphonies, even though these were not for dancing to.

o Minuets are sometimes linked in twos, so there would be a Minuet 1 and Minuet
2. They would both be played, then Minuet 1 would be heard again.
 o In later minuets, of Mozart and Haydn for example, the Minuet 2 was called a
Trio.

o Minuets were played by the orchestral instruments of the time: violins, violas,
cellos and double basses would be used and sometimes oboes, flutes, bassoons,
French horns and timpani. They would also be played by solo instruments,
especially the harpsichord and piano.

iGCSE Music: Paper 2

World Music
Instruments
 mbira: African ‘thumb piano’ used throughout the continent. This instrument consists of
metal or bamboo strips flicked with the thumbs of both hands, attached to a wooden box
or gourd.
 kora: 21-stringed harp-lute from Africa, which includes both plucked and sympathetic
strings. It is used by professional musicians among the Mandika people of Gambia.
 rabāb: A bowed string instrument from Arabia with a very small resonating chamber,
giving it a breathy, flute-like timbre. It usually has one string, or at most three.
 ‘ūd: a low-pitched plucked string instrument from Arabia that looks like a lute, but
without frets. It has a large resonating chamber, giving it a guitar-like timbre.
Etymologically, ‘ūd’ is the same word as ‘lute’, although it also has fewer strings (but
quite a few nonetheless).
 qānūn: An Arabic zither-like string instrument, plucked with a plectrum. The strings are
laid on a board (with no sound board), giving it a tinnier and less resonant sound than the
‘ūd.
 nāy: An Arabic end-blown flute-like instrument.
 drums: Percussion instruments ubiquitous in West African music. African drums come in
a variety of shapes and sizes. The bodies are usually made from wood, gourds 40, and clay;
drum heads are made from animal skins.
 talking drums: African ppercussion instruments which are imitative of speech patterns.
They belong to the family of hourglass shaped pressure drums. The gan gan is the
smallest, the dun dun is the largest. They have a drum head at both ends.
 un-tuned percussion: Instruments which accompany mires and voices in African music.

40
The dried and hollowed-out shell of a fruit
  xylophone: A tuned percussions instrument used in African music, which consists of
wooden notes resting on gourd resonators. It is also used in Western music.
 voice: The most common instrument in Arabic music. This music is very melodic, but
with a small range of instruments (all within a 4th or 5th). There are also fewer drones (or
implied drones) than in Indian music.

Song Structures
 Call-and-response: A vocal texture, used mostly in Arabic music, where the second
vocal part tends to repeat the music of the first vocal part.
 Highlife: A West African music style combining African instruments with Western pop
and rock style.

Other terms
 maqām: Persian equivalent of ‘raga’ (scale/mode of Indian music).
 ajān: four-note scale in Arabic music, which forms part of the maqām. There are many
ajāns (as there are hundreds of ragas in Indian music), many of which use intervals not
found in Western music, e.g. ¼ and ¾ tones.
 īqā: Rhythmic cycles used in Arabic music (like the ‘tala’ in Indian music). They are
longer and more sophisticated than those used in Western music (e.g. march, waltz).

Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 [Pastoral] (movements 1 and 2) by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Beethoven was one of the most significant composers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries,
his reputation resting on nine Symphonies, five Piano Concertos, one Violin Concerto, thirty-two
Piano Sonatas, seventeen String Quartets, two Masses and several other orchestral, chamber and
vocal works. In style and outlook his music stands at the very end of the Classical Period,
though many commentators used to classify it as representing the first expression of
Romanticism in music.

Beethoven’s Symphonies were composed over a relatively long period of time, from 1799, when
he began Symphony No. 1, to 1823, when he completed Symphony No. 9. He worked slowly
and methodically, and the progress of each work can be observed through the many sketchbooks
he used to work out his ideas as they developed. He transformed the entire nature of the
Symphony, expanding its forms (especially Sonata Form), increasing its length and giving it a
greater significance than it had previously held. In this context, the fact that he wrote far fewer
Symphonies than either Haydn or Mozart is indicative of a different approach. For composers
who wrote Symphonies later in the 19th century, Beethoven’s influence meant that they came to
see this genre as the vehicle for expressing their most important ideas.
While most of Beethoven’s Symphonies are examples of what is often called absolute music,
some of them refer to concepts and ideas that come from sources outside the world of music
itself. Symphony No. 3 [Eroica], for example, grew out of Beethoven’s political idealism and
was originally to have been dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte (the dedication was famously
removed in a fit of anger when Napoleon crowned himself Emperor in 1804). By the time of
Symphony No. 9, Beethoven’s desire to make his philosophical intentions absolutely clear led
him to include a choral finale, a setting of Schiller’s Ode to Joy (with its references to the
‘brotherhood of man’). Symphony No. 6 is also based on extra-musical ideas concerning the
power and beauty of Nature – a theme that was to become an especially important aspect of
Romanticism, but which was already well known in 18th-century Austria. Beethoven would have
been familiar with the two Oratorios of his former teacher, Haydn (The Creation and The
Seasons), and these works belong to a pastoral tradition in European art that goes back several
hundred years. Beethoven loved the countryside and spent his summers in various villages
around Vienna: his letters are full of references to his delight in long walks through the fields and
woods. He often took paper and a pencil with him, so that he could jot down any musical ideas
that occurred to him during his walks.

Although the earliest sketches for the Pastoral Symphony date from 1803, most of the work on
the Symphony was done between March and December 1808. By this time, the progressive
deafness which had been troubling Beethoven since at least 1801 had become a permanent
handicap, preventing him from earning a satisfactory living as a performer. He came to depend
on payments from wealthy patrons (to whom many of his works were dedicated), on receipts
from public performances of his works (though these were very unreliable) and on selling them
to publishers. The Pastoral Symphony was dedicated to two of his most important supporters,
Prince Joseph Lobkowitz and Count Andrey Razumovsky. It was first performed at a concert
held in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on 22 December 1808 (the programme also included
first performances of the Fifth Symphony and the Choral Fantasia, Op. 80). The orchestral parts
were published by the Leipzig firm of Breitkopf und Härtel in May 1809; the score was not
issued until 1825.

The Pastoral Symphony is an example of programme music – music that tells a story or
describes a scene. The term was first used by Liszt, but it has since been found extremely useful
as a way of categorising music written much earlier, including such works as Vivaldi’s Four
Seasons. It is normally expected that a piece of programme music will have some kind of verbal
annotation attached to it, to explain the story that it portrays or to define what is being described.
In the case of the Pastoral Symphony, the verbal annotations took the form of descriptive titles
or each movement, which Beethoven intended to be printed not only in the score but also in the
programme of a performance, so that they could be understood by performers and listeners alike.
He was anxious, however, that the descriptive elements in the work were not to be
overemphasised: his original subtitle was Mehr Ausdruck der Empfindung als Malerei (‘More
the expression of feeling than painting’). This implies that the purely musical, symphonic aspects
of the Pastoral Symphony are at least as significant as the descriptive, if not more so. This is not
musical story-telling, but a symphony whose emotional world is defined as a response to the
feelings suggested by the titles of its movements. Nevertheless, several commentators have
suggested that it portrays a single day in the country, from morning to evening: seen in this way,
the connection with other pastoral works is only strengthened – one characteristic many of them
share is their sense of time, whether it be the progression of the seasons (Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
or Haydn’s The Seasons), or of a week (Haydn’s The Creation).

Beethoven’s titles for the five movements of the Pastoral Symphony evolved quite slowly.
After experimenting with various different versions, he finally chose the following:

I Erwachen heitere Empfindungen bei der Ankunft auf dem Lande [Awakening of
happy feelings on arrival in the countryside]
II Szene am Bach [Scene by the brook]
III Lustiges Zusammensein der Landleute [Merry gathering of country people –
sometimes known as ‘The peasants’ merrymaking’]
IV Gewitter, Sturm [Thunder, Storm]
V Hirtengesang. Frohe, dankbare Gefühle nach dem Sturm [Shepherds’ Song.
Joyful, grateful feelings after the storm]

Beethoven’s title for the first movement was altered when the work was reprinted as part of the
Complete Edition published by Breitkopf und Härtel in 1862. Most later editions, including the
Eulenburg and Phiharmonia miniature scores, have followed this incorrect version.

The 3rd, 4th and 5th movements are written in such a way that they lead into each other with no
breaks between the movements.

The Pastoral Symphony is scored for a typical classical orchestra, with two each of Flutes,
Oboes, Clarinets and Bassoons (i.e. double wind), two Horns, two Trumpets, two Trombones,
Timpani and Strings. The Trumpets are used only in the 3rd, 4th and 5th movements, the
Trombones only in the 4th and 5th and the Timpani only in the 4th.

The transposing instruments used in the first two movements are as follows:
 2 Clarinets in B flat: these parts are written a tone higher than they sound (so candidates
need practice in transposing short fragments of this part down a tone);
 2 Horns in F (1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th movements): these parts are written a perfect 5th higher
than they sound (so candidates need practice in transposing short fragments of these parts
down a perfect 5th);
 2 Horns in B flat [i.e. B flat basso] (2nd movement): these parts are written a major 9th
(an octave + a tone) higher than they sound (so candidates need practice in transposing
short fragments of these parts down a major 9th);
 Double Bass: this part is written an octave higher than it sounds (but candidates will not
be expected to transpose any of this part).

It should be noted that several editions of the score (e.g. Eulenburg) show the clarinet
transposition as ‘Clarinetti in B’, using the German name for B flat. Similarly, the horns in the
2nd movement are often shown as ‘Corni in B’. Care needs to be taken to ensure that candidates
understand this so that they are not confused. Most scores will list the instruments using their
Italian names, so candidates need to be taught to avoid obvious confusions (e.g. ‘corni’ are
horns, not cornets!)
Candidates need to understand the main abbreviations found in the score, which relate to some of
the conventions used in notating an orchestral score. These include:

 The abbreviation zu 2 in the woodwind parts, meaning that both instruments written on a
single stave play the same notes;
 The abbreviation 1. in the woodwind parts, meaning that only the 1st player should play
the phrase that has this marking (sometimes this principle applies to players other than
the 1st, as at b.281 of the first movement, where only the 2nd Horn plays);
 The abbreviation pizz. (short for ‘pizzicato’) in the string parts, meaning that the strings
should be plucked with the finger until this marking is cancelled by the term arco,
meaning that the players should resume using the bow;
 The abbreviation con Sord. (short for ‘con Sordino’) in the solo Cello parts in the 2nd
movement, meaning that these instruments should be played with a mute. In fact
Beethoven’s autograph score and the set of parts used for the first performance show that
the violins should also be muted, a detail that is sometimes observed in modern
performances and recordings.

Beethoven’s music is predominantly diatonic in character, though he makes frequent use of

chromatic notes in his melodies, often using them as passing-notes. In the first movement there
are several pedal points, recalling the characteristic drone played by many folk instruments.
There are several ostinato patterns (quite unusual in Beethoven’s music), which also recall a
typical image of the traditional music of the countryside. The thematic material relies heavily on
short, fragmentary melodies which involve a great deal of repetition; the underlying harmony is
simpler than in any other Symphony by Beethoven, with few minor chords and hardly any
chromatic harmonies. The harmonic rhythm (i.e. the pace of harmonic change) tends to be slow,
with single chords lasting often for several bars. Contrast is made when the harmonic rhythm
changes, and by the use of lengthy crescendos and diminuendos. Above the slow-moving
harmony, the melodies are often lively and agile, with frequent quaver and semiquaver
movement. The interval of a 3rd (often major, but sometimes minor) is an important feature of
both the melodic writing and the harmonic organisation (a typically Beethovenian characteristic),
but the Tonic, Dominant and Sub-Dominant chords and keys are used extensively, underlining
Beethoven’s emphasis on some of the most essential components of tonal music. Several
passages in the Symphony suggest that Beethoven may have been trying to encapsulate some of
the features of folk music in this music, but without adopting any of its actual forms or
instruments. The first two movements both use the full structure of Sonata Form. Although the
main principles of this form were not firmly established until c.1830, Beethoven’s use of it fits
the pattern very closely. Candidates need to know that the main outlines of Sonata Form are as
follows:

 EXPOSITION (which introduces the main themes in a particular order)

First Subject in the Tonic key;
Transition (also called the Bridge Passage), which modulates to the Dominant
key if the main key of the symphony is major (or to the Relative Major if the main
key is minor);
Second Subject in the Dominant (or Relative Major) key;
 Codetta (which finishes this section in the key of the Second Subject). The
Exposition is marked to be repeated – although the repeat is often missed out in
modern performances. However, this changes the proportions of the structure very
significantly.

 DEVELOPMENT (during which themes may be extended, fragmented or combined, and

the music modulates frequently and extensively. Classical composers used the
Development to explore the latent possibilities of their themes)
 RECAPITULATION (returning to the music of the Exposition, but with significant
modifications)
First Subject in the Tonic key;
Transition adjusted so that it does not modulate except in passing;
Second Subject in the Tonic key.
 CODA (which finishes the whole movement in the Tonic key). The Coda often uses
similar music to the Codetta, but it is normally longer.

In the first two movements of the Pastoral Symphony, the structural principles of this form are
very clear. However, the Developments in both movements are significantly different from those
in his other Symphonies, with much less emphasis on combination and fragmentation of themes,
and with much more use of repetition. This is one of the most telling ways in which the content
of the Symphony was determined by the emotional effect of its descriptive elements, creating a
feeling of peaceful contentment with none of the turbulence and aggression that can be found in
many of Beethoven’s other works.

First movement: Allegro ma non troppo Tonic key F major

Awakening of happy feelings on arrival in the countryside
EXPOSITION (bb. 1-138)
First subject (bb.. 1-531)
The movement, unusually, begins quietly. Bare 5th between Violas & Cellos,
First Subject melody in 1st Violins, joined in 3 by 2nd Violins, playing in 3rds
with the 1sts. N.B. the first 4 notes (fragment x) and the second bar (fragment y)
which become prominent features later in the movement. The first chord change
comes at 4, moving from Tonic to Dominant; there is a pause at 4, emphasising
the Dominant chord and making the first 4 bars seem like an introduction to the
movement. After this the 2nd Violins repeat fragment x while the 1st Violins add
a phrase derived from fragment y. The harmonic rhythm speeds up in 9-11, with a
crescendo leading to a forte at 11, emphasising the first appearance of the Sub-
Dominant chord. NB bars 9-10 (fragment z), with 3rds between bass and treble.
NB also that the rhythm of these bars is derived from the Viola rhythm in 5-6 and
7-8. This passage is repeated (13-15), this time with a sudden piano when the
Sub-Dominant chord occurs. In 16-251 the music settles onto the Dominant
chord, with Dominant Pedal, crescendo followed by diminuendo, and a rising
ostinato figure in the 1st Violins, derived again from fragment y. At 25 this
ostinato rises sequentially, forming a link to the return of First Subject on solo
Flute, with bare 5th played on Horns and Cello semiquavers (notated in
abbreviated form). This is followed at 33 by the addition of other wind and string
 instruments in a crescendo leading to the first Tutti of the movement, a forte
restatement of First Subject over Tonic and Dominant harmonies.

Transition (bb. 53-66)

This is very short and makes the move to the Dominant key in an astonishingly
economical way. Clarinets and Bassoons introduce a triplet rhythm in 53 (triplet
rhythms become extremely significant later on in the movement). 1st Violins play
a rising version of fragment x. In 57 the harmony is D minor – the only minor
chord to appear in the Exposition. This moves, via a 2nd Inversion of F major at
61, to the Dominant 7th of C major at 63. Chromatic F sharps in 1st Violins in
64-66 make a brief, tentative suggestion of the Dominant of the Dominant (i.e. G
major), allowing the return of the Dominant 7th at 67 to sound as if the music is
settling back into its new key centre of C major.

Second Subject (bb. 67-1151)

This is characterised by sustained legato playing. The first thematic ingredient is a broken
chord figuration, predominantly descending, in the 1st violins (67-70), passed to the 2nd
Violins (71-74) and Cellos (75-78); Cellos and Basses repeat it at 79, Clarinet and
Bassoon from 83. The Cello part in 67-74 becomes the 1st Violin part in 75-82, the 1st
Flute part in 79-86 and the Cello/Bass part again in 83-92. However simple the thematic
ideas may be, the resulting imitative texture is highly sophisticated. From 83 the upper
strings play quaver triplets, then semiquavers from 87, creating a sense of speeding up
towards 93, where a second thematic idea is introduced, forte, a rising and falling motif in
3rds (derived from fragment z) with a rhythm derived from fragment y. NB the emphasis
on the Sub-Dominant chord at the end of this motif (96). This is followed by an
answering motif, descending, also in 3rds, marked p dolce, as if attempting to reestablish
the gentle mood. These two motifs are repeated in 100-106, followed by a crescendo and
a gradual increase in the harmonic rhythm, based on the answering motif. At 111 the
rhythm goes into triplets, suggesting 6/8 time for a few bars, with a more agitated version
of the answering motif, reaching a Perfect Cadence in C at 114-115.

Codetta (bb. 115-138)

The Codetta is built entirely over a chord of C major, with a Pedal C that lasts for no less
than 21 bars. The Violins play a rustic tune 4 bars long, with rhythm derived from
fragment y: this imitates folk music with its prominent sharpened 4th. From 123 this
reduces to an ostinato based on the last bar of the tune, with a diminuendo. The ostinato
passes to the 2nd Violins at 127, where the wind instruments drop out, then (slightly
altered) to the Cellos at 131. At 135 the 1st Violins return to fragment x, linking back to
the opening (for the repeat) or forward to the start of the Development.

DEVELOPMENT (bb. 139-2791)

This is entirely based on material from the First Subject and Transition. 139-142
use the first 2 bars of the First Subject, over the Dominant 7th chord of F major. A
rising sequence based on fragment x introduces an E flat, turning the F major
harmony into the Dominant 7th of B flat major (the Sub-Dominant), and the first
 two bars of the First Subject are repeated over this harmony. At 151-152 there is a
Perfect Cadence in B flat major. What follows is most unusual in a Symphony by
Beethoven or any other late Classical composer. A descending ostinato in the 1st
Violins, briefly passed to 2nd Violins and Flute at 155, is derived rhythmically
from fragment y. This is accompanied by sustained harmony in the Clarinet and
Bassoon parts, a Pedal Point in the Double Bass part and a triplet figuration in the
remaining string parts, and a long crescendo begins. The harmony does not
change for 12 bars. Then at 163, with no preparation, the chord changes to D
major, moving up a major 3rd – with the effect of brightening the entire
atmosphere of the music. The same texture continues over this new harmony for a
further 12 bars, and the crescendo also continues. In the climax at 175 the Violin
ostinato passes to the Cello/Bass parts and the D major chord is played in a dotted
rhythm (wind) and as semiquavers with abbreviated notation (upper strings). The
ostinato is then isolated (from 179) and after a short diminuendo only its last 2
notes remain, played by 1st Bassoon and 1st Violins. At 191 the First Subject
reappears and the music moves into G major. Then at 197 another long crescendo
begins, the ostinato/triplet texture returns over a chord of G major which again is
held for 12 bars. At 209 the harmony changes, moving down a minor 3rd this
time, onto a chord of E major – but the brightening effect is just as strong. The E
major chord is again held for 12 bars, and the crescendo again continues. The
climax at 221 and the move away from it are treated exactly as before (cf 175
etc.), except that the harmony is now still E major. The First Subject returns as
expected at 237 and the music moves into A major.
At 243, however, Beethoven does not repeat this process a third time, but instead
begins a long preparation for the Recapitulation, with fragment z as its basis.
From A major at 243 the music passes through D major (252) and G minor (257);
this is the only time in the movement that a minor key occurs, and its appearance
is emphasised by the marking of sfp to highlight the Dominant and Tonic chords
of G minor (255, 257, 259). In Beethoven’s music, sforzando markings are
usually very common, often throwing the rhythmic emphasis onto an off-beat.
Here, by contrast, they are used very sparingly, and always on the main beat of
the bar: the effect is a subtle underlining of the harmonic direction of the music.
At 261 the B flat is changed to B natural (sfp again here), thus establishing C
major at 263. Fragment z is then extended in a tutti, played fortissimo, with
further sf markings emphasising the main beats of the 2-bar phrases. The melodic
B flats (277, 279) take the key back into the Tonic (F major), and the music
comes to rest on the Sub-Dominant chord at 275. A rising motif, which grows out
of the tutti, is played over this chord by 2nd Violins, Violas and Cellos, with a
diminuendo, forming a brief link into the Recapitulation, which begins where a
Plagal Cadence resolves onto F major at 279. The 1st Violins sustain a high D
above this, moving down to a C at the cadence point.

RECAPITULATION (bb. 279-417)

First Subject (bb. 279-3281)
The Recapitulation begins almost imperceptibly, with the First Subject stated by
2nd Violins and Violas. A tiny decorative detail in the 1st Violins leads to a trill
 on G and a descending broken chord figuration that takes the place of the pause at
the beginning of the movement. At 289 the 2nd Violins conflate the two original
violin parts while the 1st Violins play a triplet figuration (thus combining the First
Subject with a feature derived from the Transition). Clarinets and Bassoons take
over the original string parts at 291, fragment z returning to the strings at 297. The
rising ostinato derived from fragment y is now played by the 2nd Violins (300).
Throughout this, the 1st Violins continue their triplet figuration, taking over the
ostinato at 304, when the triplets move into the Viola part. The ostinato rises
sequentially as in the Exposition, but does not lead to a return of the First Subject
on solo Flute; instead, the crescendo occurs as the ostinato rises, leading straight
into the tutti statement of the First Subject. 312-327 are the same as 37-52.

Transition (bb. 328-345)

The triplet rhythm is more fully orchestrated than it was in the Exposition, with
Horns and Violas added to the original Clarinets and Bassoons, and the spacing of
the chords is also changed. The harmony remains as it was until 339; at 340 a new
chord is inserted (the Dominant 7th of F major, in its 3rd Inversion with the B flat
in the bass), preventing the music from moving into the Dominant key. The next
few bars are rewritten and extended (341-345 are equivalent to 64-66), again to
ensure that the Tonic key is preserved.

Second Subject (bb. 346-3941)

Apart from the key, which is now F major (the Tonic), this follows the Exposition
exactly. There are various changes in orchestration, which need to be noted, but
the music is to all intents and purposes identical to 67-1151 in the Exposition.

CODA (bb. 394-512)

At 119 bars, this is very long – almost as long as the whole Exposition and
occupying almost a quarter of the total length of the movement. It begins exactly
as the Codetta (but again with changes in orchestration) for the first 24 bars (up to
and including 417), and 418-422 are equivalent to the first 5 bars of the
Development (cf 139-143), but with an added reference to fragment x in the 1st
Violin part. This takes the music into the Sub-Dominant (B flat major) again. At
422 the First Subject is re-stated, forte and staccato, but harmonised with as many
as 4 chords to the bar – a very sudden increase in harmonic rhythm (this is the
fastest harmonic rhythm in the whole movement). The last two bars of the First
Subject are repeated in the wind section (426-427) over Tonic and Dominant
chords (still in B flat major); then the rustic tune from the Codetta reappears in the
Clarinet and Bassoon parts, over a B flat Pedal, the prominent triplet rhythm again
suggesting 6/8 time. A 4-bar extension (436-439) takes the music back into F
major at 440. The rustic tune is repeated, tutti, and the 4-bar extension is then
further extended in a typically Classical cadential progression using chords I – VI
– Ic –V – I (448-459), with sf markings on every 1st beat in the wind parts and a
fortissimo climax at 458 on chord Ic. Then the excitement that has been generated
subsides, first by dropping out the wind instruments and by the use of a
descending sequence in the upper strings over a Dominant Pedal, then by a
 diminuendo (460-467). The effect of 6/8 time is preserved throughout the whole
of this passage. At 468 the string parts bring back the descending ostinato first
heard at 151 in the Development, interrupted by a forthright Imperfect Cadence
progression, tutti (471); this is repeated in 472-475. A duet for Clarinet and
Bassoon follows, the Bassoon part outlining Tonic and Dominant harmonies
while the Clarinet melody has a rhythm derived from fragment y. At 479-4801 the
duet is interrupted by an emphatic Perfect Cadence progression, tutti, before it
resumes, but now the clarinet part is rewritten in triplets (480-482). Three further
Perfect Cadences follow, with a diminuendo, while the Clarinet triplets continue
(483-488). The Tonic chord is extended for a total of 4 bars (488-491), still with
the Clarinet triplets going on. At 492 the 1st Violins return to the First Subject,
which then passes to the 1st Flute at 498. The rising scale at the end of the 1st
Violin theme (497) also ends the Flute melody (501) and is then repeated by Oboe
and Bassoon (503-504) and again by all wind and string instruments (505-506)
before the final Perfect Cadence of the movement (507-508). The Tonic chord is
repeated three times forte, and then twice piano at the very end, returning in these
last two bars to the predominant dynamic level of the movement.

Second Movement: Andante molto moto Tonic key B flat major

Scene by the brook
The tempo indication given in several scores, including the Eulenburg and Philharmonia
miniature scores, is Allegro molto mosso. This incorrect indication originated with the Complete
Edition published by Breitkopf und Härtel in 1862; Beethoven’s tempo indication was Allegro
molto moto.

The compound metre (12/8) of this movement has a precedent in the triplet rhythms of the
firstmovement, in particular the extended passage in the Coda (bb. 428-467). By the use of subtle
techniques of this kind Beethoven is able to make each movement appear to be a logical part of
an organic whole, without compromising the individual character of the individual movements.

An important feature of the orchestration of this movement is the use of two solo muted Cellos
throughout, sometimes playing divisi but often in unison, on their own part, separate from the
rest of the Cellos, which play with the Double Basses. This gives the movement much of its
richness of sonority. In the orchestral parts used for the first performance, as noted above, the
Violin parts are also marked to be muted.

EXPOSITION (bb. 1-581)

First Subject (bb. 1-183)
There is a long melody (1-71), played at the outset by the 1st Violins. It is
accompanied by flowing quavers in the 2nd Violin, Viola and solo Cello parts,
and sustained Horn notes in octaves; 2nd Violins and Violas play in 3rds, as do
the 2 solo Cellos (the texture of 3rds continues a significant feature from the first
movement, and 3rds remain an important part of the substance of the music
throughout this 2nd movement). The Cello/Bass part, pizzicato, underpins the
harmony – chords I – I – V – V(7)– Ib – II7b – Ic – V – I. The melody at first
 appears rather fragmented. The 4 semiquavers at the end of 1, 2 and 3 (fragment
a) become important later. There are prominent appoggiaturas at the beginning of
2, 3 & 4. When the melody becomes more continuous at 5, the accompaniment
changes to equally flowing semiquavers. At 7, the semiquaver accompaniment
continues, the melody is taken over by 1st Clarinet and 1st Bassoon, while the 1st
Violins decorate with high trills and the Horns play a gently syncopated figure (7-
131). The melody is then extended to form a cadential theme in the 1st Violin
part (13-183), with added counterpoints and/or doublings inthe Clarinet, Bassoon,
solo Cello and Flute parts, over a Tonic Pedal.

Transition (bb. 184-29)

The motif of repeated semiquavers in the 2nd Violin, Viola and solo Cello parts is
remarkably similar in effect to the triplets at the beginning of the Transition in the
first movement. After a further 2 bars the First Subject melody seems to begin
again, with the flowing semiquaver and pizzicato bass accompaniment and the
syncopated figure in the Horns which is passed to the Bassoons 2 bars later and
then taken up by more wind instruments (21-26). Meanwhile the 1st Violin
melody develops, following the harmony, which introduces an E natural in 23
(making the Dominant 7th chord of F major) and a B natural in 26 (making the
Dominant 7th chord of C major). When the music resolves onto a C major chord
at 27, the B flat is restored in the 1st Violin melody to establish the Dominant key
(F major) as a new tonal centre. 27 and 28 are based on chords V7 and Ic in F,
then 29 is entirely built on chord V7 to make a Perfect Cadence in F at the start of
the Second Subject.

Second Subject (bb. 30-46)

This is introduced by the 1st Flute, with the semiquaver accompaniment (now
staccato) in the 1st Violins, supported by chords played by wind and
pizzicatolower strings. A further bar of Dominant, then Dominant 7th harmony
(31) leads to a repeat of the Second Subject in the 1st Bassoon part, which then
continues it to form another long melody. The 1st Violin semiquavers continue
and harmonic support is given at first by wind and pizzicato strings (32). At 33
the texture changes and the 1st violins decorate with further trills which underline
the close relationship between the First and Second Subjects. The unexpected A
major chord on 331 recalls the similar brightening of the atmosphere at 163 and
209 in the first movement, and is achieved here by the same means (a harmonic
change to a chord a 3rd away from the preceding C major chord). This is so
beautiful that it is repeated in the following bar, this time with the Bassoon
melody doubled by Violas and solo Cellos. From the 2nd half of 35 to the 3rd
beat of 37 the 1st Violin trills occur on every beat and there is a crescendo leading
to a tutti from 373 to 391; then the flowing accompaniment ceases and is replaced
by a bar of duplet quavers (39), drawing deliberate attention to the cadential 6/4
chord that occurs here. The interruption of the continuous forward movement of
the music is even more pronounced in 40, which almost stands still – only the trill
in the 1st violins continues throughout this bar. Beethoven’s intention seems to be
to make the listener expect a full close in F major at this point, but he does not
 provide it; instead he returns to a variation of the Bassoon melody from 33,
played now by 1st Flute and 1st Violins, with a decoration in semiquavers
(derived from fragment a) in the Viola and 2nd Violin parts and continuous
pizzicato quavers in the solo Cellos. A crescendo in 43 leads to another tutti
(equivalent to 38 but differently orchestrated) over the same cadential 6/4 chord
(44 into 45), and the semiquaver accompaniment is restored at the beginning of
the tutti. The cadence is again delayed, not this time by duplet quavers but by an
arpeggio figure of staccato quavers in the 1st Violin and Bassoon parts, joined in
the following bar by a Flute. In 47 (which is equivalent to 40) the 1st Violin trills
reappear, but in this bar the cadential theme from the end of the First Subject is
brought back in the Viola and solo Cello parts, leading to a Perfect Cadence in F
at 501.

Codetta (bb. 50-541)

50 returns to the music of the beginning of the movement, but the original quaver
accompaniment is now in semiquavers; the emphasis on 3rds is nevertheless
maintained. Fragment a is expanded to span a wider pitch range, but the
appoggiaturas are retained. The turns in the 1st Violin part at 52 and 53 suggest
the decorative trills that have occurred at various points, rewritten to be suitable
for the end of a main section of the movement.

DEVELOPMENT (bb. 54-911)

54-56 use the staccato 1st Violin figuration and the pizzicato bass from the start of
the Second Subject, over chords I – V7– I in F major. Then in 57 the harmony
changes by a 3rd, from F major to D major (yet another instance of this
effect),leading into G major at 58. Here the First Subject reappears on a solo
Oboe, with the flowing semiquaver accompaniment and the syncopated horn
figure again (cf 7) and a descending broken chord figure in the 1st Violins. An
important new feature is also added – a rising arpeggio in staccato semiquavers in
the Flute part. This grows into a decoration of the melody at 62 and is taken up by
the Oboe in 63. 64 uses a sequence based on secondary Dominant chords (Ib in G
– V7 of D – V7 of G – I in G) with the Flute and Oboe imitating each other in
semiquavers. 65 prepares for a Perfect Cadence in G, and then 66 (which is
equivalent to 47 at the start of the Codetta) brings back the cadential theme as
before, but this time in G major.
In 68 the music makes a sudden turn towards G minor (an unexpectedly turbulent
forte occurs here), before leading onto the Dominant 7th of E flat major during
the diminuendo in the second half of the bar – another shift down a 3rd in the
harmony, but without any of the brightening of the atmosphere that has come
about previously. The next part of the Development uses the same material as in
58-68, but substantially rewritten. The First Subject melody is now played by a
solo Clarinet, with the rising arpeggios in the Viola part and the descending
broken chord figure in the Bassoons; the semiquaver accompaniment and the
syncopated Horns are much as before. The 1st Violins have a rising figure, clearly
related to the Bassoon parts and answering them bar by bar (69-73). The Clarinet
introduces semiquavers into its melody at 74; 75 is equivalent to 64 with the same
 secondary Dominant chords transposed to fit the E flat major key centre; and 76 is
equivalent to 65, preparing again for a Perfect Cadence. In 77 the cadential theme
is brought back yet again, and in 78 another rapid modulation occurs. This time
the shift of the harmony is up a 3rd to G flat major (which itself lies a 3rd below
the Tonic key of this movement). The First Subject melody returns again, now
restored to the 1st Violins, while the Clarinet and Bassoon recall the original
quaver accompaniment from 1-4. The descending broken chord figure appears in
the Flute part, but there is no answering figure. In 81 and 82 the notation appears
suddenly very complex: the chord in 81 is C flat major, but the 2nd Bassoon and
1st Violins are notated in B major (the enharmonic equivalent); this continues in
82, where the chord is the Dominant 7th of C flat (i.e. G flat major with an added
F flat), but the 2nd Bassoon and 1st Violins are notated as though the chord is F
sharp major (again, the enharmonic equivalent). What this means is that
Beethoven arrives at the C flat chord from the key of G flat major, but then
redefines it as B major in 83 in order to begin a modulation back, through F
major, to B flat major; the contradictory notation in the Bassoon and Violin parts
demonstrates that this is how he was thinking. The first half of 83 is based on the
chord of B major; the second half on a second inversion of E minor; the first half
of 84 is based on the dominant 7th of C major, which is briefly established on the
3rd beat; then the bass descends to B flat, forming a dominant 7th in F major. 85
appears to be leading to a firm Perfect Cadence in F, but the addition of an E flat
on the first beat of 86 takes the key firmly towards B flat major. This passage
makes a complex and rapid modulation which takes time to explain but is smooth
and highly logical to the ear. From 86 to 90 the music is built over a Dominant
Pedal in B flat major, in preparation for the Recapitulation. There is no clear
thematic content in these 5 bars: the semiquaver accompaniment pattern continues
in the 2nd Violins, Violas and solo Cellos, with its melodic outline highlighted in
the Clarinets and Bassoons and with additional harmonic and melodic
highlighting in the Flute and Oboe parts. The Dominant Pedal is played by
pizzicato Cellos/Basses and, in longer notes, by the Horns, while the 1st Violins
decorate it with octave leaps and trills.

RECAPITULATION (bb. 91-118)

First Subject (bb. 91-96)
The First Subject is now given to the 1st Flute. The accompaniment is in
semiquavers in the 2nd Violins, Violas and solo Cellos. 1st Bassoon, 1st Clarinet
and 1st Violins have the rising staccato semiquaver arpeggio that first appeared in
the Flute part at 58 in the Development; 2nd Clarinet and Horns play the
descending broken chord figure from the 1st Violin part at the same point in the
Development, while the 2nd Flute has the rising broken chord answer to this,
taken from the 1st Violins at 69. Meanwhile the 2nd Bassoon has the syncopated
figure from 7 in the Exposition. Thus several ingredients drawn from various
point in the movement are brought together, making this Recapitulation a genuine
summing-up of what has gone before. Bars 944-96 are equivalent to 104-12, but
re-orchestrated. The woodwind repeat of the First Subject and the cadential theme
that followed it in the Exposition are omitted now; because the Development
 focused so heavily on the First Subject, any further repetition at this point would
be superfluous.

Transition (bb. 97-101)

The opening bars of the original Transition are also omitted, so that the Transition
now begins very differently and is significantly shorter – less than half its original
length. It begins (97) at the resolution of an Interrupted Cadence. Fragment a
from the First Subject forms the melodic basis of 97-98 and it is not until 99 that
the music regains its equivalence to the Exposition (99 is equivalent to 27).
Second Subject (102-1221)
Apart from the key, which is now B flat major (the Tonic), this follows the
Exposition exactly. There are various changes in orchestration, which need to be
noted, but the music is to all intents and purposes identical to 30-501 in the
Exposition.

CODA (bb. 122-139)

This begins in the same way as the Codetta, but from 124 it changes substantially.
The 1st Violins play a sustained melody high above the semiquaver
accompaniment; this melody is shadowed heterophonically (i.e. virtually doubled,
but without the ornamental turns) in the upper wind parts, creating a distinctive
clash between the G in Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon parts at 1261 and the
simultaneous A flat appoggiatura in the 1st Violins – the A flat also appears in the
semiquaver accompaniment.
This is typical of Beethoven’s sometimes adventurous approach to melodic
dissonance. This passage is repeated in 127-128, complete with the G/A flat clash,
with Clarinets and Bassoons now highlighting the melodic outline of the
semiquaver accompaniment. Up to this point the music has suggested its subject
without attempting any literal, pictorial imitation of Nature. At 129, however, four
woodwind instruments play snatches of birdsong: Nachtigall (solo Flute) is the
Nightingale, Wachtel (solo Oboe) is the Quail, and
Kuckuck (two Clarinets in unison) is the more raucous call of the Cuckoo.
Beethoven intended that the names of the birds should be printed in the orchestral
parts, so that the players were certain which birds they were imitating, but he was
happy to leave the listeners to work it out for themselves – though scores of the
Symphony invariably reproduce the players’ instructions. There is a brief
reference to the cadential theme in 131-132, then the birdsong is repeated. Its
position in the movement suggests that it is equivalent to a Cadenza in a Concerto
or operatic Aria, even though it is based on Chord I in root position, rather than
the 6/4 chord that would occur at the start of a true Cadenza. At 1363 the
cadential theme returns for one last time, starting in the 1st violin part and then
imitated by Bassoon, Clarinet and Flute. A crescendo in 138 leads to a marking of
sf at the final cadence point; there is a diminuendo through the sustained Tonic
chord, followed by two further Tonic chords, pianissimo, and a pause on the final
rest.