Name: Haniel Anugerah

MHS122 – Fall 2020

Test #1
Fill in your answers electronically and email the completed exam to me
(priedler@u.rochester.edu) upon completion no later than 11:59pm (EST) Tuesday, Sept. 28.
This test is untimed and open book. You can use your notes and anthology, but please do not
consult fellow students. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns. For full
points, answer each question as thoroughly as you can!
I. Listening Analysis (5 pt. ea. = 25 pt. total)
Please listen to the audio files in the Test #1 folder of Blackboard (Course Schedule > Unit 1 >
Test #1 > Listening) before answering each question. Be sure to answer every part of the
question!
1) Listening #1: What genre is this piece? Is it an example of Empfindsamer Stil or Galant? How
does it relate to eighteenth-century sentimental culture? Support your answer with specific
examples from the music.
= The genre of this piece is fantasia in the key of C Minor intended for clavichord. Composed by
C.P.E Bach, it is an example of Empfindsamer Stil meaning that it exhibits a lot of eighteenth-
century German style. One of them is the abundant appoggiaturas, such as the Eb note in the last
measure of the Allegro Moderato section and the Bb note in the fifth measure of the Largo
section. It also uses nuanced dynamics and chromaticism conveying intimacy and expression.
Furthermore, it clearly shows virtuosity of the performer through the form of improvisation and
abrupt changes in mood. Lastly, its tonal wandering (modulations) along with expressive chords
such as augmented 6ths and diminished 7ths also explains why it has a connection to the
sentimental culture.

2) Listening #2: What genre is this excerpt from? Is it an example of aria, recitative, or chorus?
Why might it have been considered “dangerous” in eighteenth-century France? Support your
answer with specific examples from the music.
= This piece is named Son imbrogliato io già, which is a part from Pergolesi’s intermezzo La
serva padrona. Being an example of an aria, it is characterized with comical features, such as the
buffa patter (Uberto singing low in a fast pace), abrupt rapid changes of texture, and over-
exaggeration (by some super-slow moments). Due to its scandalous plot (text) causing an
“offense” and “mockery” to the higher classes, it has sparked a debate famously known as
Querelles des Bouffons, which is a battle about whether French opera (tragedie lyrique) or Italian
opera (opera buffa) is better. Thus, this is why it’s been considered “dangerous” in the
eighteenth-century France.
3) Listening #3: What genre is this piece? For what kind of audience was it composed? What
specific characteristics of the music might have appealed to this type of audience?
= This classical piece is the fourth movement of Haydn’s String Quartet (chamber music) in Eb
Major Op.33 No.2, also known as “The Joke”. It was composed for the general public, who had
been amused by the character the piece conveys. What makes it appealed to them is its humor,
which grabs their attention. And what effectively delivers its humor is its Rondeau form
(ABACADA), the abrupt changes between Presto and Adagio sections, repetitions of the theme
and other motifs, and the grand pauses deviating from the pattern. What surprises and confuses
the audience even more is its ending, which makes them think whether it actually ends or not.
Haydn purposely did this by using the first two measures of the theme to close it instead of using
the last two measures of the theme.

4) Listening #4: What genre is this excerpt from? Is it an example of aria, recitative, or chorus?
What is happening in the plot at this moment? How does the music communicate these plot
elements?
= This excerpt is an aria Se voul ballare from Mozart’s opera buffa Marriage of Figaro. The plot
is about Figaro and his bride Susanna, who are about to get married. It depicts them being
excited, checking up a new room, and figuring out ways of how to decorate it. It also reveals
how the count of Figaro’s master is actually planning on invoking the right of what is essentially
prima nocta, droit du seigneur, which is the supposed right of a feudal lord to sleep with a new
bride on her wedding night before her husband. The music communicates these plot elements by
showing two different dance styles. First is minuet (dance in 3), which is a high-class dance
performed by aristocracy; second is contradanse (dance in 2), which is a typical dance between
high and low styles. These opposing styles are intended by Mozart to point out that Figaro is in
control of his situations.

5) Listening #5: What genre is this excerpt from? Is it an example of aria, recitative, or chorus?
How is it representative of Gluck’s operatic reforms?
= This piece is a recitative (or to be specific, recitative accompagnato) named Deh placatevi con
me from Gluck’s opera seria Orfeo ed Euridice. It is a representative of his operatic reforms by
showcasing some reform aspects. For example, he wanted the orchestra to shine or to play more
of an important role to accurately express emotions based on the opera’s storyline, such as the
usage of harp and softer, plucked strings to accompany Orfeo who’s desperately begging for
mercy. Moreover, the recitative sounds simpler (“noble simplicity”), has less ornamentation and
virtuosity, and is not as long as what recitatives previously used to be.
II. Short terms (5 pt. ea. = 25 pt. total)
Choose 5 of the 6 terms and write a short descriptive paragraph for each containing 1) a brief
definition and 2) how it links to at least one of the pieces we covered in Unit #1.
1. Querelles des Bouffons
= Known as “Quarrels of comic actors”, it is a pamphlet war where a long-simmering critical
opposition to the old-fashioned, state-subsidized French opera erupated in 1752-1754. It is
basically a debate of whether the Italian or French opera (intermezzo versus tragedie lyrique) is a
perfect example of an ultimate art. One famous piece that sparked this debate in the middle of the
18th century is La serva padrona (The Servant Mistress), an intermezzo within one of Pergolesi’s
opera seria. Despite of its scandalous plot, it became famous as it was being performed by
travelling troupes of buffi throughout Italy and Germany.
2. Recitative accompagnato
= It is a recitative with orchestral accompaniment, or a style of recitative where the instrumental
accompaniment occurring under the single vocal line is explicitly written out. Gluck uses this
technique in his opera Orfeo ed Euridice to blend the three styles: aria, recitative, chorus. Prior to
this, performers and audience members would easily gain control and have “divided” mindset;
singers could hijack performances with their suitcase arias while audience members could easily
tell which part is their favourite. Therefore, using this technique helps to make the distinctions
less clear and less strong.

3. Premier coup d’archet

= It is a term referred as the first stroke of the bow, meaning the whole orchestra plays together
at the same time. Since the Mannheim Orchestra first initiated this, it is also known to be one of
Mannheim techniques and has been used by Haydn and Mozart. One example is the opening of
the first movement of Mozart’s Paris Symphony No. 31 in D Major, where the orchestra is
playing the note D together at the same time, which is later followed by short fragmentary
“Mannheim rockets”.
4. Dramma giocoso
= Known as “Comic Drama”, it is a genre often referred to comic operas that contain tragedies
based on their libretto (text). The librettist Da Ponte preferred to classify the opera Don Giovanni
as such since he thought that the “tragic” text still plays a very important role in the opera, which
should still be acknowledged (though it is comedy). Meanwhile, Mozart preferred to classify it as
opera buffa since he thought it is more like an intermezzo, especially by looking more at a
musical perspective rather than textual.
5. Double exposition structure
= A musical structure in which the orchestra comes with a theme and later goes back to tonic,
followed by the soloist coming in with that same theme in the tonic and then moving it to the
dominant. It is evidently found in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major K.453, where the
orchestra plays the motif in G followed by the solo piano playing it in G Major and heading
towards its dominant key, D Major.

III. Short essays (25 pt. ea. = 50 pt. total)

Choose 2 of the 3 following short essay questions. Be sure to answer the questions as thoroughly
as you can!

1) What is the Enlightenment and how does it relate to music? Refer to specific musical
examples, genres and/or forms in your answer.
= While enlightenment is commonly referred to a movement that dominated the entire Europe in
around 17th - 18th century stressing the rebirth and importance of liberty and humanity, it is also
an ideological and cultural war. Specifically, it is battle concerning whether nobility is something
that is innate or that can be learned and earned. It is also the time where philosophers,
astrologists, and artists (including musicians) started to emerge and expressed what they wanted
to say. As music is a primary source of entertainment, it became a battleground for the
demonstration of nobility, superiority, and whether one was able to compose and perform refined
art (music). During that time, the middle classes wanted to show that they were enjoying music
as a refined art. Hence, new spaces were built such as salons (for small performances) and public
concert halls (for larger performances).
One example of a piece during the Enlightenment is Fantasia in C Minor by C.P.E. Bach.
Intended to be played on the clavichord, it is known to have sudden contrasts of dynamic,
texture, and mood, and to sound improvisatory because of numerous ornamentations and
elaborations. Back in the day, people wanted to have fun like a social gathering in the salons, and
they began to gain a taste of this type of music. The virtuosic aspect of the piece is something
that excites them since it’s perceived as a musical “breakthrough” (the performer’s pure
expression), and the salons later became places for people to show off this taste and to make
music. Another example is Sonata in D Major Op. 5 No. 2 by J.C. Bach. Opposed to the
Empfindsamer Stil style of the previous example, this is in Galant style. It has balanced phrases,
frequent predictable cadences, delicacy, and simplicity in lieu of the Fantasia’s wild
ornamentions and complexity. Rather than showing virtuosity, the Sonata displays elegance and
refinement, which are actually the means of demonstrating one’s inner nobility. Thus, both
Empfindsamer Stil and galant styles define music of the Enlightenment.
3) What is the myth of Beethoven and how has it influenced reception of Beethoven’s works?
Refer to specific musical examples, genres, and/or forms in your answer.

= One famous myth of Beethoven is that he is less of a genius than Mozart, who’s someone he
looked up to as a growing musician. This myth may have started due to people’s judgement on
the amount of works that they each composed (for instance, Mozart composed more symphonies,
string quartets, and piano concertos than Beethoven). In other words, they used this numeric
aspect as a scale of their “greatness”. Besides that, they may judge based on the fact that Mozart
had shown his exceptional musical abilities since he was five years old suggesting that he was a
true prodigy, while Beethoven actually did not show any special intelligence yet in his childhood
suggesting that he wasn't. Because of these judgments, people sometimes tended to look at
Beethoven’s works as “nothing special” or merely a copy of Mozart’s works, especially when
they look at Beethoven’s earlier works such as the Nine Piano Variations in C Minor,
Ritterballet, Piano Sonata Op. 2 No.1 and 2.
However, I personally think Beethoven and Mozart are "geniuses" in their own ways since they
have different backgrounds, different mentors, different trainings, and different stories to tell.
Despite those differences, they're both great inventors, meaning that they kept inventing new
musical ideas and harmonies despite their different backgrounds. In fact, Beethoven initiated
organicism, a new musical technique of expanding small motif, and he applied it into some of his
works, notably his Symphony No. 5. Aside from that, he enriched the instrumentation of the
orchestra and the quartet with a variety of texture and an expanded range of sonority. He’s also
widely known to be “the music revolutionist” as he co-pioneered and the sturm und drang
movement, which marked the early Romantic period. We can see this especially in his later
works such as Symphony No. 9, Piano Sonata Op. 101 and 111.