Introductory HS AFA Guide

Name Background Works Details

Pope Marcellus Mass Supposedly saved polyphonic
Italian renaissance music (and pretty much the rest
Palestrina
composer. of classical music) at the Council
of Trent
Goldberg Variations Initial aria followed by 30
variations
Well-Tempered Clavier Each book contains 24 pairs of
Books 1 and 2 preludes and fugues, 1 for every
major and minor key (12 keys in
the scale)
German Baroque
Brandenburg Concertos Dedicated to the Margrave of
composer. Lots of
Brandenburg (German town)
sons (some of
J.S. Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Written for organ
whom, like CPE
Minor
Bach, became
The Musical Offering Dedicated to Frederick the Great
composers)
The Art of Fugue
Many cantatas such as
“Coffee Cantata”
Prelude in C Major
adapted into Charles
Gounod’s “Ave Maria”
The Four Seasons Accompanied by sonnets
describing sleeping drunkards,
Italian Baroque barking shepard’s dog, and a
Vivaldi
composer thunderstorm
The Contest Between 12 violin concertos including the
Harmony and Invention 4 for “The Four Seasons.”
Messiah An oratorio. Contains the
“Hallelujah” chorus. Also a
chorus that repeats “and he shall
reign for ever and ever.” Also
aria “I know that my Redeemer
liveth”
German-born The Cuckoo and the
Handel English Baroque Nightingale
composer. Water Music Includes an “alla hornpipe”
dance (hornpipe is a dance).
Premiered on a barge in the river
Thames
Music for the Royal
Fireworks
Zadok the Priest
Johann Canon in D Cello plays the same 8-note
Pachelbel bassline throughout the piece
 Italian Baroque. Wrote 555 Keyboard Since piano wasn’t invented, it
Domenico Father is Alessandro Sonatas was played mostly by
Scarlatti Scarlatti (lesser harpsichord
known composer).
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik “A little night music.”
Requiem in D Minor He died before he finished it.
Completed by Franz Sussmayr.
Contains a “Lacrimosa” section.
Has a “dies irae” section [but a
lot of works quote Dies Irae
themes]
The Magic Flute opera The Queen of the Night has a
coloratura section (that super
high pitch vocal theme)
Wolfgang Austrian classical The Marriage of Figaro
Amadeus composer. Was a opera
Mozart child prodigy Don Giovanni opera
Cosi fan tutte opera
“Jupiter” Symphony No. His last symphony
41
“Little” and “Great” G
Minor Symphonies
Rondo alla Turca Imitates Ottoman janissary
bands. Part of his 11th piano
sonata
Coronation Piano
Concerto
5th Symphony “Fate” theme of “short-short-
short-long”
9th symphony “Choral” Contains chorus singing “Ode to
Joy” by Friedrich Schiller
“Eroica” symphony No. 3
“Pastoral” symphony No. 4th movement “Thunderstorm”
6 interrupts the 3rd movement
“Merry Gathering of Country
German classical Folk”
Ludwig van
composer. Became Emperor piano concerto
Beethoven
deaf later in his life no. 5
Grosse Fuge string Single movement string quartet
quartet
Moonlight Piano Sonata Inspired by reflection of Lake
Lucerne
Waldstein piano sonata
Hammerklavier piano
sonata
Pathetique piano sonata
Franz Joseph Austrian classical Surprise symphony Part of his London Symphonies.
 Has a theme of soft notes “C-C-E-
E-G-G-E” then a sudden
fortissimo G chord.
composer. Regarded
Farewell symphony Part of his London Symphonies.
as the father of the
Players gradually leave the stage
string quartet and
while blowing out candles
Haydn the symphony.
Drumroll symphony
Wrote 106
“Emperor” string quartet Among 6 quartets dedicated to
symphonies and 68
Count Erdody
string quartets
“The Joke” string quartet
The Creation An oratorio. Sudden C major
fortissimo on the word “Light”
A German Requiem Quoted the Luther bible
A famous lullaby
Academic Festival Composed upon receiving an
Overture honorary degree from the
German composer.
Johannes University of Breslau. Contrasts
Friend of the
Brahms his “Tragic Overture”
Schumann couple.
Symphony No. 1 Nicknamed “Beethoven’s Tenth”
because he has a similar style to
Beethoven
Hungarian Dances No. 5 is most famous.
Viennese composer. On the Beautiful Blue
Nickanmed “Waltz Danube waltz
King.” Die Fledermaus operetta “The Bat.” Dr. Falke “the bat”
Johann Father is Johann gets revenge on Eisenstein.
Strauss II (Jr.) Strauss Sr. (Johann Tales of Vienna Woods
Strauss Sr. Tritsch-Tratsch polka
composed the Pizzicato Polka Played without bows
Radetzky March)
Also Sprach Zarathustra Tone poem. Contains “Sunrise”
movement used in “2001: A
Space Odyssey” film
German late
Alpine Symphony
Richard Romantic
Salome opera Salome is a women who removes
Strauss Composer. Wrote a
7 veils in the “Dance of the Seven
few tone poems
Veils” until she is naked to
convince King Herod to give her
the head of John the Baptist
Robert German composer. Carnaval Contains A-S-C-H theme.
Schumann Married Clara Wieck Contains 2 movements
(another pianist and embodying the “Florestan” and
composer). “Eusebius” aspects of his
Critiqued music personality
under the Kinderszenen (Scenes Contains “Traumerei”
pseudonyms from Childhood)
Florestan and “Spring” symphony No. 1
 “Rhenish” symphony No. Named after a river (Rhine) he
3 later tried to commit suicide in
Eusebius after he went insane. Contains a
“cathedral” 4th movement
German Pianist.
Married Robert
Schumann.
Clara Wieck
Popularized
performing from
memory
Etudes include Revolutionary etude inspired by
“Revolutionary,” November Uprising
“Winter,” “Ocean,” and
“Octave”
Waltzes include “Minute Minute waltz allegedly inspired
Waltz” by dog chasing its tail.
Preludes include
“Raindrop”
Probably the only
composer you need to
Frederic Polish virtuoso
know who wrote
Chopin pianist
Mazurkas.
Fantasie-Impromptu
Piano sonata No. 2 Has a “Funeral March” 3rd
movement
Other works: wrote a set
of 4 ballades, lots of
nocturnes (inspired by
John Field, who
pioneered nocturnes),
and some polonaises
3 Liebestraume
Mephisto Waltzes
Hungarian Romantic 12 Transcendental
composer. Had a Etudes
Franz Liszt “LIsztomania” 19 Hungarian Rhapsodies No. 2 is most famous. Consists of
among fans of his a slow “lassan” section and fast
time “friska”
“La Campanella” etude Based off of a Paganini violin
concerto rondo
Franz Austrian composer. Many Lieders (German Including the “Die Winterreise”
Schubert songs) cycle, “Gretchen at the Spinning
Wheel,” and “Der Erlkonig”
(based on a Goethe poem where
a father and child ride on a horse
to flee the Erlkonig monster)
Unfinished 8th Symphony Ending could potentially be
 based on his incidental music for
“Rosamunde”
Has “Little” and “Great” C
Major symphonies
Trout Quintet 4th movement based off of
variations of his own “Die
Forelle” lieder
“Death and the Maiden”
String quartet no. 14
Italian violin 24 Caprices
virtuoso. People Lots of works based off of Liszt’s 6 “Grand Etudes,”
Paganini thought he made a his stuff including his La Campanella.
deal with the devil Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a
for his insane skills Theme of Paganini”
Symphonie Fantastique Uses a clarinet “idee fixe” motif.
Contains movements like “March
to the Scaffold.” Uses a Dies Irae
theme to depict Witches
Sabbath.
Supposedly written under the
Hector Berlioz French composer
influence of opium
Harold in Italy Symphony with a viola solo
section. Dedicated to Paganini,
but he didn’t like it because it
had too many breaks/waits for
viola
Hebrides Overture Inspired by visit to Fingal’s Cave
in Scotland
Songs Without Words Includes some Venetian boat
songs
St. Matthew Passion Began revival of Bach’s music
Incidental music to “A Includes a “Wedding March”
Midsummer Night’s
Felix Early Romantic
Dream”
Mendelssohn German composer
“Reformation” 5th Referenced Martin Luther’s
symphony hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our
God”
Scottish Symphony No. 3 Also inspired by Fingal’s Cave
visit
Italian Symphony Includes saltarello and tarantella
themes
Peer Gynt suite Includes “In the Hall of the
Mountain King” and “Morning
Norwegian Mood”
Edvard Grieg
composer Lyric Pieces Includes “Arietta” and “Wedding
Day at Troldhaugen”
Holberg Suite
 Carnival of the Animals Contains “Fossils” (represented
by xylophone), “Aquarium”
Camille Saint- (involves glass harmonica), and
French composer
Saens “The Swan” (Yo-Yo Ma plays a
nice cello solo of this)
Danse Macabre
Titan Symphony No. 1 Contains a funeral march based
on a canon form of “Frere
Jacques”
Symphony of a Thousand Added a chorus to the
Austrian late
(Symphony No. 8) symphony. First half is based on
Gustav Mahler Romantic composer.
hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus.” 2nd
Married Alma
half based on setting of Goethe’s
“Faust”
“Resurrection” 4th movement “Urlicht”
Symphony No. 2
The Planets A suite with movements for all
the plants (e.g. Mars, Bringer of
War, Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity,
Gustav Holst English composer Neptune, the Mystic). A tune
from Jupiter is used in the British
patriotic hymn “I Vow to Thee,
My Country”
La Mer
Clair de Lune Part of “Suite Bergamasque,”
which is inspired by Paul Verlaine
French poetry
Debussy Impressionist Prelude to the Afternoon Based on a Stephane Mallarme
composer of a Fawn poem. I associate this with flutes
Children’s Corner Includes “Doctor Gradus ad
Parnassum” and “Goliwog’s
Cakewalk”
French Bolero Bolero is a Spanish dance form.
Impressionist The piece repeats the same
composer. theme but louder and louder
Ravel Orchestrated Le Tombeau de Couperin
Mussorgsky’s Gaspard de la Nuit
Pictures at an Pavane for a Dead
Exhibition Princess
Satie French modernist 3 Gymnopedies Evoke Greek athletes exercising
composer 6 Gnossiennes
3 Pieces in the Shape of a
Pear
Vexations Consists of a series of
enharmonic chords to be
repeated 840 times
4 Ogives
 Desiccated Embryos Depicts crustaceans and sea
cucumbers
Leningrad Symphony No. Has “invasion theme” with a 22-
7 bar snare drum ostinato
Lady Macbeth of the Criticized by the “Pravda” Soviet
Soviet composer. Mtsensk District publication as “muddle instead
Shostakovich Has a signature of music”
“DSCH” motif Jazz Waltz No. 2
Symphony No. 5 “A Soviet Artist’s Response to
Just Criticism” (criticism being of
his Lady Macbeth)
Romeo and Juliet Includes “Dance of the Knights”
The Love for Three
Oranges
Peter and the Wolf Watch the Vancouver Orchestra
th
20 Century Russian youtube video; different
Prokofiev
composer characters represented by
different instruments
“Classical” Symphony No. Composed in the style of Haydn
1
Lieutenant Kije suite
The Rite of Spring Caused a riot during its Paris
debut in 1913. Supposedly,
Camille Saint-Saens stormed out
of the premiere.
Opens with a high bassoon solo
that disturbed a lot of listeners at
the time; that opening act is
“Adoration of the Earth.”
Stravinsky Russian composer Nijinsky directed the ballet
choreography.
Firebird Written for Sergei Diaghilev’s
Ballet Russes company. The
Firebird puts the evil Koschei the
Immortal to sleep in “Infernal
Dance”
Petrushka
Symphony of Pslams
Tchaikovsky Russian composer The Nutcracker Contains “Dance of the Sugar
Plum Fairy” and “The Waltz of
the Flowers”
Clara is gifted the Nutcracker
The toy maker Drosselmeyer and
the evil Mouse King appear in
this ballet
Contains various dances from
around the world. E.g. Arabian
 Dance
“Pathetique” Symphony Contains a five-four “limping”
No. 6 waltz. His last symphony (before
suicide)
“Manfred” Symphony
(unnumbered, but
between 4th and 5th)
1812 Overture Quotes “La Marseillaise” French
national anthem and depicts a
failed invasion of Russia by
Napoleon. Uses cannons as an
instrument
Swan Lake The sorcerer von Rothbart tries
to separate Prince Siegfried from
Odette. Odette becomes a swan
and Siegfried is tricked into
marrying Odile, von Rothbart’s
daughter
Greensleeves Based off of the folk song
supposedly written for Anne
Boleyn (a wife of King Henry VIII)
Ralph The Lark Ascending Based on a George Meredith
Vaughan British composer poem
Williams Fantasia on a Theme by
Thomas Tallis
A Sea Symphony
Sinfonia Antarctica
Young Person’s Guide to Contains variations on a theme
the Orchestra from Henry Purcell’s Abdelazer
Benjamin
British composer War Requiem Includes several Wilfred Owen
Britten
poems
Peter Grimes opera Contains 4 Sea Interludes
Pictures at an Exhibition Has an opening Promenade and
Russian composer; ends with “The Great Gate of
Modest
part of the Mighty Kiev.” Contains “The Old Castle”
Mussorgsky
Five in Russia Night on Bald Mountain
Boris Godunov opera
20th century French The Sorcerer’s Used in the Disney movie
Paul Dukas
composer Apprentice “Fantasia”
Sergei Rhapsody on a Theme
Russian composer
Rachmaninoff from Paganini
John Cage 20th century 4’33” 4 minutes 33 seconds of pianist
American minimalist just sitting at piano. Premiered
composer. by David Tudor
Frequently used a As Slow as Possible Uses a special organ. The piece is
“prepared” piano played for 639 years
using rubber bands Imaginary Landscape No. Uses 12 differently tuned radios
 4
and screws. Used
the I Ching to inspire
Rhapsody in Blue Begins with clarinet glissando.
Commissioned by Paul
American composer.
George Whiteman. Inspired while on a
His brother is Ira
Gershwin train ride to Boston
Gershwin
An American in Paris Uses taxi horns
Porgy and Bess Ella Fitzgerald sung for it
American composer. Stars and Stripes Forever
Wrote lots of Semper Fidelis
John Philip military marches.
Sousa Also names the
sousaphone brass
instrument.
Aram Gayane Ballet containing a “Sabre
Armenian Composer
Khachaturian Dance.”
Appalachian Spring ballet Choreographed by Martha
Graham. Consists of 5 variations
on a Shaker hymn. Includes
“Simple Gifts”
Rodeo ballet Contains a “Hoe-Down” section
Aaron Copland American composer
Billy the Kid
Fanfare for the Common
Man
Lincoln Portrait Excerpts from the Gettysburg
Address
20th century Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
Bela Bartok Hungarian opera
composer Concerto for Orchestra
Violin Concerto Described as “polonaise for polar
bears”
Finlandia National anthem for Finland;
Finnish composer
Jean Sibelius protested Russian censorship
(buzz on Finnish)
Lemminkainen Suite Contains “Swan of Tuonela;” the
swan is depicted swimming by
English horns
Austrian composer. Transfigured Night A string sextet.
Part of the Second Pierrot Lunaire A 21-song cycle based on Albert
Viennese School. Giraud poems. Uses
Arnold
Pioneered atonal Sprechstimme
Schoenberg
music and invented
the twelve-tone
technique
Antonin Czech composer New World Symphony Written during a trip to Spillville,
Dvorak Iowa. Has a flute melody
resembling the spiritual “Swing
 Low, Sweet Chariot.” An English
horn solo was adapted into the
song “Goin’ Home”

Quick concepts: [honestly not important except tempo, SATB, and Gregorian chant]
Gregorian Monophonic chants named after Pope Gregory. Essentially, they are the music that
Chants came before more complex music during the Baroque period.
A series of notes that typically come from the same scale and thus form a harmony.
Chords and
Inversions is a chord but played from not the bottom note, such as the 2 nd or some
Inversions
other note.
A 2nd is 2 adjacent notes (C and D), 3rd is 2 notes separated by one (C and E), and so
on. An octave is an 8th and is the same note in a different register (Middle C and the
next C above or below).
Intervals
Some intervals have major or minor, with the major interval being a half-step
greater interval. Some intervals have “augmented” or “diminished,” which indicate 1
greater or less half-step than the normal interval
Accelerando means play faster, ritardando means slow down. Rubato means play
Tempo freely with the tempo. Largo, andante, and antantino are slow tempos; Allegretto,
allegro, and vivace are fast
Forte is loud, piano is soft. Crescendo is get louder, diminuendo/decrescendo is get
Dynamics
softer
Every key (e.g. C, C-sharp) has a major or minor key. Minor keys are a minor 3 rd
Scales below their relative major key, which has the same key signature (e.g. A minor is
relative minor of C major)
7 modes for every scale. Ionian is normal scale, Dorian starts the scale from the 2 nd
Scale Modes note instead of first, Phrygian starts from 3 rd, Lydian from 4th, Mixolydian from 5th,
Aeolian from 6th, and Locrian from 7th.
Traditionally, there are 4 vocal pitch levels: Soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, with
SATB
soprano being highest.
Solfege Do, re, mi, fa…

Opera: (people who write the script/actions for opera singers are called librettists and they write
librettos)
Nixon in China Includes a performance of “The
Red Detachment of Women.”
Nixon flies on The Spirit of ’76 to
meet Mao Zedong
John Coolidge American minimalist Doctor Atomic
Adams composer On the Transmigration of Honors the victims of 9/11
Souls
The Death of Klinghoffer
Short Ride in a Fast
Machine
Verdi Italian composer Aida Title Ethiopian princess sings “O
patria mia.” The Egyptian
commander Radames loves Aida.
 Il Trovatore
Rigoletto Rigoletto is a jester. Includes “La
Donna Mobile”
La Traviata
Claudio Early Italian L’Orfeo Eurydice fails to return from the
Monteverdi composer underworld
Turandot Has the aria “Nessun Dorma”
(None shall sleep) popularized by
Luciano Pavarotti, one of the
Three Tenors.
Prince Calaf completes 3 riddles
to marry the title Chinese
princess.
Puccini Italian composer
Madame Butterfly Has a humming theme.
Lieutenant Pinkerton is a naval
officer who deserts Cio-Cio San
after marrying her in Japan

Tosca Includes “Vissi d’arte

La Boheme
William Tell Includes a famous galop in its
overture
The Barber of Seville The title character Figaro enters
in the aria “Largo al factotum”
Rossini Italian opera writer.
where he repeatedly sings his
name. Figaro assists Count
Almaviva in marrying Rosina
The Thieving Magpie
Ring Cycle Contains “Liebestod” and “Ride
of the Valkyries.” Ends with
Richard German opera “Gotterdamerung
Wagner writer Tristan and Isolde
Lohengrin Contains a “Bridal Chorus”
Tannhauser
Carmen “Habanera” begins with “love is a
rebellious bird;” sung by Carmen.
“Toreador Song” is sung by
French Romantic
Bizet Escamillo, who confesses his love
composer
for Carmen, who is then stabbed
by Don Jose
The Pearl Fishers
French Romantic Lakme “Flower Duet” sung by 2 women
Leo Delibes
composer as they pick flowers by a river.
Philip Glass American minimalist Einstein on the Beach Divided into 5 parts by “knee
composer plays.” Part of the “Portrait
Trilogy”
Satyagraha Includes use of Sanskrit. Based
 on Mahatma Gandhi’s life

Jazz:
Birth of the Cool
Trumpeter.
Kind of Blue album Includes “So What”
Miles Davis Collaborated with
Sketches of Spain
Gil Evans
Freddie Freeloader
Saxophonist. Playing Giant Steps album Includes “Naima”
described as “sheets A Love Supreme
of sound.” My Favorite Things
John Coltrane
Developed the
“Coltrane changes”
chord changes
Pianist. Bandleader Take the A Train
at the Cotton Club. Mood Indigo
Duke Ellington
Played with Billy It Don’t Mean a Thing (If
Strayhorn It Ain’t Got That Swing)
Saxophonist who Ornithology
created bebop Ko-Ko Inspired by Ray Noble’s
(along with Dizzy “Cherokee”
Charlie “Bird” Gillespie). On the Blues for Alice
Parker album “Jazz at
Massey Hall” and
“Charlie Parker with
Strings”
African American Maple Leaf Rag
Scott Joplin composer. “King of The Entertainer
Ragtime”
Vocalist. Good at Covered Gershwin’s
Ella Fitzgerald
scat singing “Porgy and Bess”
Louis
Trumpeter
Armstrong
Art Tatum Pianist
Dizzy Gillespie Trumpeter
Wynton
Trumpeter
Marsalis