Listening Examples – Western Art Music
Certain characteristics in a piece of music allow it to be classified within a genre. Very often, a piece will fit into several categories or genres and it is important to remember that there are always exceptions and pieces/composers that push the boundaries.
Art music is most easily categorised by period, based on its date of composition. Over time, there have been significant shifts in the characteristics of music and it is generally accepted that most Western Art music fits into the following periods…
Genre | Description | Piece | Composer | Listen Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Medieval 1000-1450 |
– Dance music had a strong pulse, while in Gregorian chant, it was less defined – Use of modes – usually stepwise movement in melody and small range – parallel harmonies used – little dynamic variation – strophic form was common (using the same music for each verse) – voice, percussion, strings, brass and reed instruments were used |
Dame mon cuer en vous remaint |
Guillaume de Machaut |
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O frondens virga |
Hildegard von Bingen |
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Messe du Jour de Noël |
Léonin |
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Pascha nostrum immolatus |
Perotin |
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O virtus Sapientiae |
Hildegard von Bingen |
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Renaissance 1450-1600
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– rhythm was generally free from metrical accents with long, flowing phrases – Use of modes but a big shift towards use of 3rds and 6ths as consonant harmony – use of imitation in melody – little dynamic variation – instruments include lutes, recorder, brass, viols and voice – use of repeated bass lines – polyphonic texture, use of 4 or more parts or voices |
As Vesta Was from Latmos Hill Descending |
Thomas Weelkes |
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Missa Pangue Lingua “Gloria” |
Josquin |
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Solo e peusoso |
Marenzio |
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Magnificat Tertii Toni “Gloria” |
G. P. Palestrina |
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April is in my Mistress’ Face |
Thomas Morley |
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Baroque 1600-1750 |
– strong pulse and unity in rhythm of different parts – Major and minor keys emerge – Use of modulation – Use of imitation and motifs in melody – Clear sense of key, based on triads. Strong cadence points outline structures – Terraced dynamics (no gradual changes like crescendo/diminuendo) – Both homophonic and polyphonic texture are common – String orchestras with soloists are common, as is basso continuo |
Concerto No.1 in C Major, “La Cetra” |
Antonio Vivaldi |
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L’Orfeo – Toccata & Prologue |
Claudio Monteverdi |
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Canon in D |
Johann Pachelbel |
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Dido & Aeneas – When I am Laid in Earth (Dido’s Lament) |
Henry Purcell |
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Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in G Major (Allegro) |
Johann Sebastian Bach |
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Classical 1750-1820 |
– use of major and minor keys, as well as modulation – symmetrical phrasing was a feature – homophonic texture was most common – less rhythmic unity of parts but still a strong sense of pulse – clear sense of key, based on triads. Strong cadence points outline structures – dynamic change was important. Crescendo/diminuendo was used – the modern orchestra began – piano and clarinet emerged. – exploration of various tone colours of the orchestra – sonata form emerged but the solo concerto was also common. |
Eine Kleine Nacht Music |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
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Trumpet Concerto in Eb (3rd Movt) |
Joseph Haydn |
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Piano Trio No.1 in Eb Major (Allegro) |
Ludwig van Beethoven |
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Symphony No.94 in G Major (Surprise Symphony) |
Joseph Haydn |
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Piano Sonata in A |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
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Romantic 1820-1900 |
– use of rubato, triplets and complex rhythms – chromaticism is common and remote modulation appears (modulating to a key with no common chords) – irregular phrase lengths in melodies – homophonic texture most common with thicker textures and more doubling of parts – more instruments added to the orchestra i.e harp, contra-bassoon, cor anglais – extreme dynamic changes – focus on tone colour to create atmosphere |
Symphony No.9 |
Gustav Mahler |
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Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 |
Franz Liszt |
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Dies Irae |
Giuseppe Verdi |
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La Cathedral Engloutie (The Sunken Cathedral) |
Claude Debussy |
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Symphony No.2 in D Major |
Johannes Brahms |
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Modern 1900-today |
– Complex, repetitive or absence of rhythm – modal, atonal, bitonal, microtonal – asymmetric in phrasing – use of ‘sound clusters’, dissonant harmonies and sparse textures – exploration of extreme dynamic changes and tone colours – exploration of instrumental capabilities |
Variations for Orchestra (1928) |
Arnold Schoenberg |
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4’33” (1952) |
John Cage |
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Poeme Electronique (1957) |
Edward Varese |
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Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima (1960) |
Krzysztof Penderecki |
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Prelude & Dragonfly Dance (1992) |
Ross Edwards |