In this blog I am going to be going into detail about the listening examples that we took on our second examination. I’ll be talking about the three that I think would would be best suited to be included on the exam. The basis that I use to qualify and “exam listening example” is based on the composer, the ensemble, and the date of composition.
The first piece that would do well on the exam is the “Haydn Symphony No. 45 in F sharp Minor (“Farewell”), Hob. I:45 (1772)”This piece is the culmination of an interesting bit of history. Haydn’s patron at the time, Prince Nikolaus I Esterhazy, had been keeping his musicians at his summer palace in Hungary. The stay for the musicians had been longer than intended, and the they appealed to Haydn(the Kappelmeister) for help as they wanted to return home. The end of this piece has the musicians leaving the stage as their part ends signifying the “farewell”. The message was received by the prince and the musicians were released to go home. Beyond this the symphony is one of the sole pieces from that time period is in the key of F# minor. Musically, this piece is a good example of Sturm and Drang. The cadences in the minuet is made very weak, creating a sense of incompleteness.
The second example I would include is “Mozart Idomeneo, K. 366 (1781), Overture and Act I, Scene 1″ This opera is an Italian opera seria and it draws from a french influence. This is also Mozarts’ first mature opera and with it; He demonstrated a mastery of orchestral color, accompanied recitatives, and a melodic line.
The third example for the exam I would utilize is “Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824) Violin Concerto No. 22 in A Minor” exam-wise I think it fits well because it gives the most amount of variety. In this movement the performer has a lot of musical lines that are cadenzas. The virtuosic piece shows a good example of standard solo violin rep of that time period.
William Joiner's Music World 