An Outline of The History of Western Music Grout ... - The Reel Score

) mostly violin but also for cello, flute, or bassoon
3. Concerto Form
a) usual pattern of 3 movements - fast, slow, fast - with the slow movement in the
same key or a closely related one, with the final Allegro shorter and slightly faster
than the first
b) first composer to make the slow movement as important as the two Allegros - the
slow movements of the later concertos are especially forward looking
c) exhibiting many features of the early classical period
(1) balanced phrases
(2) frequent half cadences clarifying the structure
(3) trills, triplets, and cadences softened by appoggiaturas
C. Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)
1. Foremost French musician of the 18th century
2. First attracted attention as a theorist and only afterward as a composer - most of the
musical works for which he bacame famous were composed between his 50 & 56
year
3. Published his famous "Traité de l'harmonie" (Treatise on Harmony) in 1722
a) sought to derive the basic principles of harmony from the laws of acoustics
b) he not only clarified the musical practice of his time but also influenced music
theory for the next 200 years
c) he established the tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords as the pillars of
tonality - relating the other chords to these - formulating the hierarchies of
functional harmony
d) Rameau the composer constantly practiced the doctrine of Rameau the theorist -
that all melody is rooted in harmony - his harmony achieving dramatic force in
operatic monologues
4. in 1731 he was taken under the protection of Alexandre-Jean-Joseph Le Riche de la
Pouplinière (1693-1762) - the leading patron of music in France
a) maintained an orchestra of 14 players at his chateau in Passy near Paris
b) Rameau was his organist, conductor, and composer in residence
c) la Pouplinière helped Rameau make his name as an opera composer
5. Became embroiled in the "War of the Buffonists" - a quarrel between the French
Opera supporters and the Italian Opera supporters (led by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
(1712-1778)
D. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
1. Known as an organ virtuoso and writer of learned contrapuntal works in his own time
- it was only in the 19th century that his Passions, cantatas, and instrumental music
became known and greatly admired
2. He wrote primarily to fulfill the needs of the positions he held - his works can be
grouped accordingly
a) Arnstadt (1703-07), Mühlhausen (1707-08), Weimar (1708-17) employed to play
the organ - most of his compositions were for the organ
b) Cöthen (1717-23) - nothing to do with church music he composed mostly works for
harpsichord, clavichord, instrumental ensembles
c) Leipzig (1723-1750) - as Cantor of St. Thomas & Director of Music of Leipzig -
most of his cantatas and other church music with some of his most important