CHAPTER 30 The Ultimate Instrument: Haydn and the Symphony
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The Classical symphony had its roots in the
a. concerto. c. opera overture.
b. sonata. d. ballet.
2. How many movements are typical of pre-Classical symphonies?
a. two c. four
b. three d. eight
3. Quick crescendos and the four-movement cycle for symphonies were developed in
a. Italy. c. England.
b. France. d. Germany.
4. The early Classical symphony is characterized by quickly ascending themes with a strong rhythmic drive. These are known as
________ themes.
a. steamroller c. rocket
b. torpedo d. operatic
5. Which group of instruments was the nucleus of the Classical orchestra?
a. woodwinds c. brass
b. strings d. percussion
6. The typical Classical orchestra consisted of ________ players.
a. ten to fifteen c. forty to sixty
b. thirty to forty d. seventy to ninety
7. How many symphonies did Haydn compose?
a. nine c. forty-one
b. fifteen d. over one hundred
8. How many movements make up a typical Haydn symphony?
a. three c. five
b. four d. over six
9. The nickname “father of the symphony” was earned by
a. Mozart. c. Beethoven.
b. Haydn. d. Bach.
10. Haydn composed ________ symphonies for his visits to London.
a. one c. nine
b. six d. twelve
11. Haydn composed the Surprise Symphony for one of his visits to
a. Vienna. c. Prague.
b. Paris. d. London.
12. How did Haydn’s Surprise Symphony earn its nickname?
a. It was discovered after Haydn’s death.
b. It includes a sudden fortissimo crashing chord in the slow movement.
c. It was written as a surprise present for the king of England.
d. Haydn didn’t often write symphonies, so this work came as a surprise to his patron.
13. What is the form of the second movement of Haydn’s Surprise Symphony?
a. sonata-allegro c. A-B-A
b. theme and variations d. rondo
14. An ensemble of the four instrumental families is called a(n)
a. orchestra. c. wind ensemble.
b. band. d. concert band.
15. Which group of instruments provided varying colors and often doubled the strings of the Classical orchestra?
a. woodwinds c. brass
b. French horns d. percussion
16. Which group of instruments sustained the harmonies and contributed body to the sound of the Classical orchestra?
a. woodwinds c. brass
b. strings d. percussion
17. Which is usually the slow movement of the multimovement cycle?
a. first c. third
b. second d. fourth
18. What is the typical tempo for the second movement of a multimovement work?
a. Allegro c. Andante
b. Presto d. Grave
19. Which of the following is a common characteristic of the second movement of a multimovement cycle?
a. a slow introduction c. dance rhythms
b. lyrical, songful melodies d. All answers shown here.
20. Which of the following compositional techniques does theme and variation form often utilize?
a. melodic variation c. rhythmic variation
b. harmonic variation d. All answers shown here.
21. What was Haydn’s nickname?
a. “father of the string quartet” c. “the toast of Vienna”
b. “father of the symphony” d. “the darling of London”
22. Why did Haydn include a loud chord in the slow movement of the Surprise Symphony?
a. to startle a dozing audience c. to wake up the sleeping musicians
b. to scare the audience d. All of the answers shown here.
23. Why is Haydn considered the “father of the symphony?”
a. He wrote over one hundred symphonies.
b. He established the four-movement structure.
c. He wrote over one hundred symphonies and established the four-movement structure.
d. He wrote twelve works known as the London Symphonies.
24. The early Classical symphony is characterized by drawn-out crescendos, sometimes referred to as a
a. steamroller effect. c. rocket theme.
b. torpedo. d. sonic boom.
25. The symphony had its roots in the ________ opera overture.
a. Italian c. French
b. German d. English
1. The orchestra came to be viewed as the “ultimate instrument” during the Classical era.
2. The Classical symphony had its origins in the Baroque concerto.
3. The establishment of a four-movement cycle for the symphony is generally credited to the London school of composers.
4. The terms rocket theme and steamroller were applied to early symphonies from Germany.
5. Haydn died shortly after writing his ninth symphony.
6. The late symphonies of Haydn abound in expressive effects.
7. The second movement of Haydn’s Surprise Symphony contains few dynamic contrasts.
8. The basic rule of theme and variations form is that the theme is clearly stated at the outset of the movement.
9. The theme for theme and variations form is typically simple in character to allow room for elaboration.
10. There are fifteen works included in Haydn’s so-called London Symphonies.
11. The second movement of Haydn’s Surprise Symphony is a rondo.
12. Haydn was known as the “father of the symphony” because he wrote over one hundred symphonies.
13. Haydn established the four-movement structure of the symphony.
14. Haydn contributed only a few works to the symphonic genre.
15. The slow movement of the Surprise Symphony includes a loud crashing chord.
16. The heart of the Classical orchestra is the woodwinds.
17. In the 1700s, the orchestra numbered from fifty to seventy-five players.
ESSAY
1. Describe the development and structure of the Classical symphony.
2. Why is Haydn considered to be the “father of the symphony”?
3. What are some of the techniques used by composers to vary a theme for a theme and variations movement?
4. Describe the innovations of the early German symphonists.