Sounding Lit er a ture: Orchestral Program
Music by Mendelssohn and Grieg
CHAPTERfi42
3. written in Mendelssohn’s teens
4. sonata- allegro form
a. introduction: the realm of the fairies
b. exposition:
i. theme 1: dance of the fairies
ii. transitional theme: the royal court at Athens
iii. theme 2: the young lovers
iv. theme 3: the clowns’ dance
v. closing theme: the royal hunting party
5. 1842: incidental music for the play, included
“Wedding March”
C. LG 33: Mendelssohn: Overture to A Midsummer
Night’s Dream (1826, incidental music 1842)
1. fast duple meter; sonata- allegro form
2. “once upon a time” atmosphere
3. introduction: four prolonged chords, woodwinds,
horns
4. exposition:
a. theme 1: soft scurrying theme in violins,
minor key
b. transition: energetic
c. theme 2: lyrical, singing melody
d. theme 3: fortissimo, energetic rhythm, wide
leaps
e. closing theme: fanfare- like, brass
5. development: theme 1 developed
6. recapitulation: restates themes
7. extended coda: four closing chords, quiet
farewell
III. Musical Nationalism
A. Nationalism: pride of conquering nations, strug gle
for freedom
B. Po liti cal unrest in Eu rope stimulated nationalism
1. music based on folk songs and dances
2. dramatic works on folklore, peasant life
OUTLINE
I. Va ri e ties of Orchestral Program Music
A. Concert overture: single- movement concert piece
for orchestra
1. outgrowth of opera overture, evokes idea or place
2. usually retains traditional Classical forms
B. Incidental music: overture and pieces between acts
of a play
1. music enhances spoken drama
2. sometimes arranged into suites
3. influential in development of film music
C. Symphonic poem (tone poem): one- movement
orchestral work
1. created by Franz Liszt
2. freer structure, flexibility
3. contrasting sections: suggest poetic idea, scenes,
mood
4. most widely used second half of century
II. A Concert Overture by Felix Mendelssohn
A. Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
1. German pianist, conductor, educator, composer
2. grand son of Moses Mendelssohn, famous Jewish
phi los o pher
3. spurred revival of J. S. Bach’s choral music
4. founded Conservatory of Leipzig
5. composed with speed and fa cil i ty
6. preserved tradition of Classical- era forms
7. 1847, sister Fanny died suddenly, he died six
months later
8. output: orchestral works, dramatic music, choral
works, chamber music, keyboard music
B. Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1. concert overture, based on Shakespeare’s comedy
2. descriptive of characters and plot
OVERVIEW
Coverage of program music of the nineteenth century con-
tinues in this chapter, which focuses on the subgenres of the
symphonic poem, the concert overture, and incidental music.
Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream provides an
example of the impor tant links between lit er a ture and music,
and Grieg’s incidental music to Peer Gynt is explored for its
Norwegian nationalist content.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. To understand the symphonic poem, the concert over–
ture, and incidental music as the most impor tant genres
of Romantic instrumental program music
2. To understand the ways in which composers used works
of lit er a ture as inspiration for programmatic orchestral
works
LECTURE SUGGESTIONS
1. Review Chopin’s Polonaise from Chapter39, asking the
class to reevaluate how this piece suggests Polish iden-
tity (folk dance, rhythmic emphasis, modality). Next,
play for your class brief excerpts from a variety of nation–
Mendelssohn’s incidental music for A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, and Smetana’s Moldau. Emphasize the standard
forms in the first two genres (e.g., the march form of the
opening theme from La gazza ladra and the “Wedding
March” from A Midsummer Night’s Dream), and the
unique, single- movement design of the symphonic poem.
Ask students which of the three formal designs they think
best characterizes the Romantic spirit, and why.
3. symphonic poems, operas: celebrate national
hero, historic event, scenic beauty
4. love of homeland: power ful symbolism
C. Schools of musical nationalism
1. England: Elgar, Vaughan Williams
2. Scandinavia: Grieg, Sibelius
3. Spain: Albéniz, de Falla
4. Czech Republic: Smetana, Dvořák
5. Rus sia: “The Mighty Five,” Borodin, Mussorg–
sky, Rimsky– Korsakov; Tchaikovsky
IV. A Scandinavian Nationalist: Edvard Grieg
A. Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
1. Norwegian composer, pianist; international figure
2. studied in Leipzig: influenced by Mendelssohn
and Schumann
3. promoted Scandinavian music
4. style: smaller– scale works, lyricism, nationalistic
use of folk music and dances
5. output: orchestral works, piano music, chamber
c. Morning Mood:
i. atmospheric depiction of sunrise
d. In the Hall of the Mountain King:
i. conceived as grotesque ballet music
ii. wild troll daughters of the Mountain King
taunt Peer
2. In the Hall of the Mountain King
a. minor mode insistent theme: repeated six
times, coda
b. duple- meter march, staccato notes, offbeat
accents
c. huge crescendo and accelerando, dramatic
ending
Sounding Lit er a ture: Orchestral Program Music by Mendelssohn and Grieg | 173
Century Norway”) provides background on Grieg’s relationship
with the folk music of Norway within the larger context of Nor–
discussion of the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the
context of Mendelssohn’s other concert overtures.
YOUR TURN TO EXPLORE
What kinds of musical repertories do you think best repre-
sent the communities with which you identify? Are those
MODEL RESPONSE
is songwriter Blind Lemon Jefferson, the so– called Father of
Texas Blues, who often relates his experience in Texas through
blues narratives that chronicle the towns, streets, neigh–
borhoods, and landmarks that make up the region. A good
who know these neighborhoods a sense of identity defined
by place and region. Not only does this create a bond among
ASSIGNMENT SUGGESTIONS
communicate the sentiment of nationalism? What are
some examples of music— with and without text— that
capture the spirit of American nationalism? In the musi–
cal examples without text, which musical gestures give
the impression of “Americanness”? Why?
3. In Morning Mood from Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Grieg
depicts a sunrise breaking through clouds to invoke a
TEACHING CHALLENGES
Students may not be familiar with specific plot and charac-
SUPPLEMENTAL REPERTORY
SUPPLEMENTAL BIBLIOGRAPHY