Music Intensive – Winter 2013

Program Music and Absolute Music

Consider the following question. Keep in mind the definition of program music (an instrumental composition inspired by a non-musical idea or image or experience) and that of absolute music (an instrumental composition that is free of non-musical elements). Remember: these are instrumental compositions.

For a Baroque example of program music, listen to the first movement of the first concerto (“Spring”) from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. For a Baroque example of absolute music, listen to the first movement of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #3. They have the same form (ritornello), but one is inspired by the natural world and the other – while still inspired and inspiring – is not (for example) mimicking the sound of birds.

Question: Beethoven’s 5^th is an example of absolute music. His 6^th, as you have read in the Beethoven book, represents a step much closer to program music. Go back to the Beethoven book (pp. 217-230) and review the statements about these two symphonies. For the first section of your essay, discuss the ways in which these two symphonies represent points on a continuum. Refer to mode, timbre, instrumentation, and repetitive thematic material (both melodic and rhythmic). In the second section of the essay, turn your attention to the Symphony Fantastique (Berlioz). Describe the ways in which this is an example of program music, referring to the same issues that you discussed regarding the Beethoven materials. Finally, compare and contrast what you have come to understand about these two composers and their works.

Note: Once you have written down your ideas, go back over the essay and consider its organization. Make sure that it makes sense to you, and that it falls into a specific order of paragraphs instead of skipping back and forth. Each paragraph is a complete work of art that should nonetheless stay within five to seven sentences, and make sure that your paragraphs are connected. Does it have a beginning, middle, and end? When you come to the ending, is there something you really wanted to say but didn’t? Do you have an introduction and a conclusion?

Remember that structural organization is one of your very best and most effective tools in achieving strong writing skills, and be sure that your introduction reflects what you will be discussing in the essay. The conclusion should be summative rather than presenting new information, and it should tie back to the introduction.

Essay must be:

1. Typed – minimum of four pages
2. Name and date must appear in upper right hand corner
3. Pages should be numbered and stapled
4. Essay is due at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, January 28, 2013. Hard copy and ON TIME, please.