REVISION GUIDE FOR IB LISTENING EXAM – Nov 2014

REMEMBER:

SECTION A = SET WORKS “Yellow river” & “Classical Symphony”SECTION B = UNPREPARED PIECES…..(could be anything!!!)SECTION C = Higher Level Essay

SECTION A = SET WORKS

1) YELLOW RIVER – BASED ON THE RIVER CANTATA BY XIAN XINGHAI

2) CLASSICAL SYMPHONY – BY PROKOFIEV

You will primarily need to know about the HISTORY & ORIGINS, the INTENTIONS of the composer, the STRUCTURE &

INSTRUMENTATION and the MUSICAL EFFECTS, PROGRAMME MUSIC ASPECTS (images suggested by sound)

The Yellow River piece is far more about the use of sound to describe places and events (PICTURE MUSIC) and the Classical

Symphony is more about detailed structure and comparing music written in the same style. I would recommend choosing a question about the Yellow River if possible, as there will be less

detailed analysis and musical expertise required…..

ADVICE No. 1 – Listen to the pieces as you revise other subjects. Listen to them as often as you can. You will know them much better when

you sit the exam if you have heard the pieces 10 times each. This will also help you choose which question to answer in Section A

1) The Yellow River

IMPORTANCE: The ‘Yellow River’ concerto and the ‘Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto, are two internationally known Chinese works that combine Western music methods with Chinese source materials. *This is something you should not forget – The piece is a strange mixture of western classical music styles mixed with traditional Chinese folk music, some involvement of Chinese instruments and has been revised by various different composers/musicians

Instrumentation: The concerto is scored for a solo piano and orchestra of piccolo, dizi (Chinese flute), 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (in B-flat), 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, triangle, cymbals (suspended), harp, pipa (though not all editions of the score show this), and strings.

HISTORY & ORIGINS:

The piece was written by a collaboration of musicians and is based on the YELLOW RIVER CANTATA by Xian Xinghai. It is a PIANO CONCERTO first and foremost and a PIANO CONCERTO is a virtuosic piece of music in which a solo performer has the chance to show his or her skill on the instrument with the backing of an orchestra.*Other examples of concertos you can compare with to show historical knowledge would be: PAGANINI “Violin Concerto No. 5” composed in 1830 (Romantic Period)& CHOPIN “Piano Concerto No. 2” composed in 1830 (romantic Period)

The piece has political attributes and has been the subject of prohibition in China due to its historical and political significance.It was written during the war with Japan in the 1930’s and 1940’s and he used as his stimulus traditional folk melodies from Chinese Culture and the Yellow River itself as a symbol of power and defiance against the Japanese invaders.Later when China started to ban all western music and western-style compositions, this was banned from public performance. Although it has Chinese folk music as an influence, it is essentially a Western hemisphere piece of Classical Music similar to the music of the late Romantic Period.

Now comes a structural summary of the piece with important information to revise and learn.

Originally the Cantata was in 8 sections, but as different musicians revised the music, the piece finished up in the traditional western 4-movement structure.

1) Prelude: The Song of the Yellow River Boatman

"The Song of the Yellow River Boatmen" describes the momentum of the terrifying waves of the Yellow River and uses the rapid chromatic crescendo and long rolls of the timpani and cymbals to represent the crashing of the water.The opening of the piano is also a dramatic ‘up and down’ waterfall of notes. This virtuosic opening is typical of piano concertos and is a way of introducing the brilliance of the pianist.The next important point is the Chinese folk melody, which begins at 38 seconds and there is some ‘call and response’ ideas between piano and orchestra leading to a restatement of the folk melody at 1:00 at a faster speed.Chinese and oriental music is based on Pentatonic scales and the use of 4th and 5th intervals between notes. There is so much evidence of this in the opening section. These intervals give the music its Chinese sound.At. 1:50 you can clearly hear another waterfall/wave crashing descending pattern on the piano as the music reaches a climax.At 2:10 a new folk music melody appears and is played in unison on a flute and a traditional instrument before being repeated by the piano.The movement ends with a sudden dramatic section based on the opening melodies and the exact same ‘ups and downs’ on the piano as we heard at the beginning.

STRUCTURE: Rondo Form – This is a form in which melodies come and go and is repeated throughout the piece. IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: The piece suggests water, waves and waterfalls and is very dramatic. Could this piece represent the dangers and adventure of boatmen trying to cross the river?

2) Ode to the Yellow River

The original heroic solo melody of the "Ode to the Yellow River" is sung in praise of the history and presence of the Yellow River, signifying the cultural pride of the Chinese. This melody actually was the Chinese National Anthem for many years and has been classed as an Anti-Japan theme. It is very ‘late-Romantic’ Period in style with sweeping melodies and crescendos throughout. STRUCTURE: Almost no repeated material – just a linear melody that progresses along its course (like a river?)IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: As a theme that was once a National anthem it suggests pride and power. This is represented by the strong melody that increases in drama and volume through the movement.

3) The Wrath of the Yellow River

The longest movement so far (7 minutes) "The Wrath of the Yellow River ", which was originally sung by soprano solo, begins with a dizi solo accompanied by the piano. This is obviously inspired by the Jiangnan melody of the Butterfly

Lovers' Violin Concerto, but rewritten in a folk style. In the third movement, we hear different themes and it is unclear which is the main theme. This is mainly because this movement is constructed from 3 themes of the original Cantata. It is also very Romantic-Period in style, sweeping melodies with crescendos and slowing down/speeding up sections.At 3:35 it is interesting to hear the piano imitate the string instruments of China by repeating notes as fast as possible. This is another example of the folk influence of the music being applied to Western Classical Music.

STRUCTURE: Essentially ABA – (ABA means 1st idea/new ideas/1st idea again)IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: This is the least clear of the movements to ‘interpret’ or understand. It is called the WRATH OF THE YELLOW RIVER, yet it sounds essentially like the previous movement and is a very Romantic theme played by piano and orchestra and builds to a climax from start to finish. You might want to think about why the word WRATH is in the title and where the WRATH actually is in the music?

4) Defend the Yellow River

Various ‘experts’ disagree on the structure of this piece. Is it another Rondo form (repeated melodies) or is it Theme and Variation form? (Melodies repeated in different ways) Either answer is a good one, so let’s look at the title and first try to explain how the title of the piece is represented by music.

This movement contains the Socialist melody ‘East is Red’ – this melody is like a national anthem and obviously suggests socialism due to the color ‘Red’ in the title.

What is clear is that the melody keeps reappearing and each time slightly differently. This to me suggests Theme & Variation form.

Start to 0:48 seconds – Intro and presentation of ‘East is Red’ Melody

0:48 to 4:35 – 8 variations on the theme. (See analysis papers)

4:35 to end – ‘East is Red’ theme in climactic romantic style with piano accompanying. Sounds very ‘Rachmaninov’ (Russian Romantic)

STRUCTURE: Theme & variations

IMAGERY/SOUNDSCAPES: East is Red theme again, suggests national Pride, power and defiance. Combined with the techniques and power of late Romantic Period musical techniques it is an interesting pastiche of cultures and musical influences.

2) Prokofiev – “Classical Symphony”

IMPORTANCE:

This piece was written in 1916/1917 and belongs to the ‘Late-Romantic’ or ‘Nationalistic’ Period of music history (before 20th century ‘weirdness’ started) Despite being written at the beginning near the beginning of the 20th century, it is written in the style of a Symphony from the Classical Period (1750-1830) principally in the style of Haydn & Mozart.

The secret to answering question on this piece is to recognize which aspects of the piece are similar to symphonies written in the Classical Period, which aspects of the music are typical of Nationalistic/Socialist music which aspects are typical Prokofiev and which aspects are typical of 20th Century music. The piece is, after all a mixture of all of those aspects.

Here is an easy (as possible) to understand analysis of the piece…………

Even if you don’t understand everything written below and detailed analysis of these pieces is too difficult for you……Read through the notes and try to

remember as much as possible!

Each fact is marked with a * for easy studying

*It is scored for a classical period orchestra consisting of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings.

*Symphonies tend to have the meatiest material in the first movement, fleshed out in a dissertation sized development section, with the most impressive intellectual skills of the composer displayed. *The second movement is “slow” or rather lyrical and the length of it compared to the first movement can vary greatly. *The third is a dance in a 3-beat meter, such as minuet and eventually scherzo, and finally *The finale (4th movement) is quick, light, and shorter than the first movement.

*Compare the lengths of each movement with a very famous Symphony from the Classical Period – Joseph Haydn’s London Symphony No. 95:

Prokofiev Classical Symphony No.1

Movement 1: 4:28Movement 2: 3:58Movement 3: 1:35Movement 4: 4:24

Haydn ‘London’ Symphony No. 95

Movement 1: 6:28Movement 2: 4:17Movement 3: 4:58Movement 4: 3:43

*Although coming almost 130 years later, Prokofiev has actually shortened the lengths of the movements. Times were short in the Classical Period but compositions in the 20th Century were sometimes very short indeed, so here is a clear example of mixing old and new influences.

MOVEMENT 1*In the first section of movement 1, the key area shifts from D to C to D to B to E. That isn’t to say the key signature changes, but the thematic material is presented each time transposed into each of these keys. Although the theme is presented in a traditional ‘exposition’ format of the classical period, this rapid change of tonality is modern.

*Before each of these key changes, a single bar in 2/4 time is inserted. Time signature changes in the Classical Period were very rare indeed.

*Composers in the Classical period (especially Beethoven & Mozart) did a lot of development with very little material. They could make a short idea last for 10 minutes. Prokofiev also does this, possibly paying tribute to those composers.

This very short motif makes up most of a 5-minute movement!

Structure:

The structure of the 1st movement is SONATA FORM. This is very typical of the Classical Period and this is what that structure actually means.

You present your ideas (exposition) develop them (development) and then go back at the end at remind everyone of the original ideas (recapitulation)

Movement 2:The 2nd movement of a Symphony is traditionally slow, sometimes relaxing and often the most romantic of the movements. Here is how the Classical Symphony measure up against traditional movements:

*Slow intro in strings before melody appears (similar)*Very high descending melody with fast trills (different)*Fast pizzicato section, almost jazz bass (different)*Rapid and very smooth changes of key signature (different)*Crescendo to main melody (similar)*Repeat of main melody (approx. 2:15) (similar)*Accompaniment with a bouncing rhythm in strings/winds (similar)*Finishing as it started and with 4 tonic chords (similar)

Movement 3: (Gavotte)

A Gavotte is a French dance typical of the 19th Century and used in Classical Symphonies. The 3rd movement was always a traditional dance movement, sometimes a Waltz or Minuet/Trio and sometimes a Gavotte or Gigue.

*This movement is very short! (Similar, but almost to short!)*The bouncing dance rhythm of the opening (similar)*The actual chord combination used is too advanced for Classical Period (different)*The 2nd passage in the winds starting at 0:40 is typical, (similar – taking turns strings & winds))*A lot of rubato (around 1:00) - too much for the classical Period.

There are only a few signs that this movement is later than the Classical Period. (advanced chords, rubato & far too short) Otherwise this movement

is arguably the MOST Classical of the 4

Movement 4: Finale

The FINALE is always the most dramatic movement after the 1st, but is usually shorter and much faster. Traditionally the idea was to ‘blow away’ the audience with a finale that left them on a high and ready to applaud at the great finish!

*Very fast/Molto Vivace – A very fast and frantic movement (similar)*Almost entirely in the Major key (no minor modulation) (different)*The piece is technically far more difficult than anything you would expect from the classical period (different)*The cadences (ends of phrases) are usually Perfect and typical of the Classical (similar)*The modulations are very smooth but again, too advanced for the Classical (different)*The melodies are at times very typical; short ideas repeated and passed around the orchestra, call and response style (similar)*The movement finished with a crescendo and a loud crash of chords in the tonic key (D major) (similar)

Summary:

This Symphony is an early 20th Century Composition written in dedication to the music of the Classical Period 100 years before. It

combines the music of that period with the music of the early 20th century.It is not however supposed to be copying the style completely. It is more of a tribute, with Prokofiev’s own style shining through regularly.

Prokofiev said, “This piece is what I think Josef Haydn would have composed if he had lived another 100 years”