Second Year. Unit 8. Absolute, Programme & Theatre music. Listening activities

Absolute, Programme & Theatre music. Listening activities (pg.2)

2a. The magic flute. Papageno Aria. W.A. Mozart
2b. String quartet nº 3, op. 76. Franz Joseph Haydn.

Examples

Absolute music makes sense without accompanying words, images, drama, dance or other kinds of extra-musical ideas.

• String quartet nº 3, op. 76. Franz Joseph Haydn. Absolute, instrumental and chamber music.
• Sonata in C K545. W. A. Mozart. Absolute, instrumental and chamber music.

Programme music is descriptive music, it interprets an object, landscape or emotional experience.

• The Moldau. Bedrich Smetana. Programme, instrumental and orchestral music.
• Scottish Symphony. Felix Mendelssohn. Programme, instrumental and orchestral music.
• Scenes from childhood. Robert Schumann. Programme, instrumental and chamber music.
• The planets. Mars. Gustav Holst. Programme, instrumental and orchestral music.
• The carnival of the animals. The aquarium. Camille Saint-Saëns. Programme, instrumental and chamber music.

Theatre music includes a variety of subgenres designed to form part of a drammatic performance (opera, cabaret, ballet, film or television program).

• Carmen. Opera. Habanera. Georges Bizet. Theatre, ópera, vocal, accompanied (by orchestra and choir)
• The rite of spring. Ballet. Igor Stravinsky. Theatre, ballet, instrumental, orchestral
• Cats. Musical. A. Lloyd Weber. Theatre, musical, vocal accompanied.
• North by Northwest. Opening titles. Film music. Bernard Herrmann. Theatre, film, instrumental, orchestral