MUSC 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: U.S. Route 3, Aria, The Star-Spangled Banner
Document Summary
Alven berg was a student of schoenberg. Influenced a lot of his writing, traumatized and disturbed. So perfect for expressionism (disturbed, having hallucinations, etc. ) Wozzeck is the first atonal expressionist opera, 1924. Called it freely atonal (combined sounds of late romanticism with atonal passages) Brings it in when he wants to, very carefully controlled. Uses a lot of pre-existing forms, very carefully controlled. Sometimes he"d use a fugues, sometimes a sonata form, sometimes a rondo, etc. Take existing forms and write them in an atonal way. 4th scene- variation on a hexachord (contains six notes) Terrifying and horrible scene, but also expressionist. Children"s song while the children don"t know what"s happening. Contains leitmotif, like a little theme that"s a sign for each character. The music is affected by wozzeck"s own disturbance and mental anguish. Listening guide, p. 228: ascending strings- his perspective. 2:35, rising strings give perspective of rising water as he drowns: musical distortion, extremes- in the volume.
