A Brief History of Piano Music

The Baroque Period - 1600-1750

• The painting, architecture and music of this period are characterized by grandiose
design, elaborate decorations and theatrics. The harpsichord, with two keyboards,
the organ and the clavichord are the most important instruments.
• One type of music written in this period is the dance suite. It consists of stylized
dances called sarabande, courante, gigue and allemande and minuets+. Fugues,
variations and freer types of music such as preludes and programmed pieces are
found along with figured bass accompaniments.
• J. S. Bach and Handel are two well-known German composers of the period, and
Telemann in England
• The music has strong rhythm, is major and minor scale oriented, uses motifs in a
more or less polyphonic structure and is highly ornamented.

The Classical Period - 1750-1825

• The new style developing from the Baroque period involves simplicity, dignity,
lucidity, symmetry, restraint, refinement and objectivity.
• The polyphonic forms are the sonata allegro, concertos, rondos, duets, variations
and fantasies.
• The melody is more folk-like and simple with broken chords and/or single
accompaniment such as the Alberti bass.
• Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven and Clementi are usually thought of in this period.

The Romantic Period - 1800-1925

• The romantic period is one of contrast and contradictions. Nationalism and
program music abound. Rhapsody, fantasy and fantasy sonata, arabesque,
romance, nocturnes and ballade are new free forms. Two-piano works, etudes and
new stylized dances such as mazurka and polonaise make their appearance.
• Virtuoso playing, particularly violin and piano, is typical. The piano has become
enlarged, the pedals perfected. Chromatic harmony and wide variation in dynamics
from bombastic to poetic delicacy comes in a romantic spirit of imagination and
sentiment. The logic of the Classical period is disappearing.
• Composers of this period are Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms,
and Tchaikovsky. Beethoven spanned both the Classical and Romantic periods.
 Impressionist Period –
• The aim of Impressionist art was to suggest rather than to clearly draw objects.
Impressionist music does much the same thing, focusing on creating a sense of the
piece's topic by using blurred harmony and delicate shadings of sound rather than
relying on standard forms and a strong, clear rhythmic beat. There is an air of
mystery, magic and wonder that surrounds Impressionistic music.
• Debussy and Ravel of France are the two most important composers of this period.
These men were strongly influenced by the painting and literature of the times.
Their music is delicate and refined with a vagueness of tonality resulting from an
overall fusing of harmonies.

The Twentieth Century - 1900 to present

• Bartok, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Bernstein, Stravinsky, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian,
and Copland are contributors to the Modern period.
• This is the age of experiments in harmony, tonality and sonority. Complexities of
rhythm, harmony and line have been pushed to new limits.
• Percussive ideas, the return of polyphonic music and the neo-classic style of writing
are part of the new music.
• Electronics and electronic devices are being experimented with in producing new
sounds and ways of making music.
 \Alisconsin Music Teachers Association
Practice Exam

Match the terms with their definitions.

Rubato 1. Very; much
Piu 2. a little
espressivo 3. having no tonal center
Arpeggio 4. Ia a singing style
poco 5. Music that paints a picture or depicts an event
Atonal 6. More
Program music 7. Always
Largo 8. Chords that end a phrase or piece
Cantando 9. Less
Subito 10. Suddenly

Scherzo 11. An improvised solo near the end of a movement

Cadenza 12. Yery slow tempo

molto 13. An elastic, flexible tempo

Meno 14. Very expressively

15. A broken chord
16. A composition in a light, playful manner

Identify the key for each example. Iise MA for major, MI lbr minor

Write fhese key signatures.

F" Major F# minor Db Major F minor B minor B Major

Write the top number for each time signature.

,'s-JJ J JJ)J)JJ'lls- )))J),u rr,) rr-r=-Fr-ftrt
'.tr,EEll-ffilt )J))W il. ) JJJ Jr|J ,,1 lF-rFFFH,,
t:lltrril J.lJiltl
Write the indicated interval above each of these notes.

minor 6fr Major 7ft Major 3'd minor 2"d minor 3'd minor 7th Major 2od perfect 4ft Maior 6tl
Study this musical example zrnd circle or fill in the anslyers below.
Animalo"-*--r,

1. Key of this piece? 2. Parallel key? 3. Relative key?

4. The first note of this piece is: Tonic Leading tone Other Dominant
5. The character of this piece is: Unsettled Leisurely Spirited Other
6. This piece is to be played: accented lightly sweetly with humor
7. Identifr the circled chord in measure 2: Use MA, MI, or 7 to identify Example: F MA
8. Give the function of the circled chord in measure 3: Example: V
9. Give the function of the circled chord in measure 4:
10. Give the function of the circled chord in measure 5:

11. Identifu the circled chord in measure 6:

12.Identify the circled chord in measure 7: Function of the circled chord in measure 7:
13. Identifu the interval between the first two notes of the circled chord in measure 7:
Include number and qualily to identify intemul (MA, MI, dim, aug)

Write the indicated chords in root position for each of these major keys.

IV v1 III

Match the composers with their correct period.

Telemann Mendelssohn Debussy B-Baroque I-Impressionistic

Bartok Mozart
C - Classical TC -20to Century
Chopin R - Romantic
Prokofiev Handel Stravinsky

Write these scales using accidentals r,r,'here necessary.

Gb Major C* harmonic minor F natural minor

Aunl Practice F,xam

1. Identif,i the interval you hear: Major 2nd minor 2nd Major 3'd minor 3'd

2. Identify the interval you hear: Major 2"d minor 2nd Major 3'd minor 3'd
3. Identiff the rhythm you hear:
4. The example played is:

o.' ),tl,tll J-JILil:J ll

JJ Baroque Classical 20e Century

u.c .lrJ),EJt;ll fi.il:IIJ

11
J. The example played is:

Baroque Romantic 20tr Century