The song I chose to represent the enlightenment is Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3 in Eb-Major K. 447. second movement. The movement is titled Romance (Larghetto). I enjoy this piece because it is very uplifting, simple, and clear. The texture of this piece make it really work. The french horn stands above all and delivers the lines that the strings accompany. The string section includes two violins, a viola, and a nice cello for the bass. They provided a nice soft response and accompaniment to the horn. There are also woodwind instruments that provided subtle tones that almost create a chordal aspect; these are a clarinet and a bassoon. With all these instruments working together they create a lift and enjoyable atmosphere that reminds me a lot of a walk in the park on a nice warm day. The piece is in cut time which I believe also brings the feeling of the piece along nicely. The melody that the horn plays and then the strings repeat is very simple and easy to sing along to. I enjoyed how the whole form of the movement began and ended in the same place, giving the piece a relaxing and enjoyable feel.
I found it easy to hear the period structure within the first parts of the movement. I identified the beginning as an parallel interrupted period. Parallel because of the reoccurring theme and interrupted because I could hear that dominant chord, identifying the half cadence. The two periods are each eight bars in a very slow cut time. Each one is concise and is a great reference to what a parallel interrupted period sounds like.
This represents Enlightenment ideals to me through its simple and transparent melodies. It is uplifting, it is new, it sounds for all intents and purposes, enlightened. Mozart crafted a beautiful work here that sounds straight out of time period of reason and science, of form and revolution. This movement to me is romantic and bold, it stands out and pushes forward. Good tune.
Here is the phrase structure for the beginning. (5 should be V for the chord)
I too picked this song, however i did it because i actually played it on the French Horn in high school. I completely agreed that this both sticks to the ideals of the Enlightenment Era as well as being revolutionary and pushing the boundaries of what could be done with music at this time. The fast pace and repeated eighth notes was a new sound never before seen at the time.
ReplyDelete-Ross Bialowas
"Transparent" is a great word to use to describe melody. I've never really heard that used before, but I can't think of a better adjective to use for this!
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