The Origins Of The Classical Symphony And The Classical Orchestra

The Origins Of The Classical Symphony And The Classical Orchestra Claire Michelle Walsh – Level 1 – History Project 2 Listen and follow Mozarts Symphony No.40 in G minor K550. Describe the character and form of each movement. Go on to write down the instruments used and explain why this is considered a â€Å"classical orchestra. You will need to research the origins of the classical symphony and the classical orchestra. The question is really asking for an analysis of the symphony but to concentrate on the large – scale forms. However you will have to show how movements fit the forms and this will also include a certain amount of harmonic and motivic analysis The orchestra that had taken shape during the baroque period began to expand and become more balanced. During the early eighteenth century the four part string ensemble became established which has remained mainly unchanged. The harpsichord was set aside by the end of the eighteenth century due to larger scale of the orchestra and the invention of the piano. By the end of the eighteenth century the standard large orchestra consisted of: two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two or four horns, two trumpets, timpani and a full string section. The Symphony originally in three movements became four movements, incorporating a minuet and trio. The movement structure was the same as instrumental sonata form. Movement one is usually at a fairly fast speed usually in sonata form in contrast to the second movement which was played at a slower tempo, with a singing melody line. This was often in ternary, variation or sonata form. A minuet and trio in ABA form was the basis of the third movement, concluding in the final movement which was either in rondo, sonata or variation form. Mozart wrote forty one symphonys during his life. Symphony No. 40 in G minor is exceptionally well known and has been used widely in television and film. An early critic of Mozarts music, Otto Jahn called it â€Å"a symphony of pain and lamentation†(scribd.com/doc/7742485). Whereas another critic, Kramer stated that it was â€Å"nothing but joy and animation† (scribd.com/doc/7742485). These two quotes are of the extreme in describing its mood and character. It is the second of his last three symphonies, which were composed between June and August in 1788. The work is said to have been written without a commission and was written at the height of his expressionist phase. The instrumentation is written as we would find in the standard eighteenth century classical orchestra: one flute, two oboes, 2 clarinets, two bassoons, two horns. The string section consisted of: two first and two second violin players, two violas, one cello and one string bass. The instrumentation does not include any percussion or weighty brass. What we are expecting to hear includes an extra flute, two trumpets and timpani as found in a typical Johann Stamitz composition. It was he who The horns are used for effect to emphasize the crescendos and sforzando. The work is in four movements, in the usual arrangement (fast movement, slow movement, minuet, fast movement) for a classical-style symphony: Molto allegro Andante Menuetto: Trio Allegro assai Every movement but the third is in sonata form, the minuet and trio are in the usual ternary form. Molto Allegro The first movement of the ‘Symphony No. 40 in G Minor by W.A. Mozart is written in Sonata form. The piece begins with perhaps the most recognisable openings of any of his symphonies. The movement in cut common time, in the key of G Minor, commences with the first theme in bar one, played by the first and second violins, played piano in the tonic key. Bar 14 sees the woodwind section enter for the first time, still piano. The first dynamic change happens in bar 16 with a forte woodwind entry; the violins then repeat the first subject, piano in bar twenty. The key then modulates in bar 28, to the relative Major of B-Flat for a bridge passage, it is her that we hear a forte dynamic for the first time which leads to the 2nd theme. In bar 43 Mozart uses a silent bar across the whole orchestra, having created the tension this is then dissipated. The 2nd theme begins in bar 44 until bar 72, the clarinet and bassoon playing a piano melody initially which is then passed to the strings. This melody is a more lyrical feminine passage that is very chromatic throughout. This codetta commences at bar 77 in the dominant key and is based around the first 3 notes of the first theme and is played by the clarinet and then imitated by the bassoon. This four bar phrase concludes with the strings playing a variation of the phrase concluding with a strong IV – I cadence. This is then repeated with the oboe and bassoon taking the lead and again concluded with the strings. Commencing at bar 88 there is descending quaver runs throughout the orchestra leading to rising crotchets. In bar 100 there is a repeat back to the beginning. Bars 72- 75 The Development begins in bar 101 with the key now in F-Sharp Minor, modulating in bar 115 to the key of E Minor. It is at this point we can hear the melody in the Bassoon and the Bass line with contrapuntal writing in the upper woodwind. The harmony now expands and changes key very two bars, through A, D and G minor, C major for one bar followed by one bar of F Major, until reaching Bb Major. The violins then play the 1st theme in a falling sequence, whilst the lower strings introduce a counter melody. The movement builds with use of a pedal A in the Bass line, expecting the Recapitulation the Bass line creates a stretto which is then climaxed with a forte in bar 152. Here all parts are all competing to get their idea heard. The sudden dynamic change in bar 160 releases the tension with the commencement of the Recapitulation in bar 164. The Recapitulation back in the tonic key begins with the upper strings which are joined by the lower strings in comparison to the beginning of the movement, this is then joined in bar 168 by the bassoon playing a new countermelody . The 2nd theme is then reintroduced. Mozart uses suspensions commencing at bar 199 to create tension, to further this he uses imitation at the half between the upper and lower strings. Further tension is heard in the bass line at bar 218 with minims alternating between Bb and A. In bar 226 there is another silent bar throughout the orchestra. Bar 228 sees the reintroduction of second subject still in the tonic key. It is during this we hear in bar 247 new ideas played in the First Violin culminating in Diminished and dominant seventh chords. Bar 260 sees the return of the first theme passed between all the woodwind parts and after a chromatically rising syncopated passage throughout the orchestra, the dynamic drops to a sudden piano the first theme is once again heard in the first and second violins. In bar 293 the whole orchestra plays a rousing forte for the last seven bars. Andante The second movement is a lyrical work in 6/8, in E flat major. The orchestration is the same except that the horns are now in E flat. It commences with the violas playing a quaver motif, a bar later this is taken up by the second violin. A bar later the first violin plays this in imitation. This passage is one of the main themes in this movement. Bars 1-8. Theme A A demisemi-quaver motif then begins in bar 16, which acts as a bridging passage to theme B. This rhythm plays an important role for the movement of this whole movement. Theme B at bar 20 is played by the first violin and answered by the flute, the texture is very thin and simple. At bar 27 there is a three way conversation between the woodwind ending in the first violin ending the conversation at bar 35. A smooth theme is introduced in bar 37, which is briefly interrupted at bar 43 by a bar of semi-quavers, but soon returns to its previous texture before the section is repeated. The development section of the 2nd movement begins, with the earlier demisemi-quaver motif, which is enforforced by the bass, playing a rising chromatic figure for bar 56- 62. The recapitulation commences in bar 74. We hear small segment from both themes played until a final theme is heard in bar 108. Menuetto This third movement is in Minuet and Trio form and commences in the key of G Minor. Unlike a traditional dance Mozart uses the whole orchestra which remains full throughout. He uses a hemiola, a 2/4 feel in a 3/4 time signature, with a rising melody line. The movement opens with a strong melody played by the strings and the woodwind, consisting of two, three bar phrases followed by two, and four bar phrases, which is then repeated back to the beginning. The second section in B flat Major it is a variation of the first, played contrapuntally. The trio modulates to G major where he has thinned the texture for the first section. The second section sees the return of the Horns bringing a contrasting texture to the end of the trio. Finale – Allegro assai The final movement, Allegro Assai, begins almost like a Baroque Concerto Grosso, with contrasting piano string and forte tutti passages alternating every two bars. An important quaver motif, heard in bar 3 can be heard repeatedly throughout the movement, for example the bridge passage at bar 32. Bars 1-15 Theme B is introduced in bar 71 in the key of B flat Major. It is more thinly scored with a lighter feel. The melody is played by the first violin, being handed to the clarinet at bar 85, who plays a duet with the bassoon. Bar 101 sees the coda played forte and continues until bar 124 with growing intensity where it is repeated back to the beginning. Bars 125 – 134 includes a bridging passage that is very different to anything we have heard earlier, this leads into the development phase of the movement. Bars 125-141 A piano theme is then heard, which is passed around the woodwind and first violin parts with lower string accompaniment. This acts as a bridging passage before we hear a fugal section commencing at bar 152 in the strings which modulates through many different keys. Bars 205 -206 are primarily silent before the beginning of the recapitulation in the key of G Minor. Theme B can be heard again in bar 247 before a closing section which can found at bar 277. This consists of a forte passage with running quavers in the violins, which is dramatically dropped to a piano four bar passage at bar 286. The symphony concludes with a burst of energy at bar 290 whilst the running quavers are a constant until the last three separate chords from the whole orchestra.

Free College Admissions Essays: I Screwed Up! :: College Admissions Essays

I Screwed Up! Â   High school is a strange time. After three years of trying to develop identity and friends in middle school, students are expected to mature immediately on the first day of ninth grade, but I never did this. I never fully realized in the earlier grades how important high school success, as measured by GPA, would be to my future life, and as a result I am applying to college with seemingly contradictory measures of my ability to perform college-level work. If I had worked and studied hard rather than hanging out with friends and viewing high school as an opportunity to socialize, I would not have to apply to school with a 1300 SAT and a 2.7 GPA. Had I taken my grades in my earlier years seriously, I could have been a college's dream candidate. Â   This year I have made an earnest effort to improve my work ethic. My grade point average is rising and my study habits are improving. However, after performing poorly for three years, my GPA cannot reflect the transformation I underwent at the start of this year. Dedicated to making something of myself, I finally matured and am now trying to lessen the consequences of my past actions. Armed with my new attitude and my understanding of the extreme importance of earning good grades to signal my capacity to work responsibly, I assure you that I will never revert to the student I once was. Â   In retrospect, I believe that it was my inability to choose my classes that resulted in my lack of enthusiasm on the ride to school each morning. I enjoy the freedom to pursue my own interests and anxiously anticipate the ability to choose my own class schedule in college. While I understand that college will be significantly more challenging than high school, I have always found it easier to study for a class that interests me. I am also willing to accept the fact that as long as I am in school, I will be forced to take required courses that I might be less than enthusiastic about. However, with my new goal-oriented nature, I realize that I am working towards my college degree and my future success, and I have regained the drive to excel. Moreover, I now realize the emptiness in the lives of people who can only do one thing well.

Distinctive Human Resource Are What Firms Need Essay

Introduction Benchmarking is a crucial management tool that guides the stakeholders on the overall performance of the organization as well as mobilizing the employees on a continuous improvement of the organisation’s environmental and social performance. Bench marking is considered to have an impact when the results of the organization performance are immediate (Vorhies and Morgan, 2005). It is essential to recognize that benchmarking and the transfer of the best industry practices are supposed to help an organization in the long run through maximum utilization of the available resources and filling in the gaps associated with an organization poor performance (Drew, 1995). The notion of a single best practice may be overstated. Distinctive human resource practices help to create unique competencies that differentiate products and services and drive competitiveness in organizations. People management practices are the drivers of efforts to create distinctive competencies and, in turn, business strategies. There are various human resource management models that have been used by companies to benchmark and stay competitive in the turbulent business environment and they include the Industrial Organization Model and McKenzie’s 7s Strategy which include shared values, structure, strategy, systems, style, staff and skills. Shared Values Shared values are commonly held beliefs, mindsets, and assumptions that shape how an organization behaves and its corporate culture. Shared values are what engender trust. They are an interconnecting centre of the 7Ss model. Values are the identity by which a company is known throughout its business areas, what the organization stands for and what it believes in, it central beliefs and attitudes. These values must be explicitly stated as both corporate objectives and individual values. Structure Structure is the organizational chart and associated information that shows who reports to whom and how tasks are both divided up and integrated. In other words, structures describe the hierarchy of authority and accountability in an organization, the way the organization’s units relate to each other: centralized, functional divisions (top-down); decentralized (the trend in larger organizations); matrix, network, holding among others. These relationships are frequently diagrammed in organizational charts. Most organizations use some mix of structures: pyramidal, matrix or networked ones to accomplish their goals. Strategy Strategies are plans an organization formulates to reach identified goals, and a set of decisions and actions aimed at gaining a sustainable advantage over the competition. Systems Systems define the flow of activities involved in the daily operation of business, including its core processes and its support systems. They refer to the procedures, processes and routines that are used to manage the organization and characterize how important work is to be done. Style Style refers to the cultural style of the organization, how key managers behave in achieving the organization’s goals, how managers collectively spend their time and attention, and how they use symbolic behaviour. How management acts is more important that what management says. Staff Staff refers to the number and types of personnel within the organization and how companies develop employees and shape basic values. Skills Skills refer to the dominant distinctive capabilities and competencies of the personnel or of the organization as a whole. Industrial Organization (I/O) Model The external environment is primary determinant of the organizational strategy rather than internal decisions of managers. The environment presents threats and opportunities all competing to have equal access to resources. Resources are highly mobile between firms. Organizational success is achieved by offering goods and services at lower costs than competitors. Professional sports 49ers †¢ The 49ers have succeeded by using a strategy of long-term player development by recruiting through college drafts rather than trades. This helps the team cement loyalty to the club by the players. Raiders †¢ The Raiders scoop up talented players who fail or do not fit in elsewhere. The club reinforces its strategy through autocracy where the members are not supposed to participate in decision making. The system of the club embraces outside recruit of experienced players. Retailing: Sales as the Service Sears †¢ The Sears selection system requires extensive training. The style keeps track of employee attitude and morale through employee surveys, pay programs to match other retail business through industrial organization model. Nordstrom †¢ The Nordstrom structure of hiring is decentralized and uses no formal selection tests. There are continuous stream of programs to motivate employees with very little attention paid to the staffs in terms of training and commissions when retailing. †¢ The link between employees and product market strategy is sometimes less direct in services, but there are still relationships between the way employees are managed, the competencies employees help produce, and the way companies compete. Professional Service Firms; Information and Advice as the Product Boston Consulting Group (BCG) †¢ The style of BCG is to hire the best undergraduate and MBA students to work for them. †¢ The firm’s system requires rigorous selection procedures and through industrial organization Model provides exceptional compensation to the employees as compared to other organizations. †¢ The firm develops its staff through formal training. †¢ BCG shared value approach expects each team to come up with innovative ways to reinforce its entrepreneurial culture. McKinsey †¢ The professional firm develops its distinctive capabilities through on-campus recruiting and employee skills and development through extensive training model. †¢ The firm’s strategy lies in providing clients with consistent services. The core competency is also consistent with the products and the techniques of the company. Business Schools Harvard Business †¢ The business school staff development represents internal skills development. The school hires employees and turns them into experts. †¢ The business school invests a lot on employee development through the staff model. Wharton School †¢ The school recruitment strategy model relies on external environment to recruit its employees from a network of academicians. †¢ The system model that is used to make the institution maintain a competitive edge in the market is by hiring employees with superior technical skills and by making use of its outside market. Financial Services Chubb †¢ The insurance firm success is based on its shared value model of becoming the insurance of choice. †¢ The firm makes substantial staff investment through its recruitment, intensive training and testing before hiring. American International Group (AIG) †¢ The success of the insurance firm is through its industrial orientation strategy model where the company identifies new areas of business, creates new products, and benefits from the first mover advantage as a result of exploiting the market. †¢ The company’s competencies are its ability to respond to the turbulent business environment. †¢ The company hires from its competitors and invests less on staff development. The Shipping Business FedEx †¢ The shipping business has a strategy model of empowering its employees in the implementation of its vision. †¢ First service company to win the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award †¢ Intensive orientation program for staff development. †¢ One hub at FedEx meant that there were fewer coordination problems, allowing for autonomy and participation through it structural model. †¢ This model highly enhances loyalty in employees. UPS †¢ The orientation of the company structure model takes an autocratic approach where the employees have no direct say over work organization matters. †¢ Company standards for each task through its shared value model. †¢ Pays the highest wages and benefits in the industry (Industrial Organization Model). †¢ Productivity of UPS’s drivers is about three times higher than that at FedEx due to its high compensation. †¢ UPS’s business demands a level of coordination that is incompatible with individual employee involvement and a â€Å"high commitment† approach through it structural model. Food and Beverages Coke †¢ Coke builds on employee skills and hangs on them through staff development model. †¢ Coke hires college graduates with little or corporate experience and provides intensive training. †¢ There is promotion and seniority based salary incentives. †¢ Decision making is centralized Pepsi †¢ The company relies on employees’ innovativeness to identify market niches †¢ Pepsi hires employees with experience and advanced technical skills through industrial organization model. †¢ Decision making is decentralized. †¢ Employees have little job security. †¢ Less loyal employees. References Drew, S. A. W. (1995). Strategic Benchmarking: Innovation Practices in Financial Institutions. International Journal of Bank Marketing 13 (1),4-16. Vorhies, D. W., & Morgan, N. A. (2005). Benchmarking Marketing Capabilities for Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Journal of Marketing 69 (January Issue), 80–94.

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