The Overture: A Midsummer Night’s Dream was composed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1826 at 17 years of age. The piece was produced after Mendelssohn was inspired by the William Shakespeare play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Mendelssohn’s compositions consisted of romantic elements, but classical forms and techniques were also included, leading to the uniqueness of Mendelssohn’s compositions compared to the previous composers before him. Mendelssohn composition consisted of a full orchestra with the addition of the Ophicleide which is not a commonly used instrument.
Mendelssohn was influenced by many composers such as Handel, Mozart and Beethoven. In Mendelssohn’s composition, there were periods of time where he has incorporated other composer’s ideas
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into his own work such as echoes which were interpreted from Mozart’s compositions. In the creation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A. B. Marx also influenced Mendelssohn to produce A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a programme instead of a subject for a play. The Midsummer Night’s Dream (A) overture was based around fairies in the surrounding the local area. The beginning of the piece consists of the winds playing the opening four chords as a solo creating the start of the overture. These four chords were inspired by the moonlight shining; lightening up the world. Nevertheless, this opening sets the scene which the composition is then developed around. After the opening, the first subject enters in the violins at bar 6 where there is a rapid succession of semiquavers conveying the idea of fairies rushing to reach their destination and the semiquavers mimicking the fairies footsteps . Mendelssohn conveyed this idea by how the melodic line is played in homophony by the violins, but occasionally the viola enters to emphasise the idea even further creating dimension to the music. This rapid succession is initially played softly but becomes louder with the introduction of the full orchestra that enters for the second part of the first subject. Throughout the first subject many of the instrument parts play very similar or have the same melodic line that reinforces the scene presented. The second subject starts at bar 130 in the clarinets.
This subject is creating with mainly crotchets instead of the semiquavers used in the first subject. By using crotchets the music has the feeling of a slower tempo, unlike the first subject where the music appears to have a fast tempo. At this point it could be seen that the fairies are no longer in a rush, but are slowing down instead, which is shown by the descending of passages. However, the quietness of the piece from the first half of the second subject does not last long when the music begins to pick up in volume and tempo toward bar 197. From bar 197 the second half of the second subject begins by using a polyphonic texture with each section playing different tunes such as the different melodies from bars 210 to 213 between the winds and the strings. By Mendelssohn using polyphonic texture the music reflects a scene which is ‘busy’ with parts interweaving one another.
Further in the piece the first subject re-enters in the strings representing the fairies being on the move again, similarity to when the first subject was initially introduced. From bar 643, the music is composed using semibreves creating a delicate and simple melody that represents the characters settling down instead of doing multiple activities. This section is a variation to the first subject. Following this small section the overture ends with the four chords used in the opening to close the
piece. When I first heard the piece I was amazed by how Felix Mendelssohn was able to create an atmosphere with the sense of it being mystical. The overture consisted of simple melodic lines that have been ornamented on with the use of homophonic and polyphonic texture. Throughout the music the dynamics in the volume, constantly changes between loud and soft when the music enters a new part of the composition. Mendelssohn changes the sections effectively by reintroducing motifs which interconnect the different sections together. I found that overall, by listening to the piece, Mendelssohn has successfully developed an overture which represented Shakespeare’s play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’
Section 3 is more merry and cheerful with the violins leading what feels like a race to be won. As they slow slightly we are soon dragged back to full speed and the race is on again. The violins and cello play off of each other as if in composition to see who will win the race. The bass brings in a dramatic flair as if building the suspense for the final climax of the music. The music slows to the point where you feel you have reached the end, but soon you are back on the journey again racing with the violins and lower instruments toward the finish line and the conclusion leaves the listener breathless.
As the orchestra draws to a climax the sound is cut-off, and the eerie feeling returns as the bassoon takes its initial theme. This time the orchestra does not burst in afterwards. Instead, a string bridge appears and the next movement greets us. The main emphasis of the orchestration in this movement seems to appear in the strings and the Horns. The initial chord is a polychord of Eb 7 and F minor.
In the second movement have a brief violin solo songs with the latter half of the elements (Schwartz, 2015). Faster featuring piano part as follows, gradually building, until near the end, in a piece of this point seems to pull back to the original melody, now given to the flute. In a peaceful, introspective rhythmic movement ended.
The piece also switches from 3/2 back to the original time, 4/2. An oboe plays on top of the ostinato, followed by the main fugue from the scherzo from a flute. A solo clarinet plays the same fugue following the flute. Both continue to play, but this time, the two are in harmony, unlike in the scherzo in which both struggled for coexistence. The same melodies are passed from the woodwinds to the brass, all the while, the ostinato starts to become more and more fragmented, “sporadic, even” (Biles, Logan). A baritone enters, playing a somber melody, and the piece ends with the basses echoing a descending step from G to
The first movement the orchestra was smooth and graceful.The violinist were playing gently,and soft. The second movement is quite faster than the first, and the performers were smiling and enjoying themselves. By the third movement the orchestra was playing faster and louder, and having much fun. The orchestra began feeding off of the crowd, who was enjoying the piece. The fourth movement, the orchestra slowed down and were playing beautifully. The performance was graceful, the conductor just let her hand flow, and barley had to the guide the orchestra, because they had it down pack. The performers did not just play Beethoven Symphony No. 7, but they told a story. one could hear when character went from happy to
In mm. 47-50 another Mahlerian technique which is used throughout the movement can be seen. The clarinets in A and the violas play the 4-note motif. Mahler assigns different combinations of instruments to play simultaneously either the identical music (for example in mm. 58-61, the flutes and the violins) or the same rhythmic motif but with different notes.
Author of thirty-seven plays and 154 sonnets, William Shakespeare has been known to us as one of the most influential writers of English literature. Written in the mid-1590s, Shakespeare gave birth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is still considered to have been his most strangest and delightful creation yet. The play reveals to us the magnitude of his imagination and originality. Contrary to many of his other plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream doesn’t seem to have been stemmed from any particular source, though some believe it was written for and performed at a private aristocratic wedding with Queen Elizabeth I in attendance. Some critics have even speculated that it was Shakespeare’s light hearted and silly version of Romeo and Juliet. However, no evidence has ever been found to prove either theory.
The slow introduction, which is the theme of Friar Lawrence, begins with a slow minor melody played by the clarinets, which imitates a Russian hymn. The strings then take over the melody and use suspensions. There is a modulation to the major and the strings and woodwind play together. The music modulates back to minor and the flute plays an ascending minor arpeggio whilst the harp plays glissandos. This is repeated. Pizzicato strings then play a descending sequence whilst the flute melody crescendos and accelerates. A string legato melody then alternates between the cello and the violin, before all the strings play together and crescendo as the harp accompanies and the violins play a pedal note. Diminished 7th chords are then played by strings and flute, whilst the harp plays ascending scales. A long timpani roll creates a tense rumbling sound whilst the strings and woodwind crescendo. Brass and bangs of the timpani are then introduced at the climax. The strings and woodwind then use antiphony and play in syncopation as the music accelerates.
Comedy in A Midsummer Night's Dream "why do they run away? This is a knavery of them to make me afeard. "(3.1.99) This is a quote from the Shakespearean play "A Midsummer Night's Dream. " In this quote, the speaker, Bottom, is wondering why everyone is afraid of him.
Order and disorder is a favorite theme of Shakespeare. In A Midsummer Night's Dream the apparently anarchic tendencies of the young lovers, of the mechanicals-as-actors, and of Puck are restrained by the "sharp Athenian law" and the law of the Palace Wood, by Theseus and Oberon, and their respective consorts. This tension within the world of the play is matched in its construction: in performance it can at times seem riotous and out of control, and yet the structure of the play shows a clear interest in symmetry and patterning.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play of conflicted love. Thus semi-comedy displays the notion of, the spiritual and natural world working together. The play begins with a noble family discussing a planned marriage. Hermia is arranged to marry a man she does not love. In rebellion she and her lover (Lysander) flees to the woods so they can avoid Athenian law. Before leaving Hermia tells her sister about her plans to run away. In desire to gain revenge and find love herself Helena (Hermia’s sister) chases Hermia and her intended mate into the woods. The forest is where the spirits live, the fairy king, Oberon, is desperate to gain the affection of the fairy queen. He saw cupid shoot his love arrow, which landed on a flower. He is determined that,
...chestral introduction with an imperfect cadence. A strong rhythmic ¾ allegro passage, with sequences and descending scales is played by the orchestra, with timpani and cymbals. The music modulates, and a short, quiet woodwind passage is then alternated with an orchestral passage with dotted rhythms, creating a `terraced dynamics' effect. Part B begins with a major clarinet melody accompanied by pizzicato strings. A minor flute sequence follows, and is followed by a repetition of the oboe melody. A string sequence is then played, imitated by the oboe. There is a crescendo, then the rhythmic orchestral melody returns, alternated with a short flute passage. There are suspensions, descending scales and a crescendo, followed by a strong rhythmic passage with the timpani playing on the beat. Imperfect cadences are played, before the piece finishes with a perfect cadence.
However, there is usually a hint of a “tonic” region through the emphases of certain motives at the beginning of the song with a restatement. This combination of pitches used in the beginning parallels the return to a tonic, imitating tonal music. This piece uses Brahms’ method of developing variation and canons. Although atonal harmonies can be confusing to the untrained ear, Schoenberg uses familiar motives to help guide the listener. No. 8 Nacht (Night) is about Pierrot seeing giant black moths casting gloom over the world and hiding the sun.
The Role of the Fairies in A Midsummer Nights Dream Introduction = == == == ==
The beginning of the piece, “A kiss of the earth”, is highlighted by the characteristic melodic line in the bassoon that unfolds and leads the musical discourse in the first introductory section of the piece. In the very beginning, Stravinsky presents a gradual dialogue between the bassoon and the woodwind section – Clarinet in A, bass clarinet, clarinet in Bb etc. – that is followed by a contrasting melodic cell in the English horn in rehearsal mark 2 (RM2). This is the first actual contrast between two melodic and/or rhythmical elements (bassoon theme and English Horn melody). Considering it as the first striking moment of alternation and/or presentation of a new melodic element, Stravinsky is like illustrating a fundamental principle of manipulating the musical relationships among melodic or rhythmical ideas into the piece.