19th Century

This category contains articles that discuss concepts and analyse the music of the 19th century (1800-1899). Work of the late classical, transitioning into the Romantic and late-Romantic can be found here. Mid to late Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms and Bruckner can be found here (once we cover them!)

Guiraud and Bizet take a stroll through a street in Provence in France.

Bizet – Guiraud – Farandole from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2 (Bitesize Composition Analysis)

19th Century, Analysis, Composition, Concert Music, Short /
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In posthumously arranging Bizet’s Farandole [L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2], Ernest Guiraud takes half of the primary theme, Le Marche de Rois, and exposes it twice in D-minor. First, the theme is heard in homophonic texture, then a two-part canon. Modulating to the parallel D-major, Guiraud introduces part of the farandole melody, gradually increasing its intensity in the

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Tchaikovsky enjoying the beauty of Russia

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – Symphony No. 2 “Little Russian” – Orchestrating Variety – Bitesize Orchestration Analysis

19th Century, Analysis, Concert Music, Orchestration, Short /
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Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony, nicknamed “Little Russian”, opens with a melody presented on its own on solo french horn. Tchaikovsky then uses this melody as his only material for the opening three to four minutes, presenting it in three full re orchestrated forms, and then several fragmented forms. The first full version sees bassoons take up

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Chopin enjoying a twilight sky whilerevelling in his craftsmanship.

Frédéric Chopin – Nocturne No. 1 Op. 9 – Developing Melody – Bitesize Composition Analysis

Leave a Comment / 19th Century, Analysis, Composition, Concert Music, Short /
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Many of Chopin’s Nocturnes follow a ternary structure, or ABA form, where melodies of the A-section repeat and flank a different middle section. Interestingly, however, Chopin’s Nocturnes often implement subtle embellishments to each repetition of these A-themes. His first Nocturne Opus 9, Number 1 is a good example of these melodic variations. Taking a closer

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The Sorcerer's Apprentice Header, candles and a young man throwing is hands forwards as if casting a magic spell

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Paul Dukas (Music Composition Techniques Analysis)

19th Century, Analysis, Composition, Concert Music /
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYqfTcI3Ztk&t=9s&ab_channel=AnyOldMusic Paul Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (1897) is a musical composition based on a poem, of the same name, by 18th-century German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Goethe was a product of the later Enlightenment. However, he had a profound impact on the European 19th-century and Romantic culture. For instance, Dukas is only one of many composers

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Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp Minor, F. Chopin – Composition Analysis

1 Comment / 19th Century, Analysis, Composition /
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Chopin’s 20th Nocturne in C#-minor, published posthumously, is a brooding piano solo that boasts, unsurprisingly, facets quintessential to Chopin’s Nocturnes. These qualities, in Chopin’s nocturnes, have long fascinated me as a composer. Simple in design and modest in development, they demonstrate that complexity and quality are not synonymous. Instead, it is about doing enough and

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3 lessons from arranging London Bridge for orchestra

19th Century, Arranging, Composition, Concert Music /
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There is plenty to learn in analysing a composition. In the previous article I analysed and discussed the arrangement of Bizet’s Farandole. Here I take the learning process one step further by experimenting with combining the classic nursery rhyme melody “London Bridge” with the arrangement of Farandole. Taking the structural breakdown that I presented in the previous article I apply similar textures, orchestration and melodic treatment to “London Bridge”. This article discusses my process, thinking and lessons learned in undertaking this learning experiment.

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Bizet’s Farandole (L’Arlesienne No.2): music composition techniques

1 Comment / 19th Century, Analysis, Concert Music /
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The orchestral composition Farandole, a movement from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 2, can teach us a lot of simple tips and tricks that we can apply to our arrangements, compositions and orchestrations. In this article, I analyse the piece and discuss its structure, its clever use of simple themes, textures and orchestration. For example, one simple but exhilarating technique this composition/arrangement uses is to counterpoint its themes at the end (see Themes/Melodic Material)

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