Trevor Schultz Fall 2015 Final Project MUSC 1010

So, you want to know why you should have music by Mozart, Haydn, and

Beethoven on your iPod? Do you really need a reason? The music by these composers

is so beautiful and is still impacting lives and being taught in music classrooms all over

the world! These three men have single-handedly taken the music world by storm when

it comes to the structure and invention of the Sonata Form and in this new, foreign era

of music at the time. Here are some movements from symphonies or songs that they

composed individually to help you understand the importance of these men and why,

above all, you should make them a part of your playlist.

1. ‘Queen of the Night’ – Mozart: This song is such a beautiful aria

composed by the one and only Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Mozart used to write

plays along with symphonies. This song is in his play, ‘Magic Flute,’ and it

showcases the rawness of the human singing voice and the power that it can

have. Opera had been invented way before Mozart, but the way he stylized his

operas made him stand out from the crowd. I really like this song, because I am a

huge fan of opera and I am personally a humanist, so I believe and love the

talents that humans possess.

2. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony: The first movement of this piece is probably

the most recognized motive ever. This symphony screams Sonata Form! It has

four movements, but the difference is that the sad/slow movement comes before

the rondo movement, which is usually the third movement. Also, the fugues in

this song were very controversial at the time and it confused many people and

critics. I really like this whole entire symphony, not just one movement
Trevor Schultz Fall 2015 Final Project MUSC 1010

specifically. I love how Beethoven incorporates a mix of emotions in this

Psymphony and the audience can feel that whenever it gets played!

3. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony: This movement is actually very symbolic if you

look at it. I watched a trailer for a documentary that followed the global impact of

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. They took me to every corner of the globe and, every

time, this symphony was used as an anthem for peace or a political statement.

This symphony is very powerful and I enjoy it a lot, but I personally favor his 5th

over his 9th.

4. Mozart’s Symphony #40 Movement 1: I really like this movement. It is

really recognizable and very unique. I really like how this does incorporate a lot of

the stylistic choices that the classical era is known for. It has a lot of crescendos

and I really like how the sounds are all over the place! This piece is one of my

favorites!

5. Moonlight Sonata – Beethoven: This piece is very sad and has a

depressing tone to it. I found out that this song was created to portray

Beethoven’s struggle to create or to find a new way of expressing his music. I

really like how this piece is very different for the time.

6. Fur Elise – Beethoven: You can probably tell that I really like Beethoven!

This song is also very popular and many people learn the basics of this song or a

similar tune when first learning how to play the piano. This piece has a lot of soft

spots and some loud spots, but there are also a ton of crescendos between

those two pitches. I really like this song and how it is still going strong!
Trevor Schultz Fall 2015 Final Project MUSC 1010

7. Alla Rondo (The Turkish March) – Mozart: This song is also very

recognizable. This is full of surprises and key changes that it will throw you off

guard if you’re not expecting it. This song is usually played very fast and at a

moderate sound level. I really like this piece and I think that you could easily

make your own dance to this song if you really wanted to.

8. Haydn Op. 76 no. 3 "Emperor" - Second Movement – Haydn: This song is

actually very beautiful and sounds like it would be the second movement of a

symphony in Sonata form. Fun fact: This national anthem of Germany is based

off of this movement! I think that a movement must be very significant and

important in order to become a nation’s national anthem. I personally like this

movement a lot!

9. Symphony 94, Surprise, 2nd movement – Haydn: This song is very

beautiful and I think that this is a definite must when it comes to putting music on

your iPod! This song is called Surprise due to the ‘surprising’ note somewhere in

the song. No one sees it coming so that’s why it’s called surprise, obviously. This

movement is very beautiful! I really like how Haydn liked to compose music for

string quartets.

10. Op. 76, No. 3, Emperor, Third Movement – Haydn: This piece is more upbeat

and I like it. I like how the tempo sounds like it belongs in a bar where a lot of

drunk people are singing together and having a blast or is that just me? This

song is exciting and fun at times, but it also has a sad part to it as well. This song

is still beautiful and I now have a profound love for string quartets after listening

to a few of Haydn’s works.

Trevor Schultz Fall 2015 Final Project MUSC 1010

In conclusion, you should get every symphony or movement mentioned above on

your iPod! All of these pieces portray a part of music history that was key to what music

is today! Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn were amazing men and they composed

movements that are used so frequently today and they are still being taught and they all

passed away around 250 years ago! These great men left an amazing mark on this

world and they obviously set a very high standard.