Question 1

Music during the Enlightenment was meant to:
A) impress and instruct.
B) glorify God.
C) please and entertain.
D) enlighten the world with rational, intellectual polyphony.

Accepted Answer

Music during the Enlightenment was primarily created for the purpose of pleasing and entertaining audiences, rather than for grandiose purposes such as glorifying God or enlightening the world with intellectual polyphony. Musicians sought to entertain audiences with melodies that were pleasant and easy to remember, which reflected the overall aesthetic and cultural trends of the time.

Question 2

Rousseau was Europe's first:
A) publicist.
B) philosopher.
C) "alienated intellectual."
D) music copyist.

Accepted Answer

Rousseau is often considered Europe's first "alienated intellectual" because of his critiques of modern society and the sense of alienation he expressed from it, which was a novel stance at the time.

Question 3

The eighteenth-century public concert included principally:
A) symphonies and concertos.
B) opera arias and recitatives.
C) chamber music.
D) piano sonatas.

Accepted Answer

The symphonies and concertos were the mainstay of public concerts in the eighteenth century. Other forms of classical music such as opera arias and recitatives, chamber music, and piano sonatas were also performed, but not as frequently as symphonies and concertos.

Question 4

The rise of public concerts in the eightenth century gave a special boost to the composition of:
A) vocal music.
B) chamber music.
C) opera.
D) orchestral music.

Accepted Answer

The rise of public concerts in the eighteenth century gave a special boost to orchestral music, as larger venues and audiences called for grander and more complex musical works. While vocal music and opera also gained popularity during this time, the public concert format was particularly conducive to showcasing the talents of instrumental ensembles and composers. Chamber music, on the other hand, was typically performed in smaller, more intimate settings and did not experience as much of a surge in popularity with the advent of public concerts.

Question 5

Which is a musical innovation of eighteenth-century Western society?
A) opera house
B) public concert
C) oratorio
D) cantata

Accepted Answer

While operas, oratorios, and cantatas existed before the eighteenth century, the innovation of the public concert was a significant development in the accessibility and popularity of classical music in Western society. Public concerts allowed for larger audiences to experience music outside of religious or courtly settings, and paved the way for the emergence of professional musicians and composers.

Question 6

Which ruler in the Classical era was known for his generous encouragement of music?
A) Cosimo de' Medici
B) King John
C) Emperor Joseph II
D) Louis XIV

Accepted Answer

Emperor Joseph II was known for his support and encouragement of music in Vienna, Austria during the Classical era. He founded the Vienna Conservatory of Music, hired famous composers such as Mozart and Haydn, and even played the viola himself. While rulers such as Louis XIV also enjoyed music and commissioned works, Joseph II stood out for his active promotion and fostering of the musical arts.

Question 7

The Classical style developed principally in:
A) Vienna.
B) Paris.
C) London.
D) Salzburg.

Accepted Answer

The Classical style of music is primarily associated with composers who lived and worked in Vienna during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, including Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. Vienna was a major cultural center of Europe during this time, and the Classical style of music was closely tied to the city's vibrant artistic and intellectual scene. While other European cities, such as Paris and London, also had thriving musical cultures during this period, Vienna was the most important center of the Classical style.

Question 8

A genre typical of the Rococo style is the:
A) sonata.
B) divertimento.
C) concerto.
D) chanson.

Accepted Answer

The divertimento is a genre typical of the Rococo style, characterized by lightness, elegance, and refined entertainment. Sonata and concerto were common genres in the Classical period, while chanson is a French song genre from the Renaissance period.

Question 9

Which institution that supported the development of orchestral music was new in the eighteenth century?
A) opera house
B) church
C) court
D) concert hall

Accepted Answer

Concert halls were a new institution in the eighteenth century and played a significant role in the development of orchestral music. They provided a space for public performances of orchestral works, which allowed composers to experiment with larger ensembles and more complex musical forms. Prior to the rise of the concert hall, most orchestral music was performed in courts or churches.

Question 10

Oxford was the location of Europe's first:
A) salon concert.
B) opera house.
C) concert hall.
D) cathedral concert.

Accepted Answer

Oxford was the location of Europe's first concert hall, known as the Holywell Music Room, which opened in 1748.

Question 11

The eighteenth-century salon was a(n):
A) opera house.
B) concert hall.
C) gathering in a home.
D) arts lecture in a public place.

Accepted Answer

The eighteenth-century salon was a gathering that took place in a home, usually hosted by a wealthy woman who invited guests to participate in cultural discussions, music performances, and other social activities. Salons were an important part of European high society and contributed to the formation of literary and artistic movements.

Question 12

What was the result of the new sociology and economy of music in the mid-eighteenth century?
A) the opera house
B) regular public concerts with subscription ticket sales
C) music in church services with subscription ticket sales
D) salon concerts with ticket sales

Accepted Answer

The new sociology and economy of music in the mid-eighteenth century resulted in regular public concerts with subscription ticket sales, which allowed for broader access to musical performances beyond the exclusive private salon concerts of the aristocracy. The opera house (A) was already established in the seventeenth century, and music in church services (C) was not necessarily tied to new developments in sociology and economy of music. Salon concerts with ticket sales (D) were also part of the new developments, but were not as widespread as public concerts.

Question 13

The light,decorative,frivolous style of art and music that developed during the mid-eighteenth century was called:
A) Rococo.
B) Baroque.
C) Viennese Classical.
D) salon style.

Accepted Answer

Rococo was a style of art and music that emerged during the mid-eighteenth century characterized by its light, decorative, and frivolous nature. It was a reaction against the heavy, ornate Baroque style that preceded it. Viennese Classical refers to the music of Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven, which developed later in the century. Salon style refers to a style of art that was exhibited in salons or drawing rooms in the 19th century, and is not specific to the mid-eighteenth century Rococo style.

Question 14

The novel,a new literary genre of the eighteenth century,can be compared to:
A) the secular cantata.
B) opera seria.
C) the secular oratorio.
D) comic opera.

Accepted Answer

The novel, like comic opera, emerged as a popular form of entertainment in the eighteenth century, focusing on everyday life and appealing to a broad audience.

Question 15

In his writings,Rousseau attacked the:
A) instrumental music of the Classical era.
B) idea of music for entertainment.
C) religious music of the Classical era.
D) operatic style of the Baroque era.

Accepted Answer

Rousseau criticized the operatic style of the Baroque era, advocating for simplicity and directness in music, which he felt was lost in the complex operatic compositions of his time.

Question 16

Rousseau desired:
A) more polyphony in symphonies.
B) more complex plots in opera.
C) simple characters singing "natural" music in opera.
D) mythical characters singing complex music in oratorios.

Accepted Answer

Rousseau believed that opera should have simple characters singing "natural" music to reflect the natural state of human emotion and to be more accessible to the common people.

Question 17

Opera buffa refers to ________ opera.
A) Italian comic
B) Italian dramatic
C) French Baroque
D) Florentine

Accepted Answer

Opera buffa is a genre of Italian comic opera, characterized by its comedic style and use of ensemble singing.

Question 18

The Classical style emerged in the ________ century.
A) early seventeenth
B) mid-seventeenth
C) early eighteenth
D) mid-eighteenth

Accepted Answer

The Classical style emerged in the mid-eighteenth century, specifically around 1750. This style is characterized by a return to simplicity and clarity inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art, and it dominated Western art music until the early nineteenth century.

Question 19

Thanks to Pergolesi,Rousseau,and Mozart,the most progressive style of opera in the latter part of the eighteenth century was:
A) opera seria.
B) comic opera.
C) French Baroque opera.
D) highly polyphonic opera.

Accepted Answer

Pergolesi's La serva padrona, Rousseau's Le devin du village, and Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro are all examples of comic opera or opera buffa, which was a more progressive and popular style of opera in the latter part of the eighteenth century compared to the traditional and serious opera seria. French Baroque opera and highly polyphonic opera were not the most progressive styles during this time period.

Question 20

Two French philosophers famously associated with the Enlightenment are:
A) Newton and Leibniz.
B) Voltaire and Rousseau.
C) Galileo and Voltaire.
D) Newton and Rousseau.

Accepted Answer

Voltaire and Rousseau are both French philosophers who were prominent figures during the Enlightenment period. They both emphasized reason, individualism, and human rights. Newton and Leibniz were influential scientists and mathematicians during the same time period, but their contributions were more focused on the fields of physics and calculus, rather than philosophy. Galileo was an influential figure in the development of modern science, but he lived before the Enlightenment period.

Quiz 12: Prelude: Music and the Enlightenment

Music during the Enlightenment was meant to:

Rousseau was Europe's first:

The eighteenth-century public concert included principally:

The rise of public concerts in the eightenth century gave a special boost to the composition of:

Which is a musical innovation of eighteenth-century Western society?

Which ruler in the Classical era was known for his generous encouragement of music?

The Classical style developed principally in:

A genre typical of the Rococo style is the:

Which institution that supported the development of orchestral music was new in the eighteenth century?

Oxford was the location of Europe's first:

The eighteenth-century salon was a(n) :

What was the result of the new sociology and economy of music in the mid-eighteenth century?

The light,decorative,frivolous style of art and music that developed during the mid-eighteenth century was called:

The novel,a new literary genre of the eighteenth century,can be compared to:

In his writings,Rousseau attacked the:

Rousseau desired:

Opera buffa refers to ________ opera.

The Classical style emerged in the ________ century.

Thanks to Pergolesi,Rousseau,and Mozart,the most progressive style of opera in the latter part of the eighteenth century was:

Two French philosophers famously associated with the Enlightenment are: