The Classical Era (1750-1820)

The Classical Era (1750-1820)Year 10 IGCSEOctober 2009

The Age of Enlightenment•Believed in progress, rising middle class

•American and French revolutions

•Humanitarian Ideals/reason and knowledge

•Liberty, Equality and fraternity!

Musical Style• Polyphonic texture to simple melodies

• Light and graceful music (style gallant)

• Epitome of classical music 1770-1820

• Music printing and increase amateur performances

• Opera and concerto grosso becomes symphony

• Suite became sonata

Elements of Music Characteristics• Changes of mood

▫ Can be sudden (unlike Baroque) but unified• Rhythm

▫ Flexible (sudden or gradual)• Texture

▫ Homophonic – but can change, more vertical schemes

• Melody▫ Tuneful and sometimes borrowed▫ Balanced and symmetrical

• Dynamics▫ Range and not just terraced dynamics, crescendos

used▫ piano instead of harpsichord (1775) – forte piano

• Basso Continuo▫ Obsolete – more amateur friendly – rid improvising

Standard Orchestra• Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion

• Larger number of musicians (25-60)

• Specific timbres considered

• Continuo disappeared

• Conductor with baton and clarinet!

• More balanced between strings and winds

• Orchestra more like that of today

Form• 4 movements usually

▫ 1. Fast▫ 2. Slow▫ 3. Dance-related movement▫ 4. Fast

• Symphony = 4 movements, orchestra

• string quartets = 4 movements, 2 violins, viola, cello

• Sonata = one or two instruments (most formal, developed by Haydn and Mozart)

• CONTRASTING THEMES in one movement

• BALANCE OF SECTIONS (tension resolved)

Life in Classical Period•Composers affected – breaking free from control

▫Haydn ▫Mozart▫Beethoven

•More public concerts – spread through Europe

•Middle class people started playing instruments

•More demand for printed music

•More comic, vulgar

Sonata Allegro Form• Single movement form – usually the form of the 1st

movement of symphony, quartet or sonata

• 3 sections:ABA▫Exposition:

▫Development

▫Recapitulation

▫CODA

• Listen to Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor 4th Movement

Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G Minor 4th MovementNotes:

Theme and Variations•Independent piece or as a movement of a

symphony, sonata, or string quartet

•BASIC IDEA repeated and changed

•This idea can be borrowed or composed

BASIC STRUCTURE:

Listen to: Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 in G Major 2nd Movement

Notes from Listening

Minuet and Trio• Usually as the 3rd movement of symphonies and

quartets

• Triple meter and moderate

• A(m)B(t)A(m) - trio quieter usually

• STRUCTURE:

• Listen to Mozart’s Eine kleine Nactmusik 3rd Movement

Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 in G Major 2nd MovementNotes:

Rondo• Independent or as a movement

• Lively, regular and conclusive

• Tuneful main theme (usually simple) that returns in alternation

• STRUCTURE:

• Sonata-Rondo STRUCTURE:

Classical Symphony•Origin from 17th century opera overtures

•Extended – 20-45 minutes

•Haydn wrote many of the early symphonies

•Usually 4 movements with range of contrasts▫1. fast dramatic (usually sonata form)▫2. slow lyrical (sonata form, ABA, or T+V),

diff key▫3. dancelike ▫4. fast heroic (sonata or sonata-rondo)

Classical Concerto• 3 movement work for instrumental soloist and

orchestra▫Fast (cadenza) (sonata form with 2 expositions)▫Slow▫Fast (cadenza improvisation) (rondo or sonata-rondo)▫then CODA (short)

• Interplay of melody lines and cadenzas

• Mozart and Beethoven wrote many (star in each on piano)

• 20-45 minutes

Classical Chamber Music• Imitate room setting

• 2-9 musicians – entertain guests

• No conductor

• STRING QUARTET – a fine art▫ Usually 2 violin, viola and cello

• Usually 4 movements▫ Fast▫ Slow▫ Minuet▫ Fast

• OR sonata (violin/piano), trio (piano, violin, cello), quintet

Sacred Choral Music•Oratorios and masses were most elaborate

in 18th century▫MASS – Haydn wrote most exuberant

masses Classical sacred music mixes classical

MELODY-HARMONY and POLYPHONIC IMITATION

▫Oratorios – musical setting of sacred text•Comic Opera

Opera Buffa – Comic Opera (ie La Serva Padrona by Pergolesi, Mozart`s Don Giovanni)