Music of the Classical Period

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Music of the Classical Period

• (1750-1820)

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Classical Defined

• A classic is any supreme accomplishment of
  lasting appeal (for example a movie classic or
  classic rock song)
• classical music (lowercase c) usually refers
  to any music that is NOT rock , jazz, folk, or
  popular
• Classical music (uppercase C) refers to music
  written between 1750-1820, which exhibits some of
  the artistic ideas found in Neoclassic visual
  art and architecture
• In visual art and architecture, Classical Art
  refers to Greek and Roman antiquity

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Classicial Historical Highlights

• Age of Enlightenment using reason to solve
  social problems
• Age of violent upheavals - French American
  Revolutions, Napoleonic Wars
• Political power shifts from noble courts and
  church to the newly empowered middle class
• Composers move from high-class servants to
  free-lance, self-employed artists

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Classical Artistic Highlights

• New emphasis on balance and clarity of structure
• Neoclassic Architecture and Painting
• firm lines clear structure
• balance symmetry
• moralistic subject matter
• Greek Roman references
• Arts meant to please and entertain rather than
  instruct new emphasis on naturalness pleasing
  variety
• Rococo artists Watteau Fragonard

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Upper Belvedere, Vienna 1721-22
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Temple of Love at Versailles, 1775
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David,Mars disarmed by Venus, 1824
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• Fragonard
• The Reader

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Classical Music Genres

• Vocal Music Genres
• Opera

• Instrumental Music Genres
• Orchestral Music
• Symphony
• Concerto
• Chamber Music
• String Quartet
• Serenade

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Classical Musical Highlights

• New emphasis on pleasing variety
• Highly flexible rhythms (i.e. all different
  lengths of short and long notes)
• More difference between musical ideas within a
  single movement or piece
• Introduction of crescendo and diminuendo into
  varied dynamic changes
• New emphasis on naturalness
• Demand for simplicity and clarity in melody and
  harmony
• Use of secular pop/folk tunes in art music
• More melody accompaniment (homophonic) textures
• New emphasis on morality, common people, and
  everyday life in OPERA
• Example
• W.A. Mozarts Act 1, Scene 1 from Don Giovanni

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Opera

• Sung theatrical work
• Staged with costumes and sets
• Example WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Act 1, excerpt
  from Opening Scene from Don Giovanni

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Classical Music Style Characteristics
Timbre End of basso continuo evolution of standard orchestra with all four choirs strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion transition from harpsichord to piano
Rhythm Emphasis on flexibiliy and naturalness unexpected pauses syncopations frequent changes from long to short note patterns
Melody Tuneful, easy to remember folk-like, often borrowed balanced and symmetrical phrase lengths tend to be rounded
Form New emphasis on symmetrical structures and clear formal designs new emphasis on rounding new emphasis on multi-movement instrumental works widespread use of Sonata form
Dynamics Widespread use of gradual dynamic changes (I.e.crescendos diminuendos) transition from harpsichord to piano
Texture Basically HOMOPHONIC MELODY ACCOMPANIMENT but flexible sudden appearances of small bits of imitative polyphony
Harmony Less dense simpler and more stretched out harmonic progressions gradual abandonment of basso continuo
Mood Emphasis on variety and contrast
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Karlskirche, Vienna 1716-33
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Petite Trianon at Versailles, 1726-68
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Ludwig Van Beethoven