THE CLASSICAL PERIOD (1750-1825) THE CLASSICAL PERIOD OF MUSIC 1) TIME OF GREAT MUSICAL EXPERIMENTATION AND DISCOVERY 2) CENTERS AROUND ACHIEVEMENTS OF VIENNESE SCHOOL A) HAYDN B) MOZART C) BEETHOVEN 3) THREE CHALLENGING PROBLEMS A) EXPLORE MAJOR-MINOR SYSTEM TO ITS FULLEST B) TO PERFECT A LARGE FORM OF ABSOLUTE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC (THE SONATA CYCLE) C) TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ITS (SONATA CYCLE) VARIOUS TYPES 1) SONATA 2) CONCERTO SYMPHONY 3) ELEMENTS OF THE CLASSICAL PERIOD 1) ELEGANT AND LYRICAL MELODIES A) ELEGANT AND LYRICAL MELODIES B) CLEAR-CUT CADENCES 2) THE HARMONIES THAT SUSTAINED THESE MELODIES A) FIRMLY ROOTED IN THE KEY RHYTHM 3) A) MUSIC WAS IN EITHER 2, 3, 4, OR 6/8 B) STAYED IN RHYTHMIC STYLE IT BEGAN WITH 4) FORM A) UNFOLDED
Sonata Form There is no perfect definition of sonata form. Sonata form came about to represent a piece of music that has no words to go with it. Also, the popular form of choosing two themes, repeating them, developing from them, and recapitulating those themes is whats given sonata form its name. Over the past 200+ years, sonata form has grown into this commonly used structure of music. Sonata form mainly focuses on the harmonic and thematic expression of music that sets the mood in the exposition.
Outline the major musical development of the classical period and the main characteristics of the classical style. Main characteristics of the classical style: Contrast of mood - Mood in classical music may change gradually or suddenly. Masters like Haydn and Beethoven were able to impart unity and logic to music of wide emotional range. Rhythm - In Classical music, there is a flexibility of rhythm. A classical composition has a range of rhythmic patterns.
Symphonie no.1 Opus 21 By Anton Webern in 1928 was a prime example of 20th century symphony. Webern’s contribution to 20th century music set the standard for 20th century music. The mathematics and calculation created a somewhat elitist style of music with much more dimension than to the untrained eye. Webern redefined the way in which the classic ‘symphony’ was viewed. For him a ‘symphony’ was defined as being a sounding together of instruments.
- The Baroque gave rise to a remarkable variety of musical style, ranging from the expressive monody of Claudio monteverdi (1567-1643) to the complex polyphony of J.S. Bach (1685-1750). -Baroque also introduce many new musical genres--opera, cantata, oratorio, sonata, concerto, and suite -Despite the quick stylistic changes and all the new types of music created, two elements remain constant throughout the Baroque period: an expressive melody and a strong supportive bass. Expressive Melody: - In early Baroque music, the voices are no longer equal. Rather a polarity develops in which the musical emphasis gravitates toward the top and bottom lines.
In the years 1170 to 1250 began Ars antiqua in Notre Dame School of polyphony. This was the period in which rhythmic notation first appeared in western music known as rhythmic modes. Almost all composers of the ars antiqua are anonymous. Musicians during that period were Trouvères and troubadours, their monophonic melodies of the traveling musicians, which might have been added improvised accompaniments and were often rhythmically lively. The majority of these songs are love, in all combinations of joy and pain.
I will be drawing from historical facts and also my own conclusions in this essay. The first thing I shall consider is composers- the twentieth century gave birth to many new ideas and so composers of that era also utilized new techniques and styles. Composers of the past, such as baroque composers (like Bach and Handel) would have been commissioned by nobles to compose music for a certain occasion, all the while keeping within the style of the time and what the client wanted. These restrictive attitudes were continued throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, making the musical periods of these times very easy to generalise. Music did evolve and change, but boundaries were never pushed to the point of where it invoked powerful emotions in the audiences it was played to.
Vivaldi was a master of the violin and is widely known as the composer of concertos which is a form of music with a small orchestra and solo lead instrument. He was a prolific composer and is well known for composing over 500 concertos, 46 Operas, 73 sonatas, chamber music, and sacred music. Vivaldi was the first composer to use ritornello form regularly in fast movements, and his use of it became a model for later composers. Vivaldi repeatedly looked for contrasting harmonies, creating new melodies and themes. His main goal was to create a musical piece that was meant to be appreciated by a large population opposed to only a certain group of people.
Cyclical Literature in early19th Century A song cycle is a group of songs designed to perform in a sequence during classical music. All of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet, lyricist, or relating a story. Each song sang separately, but the composer imagined that they would be performed together as one work. They are for solo voice and piano accompaniment, however, they also can be without accompaniment or instruments. It started before the Romantic period, but it become popular with German composers of the nineteenth century.
Haydn was able to begin immediately his pursuit of a career as a freelance musician. During this arduous time, Haydn worked at many different jobs: as a music teacher, as a street serenader, and eventually, in 1752, as valet–accompanist for the Italian composer Nicola Propora, from whom he later said he learned "the true fundamentals of composition" Franz Joseph Haydn is the composer who, more than any other, epitomizes the aims and achievements of the Classical era. Perhaps his most important achievement was that he developed and evolved in countless subtle ways the most influential structural principle in the history of music: his perfection of the set of expectations known as sonata form made an epochal impact. In hundreds of instrumental sonatas, string quartets, and symphonies, Haydn both broke new ground and provided durable models; indeed, he was among the creators of these fundamental genres of classical music. His influence upon later composers is immeasurable; Haydn's most illustrious pupil, Beethoven, was the direct beneficiary of the elder master's musical imagination, and Haydn's shadow lurks within (and sometimes looms over) the music of composers like Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms.