Neo Classical. Background Info 1720-1830 Neo means new, thus this is the New Classical Era – Again...
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Transcript of Neo Classical. Background Info 1720-1830 Neo means new, thus this is the New Classical Era – Again...
Neo Classical
Background Info
• 1720-1830• “Neo” means “new”, thus this is the New
Classical Era– Again Roman and Greek ideals were the fodder for
a new intellectual movement
More Background Info
• Advocated– Ethics (Morality)– Aesthetics (Study of beauty)– Knowledge (Understanding)
Still more Background Info
• New world leaders.– Generally speaking, leaders during this era
believed themselves to be courageous and intellectual enough to lead the world toward progress.
– Bring about and end to superstition, irrational thought, and tyranny
And Zombies
Enlightenment
• This enlightenment provided the groundwork which led to both the American and French Revolution, capitalism, socialism, liberalism, and fascism.
Thinkers be thinking
• This “enlightened” view of life brought about structural changes and intellectual reform
• People viewed religion and art in social terms.• There was a general desire for discovery and
knowledge.
Art with a purpose
• Arts were important for spreading knowledge and serving the interests of the state.
• Governments established art academies to improve the intellectual training of artists and architects to fit that of the state.
• From this spawned professional organizations, qualifications, standards and even diplomas.
And Example
• Oath of the Horatii, by Jacques-Louis David
Oath of the Horatii,
• Painted in 1784 (5 years before the French Revolution), this painting depicts clear-headed think, and self-sacrifice for the greater good, concerns which rebels could sympathize with.
The Music
• As can be expected, as music developed it became more complex.– Melodies went past polyphony to adopt a system
of homophonic.• is a texture in which two or more parts move together
in harmony, the relationship between them creating chords. This is distinct from polyphony, in which parts move with rhythmic independence, and monophony, in which all parts (if there are multiple parts) move in parallel rhythm and pitch. (Thanks Wikipedia)
The Heavy Hitters
• Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven• Musical movement was centered around
Vienna from 1750 – 1780.
Wolfgang Amadeus
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Life
• Composed first symphony at 8.• Middle name means “loved of God”• Early in his career in Vienna, Mozart made a
name for himself by publishing, playing piano, and having one of his operas performed
Not in the book
• Tell Thornsburg to stop reading
• Mozart was prolific and influential composer.• His 600 compositions include works widely
acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music.
Some tunes
• Eine kleine Nacht• The Marriage of Figaro • Requiem– A requiem is a Mass (religious service) for the
dead. Mozart was dying at the time that he wrote this piece. Infact he never completed it.
Back to the book
• Mozart died poor and was buried in an unmarked grave in a suburb of Vienna
Haydn
A life
• Soon of a wheelwright (a person who repairs wheels)
• Trained as a choirboy and taken into the choir at St. Stephen’s Catherdal in the mid 1700s.
• Worked as a freelance musician, accompanist.• Played violin and keyboard instruments
A Life
• Wrote some sacred works and music for theatre comedies and chamber music.
• Though now regarded as old fashioned for his time, Hayden is known as the father of the symphony and string quartet.
• Hayden witnessed both genres from their infancy to their creative high.
• Hayden’s compositions added a new level of sophistication to these forms and set the groundwork for Beethoven.
Some Tunes
• Piano Concerto in D Major Hob. XVIII: II - Mov. 1/3
Death
• Died in 1809. Mozart’s Requiem was performed at his service.
• Was buried near the Esterhazy palace.
Beethoven
A Life
• Father was a court tenor– Instructed Beethoven in piano, violin, and possibly
viola.
• Gave his first public concert on March 26. 1778… he would eventually die on this date 49 years later.– Kind of makes you think huh?
• At age 31 Beethoven’s hearing was getting progressively worse.
• Beethoven was pretty bummed out, but he got over it, got a tattoo (not really) and became very productive.
Further struggles with depression
• After 1812 Beethoven feel into a deep depression. His marriage failed, deaf and isolated by his disability. Again Beethoven pulled it together and wrote some of his most profound work after this period
• As Beethoven developed his methods, his compositions changed.
• Beethoven’s musical output can divided up into three periods(Early Middle, Late).
• Beethoven’s skill(z) earned him favor among the enlightened aristocracy in Vienna of whom he enjoyed their generous support.
• These wealthy friends forgave Beethoven for his poor manners, careless appearance, and towering rages.
• Beethoven became so wealthy that by the 1790s he was not dependent upon patronage for his income
• Beethoven is considered by many to be a bridge between the Classical era to the Romantic era.
Some Tunes
• Early– Opus 18
• Middle– Fidelio– Fifth Symphony
• Late– Ninth Symphony