The Classical Era (1750-1820) Year 10 IGCSE October 2009.
Transcript of The Classical Era (1750-1820) Year 10 IGCSE October 2009.
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)