Transcript classic
Music of the Classical Period (1750-1820) 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, selfemployed artists “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 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 Upper Belvedere, Vienna 1721-22 Karlskirche, Vienna 1716-33 Petite Trianon at Versailles, 1726-68 Temple of Love at Versailles, 1775 David, Mars disarmed by Venus, 1824 on next page Paris & Helen, 1788 Fragonard –The Bathers –The Reader Watteau –Pierrot 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. Mozart’s Act 1, Scene 1 from Don Giovanni Opera Sung theatrical work Staged with costumes and sets Example: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Act 1, excerpt from Opening Scene from Don Giovanni Classical Music Genres Vocal Music Genres – Opera Instrumental Music Genres – Orchestral Music • Symphony • Concerto – Chamber Music • String Quartet • Serenade 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 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig Van Beethoven