Transcript Today you will - Uniservity CLC

Today you will:
Know and understand features of the Classical
Period, Romantic period and the 20th century
By the end of the lesson you will be able to:
Identify different periods and features of
orchestral music
Orchestral Landmarks - features
Classical
1750-1800
Late classical
1800-1830
Romantic
1830-1900
20th Century
1900-2000
Orchestra
size/instrument
s
Small scale
orchestra.
Strings dominate
tunes.
Expanded
orchestra –
trombones, horns
and more added
Very large
orchestra. Loads
of percussion and
more varied too.
Large and small
orchestras. Noninstrumental,
electronic sounds.
Instruments played in
new ways.
Melody
Balanced, clear 2
or 4 bar phrases.
Elegant, light.
Dramatic sound.
Single theme
used throughout.
Long, singable
tunes. Often
builds to a climax.
Varied. Wide leaps
over dissonant gaps.
Fragmented tunes.
Harmony/
Tonality
Diatonic
harmony. In
major/minor.
Clear cadences.
Diatonic harmony.
Major/minor key.
Clear cadences.
Lots of chromatic
notes. Lots of
modulation.
Key often not clear.
Extreme dissonance.
Bitonality and
atonality. Discords.
Rhythm
Clear rhythms.
Constant tempo.
Driving rhythms.
Lots of tempo
changes and
rubato. Some
syncopation.
Metre and tempo
change often.
Polyrhythm. Ostinato.
Texture
Mostly
homophonic.
Occasional
polyphonic.
Mostly
homophonic.
Occasional
polyphonic.
Varied texture.
Huge contrasts in
texture.
Classical Period 1750-1800
Orchestra & Resources
Small orchestra.
Strings dominate tunes.
Melody
Balanced phrases.
Elegant and light.
Harmony & Tonality
Diatonic harmony – all notes belong to
main key.
Major/minor keys used.
Clear cadences.
Rhythm
Clear rhythms.
Constant tempo – you can tap your foot
in time with it.
Texture
Mostly homophonic – tune over
accompaniment
Anything else
Clear simple structures
Composers
Mozart, Haydn
Late Classical period – 1800-1830
Orchestral & Resources
Expanded orchestra – brass more prominent
e.g. trombones, French horns. Woodwind
added and more strings.
Melody
Dramatic sound. Single theme used
throughout most works. Powerful themes.
Harmony & Tonality
Again diatonic. Major/minor key. Clear
cadences.
Rhythm
Driving rhythms that push music forward.
Texture
Mostly homophonic i.e. tune and
accompaniment
Anything else
Contrasting sections of orchestra used e.g.
brass playing against strings.
Big variations in the dynamics.
Programme music, music paints pictures.
Composers
Beethoven
Romantic period – 1830-1900
Orchestra and resources
Larger orchestras with more varied
percussion e.g. bass drum, gong, snare,
triangle, cymbals, tubular bells. New
instruments – piccolo, cor anglais,
bassoons, bass clarinets
Melody
Long, singable, strong and victorious tunes.
Tunes often build to a climax. Long
sweeping phrases. Tunes given to any
instrument.
Harmony & Tonality
Lots of chromatic notes. Lots of
modulations.
Rhythm
Lots of tempo changes and use of rubato.
Irregular timings
Texture
Varied texture.
Anything else
Massive range of dynamics and dramatic
directions, expression markings. Rich timbre
– colour/quality of sound.
Composers
Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Rachmaninov
20th century – 1900- 2000
Orchestra and resources
Large and small orchestras. Non-instrumental
and electronic sounds. Traditional instruments
played in new ways. – see page 34 of AOS
Melody
Very varied. Wide leaps between notes and
these leaps were dissonant. Fragmented
melodies. No tune at all.
Harmony and tonality
Key not clear. Very dissonant. Bitonality (music
in 2 different keys) used and atonality (no main
key at all).
Note clusters (clashing notes)
Rhythm
Metre and tempo change often – one bar in 3,
next bar in 5 etc. Lots of polyrhythms, ostinati,
syncopation. Complex rhythms.
Texture
Huge contrasts in texture.
Anything else
Composers
Stravinsky, Shostakovitch, Schoenberg