Transcript the classical era 1750-1825

THE
CLASSICAL
ERA
1750-1825
THE CLASSICAL STYLE
WAS A COMPLETE
CHANGE FROM THE
BAROQUE STYLE
Classical Characteristics:
• Also referred to as Age of Enlightenment or
Age of Reason.
• Described as elegant, formal, and
restrained.
• Instrumental music more important than
vocal music
• Stressed balance and clarity of structure.
Classical Music:
• Needed to be understood by everyone, not
just the wealthy.
• Needed to be universal, meaning it could
communicate to people everywhere.
• Tempo and dynamic changes were gradual;
not sudden.
Classical Orchestra:
• Orchestra was similar to today’s orchestra in
the instruments used but smaller in size.
• Strings: Violin, Viola, Cello, & String Bass
• Woodwinds: Flutes, Oboes, & Clarinets
• Brass: Trumpets & Trombones
• Percussion: Drums, Cymbals, & Timpani
• Piano: Replaced harpsichord
• Organ: Still widely used
Classical Music Forms:
• Symphony: 4 movement composition for
orchestra.
• Opera: Drama that is sung, and acted out.
• Oratorio: Choral drama that is sung, but not
acted out.
• Sonata: 3 movement instrumental solo.
• Concerto: Piece for solo instrument and
orchestra.
• Rondo: Form where main theme (A)
throughout; ABACADA
THE THREE MOST
POPULAR FORMS OF
MUSIC IN THE
CLASSICAL PERIOD
WERE SONATAS,
SYMPHONIES, AND
STRING QUARTETS
A SONATA IS A PIECE
OF MUSIC FOR ONE
OR TWO
INSTRUMENTS.
SONATA MEANS
“SOUNDED”
A SYMPHONY IS A
PIECE OF MUSIC
WRITTEN FOR A
LARGE
ORCHESTRA
The Classical Orchestra
• Approximately 30 string violin,
cello, and viola players
• Also, 2 players each for the oboe,
flute, bassoon, horns, trumpets,
kettledrums, and clarinet
– Beethoven often increased this demand for
instruments and also added extra ones like the
piccolo and trombone.
A STRING QUARTET IS
A PIECE WRITTEN FOR
FOUR STRING
INSTRUMENTS.
VIOLIN/VIOLA/CELLO/
DOUBLE BASS
THREE BIG
COMPOSERS OF
THE TIME WERE
HAYDN, MOZART,
AND BEETHOVEN.
HADYN WORKED AS A
ROYAL COURT
MUSICIAN AND AS A
SERVANT.
FATHER OF THE
SYMPHONY
WROTE 104
Franz Joseph Haydn:
•
•
•
•
Born in Rohrau, Austria in 1732
Died in Vienna, Austria in 1809
Sang in church boychoir
Age 17- Made living playing harpsichord and
violin
• Age 19- Composed first Catholic mass
• Age 23- Composed first string quartet
• Age 27- Composed first symphony
Franz Joseph Haydn:
• Age 29- Employed as by Austrian Prince
Esterhazy (choirmaster and court musician)
• Worked for Esterhazy family for 29 years.
• His nickname was Papa Haydn.
• Age 60’s- Haydn’s health began to fail.
• During last 10 years of life, he wrote little
music, but attended many concerts.
Haydn’s Contact with other
composers:
• Beethoven was Haydn’s student
• Age 49- met Mozart (age 25); Haydn stated he
was not influenced by any other composer
except Mozart.
• Met Handel (age 59), and found his oratorios
inspiring.
Famous Haydn Pieces:
• Surprise Symphony
• Emperor’s Hymn (This became the National
Anthem of Austria.)
• The Creation (Oratorio)
• The Seasons (Oratorio)
HADYN
COMPOSED MANY
SYMPHONIES
INCLUDING THE
SURPRISE
SYMPHONY.
MOZART, ONE OF THE MOST
FAMOUS COMPOSERS LIVED
DURING THIS TIME.
HE WROTE OVER 600 PIECES
IN HIS SHORT 35 YEAR LIFE.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756
Died in Vienna, Austria in 1791
Known as a musical prodigy (genius)
His father, Leopold, was also a musician
Age 4- Play clavier (keyboard)
Age 5- Began composing
Age 6- Could play harpsichord and violin;
toured Europe performing concerts for royalty
and wealthy aristocrats.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
•
•
•
•
Age 8- Wrote a symphony
Age 11- Wrote an oratorio
Age 12- Wrote an opera
By early teens, he had composed more music
than most famous composers.
• One of Mozart’s friends was Johann Christian
Bach, son of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
• Age 25- Became music teacher.
• Age 31- Became the private musician to
Emperor of Vienna.
• Influenced by the music of Haydn.
• Could play a piece of music correctly after
hearing one time.
• Age 35- Died a very poor, overworked musical
genius
• Buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave in
Austria
Mozart’s Music:
Wrote more than 600 musical works including:
Symphonies
Operas
Concertos
Oratorios
Choral Works
Solo works
Mozart’s Famous Pieces:
•
•
•
•
•
Symphony No. 40
Marriage of Figaro (Opera)
Magic Flute (Opera)
Don Giovanni (Opera)
Requiem in D Minor (a requiem is mass
for the dead)
BEETHOVEN WAS
ANOTHER COMPOSER
OF THIS TIME.
AT THE AGE OF 31, HE
STARTED TO LOSE HIS
HEARING.
Ludwig van Beethoven:
• Born in Bonn, Germany in
1770
• Died in Vienna, Austria in
1827
• His father was an alcoholic.
Ludwig van Beethoven:
• Age 4- Began piano lessons
• Age 8- Concert pianist
• Age 11- Assistant church
organist
Ludwig van Beethoven:
• Age 16- Played for Mozart
• Took music and composition
lessons from Haydn.
• Age 29, he began to lose
hearing.
Ludwig van Beethoven:
• By age 44, he stopped playing
in public due to deafness.
• He continued to compose and
conduct despite deafness
Ludwig van Beethoven:
• Beethoven’s early works
(before 1800) were in the
Classical style.
• However, his later works
(after 1800) were in the
Romantic style.
Ludwig van Beethoven:
• Because of this, Beethoven
is often called a musical
bridge between the
Classical and Romantic
Periods.
BEETHOVEN WROTE
9 SYMPHONIES. HIS
TWO MOST FAMOUS
ARE THE 5TH AND
9TH.
THE MUSICAL PENDULUM
STARTED TO SWING BACK
TO EMOTIONAL AND
FLOWERY MUSIC WHICH
WAS THE DOWNFALL OF
THE CLASSICAL PERIOD.
THE CLASSICAL
PERIOD GAVE WAY
TO THE
ROMANTIC
PERIOD.