Transcript File

Classical Music
Classical Music
• The term classical can be applied in 2 ways
– Viennese School of Music: Haydn, Mozart,
Beethoven, & Schubert (1770-1830)
– Period of music with the following characteristics:
formal clarity; balance & structure; lucid design;
objectivity & traditionalism.
• Classical music can be somewhat cold &
unemotional.
• Classical forms are sectional, with clear
divisions between the sections.
• Continuo was gradually abandoned in the
classical era (experimentation with symphonic
style.)
• Types of music popular in the Classical period
– Oratorios: declining in popularity
– Opera
– Sonatas
– Concertos
Classical Sonata
• Multi-movement work in one of 2 different
patterns
3 Movement Plan
1st Movement: Fast (Allegro); written in home
key
2nd Movement: Slow tempo (Adagio/Largo;)
written in contrasting key
3rd Movement: Fast tempo; written in home key
4 Movement Plan
1st Movement: Same as 3 Movement plan
2nd Movement: Same as 3 Movement plan
3rd Movement: Minuet or Trio (3 beats) written
in the home key.
4th Movement: Fast tempo; home key
Classical Concerto
• Different from the Baroque concerto
• Concerto grosso was abandoned in the
Classical period.
• Classical composers concentrated on the solo
concerto
• The favored solo instruments were the violin &
piano, but other instruments were used as well.
• Solo concerto used the 3 Movement sonata
plan: f-s-f movement; NO minuet & trio
• Still works on the contrast between large &
small bodies of sound.
• Classical concertos still used the ritornello form.
• NEW part in the classical concerto was the
cadenza
• The cadenza was a section for the solo
instrument to play without accompaniment.
• The cadenza becomes the perfect vehicle for
the virtuoso performer.
• It was supposed to sound improvised, but many
were written out prior to the performance.
• The cadenza contained fragments of thematic
material, erratic tempo, obscured beats, &
modulation (change from one key to another.)
• The cadenza usually ended on a powerful
note, returning to the orchestra for the
concluding portion of the movement.
• Mozart established the general form of the
Classical concerto.
Classical Composers
Franz Josef Haydn
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Joseph Haydn
1732-1809
Franz Josef Haydn
• 1732-1809
• Born to poor parents in Austria
• A relative encouraged his parents to get him
musical training.
• He was taken to Vienna & enrolled in the boys
choir at St. Stephen’s Church
• There he received a basic grammar school
education along with voice lessons & violin
lessons
• He had some lessons in composing music, but
he was largely self-taught.
• He left the school when his voice changed
(about age 16.)
• Haydn made a living teaching violin & voice
lessons on his own.
• His big break came when he was hired as
assistant music director for the Esterhazy
family.
• The Esterhazy family was a powerful noble
family with connections to the Holy Roman
Emperor.
• He moved to the family estate which was
isolated; this helped make his compositions
more original & creative (he was away from
other musical influences.)
• His reputation grew & he became known
throughout Austria & the Europe.
• Eventually he became the music director the
family (prestigious position.)
• He was able to travel & compose more music.
• In his position as music director he was
expected to write many different types of music.
• For the Emperor Franz-Josef, he wrote the
composition, “Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser.”
• Translation: “God Save the Emperor Franz.”
• Eventually became the Austrian national
anthem.
• Haydn was able to collaborate with both Mozart
& Beethoven.
• He is also attributed with the creation of the
Classical style; he is also known as “Papa”
Haydn since he laid the foundation for
symphonic style.
• He composed well into his old age but
stopped writing symphonies &
concentrated on masses.
• Napoleon Bonaparte shelled Vienna as
Haydn lay on his death bed.
Body of Work
• Symphonies: 104
– Last 12 are known as the “London” Symphonies
since they were composed while Haydn visited
London.
• Chamber Ensembles: 68-83; mostly trios &
quartets; music for small audiences.
– Haydn is credited with laying down the
fundamentals of the string quartet.
• Operas: 20; no longer performed
– Greatest opera composer of 18th century was
Mozart.
• Masses: 12
– “Missa in Temporae Belli” (1796)
– Mass in a Time of War was written when
Napoleon began his march across Europe.
• Piano sonatas: 52
• Instrumental trios: 31
***Haydn used many “tricks” in order to
make his music original.
The Mass
• Catholic & Protestant service of worship
• Parts of the mass will be set to music.
• Special occasions—Requiem mass is the most
common composition
– Requiem is a mass for the dead; funeral mass.
– Coronation mass for some prince or noble
The Ordinarium
• Parts of the mass that will stay the same.
• Will include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Kyrie: plea for mercy
Gloria: praise & thanks to God
Credo: confession of faith
Sactus: Glorification of God
Benedictus: Glorification of Jesus
Angus Dei: Plea for forgiveness & peace.
***The Requiem mass will add more parts like the
Dies Irae, or Day of Wrath; this section tells
about God’s anger toward the wicked &
sinners.
Mozart—Child
Prodigy
1756-1791
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• 1756-1791
• Child prodigy
– Skilled in a particular talent
• Born in Salzburg, Austria
• His father was an accomplished musician &
worked for the Archbishop of Salzburg.
• Only Mozart & his sister survived into adulthood
(out of 6 children;) she also was talented
musically.
• They grew up in a musical household.
• Mozart wrote his first composition at 5 years
old.
• His music wasn’t filled with revisions; he wrote
everything almost perfectly.
• Mozart’s father, Leopold, was an opportunist.
He exploited his children’s talent for his own
gain.
• The long term goal to was to get Mozart a good
position (hopefully with the Archbishop of
Salzburg.)
• Leopold took the children on a tour of Europe &
they were a hit.
ADULTHOOD
• Problems started around the age 21
• He was never able to secure a good position.
– He hated the patronage system
– His undisciplined behavior worked against him the
most.
– He was his own worst enemy.
– People didn’t take him seriously because of his
behavior.
• He organized a tour of Europe; it started in
Paris & was unsuccessful.
• He brought his mother on tour with him & she
died in Paris; she had to be buried there.
• Mozart was closer to his mother than his father;
her death caused him great distress.
• He never could live up to the expectations of his
father.
• He returned to Salzburg but could never fit in
there
– He got a position with the Archbishop but it wasn’t a
secure position.
– He left Salzburg under bad conditions to study
music in Vienna.
– The Archbishop dismissed him.
• The Vienna years were good to Mozart at first,
but things quickly soured.
• He had a position at the royal court, but this
wouldn’t last long.
• 2 major reasons for Mozart’s decline:
– His behavior was undiplomatic
– Jealousy of other court composers & musicians
(they sabotaged his career.)
• He also lived way out of his means; he & his
wife were always broke.
• He had no permanent position; he did complete
many commissioned works.
• Mozart became very sick but still managed to
compose music.
• Historians think he died of rheumatic fever; the
treatment was blood-letting which only made
the disease worse.
• He was buried from St. Stephen’s Church; there
is no particular grave, since he was buried in a
mass grave.
• Haydn sang at St. Stephen’s.
• There was a memorial service at Prague,
Czech Republic, where more than 4,000 people
attended the service.
• Constanza Weber was Mozart’s wife
• She was opera singer
• His father was against the marriage but they
were happy together
• Their major problem though was money.
• KOCHEL: one of Mozart’s students who
organized his music after Mozart died.
• Mozart’s compositions have “K” numbers.
– Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622
• Numbers are usually in the order the composer
wrote the music. In the 1800s, compositions
would be numbered using Opus numbers.
Mozart’s Body of Work
• Operas: 21; only 18th century composer whose
operas are still performed
– The Marriage Of Figaro
– The Magic Flute
– Don Giovanni
• Piano Concertos: 28
• Symphonies: 41
– His last 3 were composed in one summer 3 years
before his death
•
Several Chamber Ensembles
– Trios
– Quartets
– Quintets
REVIEW QUESTIONS:
1. What was Diderot’s accomplishment during
the Age of Reason?
2. How did governments & church officials in
Europe fight against the spread of the
Enlightenment?
3. Why did the Enlightenment ideas pose a
challenge to the established order in Europe?
4. Which philosopher believed that man was
basically good?
5. What was the name of the “agreement” where
people give up the natural state for an
organized society?
6. What did Montesquieu believe about
government?
7. What occasion did Haydn write the “Missa in
Temporae Belli”?
8. What did Voltaire advocate?
9. Which 18th century composer’s operas are still
performed today?
10. Why did Haydn call his last 12 symphonies
the “London Symphonies”?
EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
FOLLOWING.
1. Natural Rights
2. Ordinarium
3. Cadenza
4. Esterhazy
5. Philosophe
6. Virtuoso
7. Requiem mass
8. Kochel
9. Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser
10. The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The
Magic Flute
DISCUSSION
1. Explain the background of the classical
concerto.
• Explain the rite of the Christian mass including
at least 3 parts of the Ordinarium. How does the
requiem differ from the regular mass?
– Kyrie
– Gloria
– Credo
– Sanctus
– Benedictus
– Agnus Dei