The Classical Period
Classicism implies the ideals
of the Apollonian cult of ancient Greece: objectivity, ethos, emotional restraint, and balance and clarity of form.
In music was reflected on the
development of the musical forms and the homophonic texture.
Form:
-Principles of
sectional structure, particularly in sonata form, were firmly established in the late eighteenth century.
Texture:
-Classical textures
were typically homophonic, with a single melodic line accompanied by nonmelodic or less melodic materials.
-A much favored accompanied pattern was the so-called Alberti-bass (a broken chord figure)
-Predominance of thin, light sonorities as opposed to the predominantly massive sonority of Baroque music.
Major composers:
Gluck (1714-1787)
-The least versatile of the four, was a master of opera and opera reform.
Haydn (1732-1809)
-Was the most prolific of the major composers.
-He established the form and instrumentation of the Classical symphony and developed the string quartet.
-His principal fields were: symphony, chamber music, concerto, piano sonata, oratorio, church
music, and opera.
Mozart (1756-1791)
-One of the most fertile musical minds of all times.
-Rebelled against the system of patronage and attempted to fashion a living from commissions for and royalties from his music.
-His principal fields were symphony, concerto, chamber music, sonata, and mass.
-His operas represent the pinnacle of the genre.
Beethoven (1770-1827)
-One of the most im portent composers of Western art music.
-He guided the transition from late Classical to a Romantic style
-He expanded the concept of sonata form and made it a vehicle of powerful expression.
-He was unsurpassed in the techniques of thematic development and variation.
-His main areas of composition were symphony, concerto, string quartet, and piano sonata. He wrote an oratorio, an opera and
one festival mass.
Instrumental Music: The
most significant changes in form and genre during the classical era took place in instrumental music:
Sonata
Form: Means a basic plan in 3 or 4 movements.
-It applies virtually to all instrumental genres:
-solo sonata
--symphonies
-concertos
-string quartets
-and others.
First movement:
-fast tempo- (Allegro )
-called sonata form
includes:
-An optional introduction in slow tempo.
-The Exposition: here the two first themes are introduced
-Development: here themes are developed and new ideas will
be introduced.
-Recapitulation or Re-exposition: General restatement of the
exposition.
-Coda: a closing section.
Second
movement:
-Usually in slow tempo
-More melodic than the other movements.
Third movement:-Minuet-
Fourth
Movement: -Finale-
-Sonata form, rondo or a combination.
Symphony:
The development of the Classical symphony was
on of the najor musical achievements of the eighteenth century.
Form: It took on the shape of the sonata cycle.
The Orchestra:
Instrumentation:
-By the end of
the 18th century the symphony orchestra consisted of four woodwind instruments in pairs (flutes, oboes, clarinets
and bassoons)
-Trumpets, horns, and timpani, also in pairs
-String choir
consisting of the first and second violins, violas, cellos, and string basses.
-Orchestration:
-Strings were the dominant color:
-1st violins carried the thematic
material.
-2nd violins and violas most
often have harmonic materials.
-Cellos and basses consistently doubled,
written as one part on the same staff, but with the basses sounding an octave lower than the cellos.
-Woodwinds became more important. Generally scored
in harmonic passages.
-Brass instruments, combined to tutti passages,
and to harmonic rather than melodic material.
Composers:
The enormous output of orchestral literature by Preclassical composers provided the foundation on which the classical symphonies
of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven were created.
Haydn: (1732-1809)
-Wrote than 100 symphonies (The earliest represent the Preclassical form and orchestration.
-He wrote slow introductions to his first movements.
Mozart: (1756-1791)
-41 symphonies ex: Prague Symphony no. 38 in D Major
-Jupiter Symphony no. 41 in C Major
Beethoven (1770-1827)
-His nine symphonies transcend Classical form and style. (Only the first and the eighth follow the conventions of form and
structure.
-He expanded the sonata cycle and infused it with his dynamic personality.
-In symphonies 3rd, 5th, 6th and 9th,
he added new instruments to classical instrumentation.
-Symphony no. 6, Pastoral, in five movements, was one of the first programmatic
symphonies.
-The 9th symphony, have a number of additional instruments (piccolo,
contrabassoon, four horns, three trombones, triangle, cymbals and bass drum), and solo voices and chorus in the finale.
Concerto:
-Carried over
from the Baroque concerto but it differed in style and in structure of movements:
-Form: A sonata cycle
Composers: the principal literature was composed by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
-Haydn: wrote -20 concertos for piano,
-9
for violin
-6
for cello
-also
for -flute
-barytone
-horn
-clarino
-trumpet
-Mozart wrote -25 piano concerti
-8 violin concerti
-Others
for -violin and viola
-basson
-flute
-flute
and harp
-horn
-clarinet
-Beethoven wrote -5 piano concerti
-1
violin concerto in D major
-Triple
concerto for violin, cello and piano.
Chamber Music
It was an especially significant category of music literature in the Classical
period.
-Divertimento: (divertimento,
serenade, feldpartita, notturno and cassation)
-Intended for informal
entertainment and outdoor performances.
-Lighter and less sophisticated than
symphonies
-Written for small chamber ensembles
to small orchestra
-3 to 10 movements, including minuets,
dances, marches, and standard sonata-form movements.
-Haydn wrote over 60 and Mozart over
30 compositions in this category.
String Quartet:
-A most favored during the classical
period
-Consisted of 2 violins, viola,
and cello
-4 movement sonata cycle form
-Composers:
Luigi
Boccherini
Haydn
Mozart
Beethoven
-Combinations:
mixed
string quartet (3 string instruments and one other instrument, usually piano, flute, clarinet, or oboe.
-String
trio
-Mixed
trio
-String
quintet
-Mixed
quintet
Sonata for violin and piano:
-became important during the classical period
-the piano more often assumed the dominant role
-composers:
-Haydn: 12 violin sonatas
-Mozart: 35 violin sonatas
-Beethoven: 10 violin sonatas
