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Classical Music

The Classical period of music lasted from 1750-1820. Some key characteristics of classical music include song-like melodies, simpler accompaniment, homophonic textures, and clear structural forms such as sonata form. Some of the most famous classical composers were Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven, who helped establish common genres such as the symphony, string quartet, and sonata. Sonata form became a dominant form of the classical period, featuring an exposition, development, and recapitulation.

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501 views46 pages

Classical Music

The Classical period of music lasted from 1750-1820. Some key characteristics of classical music include song-like melodies, simpler accompaniment, homophonic textures, and clear structural forms such as sonata form. Some of the most famous classical composers were Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven, who helped establish common genres such as the symphony, string quartet, and sonata. Sonata form became a dominant form of the classical period, featuring an exposition, development, and recapitulation.

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Liang Yue
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Music of the Classical Period

（ 1750-1820 ）
Classical
Comes from the Latin word: Classicus
of or relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world and especially to its
literature, art, or architecture.
Classical Music

• Music of the western art tradition


• Complexity
• Detail
• Clearer texture
• Less complex
Enlightment
• Baroque Music - Highly decorated, compliex textures,
emotional extremes
• Classical Music - Formal balance, singale melodies, emotion
secondary
Classical Music Chracteristics

• Song-like melodies

• Simpler accompaniment

• Mostly homophonic textures

• Clear-cut structural forms


Public Concerts
Classical Composers

Joseph Haydn Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig Van Beethoven


(1732-1809) (1756-1791) (1770-1827)
New Genres of the Classical Period
Baroque Classical

French Opera Overture Four movement symphony

Trio Sonatas String Quartet

Sonatas for solo instruments Standardized sonatas


Sonata
A group of pieces, called movements
Movements: a piece which belongs to a sonata

Moonlight Sonata Violin Sonata No.3


I. Adagio Sostenuto I. Allegro
II. Allegretto II. Adagio
III. Presto Agitato III. Un Poco presto
IV: Presto Agitato
Sonata - Applied to works for up to two instruments
String Quartet
Symphony - A sonata for orchestra
Concerto - A sonata for one or more solo instruments playing
alongside an orchestra
Symphony
A full - Sized Sonata has four movements

I. Important, dramatic - Sonata form


II. Slow movement - Any form
III. Minuet/Scherzo - Dance form
IV. Finale - lively - Sonata or Rondo form

It’s a carefully sequenced journey!


Common forms of the Classical Period - Sonata Form

• Developed from the rounded binary form


• ABA
• A = Exposition
• B = Development
• A = Recapitulation
Exposition
• Theme 1 - Home Tonic
• Theme 2 - Contrasting Key

• The themes will often have contrasting moods

• Theme 1 --> Transition --> Theme 2


Development
• The composer can ‘run free’

• Develop the material we’ve been exposed to

• It will generally completely avoid either of the main keys from the
exposition

• It will probably move through a wide range of keys

• The development must bring us back to the home key for the recapitulation

• At the end of development, often a high point of tension/climax


Recapitulation
• Theme 1 --> Transition --> Theme 2

• Change in use of instruments, dynamics, etc

• It is not an exact repeat, but a re-telling with a twist

• The second group will now be in te Home Tonic!

• Opportunity for the composer to do something amazing!


Coda
• Gives a sense of finality
• Ends in the home
Classical Textures

• Homophony textures

Homophonic texture is when there is

a single melody that is accompanied

by one or more harmonic parts.


Piano
Piano
Harpsichord vs Piano
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uCCw_hmILA

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9IaE2i-DmA
Suprise Symphony
More Composers

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