Classical period short essay

Instructions
Step 1. After you have read/study module 10.1 to 10.7, then answer the following 4 questions, which represents each of the topical areas within the classical period. Write no more than 2 paragraphs for each questions in this exercise in order to explain the concept:

What contributions did Haydn make to the genre of the symphony?
Explain in words or diagram the concept of Sonata-Allegro Form.
How is the Classical concerto like the Baroque concerto? How does it differ?
What are the prevailing types of opera in the classical era, and how do these differ from one another?

Classical Vs. Baroque
Classical and Baroque are two types of music forms that are different in terms of their characteristics and rendering. People have come to a general agreement that Baroque music period began after the Renaissance (Links to an external site.), approximately in 1600. As Baroque is the predecessor of Classical music, Classical music comes into play after Baroque music about in 1750. Then, by the beginning of the 19th century, Classical music gave its place to the Romantic era. So as you can see, Baroque style of music prevailed earlier when compared to the classical type of music. It is firmly believed that the Baroque style overlapped with the classical type in the course of time. Gradually the classical performers dominated the music scene of the major part of Europe.

What is Baroque Music?
Baroque music lays more importance on adornment just like the art and architecture of the Baroque period. In fact, the musicians of the Baroque genre were the first ones to use multiple instruments. They also used complex harmonies too in their compositions. Baroque music used harpsichord and other string instruments. The rondo style of the Baroque music was ABACABA. However, the musicians that belonged to the Baroque style composed their music in only one mood.

Baroque musicians had more freedom in their manner of composition. They concentrated on improvisation too. This freedom gave the Baroque musicians the opportunity to ensemble the solo performances. As a matter of fact, the Baroque performers were the first ones to establish the opera form of music genre. Research showed that the freedom they enjoyed made them explore the field of opera. Some of the famous Baroque composers are Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel.

What is Classical Music?
Classical music began with the invention of the sonata. Two different moods were set initially by the earlier classical singers, one related to lyricism and the other one related to pace. The one related to pace is a fast paced one. The Classical period used piano as the main instrument to perform their composition. The musicians strictly followed certain rules and regulations while composing music. The ABA or ABACA rondo style of the classical musicians is an example for that.

In contrast to the Baroque musicians, the classical performers enjoyed no freedom and hence could not concentrate on improvisation. Some of the famous classical composers are Haydn, Beethovan, Mozart and Schubert. From among these composers, Haydn was one of the first composers to develop the sonata form as well as the piano trios.

What is the difference between Classical and Baroque?
• Period of Origin:
Baroque music gained popularity after Renaissance, in about 1600. Classical music comes into play about in 1750 and by the beginning of the 19th century classical music gave place to the Romantic era.

• Composition:
Baroque music gave place to adornment. Classical music found its way with the invention of the sonata.

• Moods:
Two different moods were set initially by the earlier classical singers, one related to lyricism and the other one related to pace. The one related to pace is a fast paced one. On the contrary, the musicians that belonged to the Baroque style composed their music in only one mood.

• Instruments:
While Baroque music adored harpsichord and other string instruments, the Classical music favored the piano.

• Rondo Style:
The rondo style of the Baroque music was ABACABA while the rondo style of Classical music was ABA or ABACA.

• Structure:
The Classical musicians strictly followed certain rules and regulations while composing music. Baroque musicians had more freedom in their manner of composition. With this freedom, Baroque composers could focus more on improvisation and to ensemble the solo performances.

With the freedom, Baroque composers became the first to establish opera form of music genre. This is not the case with the classical performers.

• Famous Composers:
Some of the famous Baroque composers are Vivaldi, Bach, Monteverdi, Corelli and Handel. Some of the famous classical composers are Haydn, Beethovan, Mozart and Schubert.

As you can see, the difference between Baroque and Classical lies in what type of music each produced, what musical instruments they used, at what period in history they existed, etc. However, in the music world, both are much adored. Also, the music of these great composers of those times such as Beethovan and Mozart are still treasured by people.

Baroque Classical
Composers Purcell, Vivaldi, Bach Handel Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
Melody Continuous melody with wide leaps., Chromatic tones for emotional effect; speechlike melody in recitative. Symmetrical melody in balanced phrases and cadences, tuneful, diatonic, with narrow leaps.
Rhythm Single rhythm predominant, steady, energetic pulse; freer in vocal music. Dance harmony favored; regularly recurring accents.
Harmony Chromatic harmony for expressive effect; major-minor system established with brief excursions from the tonic to other keys. Diatonic harmony favored, tonic-dominant relationshipship expanded, becomes the basis for large-scale form.
Texture Homophonic texture (early Baroque); polyphonic texture (late Baroque); linear-horizontal dimension. Homophonic texture, chordal-vertical dimension
Instrumental genre Trio sonata, concerto, suite, prelude., fugue Symphony, concerto, solo sonata, string quartet., other chamber music genre.
Vocal genres Opera, Mass, Oratorio, Cantata Opera, Mass, Oratorio
Form Binary and ternary forms predominant Larger forms, including sonata-allegro form, developed
Dynamics Subtle dynamic nuances; forte/piano Continuously changing dynamics through crescendo and decrescendo.
Timbre Continuous tone color throughout one movement Changing tone colors between sections of works.
Performing forces String orchestra, with added woodwinds: organ and harpsichord prevalent Orchestra standardized into four families; introduction of clarinet, trombone, rise of piano to prominence.
Improvision Improvisation expected; harmonies realized from figured bass. Improvisation largely limited to cadenzas in concertos.
Emotion Emotional exuberance and theatricality. Emotional balance and restraint

Some artistic movements can easily be pinpointed in time, those whose make strong statements about the need for radical change. Classicism is not such a movement: in fact., in some ways classicism is a constant concern in Western culture, since its roots are in the values of order and reason expressed by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who laid the foundations for the very notion of European identity Ideals of classicism have repeatedly resurfaced through centuries, and in some cases have coexisted with other stylistic concerns. For example, French artists and musicians in the early 1700s never thought of their work as “baroque”: they were the ones who introduced the term to disparage others who didn’t share their “classical” sensibility.

The later 1700s were a time when classical ideals were especially strong in Europe, combined with a philosophical and intellectual movement known as the Enlightenment, which stressed the centrality of reason in human experience. Artists and musicians strove to join the social push toward order and reason, developing works characterized by clarity and regularity of structure, and by an ideal of “natural simplicity” This tendency led to the development of an international musical style that was held up by subsequent generations as “timeless,” embodying the most perfect manifestations of musical logic. While previous styles had risen and fallen with fashion, the music of the Classical style was preserved and treasured even as later styles developed in contrast to its ideals-and this music continues to form the core of the Western concert tradition to this day.

CLASSICISM AND ENLIGHTENMENT CULTURE
The Classical era in music encompasses the last of the eighteenth century and the early decades of nineteenth. During this era, the rule of strong a aristocratic sovereigns continued throughout Europe. Louis XV presided over extravagant celebrations in Versailles, and Frederick the Great ruled in Prussia, Maria Theresa in Austria, and Catherine the Great in Russia. In such societies, the ruling class enjoyed its power through he reditary right. At the same time, a new economic power was growing through the Industrial Revolution, which gathered momentum in the mid-eighteenth century through a series of important inventions-from James Watt’s improved steam engine and James Hargreaves’s spinning jenny in the 1760s to Eli Whitney’s cotton gin in the 1790s. These decades saw significant advances in science-Benjamin Franklin harnessed electricity, Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen, and Edward Jenner perfected vaccination-and intellectual life, with the publication of the French Encyclopédie (1751-52) and the first edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica (1771).

The eighteenth century has been called the Age of Reason as well as the Enlightenment. Philosophers considered social and political issues in the light of reason and science, but they were also advocates for the rising middle class. The intellectual climate, then, was nourished by two opposing streams. While Classical art captured the exquisite refinement of a way of life that was drawing to a close, it also caught the first wave of a new social structure that would emerge with the revolutionary upheavals at the end of the century.

Just as eighteenth-century thinkers idealized the civilization of the Greeks and Romans, artists revered the unity and proportions of ancient architecture and fine arts. In this spirit, Thomas Jefferson patterned the nation’s Capitol, the University of Virginia (see illustration above), and his home at Monticello after Greek and Roman temples. His example spurred on a classical revival in the United States, which made Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian columns indispensable features of public buildings well into the twentieth century.

By the end of the century, the atmosphere had completely changed. The old world of the aristocracy was beginning to give way to a new society of the people and to an era that produced some of the greatest artworks of Western culture. Thus, backward-looking classicism itself contained the seeds of what would be- come the most significant and self-conscious progressive redefinition of European culture.

ELEMENTS OF CLASSICAL STYLE
The music of this time is notable for its elegant, lyrical melodies. Classical melodies “sing,” even those intended for instruments. They are usually based on symmetrical four-bar phrases marked by clear-cut cadences, and they often move step wise or by small leaps within a narrow range. Clarity is further provided by repetition and the frequent use of sequence (a pattern repeated at a higher or lower pitch). These devices make for balanced structures that are readily accessible to the listener. The harmonies that sustain the melodies are equally clear. Chords are built from the seven tones of the major or minor (meaning they are diatonic) and therefore firmly rooted in the key. The chords underline balanced symmetry of phrases and cadences they form vertical columns of sound over which the melody unfolds freely and easily, generally in a homophonic texture (a melody with accompanying harmony).

Much of the music is in one of the four basic meters -2/4, 3/4, 4/4, or 6/8-and moves at a stead tempo. If a piece or movement begins in a certain meter, it is apt to stay there until the end. Rhythm works closely with melody and harmony to make clear the symmetrical phrase-and-cadence structure of the piece. Well-defined sections establish the home key, move to contrasting but closely related keys, and return to the home key. The result is the beautifully molded architectural forms of the Classical style, fulfilling the listener’s need for both unity and variety.

Despite its aristocratic elegance, music of the Classical era absorbed a variety of folk and popular elements. This influence made itself felt not only in the German dances and waltzes of the Viennese masters but also in their songs, symphonies, concertos, string quartets, and sonatas.

THE PATRONAGE SYSTEM
The culture of the eighteenth century thrived under the patronage, or sponsorship, of an aristocracy that viewed the arts as a necessary adornment of life. Music was part of the elaborate lifestyle of the nobility, and the center of musical life was the palace.

The social events at court created a steady demand for new works from composers, who had to supply whatever their patrons wanted. Although musicians ranked little better than servants, their situation was not quite as depressing as it sounds. The patronage system actually gave musicians economic security and provided a social framework within which they could function. It offered important advantages to those who successfully adjusted to its requirements, as the career or Joseph Haydn clearly showed.

Opportunities for Women
While aristocratic women like Princess Anne Henriette of France. sister of King Louis XV continued their regular music studies, middle class women also found a Place as musicians under the patronage system. In Italy and France, professional female singers achieved prominence in opera and in court ballets. Others found a place within aristocratic circles as court instrumentalists and music teachers, offering private lessons to members of the nobility.

Two women in particular, both associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, stand out as impressive keyboard players of the late eighteenth century. His sister, Maria Anna Mozart (1751-1829), known as Nannerl, was an accomplished pianist who as a child toured extensively with Wolfgang, performing concertos and four hand piano works. Their father noted that Nannerl, at age twelve, played “so beautifully that everyone is talking about her and admiring her execution.” A friend of Mozart’s, the blind composer Maria Theresa von Paradis (1759-1824), was an excellent pianist and organist, renowned for her remarkable musical memory, which retained some sixty different concertos that she prepared for an extended European tour.

The public prominence achieved by these women was unusual for the era. However, the many engravings and paintings of the time illustrating music-making scenes make it clear that women participated frequently in performances at home, in aristocratic salons, and at court. Ultimately, with the growth of the music trades, especially music printing and publishing, women found more professional opportunities open to them. And as more amateurs participated in music-making,women of the middle as well as upper classes found an outlet for their talents.

From Palace to Concert Hall
At this time, musical performances were beginning to move from the palace to the concert hall. The rise of the public concert gave composers a new venue (site)in which to perform their works. Haydn and Beethoven conducted their own symphonies at concerts, and Mozart and Beethoven played their own piano concertos.

The public flocked to hear the latest works – unlike modern (classical music) concertgoers who are interested mainly in music of the past. The eagerness of eighteenth-century audiences for new stimulated composers to greater productivity

While great virtuoso performers continued to be highly prized, the clarity and simplicity of the Classical style made it increasingly accessible to the in formed amateur or through careful listening. More and more instrumental music was described in terms of dialogue and communication-whether between performers or between the composer and the public. As the idea of communication through instrumental storytelling became ingrained, the notion of using that communication to build a deep and intimate connection between the uniquely inspired composer-genius and the receptive listener grew more and more appealing to musicians and their audiences. This too was an essential element in the emerging Romantic sensibility, as we will see in the work of Beethoven and in the public response to Mozart’s late compositions.

Early History of the Symphony
The Symphony, which held the central place in Classical instrumental music, had its roots in the Italian opera overture of the early eighteenth century, an orchestra in three sections: fast-slow-fast. First played to introduce an opera, these three sections eventually became separate movements, to which the early German symphonists added a number of innovations. One was the use of a quick aggressively rhythmic theme rising from low to high register with such speed that it became known as a “rocket theme.” Equally important was the use of drawn-out crescendos (sometimes referred to as a steamroller effect), slowly gathering force as they built to a climax. Finally, they added a dance movement, an elegant minuet.

The Classical Orchestra
The Classical masters established the orchestra as we know it today: an ensemble of the four instrumental families. Th heart of the orchestra was the string family. Woodwinds provided varying colors and assisted the strings, often doubling them. The brass sustained the harmonies and contributed body to the sound, while the timpani supplied rhythmic life and vitality. The eighteenth-century orchestra numbered from thirty to forty players; thus, the volume of sound was still more appropriate for the salon than the concert hall. (We will hear a movement from Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 on eighteenth-century period instruments.)

Classical composers created a dynamic style of orchestral writing in which all the instruments participated actively and each timbre could be heard. The interchange of themes between the various instrumental groups assumed the excitement of a witty conversation; in this, the Classical symphony also resembled the string quartet.

Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 (Military)
Joseph Haydn contributed well over 100 symphonies to the genre, establishing the four-movement structure and earning himself the nickname “father of the symphony.” His masterworks in the genre are his last set of 12, the so-called London Symphonies, commissioned for a concert series in London. These late works abound in expressive effects, including syncopation, sudden crescendos and accents, dramatic contrasts of soft and loud, daring modulations, and an imaginative plan in which each family of instruments plays its own part.

Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, the Military, was first presented in 1794 during his second London visit and was received enthusiastically by the British public. Its nickname comes from the composer’s use of percussion instruments associated with Turkish military music -namely the triangle, cymbals, bass drum, and bell tree. The work also features a solo trumpet fanfare, another colorful military effect. Haydn, as well as Mozart and Beethoven, knew of these new instruments from the Turkish Janissary bands that performed in Vienna; after many centuries of wars between the Austrian Hapsburg Empire and the powerful Ottoman Empire, cultural exchanges between these political domains allowed Western Europeans the opportunity to hear, and adopt, these exotic sounds.