Chapter 9: The Classic Period (1750-1800)

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Chapter 9 The Classic Period(1750-1800)
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Objectives

• Learn about the shift in attitude from the
  extravagance of the Baroque and Rococo to the
  simplicity, clarity, and balance of the Classic
  era
• Examine the relationship between the visual arts
  of the Greek and Roman classics and the images of
  the 18th century Classic period
• Learn about the development of secular music, and
  especially the sonata as a classic form

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Visual Arts

• Benjamin West (1738-1820)
• Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825)
• Constance Marie Charpentier (1767-1849)
• Antonio Canova (1757-1822)
• Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (1780-1867)

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Music

• Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
• Haydns 1st trip to London (1790)
• Haydns 2nd trip to London (1794)
• Paris Conservatory founded (1795)
• Beethovens 1st Symphony finished (1799)

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Historical Figures Events

• Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria (1740-1780)
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ((1749-1832)
• Ben Franklin experiments with electricity (1751)
• George III of England reigns (1760-1820)
• Watts steam engine patented (1769)
• Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
• Discovery of oxygen (1774)
• Marie Antoinettes reign as Queen of France
  (1774-1793)
• American Declaration of Independence (1776)
• Discovery of Hydrogen (1776)
• Beginning of French Revolution (1789)
• White House built (1792)
• Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette of France beheaded
  (1793)

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Painting

• Neoclassicism - a return to the supposed classic
  ideals of the ancients
• This calm, cool art became a symbol of the revolt
  against the frivolity and elegance of the French
  court
• Lines were clear and formally balanced, in
  keeping with the Classic ideals of restraint and
  unity

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Painting

• Jacques-Louis David
• Oath of the Horatii, colorplate 44
• Leader of the Neoclassic movement in
  revolutionary France
• Roman virtue and readiness to die for liberty
  become the subject of Neoclassic French painting
• Charpentier
• Portrait of a Young Woman, called Mlle. Charlotte
  du Val dOgnes, colorplate 45
• Realistic in its details, sharp lines
• compare to Rococo painting (Bouchers Madame de
  Pompadour - colorplate 43),

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Painting

• Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
• Among the last French Neoclassic painters
• The Odalisque with the Slave, colorplate 46
• An advocate of the Davidian style, his works are
  characterized by sensuousness of line and exotic
  color
• Benjamin West
• One of the first noteworthy painters from
  America, he studied in Italy and finally settled
  in England, where he became a friend of King
  George III
• The Death of General Wolfe, colorplate 47
• Historical subjects were the source of many of
  his commissions

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Sculpture

• Antonio Canova
• Pauline Borghese as Venus, (fig. 9.1, p.226)
• Following the lead of painting, Canova portrays
  his patroness as the Greek goddess of love.

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Music

• The great music of the Classic Period was a
  product of Germany, not France as in the visual
  arts
• It stressed perfection of form, lyric melody,
  restrained emotional expression, and homophonic
  texteure
• Instrumental music was the culmination of the
  Classic style, although Classic composers also
  composed for the opera stage.
• Sonata-allegro form the Sonata

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Music

• Development of the Piano was an important
  influence on the music of the period
• Classic era music was a revolt against the
  extravagant and diffuse expression of the Baroque
• The sonata
• A 3 or 4 movement work for a single instrument,
  such as the piano, or for a combination of
  instruments
• String quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
• Symphony (for an orchestra)
• Concerto (for solo instrument orchestra)

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Music

• The Sonata
• First movement
• Sonata-allegro form
• See outline (ex. 9.1, p.228)
• Second movement
• Song form ABA
• Variation form A A1A2A3etc
• Third movement
• Minuet a stately dance form in triple meter
• Fourth movement
• Rondo ABACABA

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Music

• Franz Joseph Haydn
• Served Prince Esterházy for 28 years
• Patronage system still typical for musicians in
  the Classic era
• Enormous compositional output due to need to
  compose and direct all music for the court
• Helped to develop/perfect the sonata
• After the Princes death Haydn was free to accept
  a commission for a set of Symphonies and their
  performance in London
• Mozart was influenced by Haydns early works, but
  Haydns late symphonies show influence from
  Mozart

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Music

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Recognized as one of the most nearly perfect
  music composers in the history of Western music
• He first started to compose before he was 5 ( at
  age 8 he wrote a symphony, at 11, an oratorio and
  at 12 an opera). By age 10 his compositions
  ranked him with the masters of his time
• He was a child prodigy as a performer (on
  harpsichord and violin) appearing in court
  concerts at age 6, touring Paris, London, Vienna
  and around Europe at age 7
• Although his personal life was full of turmoil
  his music always reflected the Classic periods
  ideal of objectivity and balance
• While he desired to be appointed to a position as
  court composer, he was unable to maintain the
  patron/servant relationship
• He became, instead, one of the first freelance
  musicians, writing in a wide variety of music
  genres from the operatic stage to chamber music,
  and from the church to the ballroom

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Music

• Franz Joseph Haydn
• Symphony No. 94 in G Major (Surprise)
• 2nd movement
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Symphony No. 40 in G minor
• 1st movement
• Don Giovanni
• Act I - Introduction
• Piano Concerto in A Major
• 1st movement

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• Next Time
• Test Ch. 8 9