Music in the Classical Period

1
Music in the Classical Period

• Franz Joseph Haydn
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

2
General Characteristics ofClassical Music

• It is meant to be easy on the ear.
• Direct reaction to the complexity of Baroque
  music.
• Balance, clarity, accessibility.
• Melody with accompaniment (homophony).
• Melodies are tuneful and catchy (2-4 measure
  phrases).
• Harmony is simple, logical and clear (few
  dissonances).
• No basso continuo (walking or Alberti Bass).

3
Three Main Qualities

• Melody is most important part.
• Tuneful and balanced.
• Simple harmony.
• Light accompaniment.

4
Classical Opera

• Opera buffa comic opera.
• Simple music, amusing plot, real characters.
• Performed in palace and public opera houses.
• Reaction to problems with Baroque Opera.
• Mythology/historical
• Not real people or situations
• Music too heavy and complex.

5
Symphony

• Most important instrumental genre.
• Began as sinfonia (overture to opera).
• Three movements (Fast, Slow, Fast)
• Begins to look like the modern symphony.

6
Mannheim, Germany

• Center of symphonic composition and performance.
• Johann Stamitz, conductor
• Expanded sinfonia to four movements
• Mvt 1 Fast and serious (sonata form)
• Mvt 2 Slow and lyrical (aria form)
• Mvt 3 Graceful and moderate (dance form)
• Mvt 4 Fast and lively (Rondo form)
• Structure of the orchestra expanded
• Full strings, woodwinds (flute/oboe, horn),
  trumpets and drums, later added bassoons and
  clarinets.
• Mannheim Steamroller - Crescendo

7
Chamber Music

• Music for the Middle Class to play at home.
• String Quartet Violin I II, viola, cello
• Ideal balance to match SATB voice types.
• Followed the symphonic patterns.
• Sonatas
• Solo keyboard or keyboard solo instrument.
• 1775 pianoforte replaces harpsichord.
• Composers wrote and improvised from the keyboard
  (often performing their own music).

8
Strict Conventions and Forms

• Mvt. 1 - Sonata Form
• Exposition state the two themes (firs in tonic,
  second in dominant).
• Development develop the themes by changing
  keys, etc.
• Recapitulation replay the two themes, both in
  the tonic key.
• Coda optional ending
• Used for the most serious musical ideas.

• Mvt. 2 Aria Form
• Lyrical and song-like.
• ABA form
• Triple meter
• Contrasting keys with new material.
• Less serious than Sonata Form

9
Forms (cont.)

• Mvt. 3 Minuet and Trio Form
• Minuet Dance in Binary form (AABB usually in ¾
  time)
• Trio Different music in binary form (CCDD)
• Return to original Minuet (AB)
• Makes for an overall ternary form (ABA).

• Mvt. 4 Rondo form
• Simplest of all forms (most accessible).
• New music always returns to a main theme.
• ABACADA.

10
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

• Began musical career as choir boy in Vienna
  (learned to play harpsichord and violin).
• 1761 hired as assistant music director to
  Prince Esterhazy
• 1762 Palace Esterhaza built
• 2 large music rooms and 2 opera theatres.
• 1766 promoted to Music Director

11
Haydns Musical Duties

• As music director he was expected to write,
  direct or perform 2 operas and 2 concerts each
  week, extra concerts for important visitors,
  dinner music and chamber music for the Princes
  rooms.
• As a result he wrote over 100 symphonies, 70
  string quartets, 50 keyboard sonatas, and
  numerous choral and solo voice pieces.
• Last 12 symphonies written in London.

12
Haydns Music

• Operas Wrote many, but few are still performed
  today.
• Symphonies Wrote well over 100.
• Expanded the size by emphasizing brass, clarinets
  and percussion.
• Added crescendos and accents.
• Father of the String Quartet
• First to develop the genre
• Masses
• Oratorios The Creation The Seasons
• Musical Jokes
• Credited with inventing the false recapitulation
• Surprise/Farewell Symphonies

13
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart1756-1791
14
Leopold Mozart

• Mozarts father was a performer, composer, author
  and music theorist.
• Wrote one of the most important contributions to
  music theory.
• Sacrificed his own career to further his sons.
• Domineering personality who took Mozart on tour
  at a young age.

15
The Child Prodigy

• Age 4 Learned to play harpsichord and violin.
• Age 6 wrote his first compositions and started
  touring (10yrs).
• Age 10 First Symphony
• Age 14 First Opera
• Age 17 Hired by Archbishop of Salzburg

16
Mozarts Family

• Mother died while he was very young.
• Sister, Nanerl, also was musically gifted.
• 1782 Married Constanze Weber

17
Mozarts Early Music

• Released by the Archbishop for disorderly conduct
  and began freelance composing.
• Considered too young and overqualified for most
  jobs.
• Moved to Vienna
• 1782 First major opera, The Abduction from the
  Seraglio
• Wrote string quartets to emulate Haydn.
• Made a living by performing his piano concertos.

18
Mozarts Late Music

• Losing fame and poorly managed money.
• Late works are the most impressive.
• Symphonies 37, 40, 41
• Operas
• 1786 Marriage of Figaro
• 1787 Don Giovanni
• 1791 Magic Flute (Die Zauberflote)
• Requiem

19
Mozarts Characteristics

• Accessible and highly refined.
• Instilled a sense of drama in all of his music.
• Master of melody, tuneful and catchy.
• Mastered all Classical genres.
• Wrote more than 800 compositions in 35 years.