The Classical Era

1
The Classical Era

• 1750-1825

2
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Rousseau was very critical of Baroque Opera. He
  claimed the storyline was too complicated.
• He wanted real stories about real people.
• Praised Pergolesi for his opera La Serva padrona
  (The Maid as Mistress) 1733-about a servant girl
  who tricks a rich old man to marry her.

3
Inventions of Note

• Music boxes become popular
• The Novel as we know it today becomes popular.
• The symphony becomes an often written for style
  of music
• Composers start writing Divertimentos(which
  are pieces designed to divert, amuse, and
  entertain).

4
Comic Opera

• It is because of Rousseau, Pergolesi, and Mozart
  that comic opera becomes popular.
• Mozart writes Don Giovanni-Don Juan Giovanni is
  a ladies man with a catalog of conquests
  numbering about 2,065 and he is looking for more.
  He invites death (in the form of a statue) to
  join him for a feast where he becomes consumed by
  the fires of hell.

5
Famous Novels

• Jane Austin writes Pride and Prejudice
• Henry Fielding writes Tom Jones

6
Neoclassicism

• Neoclassicism is the return to what is simple.
  People of the sub-group of the classical period
  reject the complex art and entertainment from the
  Baroque and Rococo periods for what they
  considered to be natural and simple art forms.

7
Public Concerts

• Public concerts began to grow in number.
• 1748 Europes first concert hall is built in
  Oxford holding 150 people.
• Because of the rise in concert halls, Orchestral
  music starts to move to the forefront. In the
  past there was not a venue for it so it has not
  been as prominent.
• Mozart wrote most of his piano concertos to be
  performed in these new halls.

8
Features of Classical Music

• The goal of classical music was to be natural and
  have enough variety to keep from being bored. It
  becomes less predictable.
• Tempo and meter remain constant throughout pieces
  but the rhythms change between themes.
• Composers began to call for many different levels
  of dynamics rather than either being just loud,
  or just soft. They would also change during a
  piece or movement over a couple of measures.
  They were not instant changes like before.

9
The Orchestra

• With the classical period the Orchestra became
  standardized.

The Classical Orchestra The Classical Orchestra The Classical Orchestra The Classical Orchestra
Strings Woodwinds Brass Percussion
Violins 1 2 Flutes 2 French Horns Timpani
Violins 2 2 Oboes 2 Trumpets
Violas 2 Clarinets
Cellos 2 Bassoons
Bass viols Optional
10
Melody.

• The melody in the Baroque period was too complex.
  The people called for simple tunes that were
  clear and easily identified.
• Compositions were written using homophony.
  (Melody with supporting harmony)