CLASSICAL MUSIC ca.

1740-1820

The music in many ways can sound much simpler than Baroque
music.

Use of the Alberti bass (a repeated broken chord, usually in the

bass) with the writing being mainly homophonic with light, clear
textures.

Music can consist of contrasting keys and moods. Binary and

ternary form were popular.

Classical music placed a greater stress on clarity with regard to

melodic expression and instrumental colour.

The orchestra gained more color and flexibility as clarinets, flutes,

oboes, and bassoons became permanent members of the orchestra.

The melodies tend to be fairly straight forward in 8 or 16 bar

phrases. The clarinet is first used and there is the emergence of
sonata form.

Emsembles: Symphony, Concerto, String quartet, Opera, Overture,

Sonata.

Composers: The four major composers of the Classical era were

Haydn, Mozart, Gluck, and Beethoven. These composers wrote
extensively for vocal and instrumental mediums.