Classical Period

1750-1825
 Classical Timeline
BAROQUE CLASSICAL ROMANTIC

1732 1756 1791

Haydn’s Mozart’s Mozart’s
birth birth death

1750 1827
1709 Bach’s Beethoven’s
Piano Death
1770 death
invented Beethoven’s
birth

1750 1825
1600
Haydn 1732-1809
Mozart 1756-1791
Beethoven 1770-1827
 6 Features of Baroque Music vs.
Classical Period Music
• 1. terraced dynamics------------gradual
changes in dynamics
 6 Features of Baroque Music vs.
Classical Period Music
• 2. unity of mood------------------mood may
change throughout a movement
 6 Features of Baroque Music vs.
Classical Period Music
• 3. continuous melody------------melody will
change throughout (theme 1 and 2 are
different)
 6 Features of Baroque Music vs.
Classical Period Music
• 4. continuous and driving rhythm----rhythms
are not predictable or repetitive
 6 Features of Baroque Music vs.
Classical Period Music
• 5. chords and the basso continuo----NO
MORE BASSO CONTINUO
 6 Features of Baroque Music vs.
Classical Period Music
• 6. polyphonic texture---------homophonic
texture (polyphonic is reserved for
development)
 Sonata Cycle

• Four movement plan common in

symphonies, sonatas, and other
works of the Classical period -
FSDF
 Sonata Cycle
• Fast - most sophisticated movement -
more sections - twists and turns.
• Slow - usually a Theme and Variations,
or ABA form. Easier to listen to and
follow.
• Dance-like - triple meter Minuet and Trio
form. Even easier to listen to.
• Fast - often Rondo - easiest of all to
listen to.
 Sonata Cycle

• Four movement plan common in

symphonies, sonatas, and other works
of the Classical period - FSDF
• Philosophy - Hit the listener with the
hardest material first while their brain is
still fresh!!!
 Sonata-Allegro Form

• Also acceptable to call it just

Sonata form - See the book on pp
125-131 for a description and
diagram
 Sonata Allegro
Form
• - The form (formula) that you
will find for the first movement
of EVERY work from the
Classical Period. Consists of
three main parts: Exposition,
Development, Recapitulation,
and smaller Coda ('tail').
 Exposition

• First section, where the keys and

themes are “exposed” for the
listener. Theme 1 in home key,
transition modulates, Theme 2 in
new key, closing section. The
exposition is played twice.
 Development
• The second section. Themes 1 and
2 are fragmented and made into
motives. Constant modulation with
NO occurrence of the home key.
Lots of tension, and even
polyphonic texture. At the end of
nearly every development, you can
sense that it?s "running out of
steam".
 Recapitulation
• The third section. You hear the
home key coincide with Theme 1
again. Your ear remembers this
sound from the very beginning.
Structurally, the recapitulation is
like the exposition, except that
there is NOMODULATION IN THE
RECAPITULATION. Theme 2 is in
the home key.
 Coda

• "tail"; the very end of a movement.

Nothing new, just a nice big
cadence to signify that THIS IS
THE END.
 Symphony

• A Multi-movement work for

orchestra. Usually, the work is in 4
movements and follows the
standard “Sonata cycle” Fast-Slow-
Dancelike-Fast plan.
 Sonata - Allegro Form
Exposition Development Recapitulation Coda
Themes broken
into fragments Big
(Running cadence
Transition Constant out
modulates modulation of
(listen to the steam)
descending Polyphonic texture
Theme 1 bass line) Theme 1 Transition Theme 2
NO HOME KEY closing section
Pause home key home key
home key and change of mood
no change of key
Theme 2 (no modulation)
closing section
This Is The End
newkey The Exposition
is then repeated
 Chamber music

• Ensemble music where there is only

one person per part. Designed to be
performed in an intimate setting (a
person’s home, for instance).
• The string quartet is the most prominent
type of chamber music ensemble in the
Classical Period.
 String Quartet
• (2 meanings) –
• 1. 4 string instruments, 2
violins (each playing a
separate part), viola, and
violoncello (cello).
 String Quartet
• 2. The name of the work that
a string quartet plays is
called a string quartet.
• Father of the String Quartet: Franz
Josef Haydn
 String Quartet Form
• Haydn set out the main form for the String
Quartet.
• 1st movement: Sonata Form, Allegro and in
the Home key,
• 2nd movement: Slow, in a related (but not the
Home) key,
• 3rd movement: Minuet and Trio, in the Home
key,
• 4th movement: Sonata-Rondo form, in the
Home Key.
 Rondo Form
• A is the main theme
• All contrasting themes are given a letter
• A comes back “around”
• Diagram looks like:
• ABACABADA etc.

• Form of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto

 Haydn Concerto Rondo Form
• 43 0:00 A - violins
• 0:21 B - violins (contrasting theme)
• A - trumpet enters
• B1 - trumpet and violins alternate
• 1:23 C - violins and trumpet (another
contrast)
• A - trumpet
• A1 - trumpet / orchestra ‘development’
• A - trumpet
• B - trumpet and violins
• A - trumpet (portion)
• C - violins and trumpet
• Coda: A
 Opera
• A large-scale, multi-movement work for
vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra. It
is secular (not religious), acted out on
stage with scenery and costumes,
performed in a theater, and sung in
Italian.
 2 Types of Singing

• Aria - the singing style in operatic works that is a

"song". Action stops and characters reflect on
emotion that has just occurred.

• Recitative - the singing style in operatic works that is

the dialog/action. This type of singing is not usually
very tuneful.
• Libretto - the words of an opera exactly
as they are set to music. The libretto is
NOT a plot summary, but the lyrics of
the opera (like a script to a play or
movie). Literally, it means "Little book".
 W.A. Mozart
• 1756-1791
• Composed first pieces at age 5
• First symphony at age 8.
• First opera at age 12.
 Mozart’s operas
• Why are they considered to be the
best?
• 1. Excellent plots
• 2. Excellent music
• 3. Ability to capture the emotions of the
characters in the music.
 Don Giovanni
• Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte.