Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Musical overview of the Classical era.

the brief period between the Baroque and Classsical eras is known as the Rococco period , The word originates from the French word rocaille, or 'shell'. Rococco style compositions can be found in the works of French composers Francois Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau. One German composer has also become associated with the Rococco ideals: Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach (J.S.Bach's son). the Classical period was from approximately 1750 to 1825. from 1740 to 1825, Austrian capital of Vienna became the musical centre of Europe and works of the period are often referred bo as being in the viennese style. The trio of musical geniuses who formed the heart of the so-called Viennese Classical School were Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. The town of Mannheim became a great centre of music in Germany, particularly when Johann Stamitz was the conductor. An example of a rocket theme would be the opening of the third movement of Beethoven's Fifth Synphony, or the finale of Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Many of our modern performance practices can be traced to the Mannheim orchestra. The orchestra is notable for a number of reasons; its relatively large size, it's virtuoso performers/ and the orchestra's precision, attention to detail and performance innovations. Fewer composers were employed exclusively by the church than during the Baroque era. Empfindsamkeit was an expressive, singing style that developed in Germany in the mid 18th century. It refers to music with elements of surprise, abrupt harmonic changes, modulations, suspenseful pauses, changes of texture, and sudden dynamic shifts. the term also applies to stormy, emotional, minor-keyed symphonies of the Classical period. In contrast, Style Galant refers to a clear, elegant uncomplicated style that arose in contrast to the more complex style of Baroque counterpoint. This style of music rejected the old system of the figured bass and replaced it with the more lively Alberti bass ( a broken chord arrangement) Diatonic harmony refers to music based on the seven tones of a major or minor scale. and to harmonies that are firmly rooted in the key. Symmetrical phrasing is very common in Classical music, with it's clear-cut structurebased on phrases of four or eight measures. Absolute music became extremely popular in the Classical era. the Classical era saw the development of several important genres: the symphony, string quartet, and solo sonata being the most popular. Haydn is known as the father of the symphony as he standardized the four-movement format. He often used monothematicism in his works ( a sonata0allegro movement that is based upon a single theme, rather than a contrast between two different thematic groups). Haydn enjoyed writing monothematic symphonic movements, whereas Mozart and Beethoven more often preferred the contrast made possible between two different themes. One definition of chamber music is music written for a small audience in a smaller room or chamber. Another definition is music written for a small number of players. The word symphony means a sounding together. The Baroque Italian sinfonia is probably the most direct ancestor to the symphony. It was used as an orchestral overture for operas, oratorios, and cantatas. The Italian overture was another Baroque form that pre-dated the Classical symphony. this type of overture evolved during the 17th and 18th centuries. It is also characterized by it's three movement form, once again consisting of fast, slow, and fast tempos. The fully developed Classical symphony had four movements. A typical symphony's movements consisted of ;sonata-allegro form; theme and variations; minuet and trio ( or often a Scherzo and Trio in Beethoven's case), and finally a rondo or sonata-allegro once again. The multi-movement structure found in sonatas, string quartets, symphonies, concertos, and other large-scale works of the Classical era is known as the sonata cycle. the three major sections of the sonata-allegro form are the exposition, development and recapitulation. Exposition (A) First theme and bridge Second theme Codetta. Development (B) this was the section where a composer could show off his creativity, explore foregn keys, (particularly in Beethoven's music) A dominant preparation (usually a repeated dominant chord in the bass) indeed "prepares" the listener for the return of the tonic key. Coda: Meaning 'tail' in Italian, the coda aptly finishes the movement. It is usually fashioned from material previously heard in the codetta to which new matter is sometimes added. The coda rounds off the movement with a final cadence. The primary difference between rounded binary form and ternary form is the type of cadences at the end of each section. A form often used for the second movement of the sonata cycle was the theme and variations. The third movement of the sonata cycle is usually a Minuet and Trio. The Minuet is stately 3/4 time The Minuet is often a clear-cut structure based on phrases of four and eight measures. The trio was originally arranged for only three instruments but even after this practice ended, the name stayed the same. In the 19th century, the Minuet was often replaced by the scherzo, with its faster pace and lively rhythm. It was particularly favoured by Beethoven. The fourth movement was often a rondo. It can be simple rondo style: A-B-A-B, or have three contrasting: A-B-A-C-A, or else there is the ambitious Classical rondo: A-B-A-C-A-B-A Another popular form was sonata-rondo, designed as a combination of sonata and rondo form (such as the finale of Beethoven's 8th symphony). Soonata, meaning 'to sound', describes an instrumental composition in several movements for piano solo or instrumental combinations with piano accompaniment. As the piano became more important, so did the solo keyboard sonata as a genre. Some sonatas had three movements, others four. Musicians often refer to J.S.Bach's 48 preludes and fugues in the well tempered clavier (two volumes) as the 'old testament' of the pianist's repertoire, in other words, indispensable works for any aspiring pianist. Like wise, Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas (usually presented in two voluments) are considered the New Testament. The average solo concerto lasts approximately 30 minutes. Traditionally, the three movements of a concerto are fast-slow-fast. Common elements found in the Classical concerto include the cadenza, which is usually an improvised and ornamented passage, performed by the soloist near the close of a composition or movement. Cadenzas are mostly found in arias or concertos. Originally, soloists improvised the cadenza passage. but composers, particularly Beethoven, began to write down specific notes. Most cadenzas end with a trill- it was the soloist's way of indicating to the orchestra that it was time for them to join in once again. Genres that developed during the Baroque era, such as opera and oratorios, were still popular with Classical composers.Oratorios used the same compoments as operas (arias, recitatives, choruses, etc.) but they used a religious text. Historians often refer to the late 18th century as the Age of Enlightenment. While Italy was the center of musical activity in the Baroque era, the city of Vienna took on this role in the Classical period. Not one of the three great giants of the 'Viennese School' (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven) was born in Vienna, yet all were drawn to the city by it's vibrant culture and patronage of the arts. Haydn thrived while working for the same family throughout his career; Mozart had difficulty maintaining patronage appointments; and Beethoven , though he had loyal supporters, never worked for a single employer. Of the many musical developments that took place, the emergence of sonata form, with its focus on structural balance, stands out as the defining achievement of the Classical period. Classicism: refers to the cultures of Ancient Rome and Greece as well as the art, architecture, and music of the late 18th century. emphasis on symmetry, balance, and proportion Viennese School refers to the musical style forged by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven and thier contemporaries. in late 18th century Vienna, Austria flourished as a musical center. Absolute music also known as 'pure music' Sonata cycle emerged in the classical era multi-movement structure demonstrated in the symphony, sonata, or concerto. menuet and trio menuet: a stylized dance of French origin develope4d in the BAroque period. in triple meter. trio: contrasting middle section ternary form (ABA) rondo form (sonata allegro form) consists of Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation sonata-rondo form typical layout; ABACABA ( ABA- functions as an Exposition; C- developmental section - second ABA- functions as a recapitulation Chamber music music for small ensemble (two to ten players) usually performed without a conductor Sturm und Drang German for 'storm and stress' Empfindsamer Still German for the sensitive style re[resemted om ,isoc pf C.P.E. Bach a melancholy, introspective, expressive style that foreshadows Romanticism. the most important musical structure to evolve in the Classical period was sonata form. Also known as first-movement form, or sonata-allegro form, sonata form developed from the rounded-binary principle. codetta generally concludes with repeat sign Sonatinas are miniature versions of sonatas, as the suffix 'ina' indicates.

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