BY NIKKEI TUNGOL

Chapter 5: The Classical Era

1750 - 1825

Background of the Era

Historical Context: Era was referred to as “The Age of Reason” or the “Enlightenment”

Growing middle class, change in philosophical thinking, and revolutions in US and France

More emphasis on social change, education of the masses, reduced power of the church, and the embrace of humanitarian ideals

Musical performances became major social events and composers were more famed

The popularity of instrumental music rises, and opera undergoes a major reformation

Vocal music retains popularity, especially in the masses of the previous periods

The Birth of Classical Music

Classical music was seen as a reaction against the overly complex polyphonic music composed during the Baroque period

Classical elements have been incorporated as early as 1730, and thus the start and end dates to the classical period are subject to interpretation

The “Big Three” – Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven But where’s Mr. Bach?

Departure from Polyphonic Elements

Public demand was for a direct, single melody with a simple accompaniment

The use of the harmonic rhythm, or the frequency with which chords change, slowed The same basic harmony was held for a measure or

two while the melody unfolded

The use of basso continuo also slowed, and was only used in orchestral settings

New Stylistic Elements

Galant: graceful, gentle, and pleasant styleEmpfindsamkeit (sentimentality/sensibility):

technique using sudden harmonic and/or rhythmic shifts with highly expressive melodies, and found most commonly in slower movements

Sturm und Drang (storm and stress): originally a literally style; most often used in multi-movement styles, using two or three of the emotive compositional styles For example, first movement in galant, second in

empfindsamkeit, and final movement in “crash and bash” sturm und drung

The Birth of the Modern Symphony

The symphony became a compositional format, accompanied by the modern full symphony orchestra

The symphony grew out of the Baroque tradition of the Italian opera overture, or sinfonia The overture typically had three sections, fast-slow-

fast, and eventually became three separate movements

Structural Terms

Sonata: a multi-movement work for solo piano, or a work for one solo instrument with piano accompaniment

Sonata Cycle: the multi-movement format used in the sonata works The format is made up of three or four contrasting

movements; the tempos are fast-slow-medium-really fast The first movement, which as mentioned above, is typically

fast, it is often referred to as sonata form or sonata-allegro form (reminding you that its fast)

The SONATA CYCLE is not just used for SONATA WORKS; it is in almost every type of Classical instrumental music (symphony, string quartet, concerto, etc.)

Structural Terms (continued)

Sonata Form: one-movement structure with an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation Optional sections: Introduction and Coda Exposition: “Exposes” the listener to the music for the first time.

There are typically two themes within the exposition: the first theme and the second theme, which distinguish between the different melodies The first theme is presented in the tonic key, and transitions to a new

key in the second theme The first is dramatic and rhythmically active, while the second is lyrical

Development: Incorporates frequent key changes and alters the “shape” of the theme “For example, themes may go up instead of down, use faster or slower

note lengths, use stretto (the stacking of themes in different instrumental voices), or dismemberment, where the composer chops the theme up into tiny bits and pieces, passing it around to different instruments”

Structural Terms (continued)

Recapitulation: a restatement of the exposition, except without the key change from the first theme to the second theme Entirely presented in the tonic key The coda is the most commonly used in the recapitulation

Rondo Form

After the sonata form, the most commonly used single-movement form is the rondo It is typically used in the 2nd and 4th movements of the

sonata cycle Two basic types: the five-part rondo and the seven-

part rondo Seven-part rondo (with A being the first theme): A-B-A-C-

A-B-A “The quickest way to memorize it is to say it out loud:

ABACABA.” A less commonly used version is A-B-A-C-A-D-A...

ABACADA! Five-part rondo: A-B-A-C-A… ABACA!

Sonata-Rondo Form ………O_O

The most famous of all of the “hybrid forms” Exposition: A-B-A; Development: C; Recapitulation: A-

B-A Like the regular rondo, the first theme (letter A) keeps

repeating throughout the movement Anything else?

NO.

Minuet and Trio

The minuet is a ¾ waltz-styled dance, and in this case is written for a trio to keep the volume softer

Ternary form(-ish): Minuet (A), Trio (B), Minuet (A) Minuet (A) Trio (B) Minuet (A) A-B-A C-D-C A-B-A or or or A-BA C-DC C-DC

Minuet form is called rounded binary: the B theme is “rounded off” by an incomplete return to the letter A melody

Trio is called rounded ternary: the D theme makes an incomplete return to the C melody

Franz Joseph Haydn

Born in a small Austrian town, and served as a choirboy until his “voice changed.”

Served as an apprentice to composer Nicola PorporaJoined the court orchestra of Count Morzin, and later

accepted a court orchestra position for Prince Nicholas Esterhazy

Works often showed vibrancy; he would ask string players to mistune one of their strings to always play the wrong note

His last 12 symphonies, known collectively as the London symphonies, are considered perfect expressions of the Classical style

He died during the French occupation of Vienna in 1809 Napoleon Bonaparte gave his men strict instructions that Hayden

was not to be disturbed in any way…. aaaawww <3

Franz Joseph Haydn (continued)

His compositions include solo keyboard works, duts and trios, 82 string quartets, concertos for violin and piano among other instruments and 104 compositions for full symphony orchestra Helped establish the sonata cycle format through

string quartet, concerto, and symphony

String Quartet No. 77 in C major, “Emperor,” Op. 76, No. 3 by Haydn

Created the Austrian national anthem, titled Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (“God Protect Franz the Kaiser”)

In 1922, its lyrics were changed, and became a Nazi “party song,” titled Deutschland, Deutschland, uber alles (“Germany over all”), the anthem of the German Federal Republic

When the Berlin wall came down in the 1990s, the song became the anthem of a unified Germany

Instead of beginning and ending in the tonic major key, it starts in the minor key

Follows the exposition, development, and recapitulation structure, though with much more shifts in harmonies

Symphony No. 94 in G Major, “Surprise,” by Haydn

This is one of his final, most successful “London symphonies”

Four movement composition, characteristic of his final symphonic works with the exception of the second movement Constantly juxtaposes theme 1 and theme 2, from

happy and soft, to more somber and dramatic In the first theme, you are lulled into a “false sense of

security.” Beware. In the second theme, Haydn seems to be saying “No sleeping, please.”

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Christened Johannes Chrysotomus Wolfgangus Theophilus, [“which must have been tough to get printed up on a business card.” HAHAHAHAH. -_-]

Wrote his first compositions by five years old, and with the help of his composer and father Leopold, he performed in front of numerous heads of states and aristocrats

He also learned from musical encounters with J.C. Bach and Haydn

He fell in love with singer Aloysia Weber, though was rejected. He later married her younger sister, Constanze Weber.

His last three symphonies, Nos. 39, 40, and 41, are considered to be perfectly exemplary of the Classical styles

Symphony No. 40, K. 550, by MozartMovement 1: Allegro molto

Structured in sonata form Exposition: first theme (A) is in the tonic key; second

theme (B) is in a closely related key Development: development of theme one, with a

constantly shifting harmony Some of the lower voiced instruments are sitting on a

single note for the second half of the development, a technique known as pedal point, which is the dominant tone of the tonic key

Recapitulation: the first theme is again repeated as it is presented in the exposition Remember, unlike the exposition, the recapitulation does

NOT change keys in the second theme, so the transition is merely indicated as a bridge

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music),

K. 525, Movement III – Menuetto, by Mozart

It is a serenade, originally created with five movements, but the first of two minuet and trio movements were later removed, and is now left with a conventional four-movement sonata cycle It can be performed by both a full string orchestra or

by a string quartet

Structured in minuet and trio form; it thus demonstrates the rounded binary form and rounded ternary form that accompany the minuet and trio, respectively

The Solo Concerto

Usually three movements, in fast-slow-fast arrangement First movement: Uses a double exposition

The first time the exposition is played, all of the themes are presented by only the orchestra, and the second theme does not change keys

The second time the exposition is played, the texture is dominated by a soloist alone

• The double exposition technique is only applicable to the Classical period, and disappears after the period ends

The remainder of the piece, with the development and recapitulation, remains the same

• When the recapitulation is over, the orchestra will drop out, and the soloist will play a cadenza, which are usually improvised; then, the coda follows

The Solo Concerto (continued)

The second and third movements usually feature the soloist throughout

Second movement: Slow, lyrical, and sentimental

Third movement: The fastest of all the movements; usually in rondo form or sonata-rondo form

Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488Movement I – Allegro, by Mozart

Structured in first movement concerto form (sonata form with double exposition)

Double Exposition, Development, Recapitulation, Cadenza, Coda

Mozart’s Operas

His two opera buffa pieces are The marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni

Mozart’s 21 operas are composed in three basic styles: the Italian opera seria (serious) and opera buffo (comical), and the German singspiel (song play with spoken dialogue)

Ludwig van Beethoven

Born in Bonn, GermanyBeethoven’s father “encouraged” his son to

practice harder by beating himAfter his mother died, his father began drinking

excessively and was dismissed from the court, and Beethoven took over as the head of the family

Haydn visited the court when Beethoven was 22, and invited him to study in Vienna

Beethoven also hoped to study with Mozart, but he died As his hearing got progressively worse, Beethoven wrote

something of a “suicide note, the Heiligenstadt Testament, which historians point to as a turning point in Beethoven’s compositional style

Ludwig van Beethoven; Classical or Romantic?

“Most of Beethoven’s works are actually supposed to be in the Romantic Period.”

-________-They are thus grouped into three large

periods; early (1782-1802), middle (1803-1815), and late (1816-1827)

The early period features the string quartets, piano sonatas, a piano quintet, and his first two symphonies

The middle styles includes more symphonies, piano concertos, a violin concerto, string quartets, and his only opera

The late period has more string quartets

Sonata No. 8 in c minor, “Pathetique,” Op. 13, by Beethoven

Movement I – Grave, Allegro di molto e con brio, Movement II – Adagio cantabileMovement III – Rondo Allegro

Beethoven added an extended, slow introduction in the first movement, which is usually reserved for symphonies He often refers back to this slow introduction within

the rest of the piece, for it characterizes his emotional state at that time

Beethoven’s Symphonies

He composed nine symphonies and started a tenth at the time of his death, and are most representative of the Classical period

The Sinfonia Eroica (Heroic Symphony) marks a turning point in his composition of symphonies It is the first symphony to replace the standard third

movement minuet and trio with the faster and more complex scherzo

Although it was originally dedicated to Napoleon, his self-proclamation as “Emperor” led Beethoven to destroy his dedication of the piece, changing it to read “To the Memory of a Great Man.”

Symphony No. 5 in c minor, Op. 67, by Beethoven

Movement I – Allegro con brio

Structured in the standard four-movement sonata cycle format, to which he adds a new cyclic component This means that a melodic and/or rhythmic idea

presented in the first movement returns in the subsequent movements

In this particular symphony, the recurring idea (the first three short notes and the one long note) functions as both rhythmic and melodic

The second movement demonstrates two themes, and the third is a scherzo and trio

In the final movement, he adds a piccolo, a contrabassoon, and a full trombone section to the symphony orchestra, forever changing the traditional orchestra

Tenkyoo por leesening to me! Yoo ab been so kind.