MUSIC 9: 2ND QUARTER

Music of Classical
Period
Objectives;
·Relates Classical music to other art forms
and its history within the era;

Listen perceptively to selected Classical

Period music; and
Demonstrate understanding of the
characteristic features of Classical Period
music.
 CLASSICAL
MUSIC
The Classical Era, also called “Age of Reason”, is the
period from 1750-1820. The cultural life was dominated
by the aristocracy, who, as patrons of musicians and
artists, generally influenced the arts. Significant
changes in musical forms and styles were made.
In the middle of the 18th century, Europe began to
move toward a new style in architecture, literature, and
the arts, known as Classicism. It was also pushed
forward by changes in the economic order and in social
structure. Classical music was patronized primarily by
 CLASSICAL
MUSIC
Important historical events that occurred in the West
during this era were the French Revolution, Napoleonic
Wars, the American Declaration of Independence in
1776 and the American Revolution. The term
“classical” denotes conformity with the principles and
characteristics of ancient Greece and Roman literature
and art which were formal, elegant, simple, and
dignified. The same characteristics may also describe
the melodies of classical music.
 CLASSICAL
MUSIC
The use of crescendo a (<) and decrescendo (>)
augmented the forte and piano dynamics. A style of
broken chord accompaniment called; Alberti Bass was
practiced. The great composers of the period were:
Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and
Ludwig Van Beethoven. Sonata, Concerto, and
Symphony are the instrumental forms developed
during this era while vocal forms included Opera Seria
and Opera Buffa.
 Franz Joseph Haydn
He is an Austrian music composer.
Composer of 106 symphonies, he is
known as one of the creators of the
fundamental genres of classical music. His
musical style influenced Felix
Mendelssohn, Franz and Johannes
Brahms.
 Franz Joseph Haydn
Among his pupils was Ludwig van Beethoven.
Franz Joseph Haydn was enrolled at age 8 to render song
performances in the choir at St. Stephen’s Cathedral located
in Vienna, Austria where he also learned to play the violin
and the keyboard. After leaving the choir, he made a living
by teaching and playing the violin. While teaching, he
studied music counterpoint and note harmony. He was
assigned as the court musician at the palace of the
prominent Esterházy family. This post financially supported
him for nearly 30 years. Because Haydn was isolated at the
Esterházy family palace for nearly 30 years independent of
musical trends of other composers, he was encouraged to
become original.
 Franz Joseph Haydn
Even as he stayed with and became a part of the
Esterházy family, he became even more popular
outside the palace.

The following are his important works were

assignments from abroad:

·Paris Symphonies (1785-1786)

·The Seven Last Words of Christ (1786)
 Franz Joseph Haydn
One of his Friends back in Vienna is Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart. In 1791 when a new Esterházy
prince allowed Haydn to leave, he quickly accepted an
invitation to go to England to conduct new symphonies.
Audience flocked to Haydn’s concerts, and during his
time in England, he generated some of his best-known
works:

·Military
·The Rider quartet
·The Surprise
·Drumroll and London symphonies
Franz Joseph Haydn
 Wolfgang Amadeus
He is known as a very talented musician
Mozart
who can play different instruments. He was
a successful composer, a violinist and an
assistant concert master. He began
performing in public at age 6 and
performed in various places in Europe.
 Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart
He composed hundreds of works where some may
belong to any of the following classifications:
·Sonatas
·Symphonies
·Masses
·Concertos
·Operas
 Wolfgang Amadeus
These were characterized by vivid emotion and sophisticated
textures. Here are some of the highlights of his life:
·Mozart appeared in public as a keyboard performer – 1761. Mozart
·He traveled with his sister to the court of Prince Maximilian III of
Bavaria in Munich, and at the Imperial Court in Vienna and Prague –
1762.
·He composed his first opera, La Finta Semplice – 1763.
·He wrote the opera titled, Mitridate re di Ponto – 1770.
·He composed the solo motet, Exsultate, Jubilate, K 165 – 1773.
·He wrote the Italian opera titled, La Finta giardiniera, K. 196 – 1775
·In 1776, he turned his efforts to composing piano concertos that
culminated in the composing of the E- flat concerto K. 271 in early
1777.·In Paris, he composed ballet music and a new symphony –
1778.
·He composed the opera titled, Idomeneo – 1781.
Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart
 Ludwig van Beethoven
Here are some highlights about Beethoven:

• ·He was known as a pianist, a composer, and a music

innovator.
• ·He widened the scope of the following music forms:
sonata, symphony, concerto, and quartet.
• ·He came out with new ways for combining vocals and
instruments.
• ·He studied music with new ways for combining vocals
and instruments.
• ·He studied music with Christian Gottlob Neefe, who
was a court organist at Bonn to the Elecor of Cologne.
 Ludwig van Beethoven
• ·He auditioned for Mozart as a requisite for studying with the
latter. After the audition, Mozart remarked, “Keep your eyes
on him; some day he will give the world something to talk
about.”
• ·He was assigned at age 19 to compose a musical memorial
for the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. Beethoven titled it
Cantata on the Emperor Joseph II. It is now considered his
earliest masterpiece.
• ·He studied in Vienna with the most eminent musicians of
the age: piano with Joseph Haydn, vocal composition with
Antonio Salieri, and counterpoint with Johann
Albrechtsberger.
• ·He won many patrons among the leading citizens of the
 Ludwig van Beethoven
• ·In 1793, he dedicated and played in the house of Prince
Lichnowsky a series of three piano trios, his Opus 1. Later
on, on April 2, 1800, Beethoven debuted his Symphony No.
1 in C Major at the Royal Imperial Theater in Vienna.
• ·He composed musical pieces that earned him the
reputation of being a masterful composer.
• ·He published his Six String Quartets in 1801.
• ·He composed The Creatures of Prometheus in 1801, a
wildly popular ballet that received 27 performances at the
Imperial Court Theater.
• ·He debuted his Symphony No. 3 in Napoleon’s honor,
which he later renamed the Eroica Symphony.
• ·He struggled to come to terms with a shocking and terrible
 Ludwig van Beethoven
• ·In his “middle” or “heroic” period (between 1803 and 1812),
he composed an opera, six symphonies, four solo concerti,
five string quartets, six string sonatas, seven piano sonatas,
five sets of piano variations, four overtures, four trios, two
sextets, and 72 songs.

• ·He composed the famous symphonies: No. 3-8, the

Moonlight Sonata; the Kreutzer violin sonata; and Fideio, his
only opera.
Ludwig van Beethoven
 VOCAL and INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC SONATA

A multi-movement work for solo instrument, Sonata came from the word “Sonare” which
means to make a sound. This term is applied to a variety of works for a solo instrument such
as keyboard or violin.

Below is an excerpt from the 3 movements of the Sonata No. 16 in C Major K545 by W.A.
Mozart. Listen to each phrase of the movement.

-1st Movement: Allegro – fast movement

-2nd Movement: Slow tempo: (Andante, Largo, etc.), mostly lyrical and emotional.
-3rd Movement: Minuet: It is in three-four time and in a moderate or fast tempo.
 SONATA ALLEGRO FORM

The most important form that developed during the classical era consists of 3 distinct
sections: Exposition, Development and Recapitulation.

1. Exposition - the first part of a composition in sonata form that introduces the
theme 4.

2. Development is the middle part of the sonata-allegro form wherein themes are being
developed

3. Recapitulation - repeats the theme as they first emerge in the opening exposition
 CONCERTO

Concerto is a multi-movement work designed for an instrumental soloist and

orchestra. It is a classical form of music intended primarily to emphasize the
individuality of the solo instrument and to exhibit the virtuosity and interpretative
abilities of the performer. The solo instruments in classical concertos include violin,
cello, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, horn and piano. A concerto has three movements:
fast, slow, and fast.
 CONCERTO

3 movements:

-1st Movement: Fast: Sonata-allegro form with expositions of the orchestra and then
by the soloist.

-2nd Movement: Slow: Has more ornamentation than the First movement.

-3rd Movement: Fast: Finale: usually in a form of rondo, resembling the last
movement of the symphony and usually a short cadenza is used.
 SYMPHONY

A multi-movement work for orchestra, the symphony is derived from the

word “Sinfonia” which literally means “a harmonious sounding together”. It
is a classical music for the whole orchestra, generally in four movements.
 SYMPHONY

4 movements of the symphony:

-1st Movement: Fast: Sonata-allegro form

-2nd Movement: Slow: gentle, lyrical – typical ABA form or theme and
variation
-3rd Movement: Medium/Fast: uses a dance form (Minuet or scherzo)
-4th Movement: Fast: typically, Rondo or Sonata form
 ASSESSMENT

A. IDENTIFICATION
Describe and identify the characteristic and works of famous composers during Classical Period.

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN

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WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
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LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
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