Classical Music 1750 - 1800 Key Characteristics. 

A less complicated _____________ than had been evident in Baroque times (less Polyphonic)

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More use of expression through _____________. Greater Dynamic contrasts were evident

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A polished précis and _____________ character

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Clear use of _____________

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Clear use of _____________

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Changing _____________ and emotions within one piece of music

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_____________ changes were slower, less frequent unlike Baroque music which often changed chords 2 or 3 times per bar

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The replacement of the Harpsichord with the _____________

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Less use of _____________

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The use of _____________ _____________ in Piano music

Activity 1 Listen to Mozart’s Symphony No 40 1. Is the piece in a major or minor key? _____________ 2. Which family of instruments play the opening theme? ____________ 3. What playing technique are the strings using? _____________

Composers There were many influential composers in the Classical period. Three of the most important were:

The Classical Orchestra The basic structure of the Classical Orchestra took the following form

Strings: Violins, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses Woodwind: 1 or 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons Brass: 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets Percussion: 2 Timpani

Symphony •

The Symphony was an emerging style of composition for an Orchestra.

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The symphony was usually written in four _____________

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No_____________ and no voices.

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The movements took the following format:

Movement 1 – Fast Movement 2 – Slow Movement 3 – _____________ and _____________ Movement 4 – Fast

Solo Concerto •

Written for _____________ and 1 _____________ instrument

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_____________ and _____________ between Orchestra and Soloist

•

Use of _____________ between orchestra and soloist

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The _____________ where the soloist gets to show off their skills and can be allowed some degree of Improvisation within this.

Movement 1 – Fast, Movement 2 – Slow, Movement 3 – Fast

Chamber Music •

Chamber Music is music written for a _____________ group of musicians and intended to be played in a room (chamber) rather than a large Concert Hall.

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There were various groups of musicians which Chamber music was written for such as a _____________ or a Quintet.

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In the Classical period the most popular group written for was the String Quartet, _____________ wrote many of these ensembles. The String Quartet used the following instruments;

Scherzo 

A _____________ movement (a ‘joke’)

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_____________ time

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Usually found as 3rd movement in a _____________, _____________ or chamber work.

Overture _____________ music which _____________ a large scale work such as Opera or Oratorio

Alberti Bass The _____________ was the Keyboard instrument of choice during the Classical period. •

Played on piano in the _____________ hand

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Alternates the notes of the _____________ –

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E.g C E G in the order C G E G

Common feature of the _____________ and Solo _____________

Activity 2 Now work out the alberti bass pattern for the chords of G, D and A

G

D

Sonata •

Work for solo _____________ or

•

Solo _____________ plus piano

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Both parts are technically demanding

A

Sonata Form As already mentioned Classical composers liked to write their music with precision and order. At their disposal they already had Binary and Ternary Form. Composers of the Classical era extended these to develop Sonata Form which was used as the plan for the first movement of a Sonata.

Sonata Form followed the plan below:

Exposition

Development

1st Subject (tonic)

1st Subject (tonic)

Moving through new keys, discussing, developing,

Bridge

(Changing Key)

To round off

Bridge

(now altered)

combining and opposing ideas from the exposition

2nd Subject (new key)

Coda

Recapitulation

2nd Subject (tonic)

.

Minuet and Trio The Minuet originated in the Baroque period as part of the _____________. The Minuet and Trio was an extension of this form in the Classical period and involved the addition of the Trio which was basically a _____________ Minuet. The Minuet and Trio has the following features: -

A graceful French _____________

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_____________ beats in the bar

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_____________ Form

A

B

A

Minuet

Trio

Minuet

Theme and Variation This was a popular form in the Classical period with composers such as Mozart and Haydn. In Theme and Variation form the composer first presents a tune, called a Theme, in a simple way. He then builds up the theme by repeating it but altering it in a slightly different way each time. Below are some of the ways in which a Theme can be varied:

5 main ways to vary a theme

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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The The The The The

_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

The use of ornaments Changing the harmony Changing the rhythm, Time signature or Tempo Using Inversion, Augmentation, Diminution Using Modulations Changing the Instrumentation Using Imitation

Rondo 

In a rondo, the main theme (A) keeps ‘coming round’, with _____________ sections (B, C and so on).

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These contrasting sections are called _____________

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The main theme (A) begins and ends in the _____________ key each time; each episode is in a related key.

A plan for a simple rondo with two episodes looks like this:

A1 Main Theme

A2 Repetition of Main Theme B 1st Episode: a contrast

A3 Repetition of Main Theme C 2ndEpisode: another contrast

Things to remember:  When the main theme ‘A’ returns, the composer may shorten or vary it in someway.  The sections may be joined by a link  To round off the music the composer may add a coda