Introducing the Music of The

Classical Period
 Describes musical elements of given
Classical period pieces

OBJECTIVES Explains the performance practices

(setting, composition, role of
composers/ performers, and
audience) during Classical period

Relates Classical music to other art

forms and its history within the era
Music like before the classical
period
The Baroque era culminated with
the works of Bach and Handel. At
the maturity of the Baroque era,
rococo, a new music style evident
in keyboard and orchestral music,
was developed.
Rococo, also called pre-
classical style, may be
described as homophonic,
light in texture, and melodic.
 • The term “classical” refers to the
period that took place roughly from
1750 – 1820.
• This consequently became a
Classical competition for identity and
recognition. political leadership of

Music small city –states like Salzburg, Vienna,

and Prague was in the hands of
wealthy aristocrats. Their wealth
allowed them to hire artist and
musicians for purposes of amusement,
inspiration, and entertainment.
Classical music may be described
as having contrast in mood like a
sudden or gradual change in
expression from joy to
depression.
The most significant
characteristics of classical music
is its structure especially in
sonata form.
Sonatas were written by
prominent composers of the era
like Mozart
Classical music elements include having a homophonic texture
and harmony and contrast in mood. The melodies were formal
and simple but the same time elegant.
The dynamics in music were clearly expressed through the
wide use of crescendo and decrescendo.
 Major Composers
During The Classical
Period
 Franz Joseph Haydn
• Austrian music composer
• Only eight years old when he was Enlighted 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.
• He was part of the so-called Viennese school and
an important influence to both Mozart and
Beethoven.
• Serve Esterhazy family, the richest and most
powerful of the Hungarian noble families.
• 1780’ s his music had been published all over
Europe and he was well regarded in the music
world
• Haydn helped transform the
genre from little more than a
string divertissements to a
type of chamber music in
which all parts play an equal
role.
• He died at the age of 77 and is
remembered as the first great
symphonist and the inventor
of the string quartet.
Wolfgang
Amadeus
Mozart
Who is
Wolfgang
Amadeus
Mozart?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is
known as a very talented
musician who can play
different instruments. He
began performing in public at
the age of six and performed
in various places in Europe.
He was the son of Leopold and Anna Maria Mozart. His only sister was
Maria Anna. With their father's encouragement and guidance, there were
both introduced to music at early age. In 1762, his father took both
Wolfgang and his sister to the court of the Prince-Elector Maximilian
Joseph the III of Bavaria in Munich, and at the imperial court in Vienna
and Prague in what was to become their first of several European tours.
The siblings traveled to the courts of Paris, London, The Hague, and
Zurich, performing as the child prodigies. Wolfgang met several
accomplished musicians and became familiar with their works. In
subsequent trips to Italy, Wolfgang wrote two operas, Ascanio in Alba
(1771) and Lucio Silla (1772).
After returning with his father from Italy in March 1773, Mozart was
employed as a court musician by the ruler of Salzburg, Prince-
Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. Upon his return trip to Italy in
March 1773, Mozart was appointed as assistant concert master with
a small salary. During this time, young Mozart had the opportunity to
work in several different musical genres composing symphonies,
string quartets, sonatas and serenades, and few operas. In 1776, he
turned his efforts toward piano concertos, culminating in Piano
Concerto Number 9 in E flat major in early 1777. Wolfgang had just
turned at that time.
1771 – appeared in public as a keyboard performer.
1762 – 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.
1763(1768) – he composed his first opera, La Finta Semplica
1770 – he wrote the first carnival opera titled, Mitridate re di Ponto
1773 – he composed the solo motet, Exsultate, Jubilate, K 165.
1775 – he wrote the Italian opera, La finta giardinera, K.196
1776-1777 – he turned his efforts to composing piano concertos
that culminated in the composing of the E-flat concert k 271.
1778 – he composed ballet music and a new symphony in Paris.
1781 – he composed the opera title, Idonomeno.
1781 – he played his last piano concerto.
1878 – Ludwig Van Beethoven arrived in Vienna to study with
Mozart.
 Additional highlights of his life:
• He toured the cities of Mannheim, Paris,
and Munich without funds.
• His mother fell ill and died on July 3, 1778
• In 1779, he wrote series of church works,
including the Coronation mass
1783 – he became enthralled with the
work of Johannes Sebastian Bach and
George Frideric Handel
This, in turn, resulted to several
baroque style compositions
that influenced much of his
later compositions. Examples of
these were Die Zauberflote
(The Magic Flute) and
Symphony Number 41.
Between 1782 and 1785,
Mozart wrote six quartets
dedicated to Franz Joseph
Haydn. In 1791, Mozart played
his last piano concerto.
Glossary
 a composition for an
instrumental soloist, often

Sonata with a piano

accompaniment, typically in
several movements with one
or more in sonata form.
 In technical musical usage this means
music composed during the late 18th an
Classical d early 19th centuries, characterized by t
he development of the sonata by such

Music composers as Mozart. In popular use,

however, the term is used to mean any
serious art music as distinct from jazz,
pop, or folk.
 is a form of classical
Chamber music that is composed for a
small group of instruments—
traditionally a group that
Music could fit in a palace
chamber or a large room.
 is an extended musical
composition in Western classical
music, most often written
by composers for orchestra.

Symphony a lengthy form of musical

composition for orchestra,
normally consisting of several large
sections, or movements, at least
one of which usually
employs sonata form (also called
first-movement form).
 is a large instrumental
ensemble typical of classical
music, which combines
instruments from different
families, including
bowed string
Orchestra instruments such as
the violin, viola, cello,
and double
bass, brass instruments such
as
the horn, trumpet, trombon
e and tuba, woodwinds such
as the flute, oboe, clarinet .
 is a musical
ensemble consisting of
four string players –
two violin players,
a viola player and a cellist – or
String a musical composition written
to be performed by such a
group. The string quartet is
Quartet one of the most
prominent chamber ensemble
s in classical music; most major
composers from the mid 18th
century onwards having
written string quartets.
 from the late Baroque era,
mostly understood as
an instrumental composition
Concerto , written for one or
more soloists accompanied
by an orchestra or
other ensemble.
 is a form of theatre in
which music has a leading
Opera role and the parts are taken
by singers but is distinct
from musical theatre.
 also called homophony, is by far the most
common type of texture found in music
today. The other two main types of texture
are monophonic and polyphonic.
Homophony is the texture we hear most in
Homophonic Texture pop music on the radio, film music, jazz,
rock, and most classical music of the last
century. The term homophonic comes from
the Greek word's homo, meaning " same"
or "similar" , and phonic, meaning "sound"
or "voice".