MUSIC HISTORY:
CLASSICAL
IMPORTANT FIGURES/EVENTS
 1750-1830
 American Revolution
 French Revolution
 Steam Power Engine and Steamboat Invented
 Electricity invented
 First Vaccination
 Napoleon
 George Washington
 Benjamin Franklin
CHARACTERISTICS
 Emphasis on beauty rather than emotion
 Reflected Greek style
 New style was “cleaner”
 Clearer division between parts
 Brighter contrast and colors
 Also, reflects the natural order - Newton
POPULAR OPINION
 Instrumental music increases because the wealth prefer it and they are
the ones paying the bills
 Comedic operas become more popular with the public
MUSICAL CHANGES
 Baroque put focus on single melody line; classical takes it and starts to
notate dynamics and phrasing
 Shorter melodies, too
 Concerto – concerto grosso fades away; concerto solo becomes more
popular
 Concerto and sonata forms more defined
 Orchestra increases in size
 Creation of the SYMPHONY!!
 Pianoforte invented – Harpsichord falls out of use
SYMPHONY
 Begin to see something close to a modern day orchestra
 More strings
 Combine with brass and woodwinds
 Usually 4 movements
 Opening – Allegro
 Slow
 Minuet or Scherzo
 Allegro or Rondo
(FRANZ) JOSEPH HADYN
 March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809
 Friend of Mozart, teacher of Beethoven
 “Father of the Symphony”
 “Father of the String Quartet”
 Produced 340 hours of music,
 More than Bach, Handel, Mozart, or Beethoven
 Piece to know: Symphony No. 4 (The
“Surprise” Symphony)
 Also well known: His Trumpet Concerto
 Lived long enough to reap the benefits
 Music was the most popular across Europe before he
died
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
 January 27, 1756-1791
 Last of 7 children (5 of which did not survive early
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childhood)
Lived in Vienna, Austria most of his life
Began composing music when he was 5
Hired as a court musician when he was 17
His father was composers a head of a orchestra,
more so, he was a better teacher
Wrote almost everything: operas, symphonies,
chamber works, violin concertos, masses, etc.
Mozart Famous Pieces

Eine Klein Nachmusik
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Symphony No. 40
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Ronda alla Turca
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Piano Sonata No. 16
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The Mirrage of Figaro (Opera)
BEETHOVEN
 December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827
 Taught by his father
 Played viola
 Accomplished pianist
 Deaf
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would yell at musician for playing poorly
 Most well known:
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Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy)
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Symphony No. 7
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Turkish March
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Sympony No. 3 – “Eroica Symphony”
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Fur Elise
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Moonlight Sonata
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Symphony No. 5