The Classical Period
1825
The Classical Period began about 1750 and lasted for about
75 years, ending around…
The style of the previous era, the Baroque Period (1600-1750) was
very complex.
In the Baroque Period, extreme detail and excessive
ornamentation was used in music, art, and architecture.
The composers of the Classical Period were now trying
to escape from this overly extravagant style, so they
began to move back to a more simple style.
Baroque complexity was replaced with
Classical elegance.
This can be seen in the clothing and wigs
of the time period.
More Classical clothing & wigs
If you notice, most of the buildings that were built in the
Classical Period are mirror images of themselves if you split
them in half. You should know the name of this important
building that was built in the Classical period.
This type of shape is called…
Symmetrical
The music is the same as the buildings.
First you hear a Then a different Then the first
theme(it can repeat)
theme
theme again
A
B
A
We call the three themes by letters. They are…
We call
this A-B-A
form…
A
B
A
Ternary
A large work for a large orchestra
Symphony
A small work for a small group or 1 instrument...
Sonata – What kind of sonata are you listening to?
What kind of sonata is pictured here?
This is like a symphony, but it features a solo instrument:
Concerto
What kind of concerto would this be?
A Violin Concerto
What kind of concerto are you listening to?
A Flute
Concerto
A stage production with speaking
and no singing = A Play
A stage production with a mix of speaking & singing = A Musical
A stage production with no speaking and only singing = ?
Opera
Opera became more popular during the Classical Period.
Before the curtain opens, this instrumental introduction
has little bits and pieces of all the songs in the opera.
Overture
Listen for drastic changes in this overture from the
musical, “Cinderella,” and see if you can tell where each
new song excerpt begins:
Recitative
This half-speaking, half-singing is where most of the action
takes place in an opera…
Aria
Amidst the half-singing, half-speaking dialogue, occasionally a song
(with verses and chorus) will break out. This is called a…
The family that started the orchestra…
Strings
The family that followed strings…
Woodwinds
These instruments didn’t have valves yet in the Classical
Period and could only play certain notes.
Brass
Valves
Harpsichord
This instrument was better than the harpsichord because it
could play loud and soft…
Piano
Classical Period