The Classical Era
1750 – 1825
10/6/2008 11:05:00 AM
songs 19-24
Composers:
Haydn –created symphony, string quartet
Mozart
Watch Amadeus
Died at 35
Beethoven: a transition composer into the Romantic era
New Genre:
Symphony
String quartet (4 players)
Violin I & II, viola, cello
New Concepts:
Absolute music vs (program music)
Just entertainment vs (trying to portray a story)
Standard movement pattern for Symphonies
aka multi-movement cycle
Fast: (Sonata Form)
Slow: (theme and Variations
Dance: (triple meter) Minuet/trio
Fast: Rondo form or Sonata form or Sonata/Rondo
Concerto or Sonata
Fast: (Sonata Form)
Slow: (Theme and Variations)
Fast: Rondo form or Sonata form or Sonata/Rondo
Soloist: Sonata form with a double exposition
Orchestra Exposition
Recap
Solo Exposition
Development
SYMPHONY: 4 Movements:
Sonata Form (the 1st movement of a Symphony)
A
B
Exposition
Development
A’
Recapitulation




“What is this? What is this?, this is Mozart”
o What movement is this? -1st mov
Theme II is usually slower and a little more subdued
The development uses instability, tension, and modulation
o Theme 1 (tonic)  Theme II (minor)
See diagram, be able to label all parts of Sonata Form
Haydn created the Sonata Form by experimenting to come to this perfect
form, Mozart helped develop it.
Classical Forms:
Themes and Variations
A
A1
A11
A111
A1111
ll: a :ll: b :ll: a1 :ll: b1 :ll
Binary Form
:ll a :ll: b a :ll
Rounded Binary
Always in the same key
Always hear the melody
Minuet/Trio Form
Minuet------Trio------- Minuet
ll: a :ll: b :ll: c :ll: d :ll a l b
Dance I-----Dance II---Dance I
Scherzo = jest, joke
 Faster, more lively
 Triple meter
Scherzo ---Trio---Scherzo
Time Period
American Revolution
French Revolution
Napoleon has declared himself Emperor
Differences between Classical and Romantic
Apollo vs. Dionysus
God of light God of passion
& Measure & intoxication
Classical Ideals (going back to Greek ways)
Beauty
Unity
proportion
grace
Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Am 1775-83
Examples: Twinkle Twinkle
Haydn’s Surprise Symphony
French Revolution
Industrial Revolution (late 1700s)
Steam engine –steam engine
Cotton gin –eli whitney
Spinning jenny –James Hargreaves
Science
Ben Franklin –electricity
Joseph Priestly -oxygen
Edward Jenner –vaccination
Viennese School
Vienna Austria
Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert (later)
Elements of Viennese Style
Ex. Mozart, Symphony No. 40, 1 & Haydn No. 88, 1
Singing melodies
Stepwise, narrow range
Symmetrical Form
4-bar phrases
clear cut cadences
Simple Texture
Homophony (melody + accom.)
Simple rhythms
2/4 3/4 4/4 6/8
The Classical Era: Mozart
10/6/2008 11:05:00 AM
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1756 – 1791
 child prodigy
 musical genius
 Amadeus = “beloved of God”
 Born in Salzburg, Austria (opposite side as Vienna)
 Father: Leopold Mozart
o Violinist
o Composer

o Court musician
o Teacher (the Violin School)
Age 6
o Performer: keyboard, violin
o Composer
o Improviser
o Sight reader
o Total recall –Rm: Amadeus
o Perfect pitch
 Age 8 –Symphony No. 1
 Age 11 1st Oratorio
 Age 12 1st Opera
Knighthood
 Tour of Rome
 14 years old
 Sistine Chapel
Servant Status
 Coloredo Hieronimous, Archbishop of Salzburg
 Spoiled as a child, Mozart
Vienna and Freedom 1781
 Freelance composer-doing what he wants, doing fairly well
 Struggled with finances
Constanze Weber -1782-3
 No dowry
 6 children, only 2 survive to adulthood
The Marriage of Figaro -1786
 Lorenzo da Ponte, librettist
 Count Almaviva –lady’s man, owns estate, has his eyes on susanna
 The Countess
 Susanna – servant, handmaiden of countess
 Cherubino –young boy servant
 Figaro (not in clip) a servant, engaged to Susanna
 Basilio – servant, court musician, gossiper
**Know the characters and their role in the music clip
Story: Chrubino, is confessing his love for the countess to Susanna. The
Count comes in, Cherubino has to hide. Count Almaviva is trying to arrange
a meeting with Susanna, even though she’s engaged. The Count tries to
hide when Basilio knocks on the door
The Marriage of Figaro music clip
 Cherubino’s Aria
o Non so piu- I don’t know
 Recitative

o Susanna
o Count Almaviva
o Basilio
Trio (Ensemble)
o Susanna, Count Almaviva, Basilio
Don Giovanni 1787
 Don Giovanni
 Leporello (squire)
 The Commandant
Begins with a seduction scene, commandant defends his daughter, Giovanni
slays commandant
Don Giovanni hides in a cemetery
Statue comes to life, challenges Don Giovanni again, who invites him to
dinner and takes him up on his invitation, and drags Giovanni to the depths
of hell.
Solieri was a great writer of the day who wanted to get rid of Mozart.

Possibly poisoned Mozart, sabotaged his opera in Vienna
**Clarinet concerto
 (significant!) helped bring the clarinet into popularity
The Magic Flute 1790
 German Comic Opera (vaudeville)
Queen of the Night Aria =wow!
The Requiem



(a mass for the dead, a celebration)
Anonymous Commission
Never finishes himself. Solieri does
Dies at 35 years, probably by rheumatic fever
Buried in a common grave, like everyone was, decreed by Emperor Joseph
Final Thoughts:
He composed quickly, effortlessly
Brought the clarinet into popularity
An absolute genius
Added tremendously to what we know
The movie Amadeus is fairly accurate
The Classical Era: Joseph Haydn
10/6/2008 11:05:00 AM
Joseph Haydn 1732 - 1809
 Father of the Symphony
 Inventor of the String Quartet
o 2 violins, viola, cello
 Joseph and Mozart knew each other
 Lived in Rocheau, Germany
 Father was a wheelwright
 Humble home
 Born April 1 1732
o The Apprentice 1738-40
 Violin
 Clavier
 Drums
 Voice
o More Advanced Study 1740-49
 Vienna Boy’s Choir
 Was approached by choir leader to become castrata
 Dad stopped it
o Freelance Musician 1749-58
 Viennese Street Bands
 Began gig-ing
o First Real Position at 26 yrs old
 Conductor of Count Morzin’s Orchestra
o Marries Maria Keller 1760
 She had no appreciation of what Haydn was doing
o His big break: The Esterhazy Family
 Concept: Patron system
 Esterhaza gave him a place to write and practice his
stuff everyday, and gave him publicity
 Nicolas’ favorite instrument: Baryton
 Has strings on top and underneath
 Haydn wrote over 50 solos for the Baryton
o His fame has spread all over Europe, has no problem finding
jobs
o Goes to England
o Write symphonies
o
o
o
o
 In total: 104 symphonies
The London Symphonies =his last 12 symphonies
Works again for Nicolas, write religious music
 The Seasons
 An oratorio
 The Farewell symphony
 The musicians were rebelling and wanted to go
home, so as the piece ended, the musicians
Haydn’s bet with Mozart
French and Viennese armies put aside their arms to attend
Haydn’s funeral
Status: servant
Things that influenced Haydn:
 Surrounded by folk songs, father played folk harp
 Pop tunes from street bands
Haydn’s Surprise Symphony No. 94
Theme and Variations
Classical Era: Ludwig van Beethoven
10/6/2008 11:05:00 AM
Ludwig van Beethoven
Born in Bonn, Germany
Grandfather: Ludwig –music director at the court in Bonn
Mother: Maria Magdalena
Father: Johann
 Drunkard/abusive
 looks to Mozart’s fathers example
Became deaf
Young Ludwig
 Assistant court organist
 Composer
 Teacher
Meets Mozart at 16 years old (Mozart 30 years) in Vienna
Mother passes away, father is an alcoholic, has custody of 2 younger
brothers
Age 18: French Revolution
 Espouses Life, liberty, Freedom
 Napoleon is his hero. He’s sure he’s going to free middle class
 Influences his explosive works
Age 21: Moves to Vienna to study with Haydn
 Secretly studies with Salieri (Italian Opera)
Early Years in Vienna
 Louder and more forceful music
 Productive years
 Hated being a servant to aristocracy
Rebellious nature
 Prince Karl von Lichnowsky
o Said “serve Beethoven first”
Age 29: Disaster Strikes
 Losing his hearing
 A handicap for his profession?
The Heiligenstadt Testament
 “I would have ended my life –it was only my art that held me back.
Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had
brought forth all that was within me.”
Symphony No. 3 “Bonaparte” Ag 33
About 45 minutes long, unheard of! Usually 15-20 minutes long
Napoleon declares himself Emperor and shatters everything Beethoven
thought of him. He shreds the first page and retitles the piece, in memory
of a great man, he calls it Symphony No. 3 Eroica
Three Style Periods
Classical –(multi movement cycle)
Heroic –(3rd Symphony, big loud pieces, completely deaf by now)
Introspective- (come to grips with his deafness)
Final Thoughts on Beethoven
 Transitional composer –style changes from Classical to Romantic
 Self educated
o Weak at basic arithmetic
 Orderly and methodical in composing, but in daily life was a slob
 He never married –rash personality, deaf
 Never worked for a boss in his life
 He changed the typical classical music of his day by putting himself
at the center of his music—it was the music of his feelings
Beethoven Symphony No. 5
 “fate knocking at the door, you’re going deaf”
Minor --- Major
Psychological Progression
 He connects all the movements
 Wrestling over fate, and last movement is his triumph over fate
Rhythmic drive (Motivic consistency)


The motive: dun dun dun DUN!...dun dun dun DUN!
Rubato =robbed time
o Increases the need for a conductor
Listening to the piece
 I Sonata Form (Theme 1, bridge, theme 2, closing theme…)
 II (second movement)
o Theme & Variations
 With 2 themes
 A A1
 III Minuet/Trio
o Not a stately triple meter (typical)
o Scherzo/Trio
The difference between a minuet and a scherzo is a faster tempo
 Joke/game
Trombones are added to the Symphony for the first time
There is no break between the 3rd and 4th mov.
Piano Concerto, Piano Sonata
10/6/2008 11:05:00 AM
Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G
 Listen for a piano in the listening portion of test
Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata
 Modified song form
(strophic)
 Church hymns = strophic
 3rd Mov. = scherzo –trio- scherzo
 Style: his late Classical
** TEST**
Know the Rocket Theme, theme two (slower with descending line), Theme 1
of development
Mozart: Chamber music – Eine Kleiner Nachtmusik
 3rd Mov = triple meter
 a minuet trio
Minuet
Trio
Minuet
ll: a :ll: b :ll: c :ll: d :ll a l b
8
8
8
12
8