Classical Period - La Salle University
Classical Period
1750-1825
Classical Timeline
BAROQUE
1732
Haydn’s birth
1709
Piano invented
1750
Bach’s
Death
1756
Mozart’s birth
CLASSICAL
1791
Mozart’s death
1770
Beethoven’s birth
ROMANTIC
1827
Beethoven’s death
1825
1600
Haydn 1732-1809
1750
Mozart 1756-1791
Beethoven 1770-1827
Sonata Cycle
• Four movement plan common in symphonies, sonatas, and other works of the Classical period -
FSDF
Sonata Allegro Form
Summary
• Exposition - 2 themes, 2 keys (includes a modulation from one key to the next)
• Development - no home key
• Recapitulation - home key throughout
• Coda - shorter section - big cadence
Classical Concerto
• See p. 132
• Multi-movement work for a solo instrument and orchestra.
• Usually in 3 movements, Fast, Slow,
Fast.
Classical Concerto
First movement - fast
What is the form?
Classical Concerto
First movement - fast
What is the form?
Sonata Allegro
Classical Concerto
Second movement - slow
What is the form?
Varies. Theme and variations, ABA, not standard (you don’t need to memorize this!)
Classical Concerto
Third movement - Fast
What is the form?
Often, a Rondo.
Rondo Form
• A is the main theme
• All contrasting themes are given a letter
• A comes back “around”
• Diagram looks like:
• ABACABADA etc.
• Form of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto 3rd movement
Opera
• A large-scale, multi-movement work for vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra. It is secular (not religious), acted out on stage with scenery and costumes, performed in a theater, and sung in
Italian.
2 Types of Singing
• Aria - the singing style in operatic works that is a
"song". Action stops and characters reflect on emotion that has just occurred.
• Recitative - the singing style in operatic works that is the dialog/action. This type of singing is not usually very tuneful.
• Libretto - the words of an opera exactly as they are set to music. The libretto is
NOT a plot summary, but the lyrics of the opera (like a script to a play or movie). Literally, it means "Little book".
W.A. Mozart
• 1756-1791
• Composed first pieces at age 5
• First symphony at age 8.
• First opera at age 12.
Mozart’s operas
• Why are they considered to be the best?
• 1. Music is sublime.
• 2. Excellent plots and stories.
• 3. Ability to capture the emotions of the characters in the music.
Don Giovanni
• Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte.
