The Classical Era
A study guide
Overview of the Culture
Music in the Classical Era
Music Journalism
3 Classical Composers
Log Check
Genre check
Exam Topics Summary
About this Study Guide…
This study guide of Classical culture and
music In the Classical Era does NOT
replace or attempt to outline Kamien
Chapters 1 and 2. Rather, it provides the
big picture, and Kamien adds information
details to this presentation. You are
responsible to know what 18thC life and
society are like, and how music fits into
that culture.
17th-18th C transition
Baroque Era
Monarchs, aristocrats hold
absolute POWER & wealth
Louis XIV, XV
Frederick the Great
Catherine the Great
Protestant Reformation and
Catholic Counter-reformation
inspired a more spiritual society.
On many of Bach's compositions:
“Soli deo gloria” (to God alone the
glory!)
Classical Era
French and American
Revolutions
Middle class becomes
more influential
Baroque era’s religious
fervor wanes. “The first
law is to enjoy oneself,”
says Charles Burney.
The Classical Era
Approximately the 18th Century
“Classical,” “classic,” “classicism”
Classical Greek architecture is probably
inspiration for 18thC tastes.
simple, uncluttered clean lines
symmetrical, balanced
The Classical Era
Cultural, societal adolescence--much change
(often violent) & growth
Industrial revolution causes societal changes:
Shift from agrarian to industrial economy
Migration from country to cities
Huge cities--e.g., 1800 Vienna = 250,000; Paris = 550,000
American and French Revolutions:
French aristocrats out of power (& dead); commoners take
power
Napoleon’s expansionism causes turmoil in Europe.
Relationship of government and constituents changes:
– people no longer serve governing wealthy nobles
– government serves people
The Classical Era
European society  more cosmopolitan.
Rise of the middle class
industrialization produces more money for lower classes
eventually more “wealth” produces more leisure time
more leisure time produces search for entertainment that
produces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Classicism’s entertainment music for middle class “Music
must meet listeners where they are,” therefore much of it is
simpler than that in the Baroque Era.
The Classical Era
The Enlightenment:
What’s IN?
rational, logical, empirical, reasoned
equality, brotherhood of man
What’s OUT?
status quo (Unjust traditions are brought into question.)
Supernatural, mystical (Religion, God’s nature and/or
existence come into question)
Music in the Classical Era
Austria and Germany = cultural centers.
Patronage, a VIMP music/economic institution in the mid1700s breaks down by 1790. Why?
Ubiquitous concert halls and opera houses entertain
middle class audiences.
Function of Music: Entertainment
in the concert hall, opera hall, theater, estate drawing
room, home parlor
In the home—VIMP filler of leisure time
Dancing
Family members performing for each other
Middle Class interests change music
More music-making in the home creates needs:
simpler music for less skilled musicians
growing music industry (instrument manufacture, publishing,
performing organizations)
music education (instrument & voice lessons, composition,
appreciation)
Simpler, folksong-like music
Opera: characters and plots revolve around commoners, not the
aristocracy or mythology as in the Baroque era. Some plots ridicule
the aristocracy.
Publishers influence what composers write. Why? What is the
connection to middle class music-making? (Go back to previous slide)
More secular music composed and performed. Religious fervor of
earlier Baroque composers such as Bach is gone.
Music Journalism
Ca 1790 Music Journalism exploded on the European scene. Middle
class people wanted to read about anything music: essays, analyses
and critiques of new compositions, performers, performances, concert
halls, instruments, and biographies of composers and performers.
Music newspapers—some high quality, but most badly written tabloid
journalism—sold by the millions. Journalists influenced tastes, and they
made or broke careers. Ludwig van Beethoven was one of their favorite
targets.
While these music rags praised Beethoven’s pianistic virtuosity
(until deafness curtailed his playing), their writers mercilessly and
audaciously condemned many of his compositions for about ten years!
Their insulting diatribes claimed his music was eccentric, too
intellectual and complex, and that nobody wanted to hear it. Deeply
hurt, he sometimes reacted contemptuously, and he is known to have
answered at least one upstart reporter, “Of course you don’t
understand this composition. I wrote the piece for future generations.
They will understand and appreciate it.” He was correct.
The Classical Composers
Joseph Haydn
pronounced “Hi-den,” NOT “Hay-den”
lived most of life comfortably as a highly paid musical
servant in patronage to the Esterhazys (You must
understand patronage.)
wrote serenades & divertimentos (entertainment music),
masses, sonatas, concertos, string quartets, symphonies
(104!), more; he’s probably best known for symphonies.
developed the orchestra
much more use of woodwinds
standardized the instrumentation (instruments and
number of each in a typical orchestra)
developed the symphony
longer works
more development ideas & procedures
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
pronounced “Mot-sart,” NOT “Mo-zart”
child prodigy:
pianist performing in public by age 4; astounding virtuosity
by age 6
composer writing serious and “world class” music by age 8
adulthood:
patronage:
lived when patronage was waning
– aristocracy could no longer afford it
– Austria was at war
rebelled against idea of being a “musical servant”
several bad experiences; Mozart separated himself from
patrons
may not have managed personal finances well
wrote serenades & divertimentos, operas, masses, sonatas,
concertos, symphonies (41), more. Probably best known for
operas and symphonies.
made fundamental changes to opera; fixed problems
Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven views music as much more important to human
existence than mere entertainment!
made his living by:
selling compositions to publishers
concertizing as a pianist
Beethoven NEVER has a patron; patronage is gone. Besides,
Beethoven considers himself equal to, not the servant of,
any noble!
virtuoso pianist--World’s best!
dazzling technique and power
genius improviser
Ludwig van Beethoven
composer
composed by evolving and revising musical ideas and
compositions
kept notebooks of themes and ideas
B’s manuscripts, unlike Mozart’s, are a MESS—
cluttered with cross-outs, arrows, re-writes, etc.
Much of B’s music was composed in deafness (total by age
29!) He could only hear the music in his head.
works are larger, longer, more complex
wrote sonatas (esp. piano), concertos, string quartets,
symphonies (9!), serenades & divertimentos, masses, more.
Probably best known for symphonies, piano sonatas, string
quartets. much music for piano.
Beethoven wrote notes that were too high or low for
current pianos, then told manufacturers to build
instruments that included them. …and they did!)
TRANSITION composer: ClassicismRomanticism:
B’s middle and late composition periods and styles
clearly point the way to the coming Romanticism.
composed for himself and future, NOT for publishers’
demands or middle class market
Classical Listening Log Check
Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Mvt 1
(Sonata form)
Haydn, Symphony No. 94 in G Major, Mvt 2
(Theme & Variations)
Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Mvt 3
(Minuet & trio)
Beethoven, String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18,
No 4, Mvt 4 (Rondo)
Mozart, Don Giovanni
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Mvt 1
Match Genres with their descriptions
(Sp 14 – Green only)
Sacred vocal, monophonic, no beat/meter, Middle Ages
Polyphonic composition based on one theme, a subject
Cantata
Secular vocal, Renaissance, mostly polyphonic, features much text
Chant
painting
Collection of dance-inspired movements
Chorale
4 highly contrasting movements for orchestra that exploit its expanded
Concerto
range, timbre, and dynamics. Movement 1 is always set in sonata
form.
Fugue
Multi-movement work for chorus, vocal soloists, orchestra, organ,
most sacred ones are based on a familiar chorale
Madrigal
Large-scale work combines visual, vocal & instrumental music, and
Mass
literature
5 movement setting of sections of the Mass ordinary
Motet
Large-scale work for chorus, orchestra, narrator, usually based on
Opera
Old Testament story
A hymn, important in Lutheran worship service
Oratorio
Multi-movement instrumental music that features two performing
Suite
groups—soloist(s) and accompanying orchestra
Symphony Sacred vocal, Renaissance examples feature much imitation,
text may NOT be from the mass ordinary
Classical Era Exam Topics
Culture/society and the Classical music style
3 composers and how they fit into the culture
Forms (structure)
Sonata
theme & variations
minuet & trio
rondo
Listening:
Recognition of the pieces
Perception of formal elements
Perception of development procedures
Perception of elements that balance unity and contrast
Comprehensive genre check