Chapter 16:
Classical Genres: Instrumental Music
The Symphony and the Symphony Orchestra
• Symphony: A multimovement composition for orchestra
lasting about 25 minutes in the Classical Era (nearly an
hour in the Romantic Era)
– Origins in the sinfonia – Baroque opera overture in three
sections (fast – slow – fast)
– Sections expanded into movements
– By mid 1700’s, a fourth movement was added (Minuet)
– Fast – Slow – Minuet – Fast
– Increased in popularity as public concerts became more
common
– Created the terms symphony hall and symphony orchestra
The Classical Symphony Orchestra
• Increased in size as the symphony orchestra moved from
private court to public auditorium
• More wind instruments were added to increase variety and
color
Classical Orchestra
Strings:
1st violins, 2nd violins, cellos, double basses (about 27 players total
Woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons
Brasses:
2 French horns, 2 trumpets (for festive pieces)
Percussion: 2 timpani (for festive pieces)
Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G Minor (1788), K. 550
First Movement (Molto Allegro) p. 189
• Exposition:
• Development:
• Recapitulation:
– Transition theme is extended
– Brief coda
Mozart: Symphony No. 40
• Second Movement: Andante
– Slow, lyrical
– Contrast between woodwind and the string timbre
• Third Movement: Minuetto: Allegretto
– Intense, somber mood
• Fourth Movement: Allegro Assai
– Sonata-allegro form
– Begins with ascending rocket theme
– Lack of transition into the recapitulation adds a feeling of
urgency and acceleration
The String Quartet
• String Quartet: genre of chamber music
– Created by Joseph Haydn
– Goethe compared it to a conversation among four
intelligent people
• Two violins, viola, and cello
• One player per part
• Follows four movement form: fast – slow – minuet –
fast
• Performed by professionals
and amateurs
• Haydn and Mozart played
together in a string quartet
Haydn: Opus 76, No. 3, The “Emperor” Quartet (1797)
Second movement, Poco adagio cantabile p.192
• Known as the “Emperor” because of its famous theme
– Melody composed in response to military and political
events
– Honored Emperor Franz II
– Tune served as national anthems for Austria and Germany
– Used as a Protestant hymn
– The Emperor’s Hymn was Haydn’s favorite composition
• Theme and Variations form
The Sonata
• Genre of chamber music for solo piano or solo
instrument accompanied by piano
• More sonatas published in the 18th-century than any
other genre
• Three movement: fast – slow – fast
• Performed by professionals and amateurs
– Often used for piano students
The Concerto
• Large scale, multimovement work for instrumental
soloist and orchestra intended for public audience
• Virtuoso performers lured audiences to the concert
hall
• Three movements (no minuet)
• Mozart: Wrote 23 piano concertos
– Considered the father of the modern piano concerto
– Often for his own performance
Mozart: Piano Concerto in A major (1786),
First movement Allegro p.196
• Piano and orchestra engage in a spirited give-and-take
of the thematic material
• Written for his student Barbara Ployer
• Sonata-allegro form
• Double exposition: The orchestra first introduces the
first, second, and closing themes; Soloist then enters
and plays the thematic material
– Mozart introduces a new lyrical melody in the strings
when we expect the second exposition to end
• Cadenza
Mozart: Piano Concerto in A major
• Second Movement (Andante):
– Exquisitely crafted lines and coloristic harmonies
– Daring harmonic changes
– At once sublimely beautiful and distantly remote
• Third Movement (Presto)
– Boisterous rondo
– Banter back and forth between soloist and orchestra