Classical Period
1750-1820
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Music of the Classical
Period
 Unlike Baroque music that is fancy and
ornamented, Classical music is simple and
unornamented.
cities.sulekha.com
newworldencyclopedia.org
Why the change?
 Classicism
 Simple lines and elegance of ancient
Greeks and Romans were being used by
artists, architects and composers
 Clearer division between parts
 Brighter contrasts and color
 Simplicity rather than complexity
 Melody rather than harmony important
What makes it Classical?
The best word to
describe the Classical
time period is BALANCE.
The architecture, music,
and art work was all
symmetrical and
balanced.
Musical effects were
removed and dramatic
effects were diminished.
The Parthenon
Monticello
The Oath of the Horatii
by Jacques-Louis David
Simple Music vs. Complex Music
Minuet and Trio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Simple Music vs. Complex Music
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by J. S. Bach
The Pianoforte
 In 1709, the first pianoforte
was developed by Christofori in
Italy.
 By the end of the
Classical period, many
improvements had
been made by
Christofori as well as
other craftsman,
making it one of the
most important
developments of the
period.
wksu.org
http://www.buzzgrimespi
anos.com/page2.html
Why was the Pianoforte Important?
 The pianoforte allowed
the performer to create
crescendos and
diminuendos as well as
being able to play loud
and soft at the same time.
pianoshoppersguide.co
m
 Because the pianoforte allowed for more
expression, ornamentation and improvisation
were no longer needed.
Music of the Classical Period
 Important forms of the Classical Period
include…
 Symphony
 Sonata
 Sonatina
 Serenade
musicnotes.com
The Symphony
 The Classical symphony was developed in the
17th century.
 A symphony is a large, 4 movement work for
an orchestra.
 The 1st movement is fast. The second
movement is slow. The 3rd movement is a
minuet or trio in #4time. The 4th movement
is often very fast.
The Sonata
• The sonata is for a solo instrument and
consists of four movements.
• The 1st movement contains three sections.
• The first section is the Exposition. In this section the
theme is stated.
 The second section is the Development. In this section,
the theme is altered or changed in some way.
 The third section is the Recapitulation. This section
restates the original theme.
The Sonatina
• The sonatina is for a solo instrument and consists of four
movements.
• It is the same as the sonata but shorter in length.
• The 1st movement contains three sections.
• The first section is the Exposition. In this section the theme is
stated.
 The second section is the Development. In this section, the theme is
altered or changed in some way.
 The third section is the Recapitulation. This section restates the
original theme.
Serenades
• An instrumental composition for a
small ensemble intended for
evening entertainment.
• A love song sung
in the evening
below the beloved’s
window.
Europe
thefastertimes.com
Beethoven
Haydn
Classical.net
Geology.com
Mozart
Classical.net
Franz Joseph Haydn
His Childhood
 Haydn was born in Austria in 1732.
 He lived until 1809.
 He was born into a musical family.
 At the age of 5, he was sent to live
with and learn music from a relative
who lived near Vienna.
 At the age of 8, he sang in the
Vienna Boys’ Choir. He sang with
the choir for nine years.
last.fm
mp3million.com
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
sacred-destinations.com
Franz Joseph Haydn
His Life
 Haydn was good friends
with Mozart and a teacher
of Beethoven!
 In 1790, he married Maria
Anna Keller. It was an
unhappy marriage.
ramp.pdx.edu
Franz Joseph Haydn
 Haydn was known to have a
good sense of humor.
muswrite.blogspot.com
 Once the prince made his
orchestra stay 2 months longer
than usual at his country home.
Haydn composed “The Farewell
Symphony.” One by one, the
players got up and left the stage.
Haydn had made his point and
the next day, the prince allowed
the orchestra to return home to
their families.
Symphony No. 45
by Haydn
(1772)
“Farewell Symphony”
Franz Joseph Haydn
 In conjunction with his sense of
humor, Haydn wrote the “Surprise”
Symphony. The surprise comes in the
second movement when there
suddenly is a very loud chord.
 Haydn supposedly said that it “will
make the women jump.” Actually it
probably made men and women
jump!
 Concerts in the 1790’s were very long
and audience members tended to fall
asleep.
Symphony No. 94
by Haydn
(1791)
“The Surprise Symphony”
Franz Joseph Haydn
His Career
 Haydn supported himself by
performing, teaching, playing the
organ in church, and accompanying
singers.
 At age 29, the wealthy Hungarian
noble family by the name of
Esterhazy, hired him as a
Kapellmeister.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Haydn
 A Kapellmeister is a director of a choir
or orchestra.
 The orchestra he conducted became known as one of
the finest of the time.
Franz Joseph Haydn
His Career
 While visiting London 1790, Haydn
would conduct a series of concerts
featuring his symphonies.
 As a result, Oxford University
awarded him an honorary doctorate
of music.
trutv.com
 In 1795, he would return to Austria
and compose The Emperor’s Hymn.
This music would become Austria’s
national anthem.
state.gov
Franz Joseph Haydn
His Music
 Haydn is credited with giving the
symphony its modern form and
structure. He is known as the
“Father of the Symphony.”
 In all, he composed over 100
symphonies!
naxos.co
m
 He is known as the “Father of the
String Quartet”
 A string quartet is a small group of
four performers. It consists of two
violins, one viola, and one cello.
pulsd.com
 Haydn composed over 70 String
Quartets!
Serenade
by Haydn
Symphony No. 101
by Haydn
(1795)
“The Clock”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
His Childhood
 Mozart was born in Salzburg,
Austria in 1756.
 He lived until 1791.
 He began playing piano at the
age of 3 and composed his first
piece of music by the age of 5!
spiritismtalk.blogspot.com
 Mozart and his sister Nannerl
toured Europe as children and
performed for Emperors, Kings,
and Queens.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
His Childhood
 His father, Leopold, was his only
teacher. He taught him keyboard,
mathematics, Latin, and German.
 When he was 6, his father took him
to Vienna, where he performed for
the emperor and was introduced
as a child prodigy.
 A prodigy is a person who possesses
exceptional qualities or abilities.
 During this time, Mozart taught
himself to play the violin and the
organ.
thekidswindow.co.uk
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
His Childhood
 In 1770 when Mozart was 14
years old, he heard Miserere by
Gregoris Allegri being sung at
the Sistine Chapel. When he
returned home, he wrote the
entire piece of music from
memory without error.
mv.vatican.va
 Because of this amazing
accomplishment, the Pope made
him a Knight of the Golden Spur.
mozartschildren.wordpress.com
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
His Life
 In 1782, at the age of 26, Mozart
married Constanze Weber.
 He was good friends with Haydn. He
composed six string quartets for
Haydn and dedicated them to him in
1785.
 Mozart’s last years were filled with
financial difficulties and health
problems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Costanze_Mozart_by_
Lange_1782.jpg
oboeclassics.com
 Mozart died penniless and in debt. He
was buried in a unmarked grave in
the churchyard of St. Mark in Vienna.
The exact location is unknown.
findagrave.co
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
His Music
 Mozart composed approximately 600
pieces of music!
 His first pieces of music were published in
Paris when he was 7 years old.
 His early symphonies were influenced by
Johann Christian Bach (J.S. Bach’s
youngest son) whom he had met while
visiting London when he was 8 years old.
Classical.net
 While married to Constanze, he composed
three of his most famous operas, Don
Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, and The
Magic Flute.
Symphony No. 41
by Mozart
(1788)
“Jupiter”
Piano Sonata No. 16
in C Major
by Mozart
(1788)
“Dies Irae” from Requiem
by Mozart
Translation:
Day of wrath, oh day of mourning,
See fulfilled the prophet’s warning,
Heaven and Earth in ashes burning.
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/xmen/images/58093/title/nightcrawler-wallpaper
X-Men United
Why this song with this movie clip?
1. Wrath – Anger/Shooting
2. The prophet is Night Crawler
3. His warning is “Mutant Freedom
Now”
4. If no freedom there will be War
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
“A Little Night Music”
by Mozart
Ludwig van Beethoven
His Childhood
 Beethoven was born in
Bonn, Germany in 1770.
 He lived until 1827.
 He was born into a musical
family.
http://en.wikipedi
a.org/wiki/File:Be
ethoven_
house_of_birth_B
onn_2008.jpg
 When he was 4 years old, his
father began teaching him
piano, violin, and
composition.
en.wikipedia.org
Ludwig van Beethoven
His Childhood
 By age 11, he was
performing and sightreading with great
expertise. His ability to
improvise was compared
to that of Mozart as a
child prodigy.
 Improvise means to make
music up on the spot.
blog.mysanantonio.com
 In 1787, when he was 17, he met and
played for Mozart while visiting
Vienna. Mozart was impressed with
Beethoven’s improvising skill.
Ludwig van Beethoven
 In 1792, Beethoven met
Haydn in Bonn, Germany.
Haydn complimented
Beethoven on some of his
compositions.
 This impressed the elector
who then sent Beethoven
to Vienna to study with
Haydn.
 An elector is a prince or  In 1792, Beethoven
moved to Vienna where he
nobleman.
spent the rest of his life.
blog.mysanantonio.co
m
Ludwig van Beethoven
 He started losing his
hearing in 1800 and by
1820 he was no longer
able to conduct an
orchestra.
 However, he still
composed music,
including his famous
Symphony No. 9.
beethoven.ws
spanishdict.co
m
 He was completely deaf
the last 7 years of his life.
Ludwig van Beethoven
His Music
 His music is divided into three
periods: Early, Middle and Late.
 The Early period lasted until
about 1802 and was strongly
influenced by the works of Haydn
and Mozart.
 Works from the Early period
include…
 Symphony No. 1
 Symphony No. 2
 12 Piano Sonatas including
“Pathetique”
musical-lectures.com
Piano Sonata No. 8
“Pathetique”
by Beethoven
platypuscomix.net
“Somewhere Out There”
imdb.com
Ludwig van Beethoven
His Music
 The Middle period lasted from
1803 to 1814. His works
included themes of heroism
and struggle.
favorite-classical-composers.com
 Works from the Middle period
include…
 Symphonies No. 3 through No. 8
 Piano Sonatas including
“Moonlight,” “Waldstein’” and
“Appassionata”
 Fidelio - his only opera
beta.wosu.org
Piano Sonata No. 14
“Moonlight Sonata”
by Beethoven
Symphony No. 3
“Eroica”
by Beethoven
Beethoven composed this symphony in
admiration of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Symphony No. 5
by Beethoven
The “Symphony of Destiny.” Beethoven
described the beginning four notes as, “That’s
how fate knocks on your door.”
Ludwig van Beethoven
His Music
 The Late period lasted from
1815 onward. His works
were characterized by deep,
personal expression.
 Works from the Late period
include…
 Symphony No. 9
 Last five piano sonatas
 Missa Solemnis
lasvegassun.com
Symphony No. 9
by Beethoven
“The Symphony of Joy”
Based upon the poem, “Ode to Joy” by Friedrich
Schiller.
Practice Listening Test
You will hear each song two times.
You need to write the ENTIRE title.
SPELLING COUNTS!
Listening 1
by Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 “The Symphony of Des
Listening 2
by Mozart
Piano Sonata No. 16 in C Major
Listening 3
by Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 8 “Pathetique”
Listening 4
by Haydn
Serenade
Listening 5
by Mozart
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
“A Little Night Music”
Listening 6
by Haydn
Symphony No. 94
The “Surprise” Symphony
Listening 7
by Mozart
“Dies Irae” from Requiem
Listening 8
by Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 14
“Moonlight Sonata”
Listening 9
by Haydn
Symphony No. 101 “The Clock”
Listening 10
by Beethoven
Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”
Listening 11
by Mozart
Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter”
Listening 12
by Beethoven
Symphony No. 9
“The Symphony of Joy”