Transcript Chapter 7 – Introduction to the Classical Style: Haydn and

Chapter 12: Classical Style
The Classical Era (1750-1820)
• Musical proportion, balance, and formal correctness
• Emulation of the art of ancient Greece and Rome
• Classical architecture: geometric shapes, balance,
symmetrical design, lack of clutter
The Enlightenment
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Also called the Age of Reason
Pursuit of truth and discovery of natural laws
Encyclopedia Britannica and the French Encyclopédie
Scientific advances
Growth of the middle class
Age of Revolution
– American Revolution – Declaration of Independence. 1776
– French Revolution – storming of the Bastille, 1789
The Democratization of Classical Music:
Public Concerts
• Performances gradually moved from the palace to the
concert hall
• Supported by the middle class
• Concert spirituel: Successful Parisian concert series
– First non-court orchestra played on a regular schedule of
performances
– Two-tiered price scheme for a subscription series made
performance accessible to several strata of society
– Commercialization of a shared musical experience
• London – Vauxhall Gardens
• Vienna – Burgtheater (City Theatre) opened in 1759
The Rise of Popular Opera
• Comic Opera: Expressed middle class values; satire of
pompous and incompetent aristocrats
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Also called Opera buffa
Use of everyday characters and situations
Use of da capo arias (ABA)
Sight gags, bawdy humor, and social satire
Reflected social change as well as inspired it
The Advent of the Piano
• Invented in Italy around 1700
• Replaced the harpsichord
• Could play more than one dynamic level
– Originally named the pianoforte
• Amateur music making in the home
– Many amateur pianists were women
– Simpler, more homophonic style of keyboard music
Elements of Classical Style
• Melody: Tuneful, catchy, singable melodies
– Simple and short with balanced phrases
• Antecedent and Consequent phrases
• Example from Mozart’s Piano Concert in C major
(1785)
Elements of Classical Style
• Harmony: Harmonic rhythm much more fluid and
flexible than in the Baroque music
– Alberti Bass: Spreads out pitches of a chord to provide a
steady steam of sound
• Rhythm: More flexible rhythm
– Greater variety within a single movement
Elements of Classical Style
• Texture: Mostly homophonic
– Light and transparent
– Thin bass and middle range
– Counterpoint used sparingly and mainly for contrast
The Dynamic Mood of Classical Music
• Use of rapid changes in mood, texture, color, and
dynamics adds a new sense of urgency and drama
• Use of crescendo and diminuendo
• An Example of Classical Style: Mozart, Le nozzi di
Figaro (1786)