Chapter 12 Classical Style The Classical Era 1750

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 • • • 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 – 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)