Classical Era 1750 1820 Viennese Classical Style n

Classical Era 1750 -1820

Viennese Classical Style n Age of Enlightenment n Age of Reason

Definition of Classic • Two Definitions – – • • General: pertaining to the highest order of excellence in literature and the arts Specific: pertaining to the culture of ancient Greek and Romans A “classic” exhibits values that are timeless and universal Classical versus pop, rock, folk, jazz, ethnic, world music

The Times • • • Fascination with ancient Greek and Roman civilizations Philosophical and political ferment led to revolutions French (1789 -1799) and American (1775 -1783) Rise of the middle class Spread of literacy Life for the middle class still depended on lower class servants Industrial Revolution Scientific Advancements Intellectual Revolution Humanistic Writings/Philosophical Debate

Geographical Center • Vienna, Austria

Visual Arts • Rococco – 18 th century style characterized by less symmetry and increasingly more ornamented and fluid style

• Neoclassical – Reaction against Rococco style – Looked back to the linear qualities of ancient Greek and Roman architecture

Artist Life • • 18 th-century artist generally functioned under the system of aristocratic patronage Socially, little better than a servant Patronage system gave the artist economic security and a social framework Artistic Patrons: middle class patrons, court, church

Musical Genres n Vocal n Instrumental

Vocal Genres Mass ¢ Motets ¢ Opera ¢ Oratorio ¢ Art Song ¢

Instrumental Genres ¢ ¢ Symphony – four movements: fast, slow, minuet and trio, fast Solo Concerto – three movements: fast, slow, fast String Quartet – chamber music genre, four instruments: two violins, viola, cello Sonata – typically for piano, teaching piece

Classical Orchestra n n Blending of the four instrumental families: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion 30 to 40 players Established gradual dynamics (Mannheim crescendo) Piano was the favored accompaniment/solo instrument. Alberti Bass was the favored accompaniment texture.

Musical Elements n n n Melody Harmony Rhythm Texture Dynamics Form

• Melody: vocal in conception, symmetrical (question/answer), typically four to eight measures in length • Harmony: tonal • Rhythm: simple and metered • Texture: homophonic (with some polyphony) • Dynamics: gradual

Form • Sonata Allegro: an outgrowth of binary form Exposition: use of two contrasting themes, a bridge theme and an ending theme, section is repeated Development: develops themes and rhythms Recapitulation ||: Exposition: || Development || Recapitulation || Theme 1 Theme 2 A B

• Theme and Variation – Theme is varied by the elements of music: melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, timbre, dynamics) • Minuet and Trio – Utilizes binary form, ¾ time signature

• Rondo – Utilizes a section of music that alternates with new music – ABACA

Composers n Franz Joseph Haydn n Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart n Ludwig von Beethoven

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony No. 40, First Movement

Franz Joseph Haydn • Symphony No. 2 “Surprise” Second Movement

Ludwig von Beethoven • String Quartet in c minor Fourth Movement Rondo form

Romantic Era (1820 – 1900)

The Times n Age of … n Historical Influences n Literature n Visual Arts n Other Writers n Musical Culture

Age of …. . • Age of Extremes • Age of Unending Lyricism

Historical Influences • Looking back to the Medieval Era • “Roman” – a French medieval novel about romance, chivalry • French Revolution: liberty, quality, brotherhood

Literature • Friedrich von Schiller (1759 -1805) – Philosophical papers on ethics and aesthetics – Plays – Ode to Joy

• Victor Hugo (1802 -1885) – French poet and playwright – Les Miserables

• Charles Dickens (1812 -1870) – British novelist – Concern for social reform – Oliver Twist A Christmas Carol A Tale of Two Cities

Visual Arts • Eugene Delacroix (1798 -1863) – Leader of the French Romantic School – Liberty Leading the People

• Francisco Goya (1746 -1828) – Spanish painter – Considered the last of the Old Masters and the first of the moderns – Satan Devouring His Son

Other Writers Scientific writings ¢ Philosophical writings ¢ Ethical writings ¢ Aesthetic writings ¢

• Charles Darwin (1809 -1882) – British naturalist – Natural selection – On the Origin of Species

• Karl Marx (1818 -1883) – German philosopher, – social scientist – political theorist

Musical Culture • Stressed emotion, imagination, individuality • Composers moved from patronage to free agent, composers wrote for their own social class • Formation of the orchestra and instruments (influence of Industrial Revolution) • Emergence of the conductor • Public concerts/subscription concerts • Conservatories founded • Public captured by virtuosity; which centered on a virtuosic performer • Music was seen as a means of expression

Music in the Romantic Era n Characteristics n Musical Elements n Composers

Characteristics • • Individuality Expressive Aims and Subjects Nationalism and Exoticism Program Music/Absolute Music

Musical Elements • Melody – Unending melody – Longer, more irregular in length – Themes more complex and chromatic – Theme transformation • Harmony – Basically tonal – Chromaticism stretches the harmonic sound resulting in greater tension

• Rhythm – Metric – Use of effects, especially rubato – Articulation is heavy – Uses emotional designations: allegro agitato, con amore • Dynamics – Wide range – Use of extreme dynamics – Gradual

• Texture – Essentially homophonic – Sonority is thick, heavy and lush • Instrumentation/Timbre – 70 or more in the orchestra – Full exploration of the instrument and its range – Instruments were used for both their individual timbre and for their collective color potential – Instruments used to convey mood and atmosphere (emotional expression) – Woodwinds improved by better fingering system “Boehm” – Valves introduced into Brass – first time these instruments could play a full chromatic compass – Saxophone, baritone and tuba invented by Adolf Sax – Piano became the standard keyboard instrument

• Form – Stretching of the Classical era forms: sonataallegro, rondo, theme and variation, minuet and trio • Genres – Absolute (abstract music): symphony, concerto, sonata, string quartet – Program: program symphony, tone poem (Strauss), symphonic poem (Liszt), opera, music drama (Wagner), art song – Genres are both large works and small, miniature works called character pieces

Composers • Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 -1827) – German composer and pianist – Transitional figure between the Classical and Romantic eras – Symphony No. 5 • first movement

• Frédéric Chopin (1810 -1849) – Polish composer – Virtuosic pianist – Composed only for piano – Etude

• Hector Berlioz (1803 -1869) – French symphonist – Known for his orchestration techniques – Symphonie Fantastique • Movement 4

• Bedřich Smetana (1824 -1884) – Czech nationalist composer – Má Vlast • The Moldau

Other Composers • • • Johannes Brahms Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Franz Liszt Robert Schumann Felix Mendelssohn César Franck Giuseppe Verdi Giacomo Puccini Franz Schubert Richard Wagner