CLASSICALLY SPEAKING Classically speaking The word classical can

CLASSICALLY SPEAKING…

Classically speaking… The word “classical” can refer to a genre (style) of music that is not rock, pop jazz or country in style. It can also refer to a musical period of the 18 th-19 th centuries. CHARACTERISTICS of CLASSICAL PERIOD MUSIC 1750 -1825 ØEmphasis on balance, clarity and simplicity ØMusic not as ornate/busy as Baroque period ØMore expressive music (better use of tempos, dynamics ØShorter phrases repeated/Melodies are important (“melodic themes”) ØHOMOPHONY is favored over the polyphonic sound ØOrchestra is well-developed Ø 3 main composers: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven

What in the world is happening? 1750 -1825 (Classical pd. ) • • Ben Franklin invents lightning rod (1752) MESSIAH performed in New York (1770) Boston Tea Party (1773) American Revolution & Paul Revere’s midnight ride (1775) • French Revolution (1789) • “Silent Night” (Christmas carol) is composed (1818)

CLASSICALLY SPEAKING…. Unit Vocabulary List • Symphony • Sonata • Opera • Prodigy • Orchestra • Homophonic

THE ORCHESTRA • The orchestra was pretty well developed by the Classical Period. For thought: *Do you know the 4 families in the orchestra? *What instruments belong in each family?

Franz Joseph Haydn 1732 -1809 • Austrian composer • Composed 104 symphonies! • Nicknamed “Father Haydn” because he was so good-natured and also “father of the symphony” • Father of the symphony • Spent much of career employed as court composer • Taught Mozart and Beethoven!

Haydn Listening List: “Surprise Symphony” (#94), Mvt. II “The Clock Symphony” (#101) Mvt. II For thought: Many of Haydn’s symphonies have nicknames. How do you think these symphonies got their nicknames? Vocabulary Symphony---a musical form for orchestra with 3 or more movements.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a composer. He was born in Salzburg Austria. He was a child PRODIGY! Can you find Salzburg on this map?

He wrote many kinds of music and wrote LOTS of it! Mozart loved nice clothes, good food and hanging out with his friends which kept him in need of money. It is one of the reasons he composed so much music! Mozart’s last opera was Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute).

Mozart was a very sick child. His father, Leopold, was relentless in making Mozart practice for hours on end. Fortunately, Mozart loved music and was a child prodigy! His father, would take little Amadeus on all sorts of tours, showing him off and making him play for the royal courts Europe.

Mozart was born in 1756 and died in 1791. He was only 35 years old! He was a popular composer, but died without any money and was buried in an unmarked pauper’s grave. Today, over 200 years later, Mozart’s music is enjoyed and performed by adults and children around the world!

MOZART. . . Notable facts Ø 1756 -1791 (only 35 when he died!) Ø Salzburg Austria Ø Could compose in German, Italian, Latin Ø Composed every musical form for voice & instruments! Ø Died penniless and in an unmarked grave. Ø One of the most popular composers in history Ø Child prodigy—started composing at age 5! Ø To play all of Mozart’s music…. 202 hours! that is approx. 8. 5 straight days! Ø Last opera: “Die Zauberflote” (The Magic Flute)