The Classical Era

1. The Classical Era Age of Reason and Revolution 1750 – 1825 (approx)

2. Age of Reason • Improvement in human condition • Question importance of church and absolute monarchs • All individuals are equal • Set stage for Declaration of Independence

3. Age of Revolution • Breakdown of traditional authority • Set stage for American and French Revolutions • Also overthrow of patronage system • Middle class grew stronger

4. Industrial Revolution • Technology advances • Steam engine • Cotton gin • Spinning jenny

5. Classical Music Basics • Simpler • Rejected complicated Baroque • Homophonic texture dominates • Single melody with accompaniment • Revived interest in Greek and Roman simplicity and symmetry

6. Vienna, Austria • Music center of Europe • People came to study • People came to be discovered

7. Absolute vs. Program • Absolute music – music written for its own sake (dominant so far) • Program music – music that tells a story or describes something (begins to appear)

8. Instrumental Music • More instrumental than vocal – (although still lots of opera and oratorio) • Orchestra grew larger (30-40 players) • Trombone and clarinet (new) • Still dominated by strings

9. Piano invented • Originally called pianoforte (soft loud) • Replaced harpsichord as main keyboard • More expressive than harpsichord

10. The symphony – new large instrumental work • Zenith of instrumental works • Contained 4* movements (independent sections) • *most of the time • 1st movement – fast • 2nd movement – slow • 3rd movement – minuet (slow stately dance) • 4th movement – fast

11. The concerto • Composition for 1 solo player and orchestra • No more concerto grosso (Baroque) • Cadenza – a place for the soloist to “show off” - improvised

12. Chamber music • Music for small group of players • No conductor • Trio, quartet, quintet, etc

13. The Big 3 Classical Composers • Haydn Mozart Beethoven

14. Their lives, careers and compositions reflect the ideas of the Age of Reason and the Age of Revolution

15. Franz Joseph Haydn • 1732 – 1809 • Early developer of classical style and forms • Esp. symphony and concerto • Born in Austria • Moved to Vienna at age 8 to study

16. Worked for Prince Esterhazy • Represented the establishment • Patronage system at work • Worked for Esterhazy for 30 years • Wrote music • Conducted performances • Managed other musicians

17. Was called “Papa” • Many came to Vienna to study with him • Had a sense of humor • “Surprise” Symphony No. 94 • Wake up audience • “Farewell” Symphony No. 45 • Protest for some fellow workers of Esterhazy

18. Haydn’s Musical Legacy • 104 symphonies • 83 string quartets • 52 piano sonatas • Plus operas, oratorios, masses, cantatas, various church and chamber music

19. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart • 1756 – 1791 • Born in Salzburg, Austria

20. Child musical genius • Taught by his father, Leopold • Harpsichord @ 3 • Gave concerts @ 8 • Wrote 1st symphony @10 • Wrote 1st opera @ 11

21. Began as part of the patronage system • First for the Archbishop of Salzburg • Then Emperor Franz Joseph in Vienna

22. Disliked the restraints on his music • Shunned patronage system • Early independent artist • Composed “non-approved” works • Non-approved subjects • Free lanced for commission

23. Mozart’s Musical Legacy • Prolific composer • Over 600 compositions • 41 symphonies • Many operas, concertos and chamber works

24. Although popular he did not make much money • Died in poverty at age 35 • Inspired award winning movie • Showed his genius and rebellious nature

25. Ludwig van Beethoven • 1770 – 1827 • Born in Bonn, Germany • Raised in poor family • Still started music lessons early

26. Moved to Vienna in 1792 • Studied with Haydn (not a good pair/clashed) • 1st true freelance composer • No patronage for him • Barely paid the rent

27. His symphonies pushed the envelope • 3rd Symphony “Eroica” • Identified with ideas of revolution • Originally dedicated to Napoleon • Scratched out his name after Napoleon declared himself Emperor

28. 5th Symphony – “Fate” • Recognizable 4 note motive • Short rhythmic and melodic pattern that repeated over and over • Maybe the most memorable musical phrase of all time • Became allied symbol for victory during WWII • “dot-dot-dot-dash” represented Morse code for the letter “V” (for victory)

29. “GI’s who didn’t know Schumann from shinola knew this was Beethoven and relished the irony of a German’s music galvanizing the Allied effort to defeat the horrific murder machine that country had become.” – Peter Gutmann

30. 6th Symphony (“Pastoral”) was program • Maybe 1st program symphony • More than 4 movements • 9th Symphony used voices • “Ode to Joy”

31. Beethoven’s Musical Legacy • True genius • Only 9 symphonies; but all masterpieces • Concertos, sonatas, chamber • Many recognizable melodies • Grew deaf in later years • Spanned 2 musical eras • Began in the Classical • Ended in the Romantic

32. Classical Listening • Haydn – “Surprise Symphony” • Mozart – “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” “Symphony # 40 in g minor” “Concerto for Flute and Harp” • Beethoven – “Symphony #5” “Symphony #9” “Moonlight Sonata”