1 / 18

The Classical Period

The Classical Period . 1750-1820. Qualities of Classicism. Order Objectivity Proportion Emulated the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. Greek architecture. The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders,

ormand
Download Presentation

The Classical Period

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Classical Period 1750-1820

  2. Qualities of Classicism • Order • Objectivity • Proportion • Emulated the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome

  3. Greek architecture The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. Unity—proportion--grace

  4. More . . . On the Classical Period • Age of strong aristocracies • Spacious palaces; formal gardens • Balanced proportions and detail • Louis XV (France) • Frederick the Great (Prussia) • Maria Theresa (Austria) • Catherine the Great (Russia) • Age of the patronage system

  5. So . . . • Music centered around the courts • Employed musicians to compose, conduct, entertain • And, because the aristocracies were powerful and important, this music found its way to the “unestablished” musical world of the new America

  6. And more . . . • French Revolution (1789-99) • American Revolution (1775-83) • These changed the political systems and social order • Industrial Revolution (c. 1750)

  7. “Eighteenth-century Classicism,then, mirrored the unique moment in history when the old world was dying and the new was in the process of being born. From the meeting of two historic forces emerged an art of noble simplicity that constitutes one of the pinnacles of Western culture.”

  8. Classicism in Music • The Viennese School • Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert • Composed large-scale works: • Symphony • Concerto • Sonata

  9. Classical Music • Singable melodies • Lyrical • Diatonic harmony (predictable, pleasant) • Regular rhythms (also predictable) • Homophonic texture • Folk elements

  10. Classical Period– Golden Age of Chamber Music • Music for 2-10 players (with one player per part) who play together to create a piece • Most prominent was the string quartet • Violin I • Violin II • Viola • Cello • The best were written by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven • Followed the same format as the symphony

  11. Haydn’s String Quartets • Wrote 68 • The Quinten Quartet • Fourth Movement – Sonata-allegro form • “Hungarian” folk tune quality • Listen to interplay of instruments (Violin I dominates throughout)

  12. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart(1756-1791)--Child prodigy—

  13. Mozart • Made significant contributions to nearly all musical genres • Symphony • Sonata (many for piano) • Concerto • Chamber music • Sacred music • Opera

  14. Eine kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music) -- 1787 . . . For string quartet with double bass, or chamber orchestra . . . Listen for homophonic texture . . . First theme is disjunct . . . Second theme is conjunct (and graceful)

  15. Eine kleine Nachtmusik • First movement – Sonata Allegro Form • EXPOSITION • Theme I (disjunct) • Theme II (conjunct, lyrical) • Closing theme • DEVELOPMENT • RECAPITULATION • Theme I (returns) • Theme II (same theme, “home key”) • Closing theme (same theme, also in “home key”) • Coda “tail” (the way for the composer to wrap up the piece

More Related