A Brief History of

Classical Music

The Classical Period is from c.1750 – 1830.   The word classical links up with an idea from Ancient Greece, and as a musical term, it means observing certain formal principles of writing, using refinement and polish. The term 'classical' has two primary meanings: the music of the Classical period (c.1750-1830) as represented by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1809) and Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828). Secondly, 'classical' can mean music as an 'art.' By this, classical music will be different from jazz, popular or even folk music.

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Classical music is probably more familiar than we might at first imagine. Indeed, nowadays it is all around us, whether it be in restaurants, supermarkets, lifts, for advertising or as theme and incidental music on television. A great deal of film music either directly uses or draws from the 'classical' tradition; a good example of the former

might be '2001: Space Odyssey', and of the latter, the many scores John Williams has composed in recent years for such blockbusters as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogy.

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Musical InstrumentsThe great majority of musical instruments fall readily

into one of six major categories: bowed strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, keyboard, and the guitar family, the first four of which form the basis of

the modern symphony orchestra.

The four principle orchestral string instruments are (in descending order of overall pitch) the violins (usually divided into two sections, playing individual parts), the violas, the cellos and the double basses.

Bassoonas the name would suggest, the bass member of the woodwind family, and by far the largest, especially its lower-pitched relation, the extremely bulky double or contra-bassoon.

Clarinetlike the oboe usually wooden, played vertically and held in the mouth, but with a wider bore and consisting of a single reed which when activated vibrates against a detachable mouthpiece.

Oboea narrow-bored wooden instrument descended from the medieval shawm, held vertically, and activated by means of placing the end-positioned double-reed in the mouth, and blowing under high-pressure so as to force air between the two bound reeds, causing them to vibrate.

Flutea normally silver-plated (or in more extravagant cases, gold), narrow-bored instrument, held horizontally just under the mouth, and activated by blowing air across an aperture at one end of the instrument.

Trumpetone of the most ancient of all instruments. Played horizontally via a series of valves on the top of the instrument which are opened and closed in various combinations to create different pitches.

French hornanother ancient instrument, descended from the use of animals' horns (hence the name) in pre-historic times.

Trombonedescended from the medieval sackbut, it is the only popular orchestral wind instrument which operates without the use of a valve or key system.

Tubanot unlike the French horn in basic construction, only more oval in shape and much bigger.

Tunedtimpani or kettle drum, xylophone, glockenspiel, tubular bells, vibraphone, marimba.

Indefinite pitchtriangle, gong, castanets, whip, rattle, anvil, tambourine, cymbals (struck and clashing), and a variety of drums (side, tenor, bass, tabor, bongo etc.).

Struckwhere the strings are actually hit, either by a tangent (e.g. 17th/18th century clavichord), or hammers (e.g. piano, celesta

Aeratedwhere the notes are activated by a column of mechanically propelled air within a series of tuned pipes (e.g. organ).

The 'classical' guitar is typically a Spanish-derived, six-stringed instrument played using a plectrum or the finger-nails, with frets set into the fingerboard.

Pluckedmostly instruments emanating from the 17th/18th centuries where a series of stretched and tuned strings are plucked by a quill or plectrum (e.g. harpsichord, virginal, spinet).

Electronicwhere a number of effects approximating to those derived from any of the above instruments, as well as totally original sounds, can be achieved (e.g. electronic organ, synthesizer).

Musical Instruments

Chicago Symphony OrchestraAnd Theodore Thomas, 1897.

The Symphony The most important type of work from Classical period was the symphony which literally means 'sounding together.' Usually a simple symphony orchestra consists of strings, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, trumpets, horns and timpani. During the 18th century the orchestra was a much smaller group than it is now which is in large scale. In fact, it was just an instrumental section of a choral work.  The crescendo sign, which first appeared in 1747, became very important. Composers also wrote a lot of music for the newly-developed piano as it allowed them to use the effects of loud and soft music.

Classical Composers:Franz Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer. Haydn had his work performed in England. He wrote over 100 symphonies but his best known is Austria which was the national anthem for that country.  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy. He is considered the greatest composer that ever lived. He lived for only 35 years and yet in that span of time, he wrote 40 symphonies, nearly 20 operas, 20 piano concertos and numerous other compositions in all genres as  no other composer has done, totaling to about 626 compositions. Ludwig van Beethoven bridged the Classical and the Romantic periods. He revolutionized music as an art. Beethoven began to go deaf around the year 1800. He wrote nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas including the famous Moonlight Sonata, nine overtures, five piano concerto and some other works. He only composed one opera, Fidelio.  Franz Schubert, the youngest of these masters, is famous for his numerous lieder (German term for songs) and solo piano music. He also wrote nine symphonies including his "Unfinished Symphony," some operas including Alfonso und Estrella, and chamber music. He is considered the greatest melodist of all time.

Other Classical Composers:Other composers of these period were C.P.E. Bach, Luigi Boccherini, Nicolo Paganini, C. W. Gluck and

Carl Maria von Weber.

The most common genres you are likely to come across may be summarized as follows:

Symphonycommonly in four, but occasionally only in three, contrasting movements, the outer ones often being vivacious in character, with a more reflective slow movement and contrasting minuet or scherzo.

Symphonic Poema one-movement work popular during the nineteenth century, with a story-line or program often detailed by the composer.

Overtureusually the orchestra-only curtain-raiser to an opera, often used to open concerts. During the nineteenth century it became increasingly fashionable to compose independent concert overtures, occasionally with picturesque titles.

Concertoevolved from various forms of works using a solo instrument throughout the Baroque era and by the end of the eighteenth century denoted a work invariably in three movements (fast-slow-fast). It was designed principally as a work to demonstrate the virtuosity of the soloist, and was often written for the composer's own use as a soloist.

Balletevolved from passages of dance music, usually in an operatic context, into the popular, full-scale Romantic classics of Adam, Delibes, Tchaikovsky, early Stravinsky and beyond.

Incidental Musicusually composed in short sections, often with recurring themes, for a particular stage production.

Suiteusually a selection of short movements taken from a ballet or incidental music, sometimes orchestrations or another composer's work, although quite often an entirely original set of pieces.

Music CategoriesOver the last 1,000 years, 'classical' music has been composed in a variety of genres which are themselves worthy of investigation; whatever the form or description of any given piece, it usually falls comfortably into one of five broad categories: orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral or opera.

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http://www.classical.com/beginnersguide

The Classical Period As implied by the term 'classical', the music of this period looked to the art and philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome - to the ideals of balance, proportion and disciplined expression. The late Baroque style was polyphonically complex and ornamental and rich in tis melodies. Composers of the Classical era deviated from the evolution of their predecessors - their music had a considerably simpler texture. One of the most important "evolutionary steps" made in the Classical period was the development of public concerts. Although the aristocracy would still play a significant sponsoring role in musical life, it was now possible for composers to survive without being the permanent employee of some noble or his family. It also meant that concerts weren't limited to the salons and celebrations of aristocratic palaces. The increasing popularity of public concerts led to a growth in the popularity of the orchestra as well, to the enlargement in the number of musicians and the number of orchestras overall.

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