The Classical EraA study guide

Overview of the CultureMusic in the Classical Era

Music Journalism3 Classical Composers

Log CheckGenre check

Exam Topics Summary

About this Study Guide…

This study guide of Classical culture and music In the Classical Era does NOT replace or attempt to outline Kamien Chapters 1 and 2. Rather, it provides the big picture, and Kamien adds information details to this presentation. You are responsible to know what 18thC life and society are like, and how music fits into that culture.

17th-18th C transitionBaroque Era

Monarchs, aristocrats hold absolute POWER & wealth

Louis XIV, XVFrederick the GreatCatherine the Great

Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-reformation inspired a more spiritual society. On many of Bach's compositions: “Soli deo gloria” (to God alone the glory!)

Classical EraFrench and American RevolutionsMiddle class becomes more influential

Baroque era’s religious fervor wanes. “The first law is to enjoy oneself,” says Charles Burney.

The Classical Era

Approximately the 18th Century“Classical,” “classic,” “classicism”

Classical Greek architecture is probably inspiration for 18thC tastes.

simple, uncluttered clean linessymmetrical, balanced

The Classical EraCultural, societal adolescence--much change (often violent) & growth

Industrial revolution causes societal changes:Shift from agrarian to industrial economyMigration from country to citiesHuge cities--e.g., 1800 Vienna = 250,000; Paris = 550,000

American and French Revolutions:French aristocrats out of power (& dead); commoners take powerNapoleon’s expansionism causes turmoil in Europe.Relationship of government and constituents changes:

– people no longer serve governing wealthy nobles– government serves people

The Classical Era

European society more cosmopolitan.Rise of the middle class

industrialization produces more money for lower classeseventually more “wealth” produces more leisure timemore leisure time produces search for entertainment that produces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Classicism’s entertainment music for middle class “Music must meet listeners where they are,” therefore much of it is simpler than that in the Baroque Era.

The Classical Era

The Enlightenment:What’s IN?

rational, logical, empirical, reasonedequality, brotherhood of man

What’s OUT?status quo (Unjust traditions are brought into question.)Supernatural, mystical (Religion, God’s nature and/or existence come into question)

Music in the Classical EraAustria and Germany = cultural centers.Patronage, a VIMP music/economic institution in the mid-1700s breaks down by 1790. Why?Ubiquitous concert halls and opera houses entertain middle class audiences.Function of Music: Entertainment

in the concert hall, opera hall, theater, estate drawing room, home parlorIn the home—VIMP filler of leisure time

DancingFamily members performing for each other

Middle Class interests change music

More music-making in the home creates needs:simpler music for less skilled musiciansgrowing music industry (instrument manufacture, publishing, performing organizations)music education (instrument & voice lessons, composition, appreciation)

Simpler, folksong-like musicOpera: characters and plots revolve around commoners, not the aristocracy or mythology as in the Baroque era. Some plots ridicule the aristocracy.Publishers influence what composers write. Why? What is the connection to middle class music-making? (Go back to previous slide)More secular music composed and performed. Religious fervor of earlier Baroque composers such as Bach is gone.

Ca 1790 Music Journalism exploded on the European scene. Middle class people wanted to read about anything music: essays, analyses and critiques of new compositions, performers, performances, concert halls, instruments, and biographies of composers and performers. Music newspapers—some high quality, but most badly written tabloid journalism—sold by the millions. Journalists influenced tastes, and they made or broke careers. Ludwig van Beethoven was one of their favorite targets.

While these music rags praised Beethoven’s pianistic virtuosity (until deafness curtailed his playing), their writers mercilessly and audaciously condemned many of his compositions for about ten years! Their insulting diatribes claimed his music was eccentric, too intellectual and complex, and that nobody wanted to hear it. Deeply hurt, he sometimes reacted contemptuously, and he is known to have answered at least one upstart reporter, “Of course you don’t understand this composition. I wrote the piece for future generations. They will understand and appreciate it.” He was correct.

Music Journalism

The Classical Composers

Joseph Haydnpronounced “Hi-den,” NOT “Hay-den”lived most of life comfortably as a highly paid musical servant in patronage to the Esterhazys (You must understand patronage.)wrote serenades & divertimentos (entertainment music), masses, sonatas, concertos, string quartets, symphonies (104!), more; he’s probably best known for symphonies.developed the orchestra

much more use of woodwindsstandardized the instrumentation (instruments and number of each in a typical orchestra)

developed the symphonylonger works more development ideas & procedures

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozartpronounced “Mot-sart,” NOT “Mo-zart”child prodigy:

pianist performing in public by age 4; astounding virtuosity by age 6composer writing serious and “world class” music by age 8

adulthood:patronage:

lived when patronage was waning– aristocracy could no longer afford it– Austria was at war

rebelled against idea of being a “musical servant”several bad experiences; Mozart separated himself from patrons

may not have managed personal finances wellwrote serenades & divertimentos, operas, masses, sonatas, concertos, symphonies (41), more. Probably best known for operas and symphonies.made fundamental changes to opera; fixed problems

Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven views music as much more important to human existence than mere entertainment!made his living by:

selling compositions to publishersconcertizing as a pianistBeethoven NEVER has a patron; patronage is gone. Besides, Beethoven considers himself equal to, not the servant of, any noble!

virtuoso pianist--World’s best!dazzling technique and powergenius improviser

Ludwig van Beethovencomposer

composed by evolving and revising musical ideas and compositions

kept notebooks of themes and ideasB’s manuscripts, unlike Mozart’s, are a MESS—cluttered with cross-outs, arrows, re-writes, etc.

Much of B’s music was composed in deafness (total by age 29!) He could only hear the music in his head.works are larger, longer, more complexwrote sonatas (esp. piano), concertos, string quartets, symphonies (9!), serenades & divertimentos, masses, more. Probably best known for symphonies, piano sonatas, string quartets. much music for piano.

Beethoven wrote notes that were too high or low for current pianos, then told manufacturers to build instruments that included them. …and they did!)

TRANSITION composer: ClassicismRomanticism:B’s middle and late composition periods and styles clearly point the way to the coming Romanticism.

composed for himself and future, NOT for publishers’ demands or middle class market

Classical Listening Log Check

Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Mvt 1(Sonata form)

Haydn, Symphony No. 94 in G Major, Mvt 2(Theme & Variations)

Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Mvt 3(Minuet & trio)

Beethoven, String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 18, No 4, Mvt 4 (Rondo)

Mozart, Don GiovanniBeethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Mvt 1

Match Genres with their descriptions(Sp 14 – Green only)

CantataChantChoraleConcertoFugueMadrigalMassMotetOperaOratorioSuiteSymphony

Sacred vocal, monophonic, no beat/meter, Middle AgesPolyphonic composition based on one theme, a subjectSecular vocal, Renaissance, mostly polyphonic, features much text paintingCollection of dance-inspired movements4 highly contrasting movements for orchestra that exploit its expanded

range, timbre, and dynamics. Movement 1 is always set in sonata form.

Multi-movement work for chorus, vocal soloists, orchestra, organ, most sacred ones are based on a familiar choraleLarge-scale work combines visual, vocal & instrumental music, and literature5 movement setting of sections of the Mass ordinaryLarge-scale work for chorus, orchestra, narrator, usually based on

Old Testament storyA hymn, important in Lutheran worship serviceMulti-movement instrumental music that features two performing

groups—soloist(s) and accompanying orchestraSacred vocal, Renaissance examples feature much imitation,

text may NOT be from the mass ordinary

Classical Era Exam TopicsCulture/society and the Classical music style3 composers and how they fit into the cultureForms (structure)Sonatatheme & variationsminuet & triorondo

Listening:Recognition of the piecesPerception of formal elementsPerception of development proceduresPerception of elements that balance unity and contrast

Comprehensive genre check