The Classical Period

The Classical Period began about 1750 and lasted for

about 75 years, ending around…

1825

The style of the previous era, the Baroque Period (1600-1750) was very

complex.

In the Baroque Period, extreme detail and excessive

ornamentation was used in music, art, and architecture.

The composers of the Classical Period were now trying to escape from this

overly extravagant style, so they began to move back to

a more simple style.

This can be seen in the clothing and wigs of the time

period.

Baroque complexity was replaced with Classical elegance.

More Classical clothing & wigs

If you notice, most of the buildings that were built in the

Classical Period are mirror images of themselves if you split them in half. You should

know the name of this important building that was built in the Classical period.

This type of shape is called…

Symmetrical

The music is the same as the buildings.First you

hear a theme(it

can repeat)

Then a different theme

Then the first

theme again

We call the three themes by letters. They are…

A B A

We call this A-B-A form…

Ternary

A B A

Symphony

A large work for a large orchestra

Sonata – What kind of sonata are you listening

to?What kind of sonata is

pictured here?

A small work for a small group or 1 instrument...

ConcertoWhat kind of concerto would this be? A Violin

Concerto

This is like a symphony, but it features a solo instrument:

What kind of concerto are you listening to?

A Flute Concerto

Opera

A stage production with speaking and no singing = A PlayA stage production with a mix of

speaking & singing = A MusicalA stage production with no speaking and only singing = ?

Opera became more popular during the Classical Period.

Before the curtain opens, this instrumental introduction has little bits and pieces of all the songs in the opera.Overt

ure

Listen for drastic changes in this overture from the

musical, “Cinderella,” and see if you can tell where each new song excerpt

begins:

This half-speaking, half-singing is where most of the action takes place in an opera…

Recitative

Amidst the half-singing, half-speaking dialogue, occasionally a song (with verses and chorus) will

break out. This is called a…

Aria

The family that started the orchestra…

Strings

The family that followed strings…

Woodwinds

These instruments didn’t have valves yet in the Classical Period and could only play

certain notes.Brass

Valves

Harpsichord

Piano

This instrument was better than the harpsichord because it

could play loud and soft…

Classical Period