Music of the Classical Period

1. Music of the
Classical
Period

2. INTRODUCTION OF THE
SONATA FORM
THE FORM THAT
DOMINATED
INSTRUMENTAL
COMPOSITION TO THE
PRESENT DAY.
FROM
- 1780 to 1820
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Music of the Classical Period
PIANO
- THE PRIMARY
INSTRUMENT
Aka “VIENNESE CLASSICAL
PERIOD”
SINCE MOST OF THE
FAMOUS COMPOSERS
WORK IN VIENNA,

3. MUSICAL
FORMS
DURING THE CLASSICAL PERIOD
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4. SIGNIFICANT
BREAKTHROU
GHS
HISTORY
1. THE AMERICAN DECLARATION OF
INDEPENDENCE IN 1776
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2. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

5. “
THIS ERA SAW THE INFLUENTIAL RULE OF
LOUIS XV IN FRANCE, FREDERICK THE
GREAT IN PRUSSIA, AND CATHERINE THE
GREAT IN RUSSIA
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6. SCIENCE
◍ BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DISCOVERED
ELECTRICITY
◍ DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRST SMALL
POX VACCINE
◍ DISCOVERY OF OXYGEN, HYDROGEN,
ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION, AND
ULTRA VIOLET RAYS.
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7. THE PERIOD IS ALSO
KNOWN AS THE “AGE OF
REASON” AND THE
“ENLIGHTENMENT”
PHILOSOPHY
DOMINATED BY THE
RATIONALIST
PHILOSOPHIES OF KANT,
DIDEROT, AND THE
FRENCH
ENCYCLOPEDISTS
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8. LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY
VOLTAIRE AND ROUSSEAU WERE THE
LEADING FIGURES.
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9. ARTS
FAMOUS ARTISTS WERE GOYA, DAVID, REYNOLDS,
GAINSBOROUGH, AND COPLEY
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10. CHARACTERIST
ICS OF THE
PERIOD
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11. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERIOD
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RHYTHM – Favored dance rhythm
MELODY – Simple melody, tuneful, balanced phrases and cadences,
HARMONY – Diatonic
TEXTURE – Homophonic, chordal (use of chords)
FORM – Ternary form, use of sonata allegro form
DYNAMICS – Continuous changes of crescendo and decrescendo
TIMBRE – Frequent changes of tone colors from one section to the other.

12. CLASSICAL PERIOD
ALSO CALLED THE “GOLDEN AGE OF MUSIC”
BECAUSE IT WAS AT THIS TIME THAT THE
MAJOR FORMS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
(SYMPHONY, CONCERTO, SONATA, AND STRING
QUARTET) WERE FULLY DEVELOPED.
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13. MULTI-
MOVEMENT
INSTRUMENTA
L FORM
SINGLE
MOVEMENT
INSTRUMENTA
L FORM
MUSIC OF THE CLASSICAL PERIOD
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14. MULTI-MOVEMENT INSTRUMENTAL FORM
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1. SONATA FORM – Usually a composition for solo
instrument
2. STRING QUARTET – A sonata for a small group of players
(violin, viola and cello).
3. SYMPHONY – A sonata for the orchestra.
4. CONCERTO – Sonata for a soloist with an orchestra
5. OVERTURE – Instrumental music played before an opera

15. 15
SINGLE MOVEMENT INSTRUMENTAL FORM
1. BINARY FORM – Divided into two distinct sections
2. TERNARY FORM – 3-Part form
3. RONDO – Tuneful main theme which return several
times in alternation with other themes.
4. THEME AND VARIATIONS – The theme is repeated
over and over and is changed each time it is repeated.