The document provides an overview of classical music genres including the symphony, string quartet, sonata, and concerto. It notes that the symphony evolved from the Italian overture and came to feature four movements. The string quartet was created by Haydn and featured equal participation by four string players. The concerto featured a soloist playing against a full orchestra in a three-movement structure with a double exposition in the first movement.

1. Classical Genres

2. Vienna: Musical Capital
 Dominance of the Viennese School
 Franz Joseph Haydn
 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Ludwig van Beethoven
 Other notable composers
 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
 Johann Christian Bach
 Muzio Clementi

3. Symphony
 Grows out of the Italian overture (sinfonia)
 3 sections: fast, slow, fast
 Sections evolve into separate movements
 Mannheim (Germany) a center of early
symphonic innovation

4. Mannheim Innovations
 Inserting an additional movement
 Minuet and trio inserted as third movement
 These are dances in triple time
 Crescendo
 Gradually building volume from soft to loud
 Rocket theme
 Rhythmic theme rising rapidly from low to
high register

5. Classical Orchestra
 Becomes the ensemble we know today
 Four instrumental families
 Strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion
 Strings are the dominant family
 Still smaller than today’s orchestras
 Classical orchestra: 30 – 40 players
 Modern orchestra: 90 – 100 players

6. Listening Example
 Title: Symphony No. 40 in G minor, I
 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Genre: Symphony

7. Notes on Symphony No. 40, I
 Three themes in exposition
 Theme 1 minor and urgent
 Transition theme interrupts repeat of 1
 Theme 2 major and lyrical
 Development focuses on theme 1
 Extensive modulation and fugal treatment
 Recap features unusual development
 Transition theme extended
 Theme 2 now in original key (minor)

8. Chamber Music
 Music on a smaller scale
 Performance in more intimate setting – smaller room
 Music for small ensemble, 2-8 players
 One player to a part
 String quartet becomes most popular
 Longer genres of chamber music
 Divertimento
 Serenade (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik)

9. String Quartet
 Created by Haydn from trio sonata
 As name suggests, just four players
 Two violins, one viola, one cello
 Equal participation by each instrument
 No conductor
 A genre as well as an ensemble
 Same multi-movement cycle as symphony

10. Listening Example
 Title: Emperor Quartet, II
 Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn
 Genre: String Quartet

11. Notes on Emperor Quartet, II
 Theme and variations form
 Listen for repeated melody w/changes
 Listen for 2nd movement characteristics
 Slow tempo
 Lyrical melody
 Note the sound of the small ensemble
 Violins (2), viola, and cello only

12. Serenade
 Chamber music on slightly larger scale
 Follows multimovement cycle
 Same movement structure as symphony
 Movements shorter – chamber music
 Lighter in character
 Strings alone or small orchestra
 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik most famous

13. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
 English: “A little night music”
 Serenade (1787)
 Likely intended as background music for
an aristocratic social event or party
 1st movement has one of the most
recognized melodies of all classical music
 Homophonic texture overall

14. Listening Example
 Title: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, I
 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Genre: Serenade

15. Notes on Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, I
 Fast tempo (Allegro)
 Sonata-allegro form (3 themes)
 First theme very famous (rocket theme)
 Contrast between themes:
 1st theme (marchlike)
 2nd theme (lyrical)
 Duple meter

16. Notes on Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, III
 Minuet & Trio form (ABA)
 Each dance features a theme
 Minuet is strongly rhythmic
 Trio is lyrical and expressive
 Moderate tempo (Allegretto)
 Triple meter

17. Sonata
 Another important chamber music genre
 Three movements (no dance names)
 Fast-slow-fast pattern
 Very popular genre among amateur pianists
 The most published genre of the era
 Sonata’s rise tied to the rise of the piano

18. Sonata
 Usually composed for private performance
 Unless specified, sonata refers to solo
piano music
 Two additional types of sonata
 Piano & Violin
 Piano & Cello
 Beethoven’s piano sonatas most significant

19. Concerto
 Baroque concerto had various forms:
 Small group vs. full orchestra
 Soloist vs. full orchestra
 Classical concerto had one form:
 Soloist vs. full orchestra
 Piano and violin most common solo inst.

20. Structure of Classical Concerto
 Three separate movements (same as Baroque)
 Fast-slow-fast pattern
 Double exposition in 1st movement
 Orchestra presents themes in 1st expo.
 Piano plays themes in 2nd expo.
 Often a new theme is presented in 2nd expo.
 Cadenza featured in 1st movement recap

21. Cadenza
 Passage of solo virtuoso performance
 Improvisatory flavor
 Orchestra falls completely silent
 Rhythmic and melodic freedom
 Soloist cues conductor/orchestra with trill

22. Listening Example
 Title: Piano Concerto in A Major, I
 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Genre: Concerto

23. Notes on Concerto in A
 Double exposition: orchestra then piano
 4 themes total
 Orchestra presents 3 themes in 1st expo.
 Piano presents the same themes in 2nd expo.
 Strings play a new theme at end of 2nd expo.
 Cadenza in the recapitulation
 Piano plays the new theme in recap