MS general music history overview

1. The Classic Era
1750-1820

2. Age of Elegance
In this time things were not as “fussy” with
lots and lots of details. Music was simpler.
The form (or plan) for music was very
symmetrical. The idea of everything being
balanced was very important. Audiences at
concerts knew what to expect in the music
they were listening to.

3. Age of Elegance
• The “Form” or pattern of music was very
important
– There were very strict rules for composers
– The idea of balance was the rule
• Phrases would have equal numbers of measures
• Sections of pieces would be equally long

4. Patronage System
• Royalty and the very rich would have their own
personal orchestras, musicians and composers.
They hired musicians full time to live at their estates
and work for them.
• Prince Esterhazy - Haydn’s patron

5. Franz Joseph Haydn
• 1732-1809 (lived to be 77)
• Nickname - “Papa” Haydn
• Very religious man
• Lots of instrumental music
• Oratorios (religious)
• He had a strong sense
of humor and used it in his
music.

6. The “Surprise Symphony”
People would go to concerts that would last for
hours. Haydn wrote this work as a way to play a
joke on the audience. It starts off very gently
and softly and then all of a sudden has a big,
extremely loud chord, designed to startle the
audience and make them jump. The next short
video talks about the very first time this work
was ever done.

7. The next video is a performance by a small
orchestra (called a chamber orchestra) of the
“surprise” part of the symphony. The “surprise”
moment happens about 40 seconds into the
performance. With this small group, it is not
quite as big a “jump” as it is with a large
orchestra. See if you can identify the moment.

8. The “Farewell” Symphony
Prince Esterhazy had more than one castle,
scattered around the country. Whenever he
traveled to stay in a different castle, Haydn and the
orchestra musicians would go with him. This
means that they would be away from their families.
Once he stayed in one of the castles for a
particularly long time and the musicians all wanted
to go home. Haydn wrote this piece as a way to
hint that it was time for the Prince to go back to the
main castle. Watch this 7 minute section, to see
how the musicians walk off the stage one by one.
The Prince understood, and made the move.

9. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• 1755-1809 - He only lived to
be 35 years old
• Child prodigy – this means
that he was unusually
talented even when he was
little. His father tried to use
Wolfgang and his sister as an
act to make money.
• The movie “Amadeus” was
made about his life.
• His full name was –
Johannes Chrysostomus
Wolfgangus Theophillus
Amadeus Gottlieb Sigismundus
Mozart

10. • This short 3 minute video talks about
Wolfgang’s life and shows many drawings and
paintings of him with different scenes of his
life.

11. “A Little Night Music”
Mozart wrote music for voices, for instrumental
solos, for instrumental groups, for operas, for
church use. When you look at the original pages
that he wrote, what is unusual is that he never
erased or crossed anything out. He wrote
everything down perfectly on the very first try –
no mistakes. This next piece was named “Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik” (A little night music). It is
still performed all over the world today.

12. “Marriage of Figaro”
This is an opera that Mozart wrote. It tells the
story of Figaro and the woman he is going to
marry. Life gets very confusing as other people
get involved in messing up their romance. It
leads to a complicated, funny story of people
trying to disguise themselves to trick each other.
You will probably recognize the next music you
hear from the beginning of the opera.

13. Mozart spent all the money he earned and
borrowed more. He had a wife and child to
support as well. When he died, he was too
poor to even have his own grave. He was buried
in a “pauper’s grave” – a big grave that held
many bodies. No one knows exactly why he
died. One theory is that he was poisoned. The
last thing he ever composed was a “Requiem” –
music for a funeral.

14. Ludwig Van Beethoven
• 1770-1827 (lived to be 57)
• His deafness developed
over time. He could still
compose because he
could remember and
imagine the notes and the
sounds, sort of like you
can “hear” your favorite
song in your head if you
think about it.

15. The next 3 minute video is
about Beethoven’s life and has
paintings and drawings done
of him at different stages in his
life.

16. Beethoven was known for breaking the ‘rules’ of
music writing when he composed. One of his
symphonies, #5, is one that everyone will
recognize after hearing only the first 4 notes. He
made this 4 note pattern the main theme of the
whole musical piece.
As you listen to this, the video will show images
of Beethoven beginning in his childhood and
ending in his adult life.

17. Now hear the same part of Beethoven’s
5th Symphony done by the heavy metal
rock group Metallica. Beethoven would
probably have loved this. He was always
looking for new ways to do things.
Heavy Metal meets
Beethoven

18. “Moonlight” Sonata
This is a piano solo, that is supposed to give the
listener an image of moonlight. Watch the
player’s hands. The left hand plays the low
notes. The right hand plays middle part
harmonies. You can see the little finger of the
right hand do all of the melody work starting at
about 25 seconds into the piece. You might
recognize this piece.

19. Fur Elise (For Elise)
No one knows who the Elise was that Beethoven
wrote this piano piece for. He never married,
and people wonder if this was for one of the
women he might have loved. The green shows
the right hand notes, the blue shows the left
hand notes. Almost everyone who has had a
couple years of piano lessons has played this
melody.

20. The Metronome
This machine was invented for Beethoven. He
wanted his music to be played at particular
speeds and this machine demonstrates speeds
translated into beats per minute. For example
90 MM means 90 beats per minute. Here is a
video of a metronome playing.

21. Ode to Joy
Beethoven broke the rules by having a
choir sing in the last movement (section)
of his 9th symphony. The German melody
that they sing is called “Ode to Joy”. You
will recognize this melody, especially if
you have ever taken instrument lessons.
Here it is being done by the Muppets.

22. Ode to Joy
Hear is the “real” way this song was meant to be
performed. The next video has the part of the
performance using the choir and the orchestra.

23. Important Events
in the World
And
Important People
At This Time

24. 1773 Boston Tea Party
United States
Revolutionary war

25. George Washington
1778 – Hawaii Discovered

26. 1809 Braille Invented
1814 – Star Spangled Banner Written