# The Classical Era
[Week 5 YouTube PlayList](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQY0zQBqYyrVpcUzcpaQLewjqjtWapjrs)
## The Classical Period
- "**c**lassical music" is general meaning, "**C**lassical music" specific means
music from 1750 to 1820.
- _Opera seria_ replaced by _Opera comique_ in French or _Opera buffa_ in
Italian
> [!summary] Recognizing a Piece by Bach or Handel
>
> - String Dominated
> - Melody spins out in long, sometimes asymmetrical phrases
> - Late Baroque full of polyphony
> - Strong bass
> - Consistent rhythmic patterns
> - Consistent mood or ethos
> [!summary] Recognizing a Piece by Haydn or Mozart
>
> - String dominated, but with occasional solo by woodwinds
> - Melody shorter, often in units of 2, 4, or 8 (symmetrical)
> - Texture of Classical music mostly homophonic (melody + chordal harmony);
> texture is generally lighter
> - Bass much less obvious
> - Rhythmic patterns, more of a stop and go process
> - Mood can change within the same piece or movement; no constant ethos
- Vienna: City of Music
- A city of the aristocracy
- Cosmopolitan center
- Viennese Classical School -> Viennese Classical Style
- Franz Joseph Haydn
- Patronized by Esterhazy family
- Earned a lot of money by writing 12 London symphonies
- Commissioned to write The Emperor's Hymn
- String quartet: "A civilized conversation of learned and equal participants"
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
## Classical Genre and Form
- Classical music back in the days
- "classical music" was once only for entertainment and is disposable.
- People go to concert to listen to new music. They may not even pay attention
to it, but rather drink and eat and chat and flirt.
- Pop music are played in both theater and casino.
- Then becomes "High Art" that is written and studied
- Genres
- Symphony = played by "symphony" orchestra
- String Quartet = played by a string quartet
- Concerto = usually soloist + orchestra
- Sonata = piano or solo + piano
- Opera
The movements in symphony and string quartet is as below.
| Movement | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Form | Sonata-allegro | Large ternary, Theme and variations, or Rondo | Minuet and trio in ternary form | Sonata-allegro, Theme and variations, or Rondo |
| Mood | Serious and substantive despite fast tempo | Lyrical and tender | Usually light and elegant, sometimes spirited | Bright, lighthearted, sometimes humorous |
| Tempo | Fast | Slow | Lively | Fast |
As for Concerto and Sonata, the 3rd movement from the above table is removed,
other movements remains the same.
- K. followed by number = Ludwig von Kochel, who gave a chronological list of
Mozart's works, aka K. Number.
- Alberti bass - turning chord into triad
- _Sonata-Allegro_ form - the "King Kong" of musical forms
- Exposition = Presents thematic material
- Development = Thematic material from exposition is developed, dramatic
tension
- Recapitulation = Themes return in original order, resolution, calm is
restored
- Optional introduction and coda
- Example: Mozart, K.545, _Eine Kleine Nachtmusic_
- _Themes and Variations_ form
- Example: Haydn, Symphony No.95 "Surprise"
- _Rondo_ form
- Usually at the finale, light and active
- Example: Mozart, _Rondo alla Turca_
## Putting the Art in MozART: 3 Classical Pieces
- D minor for Mozart - Demonic key
- _Piano Concerto in D minor_, K.466
- Mozart = the Father of Piano Concerto
- Double Exposition Form - an additional exposition played by orchestra
- Piano soloist will conduct; the lid on the piano is taken off
- End of recapitulation -> _Cadenza_
- _Don Giovanni_
- = Don Juan in Spanish
- Vocal ensemble - singing counterpoints
- _The Requiem_
- Mass = Kyrie -> Gloria -> Credo -> Sanctus -> Agnus dei
- Requiem Mass = Introit -> Kyrie -> Dies irae -> Confutatis -> Lacrimosa ->
Sanctus -> Agnus dei
> [!summary] What Makes Mozart Great?
>
> - Universality
> - Perfect balance and proportions
> - Endless supply of melodies
> - Greatest beauty from simplest of ideas
> - Fullest range of musical emotions
> [!tips] The Essential Mozart According to CMW
>
> Listed in order of preference
>
> - Piano Concertos
> - D Minor K. 466
> - C Major K. 467
> - A Major K. 488
> - C Minor K. 491
> - C Major K. 467 "Elvira Madigan"
> - G major K. 453
> - Other Concertos
> - Clarinet Concerto K. 622
> - Flute and Harp K. 299
> - Symphonies
> - Little G Minor No. 25 K.183
> - Prague Symphony No. 38 K. 504
> - Big G Minor No. 40 K. 550
> - Jupiter Symphony No. 41 K. 551
> - Serenades
> - _Eine Kleine Nachtmusik_ K. 525
> - Chamber Music
> - String Quintet in G Minor K. 516
> - Clarinet Quintet in A Major K. 581
> - Piano Sonatas
> - Sonata in C Major K. 545
> - Religious Music
> - Mass in C Minor K. 427
> - Requiem Mass K. 626
> - Masonic Funeral Music K. 477
> - Motet: _Ave verum corpus_ K. 618
> - Operas
> - _Marriage of Figaro_
> - _Don Giovanni_
> - _Magic Flute_