Chapter 12: Classical Style
The Classical Era (1750-1820)• Musical proportion, balance, and formal correctness
• Emulation of the art of ancient Greece and Rome
• Classical architecture: geometric shapes, balance, symmetrical design, lack of clutter
The Enlightenment• Also called the Age of Reason
• Pursuit of truth and discovery of natural laws
• Encyclopedia Britannica and the French Encyclopédie
• Scientific advances
• Growth of the middle class
• Age of Revolution– American Revolution – Declaration of Independence. 1776
– French Revolution – storming of the Bastille, 1789
The Democratization of Classical Music:Public Concerts
• Performances gradually moved from the palace to the concert hall
• Supported by the middle class
• Concert spirituel: Successful Parisian concert series– First non-court orchestra played on a regular schedule of
performances
– Two-tiered price scheme for a subscription series made performance accessible to several strata of society
– Commercialization of a shared musical experience
• London – Vauxhall Gardens
• Vienna – Burgtheater (City Theatre) opened in 1759
The Rise of Popular Opera• Comic Opera: Expressed middle class values; satire of
pompous and incompetent aristocrats– Also called Opera buffa
– Use of everyday characters and situations
– Use of da capo arias (ABA)
– Sight gags, bawdy humor, and social satire
– Reflected social change as well as inspired it
The Advent of the Piano
• Invented in Italy around 1700
• Replaced the harpsichord
• Could play more than one dynamic level– Originally named the pianoforte
• Amateur music making in the home– Many amateur pianists were women
– Simpler, more homophonic style of keyboard music
Elements of Classical Style• Melody: Tuneful, catchy, singable melodies– Simple and short with balanced phrases
• Antecedent and Consequent phrases
• Example from Mozart’s Piano Concert in C major (1785)
Elements of Classical Style• Harmony: Harmonic rhythm much more fluid and
flexible than in the Baroque music– Alberti Bass: Spreads out pitches of a chord to provide a
steady steam of sound
• Rhythm: More flexible rhythm– Greater variety within a single movement
Elements of Classical Style• Texture: Mostly homophonic – Light and transparent
– Thin bass and middle range
– Counterpoint used sparingly and mainly for contrast
The Dynamic Mood of Classical Music• Use of rapid changes in mood, texture, color, and
dynamics adds a new sense of urgency and drama
• Use of crescendo and diminuendo
• An Example of Classical Style: Mozart, Le nozzi di Figaro (1786)