Classical Period and Romantic Period - Research Paper Example

?When we talk about ical music it is important to know that the term is applicable to music that was composed in a particular style from the 1740s to 1820. The composition of music during these years comprised of a distinct sense of proportion. Initially it was somewhat difficult for listeners to derive pleasure and enjoyment from, however after a certain time the music began to dominate their music preferences. It was in this phase of music that there was an exceptional coordination of tunes that were harmonious, melodious, with distinct rhythm and effective orchestration. The classical era highlight music by popular composers, namely, Haydn, Mozart, the initial Beethoven period, and the Bach’s sons (Michael, 2006). In this essay a discussion of the various aspects of classical period, a brief comparison with the Baroque era, as well as the contribution of popular composers of this time will be done. Initially the perception modern listeners have of the classical era is that it was either too serious or plain music; however to the listeners in that era, the music was unique and very different from that of the Baroque era. The key distinction between classical era and that of the Baroque era was that the classical music had more variety when it came to divergent rhythms throughout a piece. Melodies which were introduced in the classical era were a lot more balanced, easier to sing and to remember. It was in this era that numerous nursery songs were written. It was in the classical era that the social function of music started to evolve from that of its prior aristocratic and religious affiliations towards the public and secular sphere with its middle class connections. The gradual increase in public concerts, the growth of commercial opera houses, the increase of publishing of music, and the increase in the number of musical pieces that were composed as well as played were all implications of the change in musical times. Form was of critical importance to the composers of the classical era, and this period had a lasting effect as far as form is concerned, especially when it came to the various instrumental music forms. Previously composers had already begun to pay special attention to the various musical instruments and their capabilities. Hence the move to writing not just solo music for one specific instrument, but focusing on music which had mixed ensembles with a variety of instruments. The modern orchestra was of key importance here. It was in the classical era that the common instruments like the toccata, concerto grosso, and fugue became replaced by forms which had matured as a result of the classical period. This is where the roots of the sonata, concerto and symphony can be traced. Even though each of these forms had significant precursors prior to the classical era, but it is this version of the form that came to become the most influential through the course of the other following eras, the romantic and modern era, and even today it is still highly recognized by a multitude of art music audience and performers (Jones, 2006). Among the many kinds of music of this period, the classical era is well known for symphonies, which is a type of a large orchestral ensemble. These pieces of symphonies primarily had three movements; the first of these was the sonata, followed by the minuet, and the finale. Taking inspirations from earlier composers, Haydn and Mozart took symphonies to their peak in the late 18th century. While Haydn concentrated on achieving rhythmic excellence and the composition of theme based music Mozart contributed to the symphonies by a contrast of memorable lyric themes which made use of a full sounding orchestral settings (Roger, 2008). To cater to the middle-class, classic composers came up with a ton on new chamber music which made use of a magnitude of combinations. The piano sonata became one of the important forms of chamber music. This was mainly after the refinement it received at the hands of composers like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. The string quartet played an increasingly dominating part in the field of chamber music after the year 1765. The concertos were a key part of the baroque period; similarly in the classic era solo concertos were mainly highlighted. The options of solo instrument were a lot broader for the classic era as compared to that of the baroque era. In the classical period the trend shifted more towards keyboard concertos. This style was initiated in Germany, by Bach, and then slowly spread to other locations. The concerto was taken to its peak by Mozart. It was his unique skill at weaving the complicated strands of concerto fabric without overshadowing or dominating the soloist or orchestra (Hermann, 2007). It is important to further analyze the contribution of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven as major contributors of the classic era. These three composers were referred to as the ‘classics’ mainly due to their work being continuously played ever since it premiered. This continuity was a rare thing before the 18th century. The contemporaries of these composers analyzed the quality of classical music and derived from it the notion of ‘Viennese classicism’. This was developed primarily from writers from northern Germany. The importance of these composers lies mostly in their development of instrumental music which then went on to become a part of the foundation of the 19th as well as 20th century music. Highlighted here are the symphony, string quartet, kinds of chamber music and the piano sonata. These three musicians, who had been personally acquainted with each other, contributed to the classical era by setting instrumental music on equal footing with that of vocal music in the mind of the listeners. If prior to the classical era vocal music, such as opera and church music, had always been perceived as truly important as forms of music, now the symphony, piano sonata as well as the string quartet were seen as equally important. In fact by the Romantic era instrumental music was regarded as customary and considered a “real” music, invariably referring to the work of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. So initially even though the listeners in the classical era might have taken time to shift from the Baroque era music to the more unique and rhythmic music the classic era had to offer but the transition was a successful one. The shift from the prior aristocratic focus of music to the more middle class affiliation was a key distinct feature of the classic era. Furthermore this transition was aided and highlighted by the introduction of symphonies, orchestral settings as well as lyrical genius resulting from the contributions of key composers like Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven. References Abert, Hermann (2007). “W. A. Mozart.” Cliff Edition. New Haven: Yale University Press. Jones, Catherine. “Classical Music and the Music of the Classical Era.” Web. 2006. Retrieved on 18th April 2012 from: http://cnx.org/content/m15294/latest/ Kamien, Roger. “An Appreciation of music” .6th edition. New York, McGraw Hill, 2008. Print. Kennedy, Michael. “The Oxford Dictionary of Music”. Oxford University Press, USA. 2006. Oracle, Thinkquest. “Classical era”. 2011. Web. Retrieved on 15th April 2012 from: http://library.thinkquest.org/15413/history/history-cla.htm Read More