Download The Early Classical Period

The Early Classical Period
The Enlightenment- valued reason, nature, and progress. Belief that scientific principals
could be applied to almost any problem, including social ones
The role of the state is to improve the social condition
Individuals have rights, including education
Many rulers used their power to improve the lives of their subjects and promote art
Beginning in the 1720’s, a new style emerged based on songful, periodic melodies with
light accompaniment.
First developed in Italian vocal music, especially comic opera
Reflected a taste for music that was “natural” and appealed to a wide audience
Known as the Galant style, it coexisted with other current styles
The Empfindsam (emotional) style imitated a new style of poetry that originated in
Hamburg. Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (CPE Bach) and others began writing music
inspired by the Empfindsam style of poetry. It sought to portray human emotions of
everyday people (as opposed to ancient heroes). CPE writes that comes directly “From
the soul” and transcends the limits of words. (An idea prevalent in the 19th century)
Haydn and Mozart combined both styles adding new elements to form what we call the
Classical style.
Periodicity- Melodies in the classical era were modeled after rhetoric (oration),
divided into relatively short phrases of approximately equal length.
Two or more phrases formed a period (like clauses in a sentence)
Succeeding phrases answer the ones before it. There is often a clear beginning, middle,
and end phrase in a period.
The Harmonic Rhythm (the rate at which the harmony changes) was slower and simpler
than in the Baroque. Clear diatonic harmony dictated the form. To compensate for slower
harmonic rhythm, devices such as Alberti Bass and pulsating chords were used to
animate the harmony.
Vocal Music
Italian Comic Opera (Opera Buffa)
Full-length operas sung throughout with a combination of serious and comic characters
Dialog set in rapid recitative with keyboard accompaniment
Arias used short tuneful phrases organized into periods with simple harmonies.
Intermezzo- A short intermission opera, in two or three segments, between the acts of a
serious play or opera.
Giovanni-Battista Pergolesi’s La serva padrona (The Maid as Mistress) 1733 is the most
famous example of an Intermezzo opera.
Opera Seria (serious opera)
Italian poet Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782) developed the standard. His librettos were set
hundreds of times.
Da capo arias featured contrasting moods in the two sections (A and B)
Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783) was a leading composer of opera seria in Dresden.
His wife was soprano Faustina Bordoni (1700-1781) who starred in operas all over
Europe.
The Querelle des Bouffons was a heated debate among French intellectuals over the
relative merits of French and Italian opera styles.
Philosopher Jean-Jaques Rousseau praised Italian opera for its emphasis on melody and
emotional expression.
Opéra Comique is a French light opera with spoken dialogue. Some of the arias were
existing popular tunes.
Some later opera comiques were based on serious plots, such as a “rescue” opera.
Beethoven’s Fidelio is a rescue opera in that style (but with a German libretto).
The 19th century opera Carmen has a dramatic story but is considered an opera comique
because it has spoken dialogue and a lighter tune-oriented style.
There was a theater specifically called the Opéra Comique.
Ballad Opera- English light opera with spoken dialogue that set new words to popular
tunes
The Beggar’s Opera (1728) by John Gay (1685-1732) is the most famous example
Singspiel- German light opera with spoken dialogue
An important precursor to the German operas of Mozart and Weber.
Opera Seria (serious opera)
Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782) developed the standard for 18th century librettos.
His librettos (opera play books) were set to music hundreds of times.
Opera seria were typically in three acts consisting of alternating recitative and arias.
Da Capo (ABA) arias were the standard. Singers embellished the A section on the repeat
after the B section. The two sections often were in a different (related) key and mood.
Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783) was a leading composer of opera seria.
He worked at the Saxon court in Dresden (now in Germany).
His wife, Faustina Bordoni (1700-1781) was a leading soprano all over Europe.
Opera in other languages:
In France, a debate raged over the relative merits of Italian and French comic opera.
This argument was known as the Querelle des Bouffons. Philoopher Jean-Jaques
Rousseau praised Italian opera for its expression of emotions and emphasis on melody.
Opéra Comique (French Comic Opera) Spoken dialogue
Also the name of the theater where opéras comiques were staged
Later, dramatic stories such as Rescue Operas were staged there because they contained
spoken dialogue
Ballad Operas became popular in England as interest in Italian operas declined.
Spoken dialogue mixed with arias based on simple popular songs
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787) combined elements of French, German, and
Italian opera.
Johann Friedrich Reinhardt (1752-1814) is one of a growing number of German song
composers. Composed German songs are called Lieder.
America, William Billings (1746-1800) composed hymns, anthems, and fuging tunes.
Instrumental Music at Midcentury
The piano came to dominate the harpsichord and clavichord.
It was called pianoforte because it was possible to play a wide range of dynamics
(loudness). 18th century pianos are now called fortepianos to distinguish them from much
heavier modern instruments.
Chamber music was written for a wide variety of instruments, including
the String Quartet (two violins, one viola, and one cello).
By the 1780s, flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon were the standard orchestral wind
instruments, usually in pairs. French Horns are included in woodwind quintets.
The late-eighteenth century orchestra was much smaller than today’s and was led by the
principal violinist or by a keyboard player, depending on the type of work. Woodwinds
were not standardized until the end of the century and trumpets, trombones, and timpani
were only used when necessary.
Genres and Forms
The major genre of keyboard music was the sonata. Most of the Baroque forms fell out
of fashion. The word sonata can mean either a specific form (sonata form) or can refer to
a multi-movement piece in which the first movement is written in sonata form (see
below).
Chamber music, such as string quartets, often begin with sonata form as well.
Orchestral music:
The concerto was an extension of the Baroque solo concerto
The symphony emerged from Italian sinfonia and French overture.
Compositions in three movements tended to have fast-slow-fast tempo combinations.
Compositions in four movements added a minuet before or after the slow movement.
In the late 18th century, theorists viewed sonata form as having two sections. Later 19th
century theorists described it in three, as we do today. It evolved out of simple binary
form.
In Binary Form, the first section presents the primary themes in the tonic key and moves
to the dominant or other related key (or relative major, if in a minor key).
The second section moves back to the tonic (“there and back again”) I V_V I
Balanced Binary Form:
Composers such as Rameau and Couperin sometimes presented a second theme (B) at the
end of both sections. A B___A B. The “B” material would be in the tonic at he end.
I V VI
Rounded Binary Form:
A similar variation of binary form modulates from the dominant back to the tonic before
restating each theme- A B___modulation/A B, tboth themes are restated in the tonic key.
I V modulation I I
Expanded Binary Form (Also called first movement form):
In Heinrich Christoph Koch’s Introductory Essay on Composition (1782-93),
the second half is divided into two periods. The first period of the second half is free and
modulatory, eventually ending on V.
The second period of the second half restates both themes in the tonic, sometimes with
closing material added.
Sonata Form:
Exposition: Corresponds to the first half in expanded binary form.
The first theme is in the tonic. The second theme is in the dominant (or relative major).
As in binary form, the first movement is repeated. Sometimes the movement starts with
an optional introduction.
Development Section: Corresponds to the first period of the second half in expanded
binary form. Lesser ideas, not the principal themes, are explored in different key, as if
searching for the way back to the tonic. “Is it this one? How about this one?” Typically,
this section ends with a dominant chord, although composers later chose more surprising
ways to reintroduce the tonic key.
The Recapitulation: Corresponds to the second period of the second half in expanded
binary form. Both principal themes are stated in the tonic. An optional closing section
called a coda may follow.
Keyboard Music
Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) son of Alessandro Scarlatti
worked in Portugal and Spain.
Although born the same year as J.S. Bach, he didn’t start composing his 555 keyboard
sonatas until his mid-fifties. His style is more modern (historically speaking)
Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach (CPE Bach)
Worked for Frederick the Great of Prussia.
He became music director of the five principal churches in Hamburg.
He preferred the Clavichord, an instrument which strikes the keys with metal tone bars,
allowing for dynamic shading and even vibrato.
Many of his slow movements exemplify the Empfindsam style (see above).
Orchestral Music
The origin of the symphony was the sinfonia (Italian opera overture)
Sinfonia from operas were sometimes played separately as concert music
Early sinfonia had three movements:
Iin binary form Allegro (fast, lively)
IIa short lyrical Andante (walking speed)
IIIThe finale used dance rhythms such as minuet or gigue.
Giovanni Battista Sammartini (ca. 1700-1775)
Was the first prominent composer of symphonies.
Symphony in F, no. 32 (ca.1740), 1st mvt.
The symphony is scored for four part strings (basses and probably harpsichord doubled
the lowest part).
It has three movements (fast-slow-fast)
The first mvt. is in Expanded Binary Form as described by Koch.
Johann Stamitz (1717-1757)
Led the famous orchestra from Mannheim, known for its discipline and technique.
Stamitz was the first to consistently compose four movement symphonies.
He also used a full second theme after the modulation in the first half of the opening
movement.
He loved crescendos!
François-Joseph Gossec (1734-1829) was a leading composer of symphonies in Paris.
Joseph Boulogne (1745-1799)
Known as “Le Chevalie de Saint-George” and “The Black Mozart”
Son of a George Boulogne , a wealthy planter on the island of Guadaloupe, and his
Nanon, his African slave. His father took him and his mother to France, where he became
expert at fencing and music. Gossec dedicated a set of six trio sonatas to him. Parisians
were amazed to see an expert swordsman playing violin in Gossec’s orchestra. He later
premiered two violin concertos with the orchestra as the soloist. Saint-Georges' Op. I,
was a set of six string Quartets, among the first in France. They were inspired by Haydn’s
earliest quartets. In addition to more sets of string quartets and miscellaneous chamber
music, he composed twelve more violin concertos, ten symphonies, and six opéracomiques.
Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)
Among the first to compose piano concertos
Known as the “London Bach,” he moved there in 1762
His works are largely in the Galant style (see above)
His “double exposition” form was an important influence on the young Mozart
Just before the final ritornello, an orchestral 6 chord introduces the cadenza (big solo)
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