MUSIC IN THE

CLASSICAL
PERIOD
Franz Joseph Haydn
&
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
General Characteristics of
Classical Music
◦ It is meant to be easy on the ear.
◦ Direct reaction to the complexity of Baroque
music.
◦ Balance, clarity, accessibility.
◦ Melody with accompaniment (homophony).
◦ Melodies are tuneful and catchy (2-4 measure
phrases).
◦ Harmony is simple, logical and clear (few
dissonances).
◦ No basso continuo (walking or Alberti Bass).
Three Main Qualities
◦ Melody is most important
part.
◦ Tuneful and balanced.

◦ Simple harmony.
◦ Light accompaniment.
◦ Dominated by three
composers, making up the
Viennese School
Classical Opera
◦ Opera buffa – comic
opera.
◦ Simple music, amusing plot,
real characters.
◦ Performed in palace and
public opera houses.
◦ Reaction to problems with
Baroque Opera.
◦ Mythology/historical
◦ Not real people or situations
◦ Music too heavy and
complex.
Symphony
◦ Most important
instrumental genre.
◦ Began as sinfonia
(overture to opera).
◦ Three movements (Fast,
Slow, Fast)
◦ Begins to look like the
modern symphony.
 Mannheim, Germany
◦ Center of symphonic composition and performance.
◦ Johann Stamitz, conductor
◦ Expanded sinfonia to four movements
◦ Mvt 1 – Fast and serious (sonata form)
◦ Mvt 2 – Slow and lyrical (aria form)
◦ Mvt 3 – Graceful and moderate (dance form)
◦ Mvt 4 – Fast and lively (Rondo form)
◦ Structure of the orchestra expanded
◦ Full strings, woodwinds (flute/oboe, horn), trumpets
and drums, later added bassoons and clarinets.
◦ Mannheim Steamroller - Crescendo
Chamber Music
◦ Music for the Middle Class to play at
home.
◦ String Quartet – Violin I & II, viola, cello
◦ Ideal balance to match SATB voice types.
◦ Followed the symphonic patterns.
◦ Sonatas
◦ Solo keyboard or keyboard + solo instrument.
◦ 1775 – pianoforte replaces harpsichord.
◦ Composers wrote and improvised from the
keyboard (often performing their own music).
Strict Conventions and Forms
◦ Mvt. 1 - Sonata Form ◦ Mvt. 2 – Aria Form
◦ Exposition – state the two
themes (firs in tonic, ◦ Lyrical and song-
second in dominant). like.
◦ Development – develop
the themes by changing ◦ ABA form
keys, etc. ◦ Triple meter
◦ Recapitulation – replay ◦ Contrasting keys with
the two themes, both in
the tonic key. new material.
◦ Coda – optional ending ◦ Less serious than
◦ Used for the most serious Sonata Form
musical ideas.
Forms (cont.)
◦ Mvt. 3 – Minuet and ◦ Mvt. 4 – Rondo
Trio Form form
◦ Minuet – Dance in ◦ Simplest of all
Binary form (AABB
usually in ¾ time) forms (most
◦ Trio – Different music
accessible).
in binary form (CCDD) ◦ New music always
◦ Return to original returns to a main
Minuet (AB) theme.
◦ Makes for an overall ◦ ABACADA…….
ternary form (ABA).
Franz Joseph Haydn
(1732-1809)

◦ Began musical career as

choir boy in Vienna
(learned to play
harpsichord and violin).
◦ 1761 – hired as assistant
music director to Prince
Esterhazy
◦ 1762 – Palace Esterhaza
built
◦ 2 large music rooms and 2
opera theatres.
◦ 1766 – promoted to Music
Director
Haydn’s Musical Duties
◦ As music director he was expected to
write, direct or perform 2 operas and 2
concerts each week, extra concerts for
important visitors, dinner music and
chamber music for the Prince’s rooms.
◦ As a result he wrote over 100 symphonies,
70 string quartets, 50+ keyboard sonatas,
and numerous choral and solo voice
pieces.
◦ Last 12 symphonies written in London.
 Haydn’s Music
◦ Operas – Wrote many, but few are still performed today.
◦ Symphonies – Wrote over 100.
◦ Expanded the size by emphasizing brass, clarinets and
percussion.
◦ Added crescendos and accents.
◦ Father of the String Quartet
◦ First to develop the genre
◦ Masses
◦ Oratorios – The Creation & The Seasons
◦ Musical Jokes
◦ Credited with inventing the false recapitulation
◦ Surprise/Farewell Symphonies
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1756-1791
Leopold Mozart
◦ Mozart’s father was a performer,
composer, author and music theorist.
◦ Wrote one of the most important
contributions to music theory.
◦ Sacrificed his own career to further his
son’s.
◦ Domineering personality who took
Mozart on tour at a young age.
The Child Prodigy
◦ Age 4 – Learned to play
harpsichord and violin.
◦ Age 6 – wrote his first
compositions and started
touring (10yrs).
◦ Age 10 – First Symphony
◦ Age 14 – First Opera
◦ Age 17 – Hired by Archbishop
of Salzburg
Mozart’s Family
◦ Mother died while
he was very young.
◦ Sister, Nanerl, also
was musically gifted.
◦ 1782 Married
Constanze Weber
Mozart’s Early Music
◦ Released by the Archbishop for disorderly
conduct and began freelance composing.
◦ Considered too young and overqualified for
most jobs.
◦ Moved to Vienna
◦ 1782 – First major opera, The Abduction from
the Seraglio
◦ Wrote string quartets to emulate Haydn.
◦ Made a living by performing his piano
concertos.
Mozart’s Late Music
◦ Losing fame and poorly
managed money.
◦ Late works are the most
impressive.
◦ Symphonies 37, 40, 41
◦ Operas
◦ 1786 – Marriage of Figaro
◦ 1787 – Don Giovanni
◦ 1791 – Magic Flute (Die
Zauberflote)
◦ Requiem
Mozart’s Characteristics

◦ Accessible and highly refined.

◦ Instilled a sense of drama in all of his
music.
◦ Master of melody, tuneful and catchy.
◦ Mastered all Classical genres.
◦ Wrote more than 800 compositions in
35 years.