Classical Music: Evolution, Forms, and Master Composers
The Classical Period: A Transition Era in Music
The Classical period in music history marks a significant transition, bridging the Baroque era with the emerging Romantic styles.
Religious Vocal Music
Masses and oratorios continued to be prominent forms of religious vocal music.
Secular Vocal Music: The Opera
Opera underwent significant changes, moving away from Baroque excesses. Plots and characters began to appeal more to the burgeoning bourgeois public. Two new types of opera emerged:
Opera Seria
Christoph Willibald Gluck initiated reforms in Opera Seria, advocating for simpler music and minimizing the contrast between arias and recitatives. These operas typically featured simple plots, often in three acts, with heroic or mythological themes.
Opera Buffa (Comic Opera)
Known as Opera Buffa, or comic opera, this genre utilized the local language of each country and explored themes of daily life, often with comic and sentimental elements. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a prominent composer in this style.
Classical Instrumental Music
The Classical period saw the introduction of new instruments and the evolution of the orchestra. The orchestra expanded, leading to a wider range of sonorities. Timbre became a fundamental element, playing a crucial role in orchestral composition.
The Classical Sonata Form
The classical sonata form typically consists of three main sections:
Exposition
Presents two contrasting themes: Theme A, often of a strong or assertive character, and Theme B, typically more lyrical, in a different key.
Development
The musical material from the exposition is explored and transformed, often moving through various keys and combining elements of the main themes.
Recapitulation
Returns to the exposition, presenting both themes again, but now both are typically in the tonic (principal) key, often with minor modifications.
Dance in the Classical Era
Dance underwent significant transformations with new artistic ideas. The Ballet d’action emerged, demonstrating that dance, music, and mime could tell a story without relying on poetry or song, paving the way for modern ballet.
Social Dance
Among social dances, the minuet remained particularly important. This dance of French origin featured a ternary (ABA) rhythm and a quiet, graceful movement.
Classical Music in Spain
Classical music in Spain, while embracing the period’s ideals of balance, simplicity, and harmony, is often considered a less prominent period in its musical history. It was heavily influenced by Italian music.
Opera in Spain
Opera in Spain continued to be dominated by the strong influence of Italian opera.
Zarzuela
The Zarzuela evolved, replacing its earlier mythological themes with more popular and contemporary issues, often reflecting local customs.
Instrumental Music in Spain
The Royal Chapel of the Court remained a central hub for instrumental music, continuing to attract Italian musicians. Notable Spanish composers included Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, often referred to as ‘the Spanish Mozart’.
Guitar Music
The guitar achieved significant popularity, becoming a prominent instrument with the publication of numerous treatises for enthusiasts. Fernando Sor, known as ‘the Beethoven of the guitar,’ was a leading figure.
Key Composers of the Classical Era
Baroque Composers
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
An immense German Baroque composer whose work spans the main genres and styles of the Baroque era, with the exception of opera.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
A Baroque master, Handel composed works like Messiah, a biblical oratorio. His goal was often to return to the sources of traditional Christianity.
Classical Composers
Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Beginning his career in a cathedral choir, Haydn later became an independent music director in Vienna. He is widely known as the ‘Father of the Symphony’ and the ‘Father of the String Quartet,’ creating countless symphonies and other works. He passed away at 77 years old.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
A child prodigy, Mozart composed over 600 works in his short life. His compositions reached their peak in splendor and virtuosity. He died at the age of 35.
Transition to Romanticism
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven is a pivotal figure, bridging the Classical and Romantic eras. His creative will and innovative spirit propelled music into the Romantic stage.
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Liszt distinguished himself by his talent from a very young age. His significant works include his Sonata in B minor for piano, his Missa Solemnis, and various fantasies and fugues.