Key Characteristics of Classical, Baroque, and Romantic Music
Classical Period: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Listening Notes: Mozart’s music often features bright final cadences, conveying positive energy that sometimes stops abruptly.
Sonata (Solo Instrument)
This form typically features only one instrument. The melody is clear and supported by chords, defining the typical Classic texture. Key features include:
- Perfect balance between expressiveness and clarity.
- Tunes end in a final cadence that clearly defines the structure.
Concerto for French Horn (Solo Concerto)
This is a solo concerto characterized by a dialogue between the solo instrument (French Horn) and the orchestra. The texture is classic: a clear and powerful melody held by chords.
- The orchestra often repeats the melody played by the soloist.
- The music forms symmetric parts.
Symphony
The whole orchestra plays a captivating melody, often achieving universal appeal due to its beauty and powerful simplicity (a hallmark of many of Mozart’s works). Classic features include:
- Melody held by chords.
- Balance between expressiveness and clarity.
- Bright final cadences at the end of each musical sentence.
Ludwig van Beethoven: Passion and Dramatic Contrast
Listening Notes: Beethoven’s music often features dramatic contrasts, moving from very soft to suddenly very loud, creating moments of intense drama.
Sonata for Piano
This passionate music displays dramatic contrasts of volume and tempo within short periods. Unlike typical Classic melodies, the melody is less clear and harder to follow because Beethoven incorporates Romantic features.
- He pours his feelings (sufferings, passions) into his music, aiming to evoke those emotions in the listener.
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
This form sounds powerful and solemn. While retaining classical features (e.g., melody held by chords, orchestra repeating soloist parts), it clearly exhibits Beethoven’s style:
- Presence of syncopated parts.
- Striking contrasts of timbre and dynamics.
Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral)
In this symphony, the whole orchestra plays continuously without a soloist. It displays a wide range of emotions, often conveyed through the sounds of nature (e.g., storms).
A key Beethoven feature is the use of tension in search of climax. He favors drama and conflict over the clarity and perfect balance characteristic of pure Classic music.
Baroque Period: Texture and Ornamentation
Fugue
The Fugue is characterized by the repetition of the same tune with slight variations throughout. It utilizes the typical Baroque texture of Counterpoint.
- Instrument: Often played on the harpsichord, an ancient keyboard instrument known for its metallic sound.
Concerto Grosso
This form involves a dialogue between a group of solo instruments (the concertino) and the rest of the orchestra (the ripieno), often resulting in dynamic contrasts.
Baroque features present in the Concerto Grosso:
- Long, fluid melody full of ornaments.
- Contrast of timbre between the groups.
- Texture of Ground Bass: the main melody is accompanied by a continuous bass line.
Concerto for Flute, Strings, and Harpsichord
In this specific concerto, the flute plays a long, fluid, ornamented melody. The harpsichord provides the bass line, repeating notes below the melody, establishing the Ground Bass texture.
Note: If the three instruments play together without contrast against a larger orchestra, it is not classified as a Concerto Grosso.
Romantic Music: Emotion and Individuality
Lied (Art Song)
The Lied is a vocal form of Romanticism featuring one singer and a pianist. It is an intimate song based on poetic texts. Key Romantic features include:
- Relationship between different arts (music and poetry).
- Intense expression of feelings.
- Free structure.
Franz Schubert is recognized as the main composer of Lieder.
Programme Music (Descriptive Music)
Programme Music is descriptive music composed to narrate a story through sounds, similar to a modern film soundtrack. This form emerged during the Romantic period and remains relevant today in media and cinema.
- It lacks the fixed structure of Classical forms, as it follows the development of the narrative.
Hector Berlioz was one of the most important composers of Programme Music.
Romantic Piano Music
The piano became a crucial instrument for soloists during this era, leading to many short compositions written specifically for it. The structure of these pieces is often quite free, allowing the composer to prioritize the expression of intense personal feelings (sadness, desperation, longing).
The Romantic period emphasized individualism, which explains the importance of solo piano music. Frédéric Chopin and Franz Liszt are two well-known composers of Romantic piano music.