Composers and Musical Forms: Baroque, Classicism, and Romanticism
Leading Composers by Era
Baroque (1600-1750)
Notable Composers:
- Antonio Vivaldi (The Four Seasons)
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- George Frideric Handel
Classicism (1750-1820)
Notable Composers:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Joseph Haydn
Romanticism (approx. 1830-1900)
Notable Composers:
- Frédéric Chopin (composed works for piano, including Op. 11 and Op. 21 concertos)
- Franz Schubert (took lessons with Salieri; composed over 600 lieder and 9 symphonies)
- Gioachino Rossini (operas: The Barber of Seville,
Spanish Opera and Zarzuela: A Historical Overview
Opera Romantica: A Historical Perspective
Antecedents (1800-1810)
Reborn after the 1799 law repeal, the activity operates mostly in the French operetta and then Italian styles. Pipes are made of pear. On the scene, about 35 works by Spanish operettas are highlighted, including works by M Garcia, Esteban Cristiani, and Narciso Paz. All in Castilian, these were comic operas following a structural model from the French romantic period. The second attempt to create a national opera and zarzuela coincided
Read MoreZarzuela: The Spanish Musical Theater Excellence
The Zarzuela: Spanish Musical Theater
The zarzuela is a unique form of Spanish musical theater. It was revived and refined by Barbieri in the 19th century but originated in the early 17th century as a court entertainment. It evolved into mass entertainment by the mid-19th century.
From 1850, with the premiere of Barbieri’s work, Playing with Fire, it became a major genre of the 19th century. In 1856, the Teatro de la Zarzuela was inaugurated, becoming the temple of this new genre to this day.
Throughout
Read MorePolyphony, Renaissance, and Baroque Music
Evolution of Polyphony
700-900, 900-1100, 1100, 1200
- Organum – Medieval music consisting of Gregorian chant and at least one additional line.
- Organal – Chant moves slowly, and the added line moves quickly above it.
- Discant – A chant is moving quickly in a similar fashion to the added line.
- Proper – Changes everyday.
- Ordinary – Stays the same.
The Renaissance (1450-1600)
Patrons: Church, Royalty, Governments
Professions: Singer, Choirmaster, Instrument builder, Organist, Copyist, Printer, Publisher, Teacher,
Read MoreUS Folk Music History: Blues, Jazz, and Soul
Black Folk Music Characteristics
Key Features:
- Very pronounced musical pulse
- Syncopated melodies
- Pentatonic scale
- Call-and-answer pattern typical from Africa
White Folk Music
They sang dances and ballads from their birthplaces.
Key Features:
- Dances: Happy melodies, played with violin and guitar.
- Ballads: Narrative character; topics include travels, love stories, and magical characters.
The Primitive Blues
A mixture of Black and White folk music. Also called Delta Blues.
Songs of wail and irony about hard work,
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