The Classical Era
The classical era of music spanned from the mid-18th century to the early 19th century and is an important period in the history of Western classical music. During this time, the music of the Baroque period became simpler and more homophonic in texture. Homophonic means there was a main melody on top of a chordal structure. This was different than the polyphonic texture (two or more melodies sounding at once) of the Baroque era.
What Were Classical Music Forms?
There were many new forms of instrumental music during the classical era. One form of classical music was the sonata. Sonata form has three parts: exposition, development, and recapitulation. Sometimes there was even an introduction and a "coda" or tail end section. In sonata form, the key changes from the original key and then returns back to the key it started in. There is also a main theme that is developed throughout the piece.
The symphony was a form of music composed for full orchestra. It had four parts called movements. The first movement was typically in Sonata form and in a key called the tonic which was the home key. The second movement could be in sonata form, theme and variation, or ABA and was very slow and melodic. The second movement also changed to a different key. The third movement moved back to the home key and was usually a minuet and trio, a dance, or scherzo. This movement could be a faster tempo. The fourth movement was the fastest and most exciting movement of the symphony. This movement was in the tonic key and was usually a sonata or sonata-rondo form. Another form of classical music is the concerto. In Italian, concerto mean “concert or harmony.” In this form, there is a soloist and an orchestra or other ensemble. The soloist is really good and the music is very hard to play, displaying the musician’s virtuosity. The orchestra and soloist go back and forth and create a harmony together. |
Critical Thinking Questions
- How are a symphony, sonata, and concerto different from each other?
- What music characteristics define the classical era?
sonata_form_worksheet.pdf | |
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