(1) BAROQUE (CA. 1600-1750)(2) CLASSICAL (CA. 1750-1820)(3) ROMANTIC (CA. 1820-1900)

European Music

Baroque (ca. 1600-1750)

Bachhistorical context:

European monarchs vie in displaying pride, pomp, pageantry

monarchs employ court composersgenres:

opera introduced concerto a staple dances formalized into instrumental suites

characteristics: harpsichord heavy ornamentation

Classical (ca. 1750-1820)

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven (B. on cusp w/ Romanticism)

historical context: new aristocracies replacing monarchs/church as arts patrons

demanded impersonal, but tuneful & elegant music Vienna = musical center (Viennese style)

genres: dances symphonies sonatas string quartets

characteristics: clean, uncluttered (reaction against Baroque’s heavy

ornamentation)

Romantic (ca. 1820-1900)

Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Berlioz, Liszt, Verdi, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky

genres: opera symphonies ballets concertos

sources of inspiration: German folk stories, contemporary Italian literature indigenous history & legends

characteristics: **emotional** nationalism