Classical Composers

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Public Genres in the Classical Period

The emphasis on communication and expression associated with the classical period saw the rise of distinctly classical styles in three important public genres:

Opera

The Concerto

The Symphony

SONATA FORMExposition

•Main Theme(s)

•In Tonic

•Transition

•Less-stable – moves to new key)

•Secondary Theme(s)

•New Key

•Optional: Closing Section

Development

•Very unstable

•Explores many different keys

•“Develops” (works out) various motives from the Exposition

Recapitulation

•Main Theme(s)•In Tonic

•“False” Transition•Less-stable – but does not move to new key)

•Secondary Theme(s)•In Tonic

Optional: Closing Section

Squall – Francesco Guardi

Middle Movements

Typical Scheme:

Movement 2: Slow Movement

Movement 3: Minuet and Trio

Sometimes the two middle movements are reversed (i.e., mvt. 2 is Minuet, mvt. 3 is Slow)

Sometimes (especially early on) there is only one inner movement – so that the symphony represents the Slow-Fast-Slow multi-movement structure of the Italian Overture

The Composer Luigi Cherubini and a Muse

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres

Slow Movements

•Slow movements represent a quiet, introspective moment within a more extraverted composition

•Some slow movements are light and fanciful, but some are heavy and brooding

•The slow movement often served as the poetic center of the work, poised against the more constructive and demonstrative qualities of the outer movements

Slow Movement Form

•Slow movements do not have a single set form, they may exemplify the following:

•Through-Composed

•Sonata Form

•Variation of Sonata Form

•Theme and Variations

•Binary Form

Classical vs. Baroque Variations

Baroque variations were generally built on a Ground Bass (a recurring bass pattern and implied chord sequence)

Classical variations were generally built on a Theme

(a melody, which served as a point of departure for a series of melodic and accompanimental explorations)

The Bass vs. the Soprano

By basing variations on the bass, the Baroque technique stressed the structural/architectural role of the lowest-sounding voice

By basing variations on the melody, the Classical technique was more interested in communicating audible stylistic explorations, rather than contrapuntal elaborations

Mozart’s Slow Movement(Symphony no. 40)

Part I - Repeated

Exposition

•Main Theme

*No Transition*

•Secondary Theme

•Contrasting Passage (unstable)

•Closing Theme

Part II - Repeated

Development

Recapitulation

•Main Theme – Altered ending:

•Abbreviated statement of Secondary Theme is inserted before a satisfying conclusion of the Main Theme

*No Transition*

•Contrasting Passage (unstable)

•Closing Theme