MUSIC Grade 9 - Music of Classical Period - (2nd Quarter MAPEH)

Summary

In today's lesson, we explore the music of the Classical period (1750-1820), focusing on its cultural context and notable forms like the sonata, concerto, and symphony. The lecture highlights the era's aristocratic patronage and introduces key composers such as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven, discussing their contributions and famous works. The lesson concludes with the influence of Classical music on modern media and assignments for further study.

Takeaways

• 🎼 The Classical Period, also known as the Age of Reason, spanned from 1750 to 1820 and was characterized by music that was formal, elegant, simple, and dignified.
• 🏛 The aristocracy dominated cultural life during the Classical Era, influencing the arts and music as patrons of musicians and artists.
• 🎵 Harmony and texture in Classical music were predominantly homophonic, meaning a single melody with accompanying harmony.
• 🎹 The Sonata, a multi-movement work for a solo instrument, typically included three movements: fast (Allegro), slow (Andante/Largo), and a Minuet in triple time.
• 🎻 Sonata Allegro form was a significant development of the Classical Era, consisting of an exposition, development, and recapitulation sections.
• 🎼 The Concerto was a multi-movement work for an instrumental soloist and orchestra, often featuring a fast finale in rondo form.
• 🎵 The Symphony, derived from 'sinfonia', was a multi-movement work for the whole orchestra, typically with four movements.
• 🎭 Opera was a popular vocal music form during the Classical period, with two distinct styles: Opera Seria (serious opera) and Opera Buffa (comic opera).
• 🎶 Important musical terms from the period include 'Sinfonia', 'Aria', 'Recitative', 'Bel Canto', and 'Alberti Bass', a broken chord accompaniment pattern.
• 👨‍🎻 Prominent composers of the Classical period include Joseph Haydn, known as the father of the symphony; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a child prodigy; and Ludwig van Beethoven, who bridged the Classical and Romantic eras.
• 🎧 The works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven continue to be popular today and are often used in animated series and other modern media.

Q & A

What is the time period of the Classical era in music?

The Classical era in music is from 1750 to 1820.

Who dominated the cultural life during the Classical period?

The aristocracy dominated the cultural life during the Classical period.

What does the term 'Classical' denote in relation to music?

The term 'Classical' denotes conformity with the principles and characteristics of ancient Greek and Roman literature and art, which were formal, elegant, simple, freed, and dignified.

What is a sonata and how many movements does it typically have?

A sonata is a multi-movement work for a solo instrument, typically having three movements: Allegro (fast), Andante/Largo (slow), and Minuet (moderate or fast).

What is the sonata-allegro form and what are its three sections?

The sonata-allegro form is the most important form developed during the Classical era. It consists of three sections: Exposition (introduces the theme), Development (middle part where themes are developed), and Recapitulation (repeats the theme as it first emerged in the exposition).

What is a concerto and what are its movements?

A concerto is a multi-movement work designed for an instrumental soloist and orchestra. It has three movements: fast (sonata-allegro form), slow (with more ornamentation), and fast (finale, usually in rondo form).

What is a symphony and how many movements does it generally have?

A symphony is a multi-movement work for orchestra. It generally has four movements: fast (sonata-allegro form), slow (gentle, lyrical, typically ABA form or theme and variation), medium or fast (dance form like minuet or scherzo), and fast (typically rondo or sonata form).

What is an opera and what are its two distinct styles during the Classical period?

An opera is a drama set to music where singers and musicians perform in a theatrical setting. The two distinct styles during the Classical period are Opera Seria (serious opera with heroic or tragic drama) and Opera Buffa (comic opera from Italy with everyday characters and situations).

Who are three famous composers from the Classical period and what are some of their notable works?

Three famous composers from the Classical period are: 1) Franz Joseph Haydn (Surprise Symphony, The Clock, The Military), 2) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute), 3) Ludwig van Beethoven (Symphony No. 3 'Eroica', Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 9 'Choral').

How did the works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven influence modern media?

The works of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven are still popular today and are commonly used as music in animated series of popular cartoon companies such as Looney Tunes, Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, and Pixar.