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CLASSICAL ERA (CA 1750- CA 1825)

UNIT FOUR: THE CLASSICAL ERA (CA 1750- CA 1825)
• Historians often refer to the late 18ht century as the Age of Enlightenment.
 Era characterized by the pursuit of knowledge, rational thinking, and growing desire for equality among all people
 Baroque era was replaced by Classical ideas of proportion, symmetry and balance.
 Musicians, artists and architects in this era took their inspiration form the simplicity and clean lines of Greco-Roman architectural models.

VIENNESE SCHOOL
 Vienna is the capital of Austria
 City stood at the crossroads between Europe and the East and attracted the leading artists, architects and writers and musicians of the day.
 In 18th Vienna, Austria emerged as a musical center
 Principal composers include Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven leader in the forging of the Classical style.

STRUM UND DRANG
 High level of emotionalism and dealing with the individual’s revolt against society
 2 writers use are Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
 German for “storm and stress”
 Literary movement roughly spanning the years 1760-1785
 Artistic aim was to frighten, shock or otherwise overwhelm the reader with emotion
 Musically, it translated into passionate outburst and emphasis on minor keys
 Evident in the music of the sons of Bach, Haydn, and Mozart

SYMPHONY
BACKGROUND
 Developed from the 3 section Italian overture (fast slow fast)
 Mannheim composers inserted the minuet and trio, thereby establishing the 4 movements sonata cycle
 Incorporated the newly emerging sonata form
 Composed with the 4 orchestral families in mind

CHARACTERISTICS
 Multi-movement orchestral work
 Orchestra consisted of the 4 families: strings, winds, brass, and percussion
 Generally had 4 contrasting movements as shown below

MANNHEIM SCHOOL
 Group of composers active at the court of Mannheim, Germany in the latter half of the 18th
 Leading figures included Karl Stamitz and Christian Cannabich
 Developed the orchestral crescendo and rocket theme exerted a strong influence on the composers of the Viennese School

October 28, 2014 0 Comments