Music, Art, and Architecture
Music Light, clean texture, less complex than Baroque Contrasts are more pronounced Mainly homophonic (melody above harmonies) Art Soft and gentle Elegant and orderly Architecture The Baroque era continues in architecture European settlers are building America (1776!)
Similar to art in the Baroque era Restrained emotion Eugene Delacroix (d. 1863) Influential in the development of the Impressionist painters Often classified in the “Romantic” school of painters (not to be confused with the Romantic era in music)
Baroque style continued but subdued Architecture moves to America as the New World is built Paris saw a great deal of growth during this period
Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven Orchestral music is more popular than opera or sacred Wind instruments become more permanent members of the orchestra Shorter phrases and defined cadences Harmony is less structured, using the tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Born in Salzburg, Austria Composed over 600 works Began composing at the age of five Prodigy on the violin and keyboard (clavier) Died young at the age of 35 after dictating his final Requiem to a student
Born in Germany but moved to Vienna to study music Virtuoso pianist His hearing deteriorated in his late 20s but he continued to compose even after he became completely deaf Composed during the transition from Classical to the Romantic period in music
1. How is music from the Classical period different than music written today? 2. Are any of the pieces we have played in class from the Classical period? 3. Are there any buildings in your area that may be from the Classical period?