Classical Period 1750-1820

What is the classical period? Classical refers to the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. People in Europe this time began to become interested again in the neat lines and orderly style that the Classical world was famous for Music during the Classical period became less decorative and complex than Baroque music, because composers were trying to imitate the simple and elegant Classical style that became popular in Europe during the Classical period Much like the previous periods, the Classical period was one of change in Europe and thus music, art and architecture changed along with it.

Style of Classic Music In the Baroque period, music consisted of many layers with vocals, multiple instruments and melodies incorporated in one song. During the Classic period, composers decided to simplify music by making it more singular. Focusing on one aspect rather than multiple ones During this period the Orchestra had been developed. This is the largest unit of musicians for playing. Most orchestral music was only played to those with wealth such as royalty, aristocrats and the church. This meant composers had to write with their patron in mind and not writing for the sake of it. At the beginning of this period there was much less freedom than in the Baroque

The Orchestra At the beginning of the classical era the orchestra had little difference to it's baroque predecessor. As the years progressed however we see the addition of more woodwind and brass instruments (with an increase of strings to balance) as composers found ways to give the wind instruments more character and depth. Orchestras were still pretty small around this time with around 30-40 musicians. The strings were still considered to be the most important section (with the violin or lead violinist leading the rest of the orchestra) so if the wind instruments played a melody/line it was to double the strings. Much of the classical period was however very balanced

Changes in the Classical Period Later in the classical period we see more middle class groups starting to demand entertainment. Public concert halls were built where the public could go to see orchestras perform. This meant by the 1800s composers became more independent thanks to earnings from public concerts. This provided them with the means to write the music they wanted too. Near the end the music had began to change, it started sounding rather different. The composers began to change and create the transition to the Romantic period  was none other than Beethoven. The more concert halls that appeared across Europe, the more income a composer could make from these larger halls. Composers like Beethoven seized this opportunity and started writing for larger, more colourful orchestras that were focused more solely on playing in bigger venues. Few aristocrats could afford the upkeep of such large groups and after 1800 much of the large scale orchestral music was written for the public rather than for the entertainment of the wealthy.

Famous Composers During this period 3 of the most famous composers emerged…. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756—1791) was a composer from Austria who lived during the Classical period. Mozart showed a talent for music from an early age, and was playing concerts for European royalty by the time he was six years old. Franz Joseph Haydn (1732—1809) was an Austrian composer during the Classical period. Haydn became involved with music at an early age. He was inspired by the work of Mozart and the two became friends. Haydn became known for his string quartets.

Instruments Many of the instruments used were similar to that in the Baroque period with more of an influence of string instruments. The Viola and Cello were the two main string instruments that were used because they were able to promote a softer sound Also, during the classical period composers put a larger emphasis on the Piano because they helped create that elegant and polished sound