1. The Classical Era (1750-1820) The Enlightenment:
Reason & philosophy > social & religious establishment
Middle class > Aristocracy
Questioning > tradition
Wars with the purpose of revolution
7 year War
French Revolution
Napoleon becomes Emperor by involvement, not birthright.
The American Revolution
Turning away from the elaborate, & extravagant

8. Classical Music Simpler, lighter and clearer then Baroque
Emphasis on grace, elegance and beauty
Orchestra grows in size and instrumentation
Abandoned use of Harpsichord or BC
Concentration on sacred homophonic forms:
Symphony, Concerto, String Quartet, Sonata
Clear, predictable melodies, harmonies and phrases
(Marriage of Figaro)

9. Functional Harmony
By the end of the Baroque Era, musicians are composing in a firmly established tradition of functional harmony based on two main elements:
TONIC (I) Acts like a resting place, feels like ‘home base’
DOMINANT (V) Wants to pull back to the tonic. Feels full of tension and unease.

10. Classical Forms Sonata Form: The Classical Era’s most popular form
Introduction
Exposition
Development
Recapitulation
Coda
The Classical Era’s most popular form
Used in Symphonies, Concerti, String Quartets, Sonatas.
When used, Sonata form is almost always seen in the first movement and in a moderate to quick tempo.

11. The Exposition The themes are introduced for the first time:
Theme A (in the tonic key)
Theme B (in the dominant key)
A short transition to the development
In Concerti, the Exposition is played twice, once by the orchestra and again by the soloist. This is called “double exposition”.

12. The Development
One or both of the themes become more complex, and complicated through a series of compositional developments.
There is no set or typical length of duration for the development section. This section can be as short or as long as the composer desires.

13. The Recapitulation
Simply, the restatement of the Exposition with one exception:
Both themes are played in the tonic key.
As the piece is wrapping up in this last section, maintaining the tonic gives the piece a more conclusive feel.

14. Optional Elements
Introduction: A short passage at the beginning of a work that is usually slow in tempo.
Coda: Literally translating to ‘tail’, a brief passage at the end of the work serving as a finale.
Cadenza: Usually found in concerti or sonatas, an improvised unaccompanied solo used as a virtuosic vehicle.
(cadenza)
(eine)

15. Theme and Variations Theme (Main melody of the movement)
Variation 1 (alteration to main theme)
Variation 2 (new alteration to main theme)
Variation 3 (new alteration to main theme)
Etc…..
Composers will alter the main melody in a number of ways including key, meter, instrumentation, mood, dynamics, etc.

16. Minuet and Trio Minuet and Trio: Minuet <Theme 1 (A) repeated>
<Theme 2 (B)
Theme 1 slightly altered (A’) repeated>
Trio
<Theme 3 (C) repeated>
<Theme 4 (D)
Theme 3 slightly altered (C’) repeated>
Theme 1 (A)
Theme 2 (B)
Theme 1 slightly altered (A’)
The Minuet is the only dance form that holds in popularity past the Baroque Era.

17. Rondo Theme 1 (A) Theme 2 (B) Theme 3 (C)
Rondo’s almost always serve as the last movement in any multi-movement Classical Era genre.
The Rondo is the natural progression of Ritornello form.

18. The Classical Era Multi-Movement Genres
Symphonies, String Quartets, Concerti, Sonatas have the following movement structure:
First movement: Sonata Form
Second movement: Slow
Third Movement: Minuet and Trio (optional)
Final Movement: Rondo Form