CLASSICAL PERIOD ~1730-1820
The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. Classical music has a lighter, clearer texture than Baroque music and is less complex.
Main features of classical music are:
Graceful and elegant melodic ideas with decoration/trills, mostly using notes from the key-chord, scale or arpeggio
Melody and accompaniment texture, usually melody dominated
Repetition of musical material
Simple and straightforward harmonies with mostly primary chords
Dynamic contrast with use of crescendo and diminuendo
Light piano sonority with a modest sound range
Limited use of sustain pedal
Balanced, regular, clear and generally predictable phrase lengths with a cadences at the end.
Some composers to listen to:
Beethoven
Boccherini
Clementi
Dussek
Haydn
Hummel
Mozart
Stamitz
The following stylistic hallmark given for the classical period shouldn’t be
considered as exclusive or comprehensive description.
This stylistic hallmark should be considered in combination with other styles, as clearly many of them can apply to music of any period.
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