Music in the Classical period
Music in the 1750 - 1825. became much less complex and clearer in texture than Baroque music. This was a reaction to the complicated Two or more melodies or parts that play at the same time, weaving in and out of each other. music of the 1600 - 1750. and the growth in number of amateur musicians, who needed easier music to play. The Classical period began in approximately 1750 and ended in the 1820s, overlapping with the 1825 - 1900. .
Beethoven composed his work in the transition years between what can be defined as Classical and Romantic.
Many of the instruments from the Baroque period were still used in the Classical period and they became a feature of Classical ensembles. The most well-known composers of the time include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn and Antonio Salieri.
There is a blend of both Classical and Romantic features in Beethoven鈥檚 Piano Sonata No.8, these are:
- balanced phrases
- mainly A texture based on chords. texture
- variety and contrast
- wide range of The volume of the music.
- harpsichord replaced by the piano
- A form used in classical sonatas, symphonies and concertos which consists of exposition, development and recapitulation sections.
The pianoforte
The pianoforte, commonly known as the piano, was a new invention in the late Classical period. It facilitated a wide range of dynamics, A marking indicating the manner in which a note is to be played, eg staccato, accents, slurs. and Symbols added to a score to indicate the composer鈥檚 musical intentions. for the composer.
A move towards the Romantic period
Although the Piano Sonata No.8 was composed during the Classical period, Beethoven broke rules and expectations. Some of these features, listed below, became associated with the Romantic period.
| Features of the Classical period | Features of the Romantic period |
| light texture | rhythmic complexity |
| mostly homophonic with melody | changing tempos including very fast and very slow |
| emphasis on balance | virtuosic writing |
| use of dynamics | drama created through wide leaps, complex harmonies |
| new instruments with clear musical structures | unexpected modulations |
| sonata form |
| Features of the Classical period | light texture |
|---|---|
| Features of the Romantic period | rhythmic complexity |
| Features of the Classical period | mostly homophonic with melody |
|---|---|
| Features of the Romantic period | changing tempos including very fast and very slow |
| Features of the Classical period | emphasis on balance |
|---|---|
| Features of the Romantic period | virtuosic writing |
| Features of the Classical period | use of dynamics |
|---|---|
| Features of the Romantic period | drama created through wide leaps, complex harmonies |
| Features of the Classical period | new instruments with clear musical structures |
|---|---|
| Features of the Romantic period | unexpected modulations |
| Features of the Classical period | sonata form |
|---|---|
| Features of the Romantic period |