Question 1: Overview of the Classical Period In the mid-18th century, with the development of the Industrial Revolution, science and technology, and the impact of the French Revolution, European society underwent profound changes. Art is no longer just high-end art appreciated by the aristocracy. The newly emerging middle class has also become the audience of theaters and concert halls. Therefore, comedic operas and simple and vivid instrumental music from folk emerged in large numbers. The classicism period in the history of Western music extends from the mid-18th century to the 1920s and 1930s. Three classical masters, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, appeared in Vienna. Their outstanding musical works and musical styles are known as the "classics" of modern European music art. The formation of the classical style went through a complex preparation process in the early classical period. In the 18th century, Europe experienced a broad ideological revolution before the French Revolution - the Enlightenment. It appeared as a cultural movement against the theocracy of the church and feudal autocracy. However, its influence went far beyond the cultural field and involved Economics, politics, law, philosophy, science and even social systems and social customs. Enlightenment thinkers opposed traditional religion and advocated deism; opposed metaphysics and advocated science and common sense knowledge; opposed autocratic authority and privileges, and advocated the slogans of freedom, equality and universal education. Voltaire, Montesquieu, Diderot, Rousseau and other French encyclopedists tried their best to illuminate the dark and ignorant society with the brilliance of advanced philosophical and cultural knowledge. Enlightenmentists believed that "reason" was the basis of people's thoughts and behaviors. Boileau emphasized "conscience" or "reason" in the classic literary theory "Poetic Art" and denounced imagination and erratic emotions. He believes that all natural things are always in line with reason, eternal and real. Writers must love reason and never be separated from nature. The popular literary style during the Enlightenment period was more intellectual prose. The clear, lively, appropriate, symmetrical and beautiful qualities of excellent prose have also become the criteria for judging other arts. In the art of music, generations of masters of classicism have explored huge musical conception forms that are full of reason and logic, and ultimately allowed emotions to be appropriately and perfectly expressed in them. The period of classicism was an era of popularization of knowledge. Philosophy, science, literature, and art began to be oriented towards the emerging bourgeoisie and public. Novels and plays depict the daily lives of ordinary people. Musicians also walked out of the palace courtyard to conceive and create for the concert audience. As a result, the pleasantness, ease of interpretation, and moving qualities of music became the criteria for musical beauty. Under the influence of the humanitarian ideas of the Enlightenment, Europe formed a period of rule by enlightened monarchs. At the same time as social reform, culture and art developed. The widespread marriages of European monarchs weakened national boundaries. The development of art, especially music, shows a tendency of European integration. However, this was a dying society after all. The French Revolution sounded the death knell of the old social regime and heralded the beginning of a new musical era. History of the Classical Period 1. The development of comic opera and Gluck’s opera reform In the first half of the 18th century, comic opera (Opera Baffa) appeared in Italy. This was under the influence of the Enlightenment trend and was contrary to the "artificiality" of Italian formal opera. And a new opera genre that pursues "nature". It is developed on the basis of Italian intermezzo. The characters in the play are often from the middle and lower classes of society, and the scenes are mostly daily life that is very familiar to the public rather than luxurious life in palaces and courtyards. The lyrics are humorous and colloquial, and the music is also very lively. The Italian Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736) was not only a talented composer of serious operas, but his "The Maid as Madame" is considered to be the first Italian comic opera. This independent comic opera was originally divided into two parts and was performed between the acts of his own three-act opera "The Proud Prisoner". The plot is simple, with only the master (bass), a maid (soprano) and a mute servant. The work shows the shrewdness and wit of a maid from the civil class.
"The Meek Daughter" by N. Pic-cini (1728-1800), Italy's main comic opera composer in the middle and lower 18th century, incorporates some serious lyricism. "Secret Marriage" by D. Cimarosa (1749-1801) caused a sensation because it vividly showed the changes in people's social class values. In 1752, an Italian opera troupe brought "The Maid as Madame" to Paris for a performance, sparking the "Comic Opera Controversy" in the French cultural circle. Some Enlightenment thinkers such as Rousseau enthusiastically praised the songs of this popular tendency...gt;gt;
Question 2: Introduction to the Classical Period The Classical Period is The fifth period of Western music history is from 1750 to 1820, including pre-classicism and Viennese classical music.
Question 3: The Classical Period The Classical Period is the fifth period in the history of Western music, based on 1750-1800, including pre-classicism and Viennese Classical music. .
1) The beginning and end of the classicism period:
In the mid-18th century, with the development of the industrial revolution, science and technology, and the impact of the French Revolution, European society underwent profound changes. Art is no longer just high-end art appreciated by the aristocracy. The newly emerging middle class has also become the audience of theaters and concert halls. Therefore, comedic operas and simple and vivid instrumental music from folk emerged in large numbers.
(2) Characteristics of music in the classical period:
This period is praised as "classical" by historians and art experts. In the field of music, the classical style is reflected in art. It advocates rationality, uses simple and concise musical language, and expresses simple and sincere feelings in a rigorous and harmonious way. This period can be called a brilliant achievement in the history of European music, and it also influenced the development of music in various countries around the world.
(3) Representative figures of the classical period: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven.
Question 4: Early Classical Period Sonatas and Symphonies in the Early Classical Period In the history of Western music, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, vocal art has long dominated the Baroque period. During this period, instrumental music developed independently and kept pace with vocal music, while the classicism period was an era when instrumental music flourished. With the development of Baroque music for more than a hundred years, composers have accumulated experience in creating pure music without relying on lyrics. During the classical period, people had abandoned the complicated polyphonic music style and advocated clear main-key music, which made the two major elements of music, melody and harmony, more prominent. Clear and symmetrical musical melodic syntax and paragraph structure replaced the ornamental melodic approach of Baroque musical motives plus variations. Among the structural forms of classical music, the sonata form with abstract dialectical thinking has become an almost ubiquitous musical form that composers are tirelessly exploring. Solo sonatas, trios, quartets, quintets in private living rooms, ensembles of more than five people as background music for banquets and weddings: serenades, diversions all flourished, and most importantly, symphonies played by orchestras. When the symphony gradually shifted from the entertainment of the court to the concert audience, it incorporated the connotation of the spirit of the times and sublimated the instrumental music. D. Scarlatti (Domenico Scarlatti, 1685-1757) was the most important Italian fortepiano composer in the first half of the 18th century. As the son of the famous opera composer A. Scarlatti, he was influenced by the lyrical melodies of Italian operas. However, he became successful in fortepiano music and composed nearly 600 single-movement piano pieces, which were later called "Sonatas". They adopt the ancient two-part form with reproduction elements, and their structure is close to the classical sonata form. The theme of D. Scarlatti's piano sonata is vivid, and the changeable texture brings out the performance of the piano. It also uses novel techniques such as large jumps, crossed hands, rapid repetitions, and ***. He brought keyboard instrument playing style into a new world of freedom. His clavichord art embodies the transition from Baroque to the new style of classicism, and is still a frequently performed piece in concerts today.
C.P.E. Bach (Carl Philipp Emannel Bach, 1714-1788) is the second son of J.S. Bach. He was the fortepianist of Emperor Friedrich the Great in Berlin and Potsdam for a long time and was a major representative of the Berlin School of Music. His keyboard music was important in the early days of classicism. Influenced by the "sentimental style" (or expressive style) in northern German literature and art, he pursued subjective and sensitive emotional expression in music. The theme of contrasting tonality in his sonatas has gradually matured, preparing for the formation of classical sonata form. The sentimental Andante movement and recitative tone clearly draw from the operatic style. What C.P.E. Bach liked to play was not the more popular harpsichord but the clavichord, which sounded soft, friendly and could show detailed dynamics. His last five sonatas were composed for the piano (Pianoforte) with larger amplitudes. C.P.E. Bach's instrumental music performance style directly influenced the classical Viennese school of music. Among Bach's other two sons, the eldest son W.F. Bach (Wilhehm Friedemann, 1710-1784) maintained his father's traditional musical style and was therefore considered inappropriate. The youngest son J.C. Bach (Johann Christian Bach, 1735-1782) has settled in London for a long time and is known as "London Bach". He is the first composer to compose concertos for modern piano. His piano concertos and the smooth style of his music impressed Mozart deeply. The early symphony, the Italian Opera Overture (Sinfonia) in the early 18th century, gradually broke away from opera and became an independent orchestral genre played in concerts. It is in the form of fast-slow-fast, that is, allegro movement, short lyrical Andante movement, and movement with dance rhythm (minuet or jig). This is the earliest symphony (English: symphony; Italian). : Sinfonia; German: Sinfonie). Italian composer Giovanni Battista Samartini (1698-1775) wrote a large number of early symphonies. In the mid-18th century, orchestras emerged in palaces across Germany and Austria, with Mannheim, Vienna and Berlin becoming the centers for the development of symphony. The Mannheim Orchestra under the leadership of Johann Stamitz (1717-1757)...gt;gt;
Question 5: Classical period Representative figure Ludwig van Beethoven (Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770.12.16-1827.03.26), male, German composer, pianist, conductor. One of the representatives of the Viennese classical music school. He composed 9 numbered symphonies, 35 piano sonatas (the last 32 of which were numbered), 10 violin sonatas, 16 string quartets, 1 opera, 2 masses, and 1 oratorio. and 3 cantatas, as well as a large number of chamber music, art songs and dance music. These works have a profound impact on the development of music, so they are respected as the Saint of Music.
Question 6: What are the three peak periods of classicism? Three peak periods - ancient Greek drama, (14th-16th century) Renaissance, (17th century) classical drama
Question 7: Introduction to music in the classical period It's an article of mine, originally written for a child. You can refer to it.
What is Western classical music that everyone often talks about? To answer this question, we need to find the answer from this noun. First, it is "Western". Where? This refers to Europe. Then there’s “classical”. What is classical? It includes two meanings: one is "ancient" and the other is "classic". Ancient refers to a long time ago, Dian refers to the rules established by the sages of the past, and here it refers to music theory. From this we know that Western classical music originated in Europe and was composed according to the music theory specified by the great musicians there.
Knowing this meaning, the next question is: So Western classical music is all created according to this music theory, isn’t it all the same model? How to answer this question? It should be said that there are similarities and differences. Since the advent of classical music, it has gone through a long time and has been developing. Various styles will be formed at different stages of music development. Just like Chinese calligraphy, there are oracle bone inscriptions in the Shang Dynasty, gold inscriptions (characters engraved on bronze) in the Zhou Dynasty, seal scripts in the Spring and Autumn Period, and official script in the Han Dynasty. They are all different, right? However, they all have the same place. Because the later ones are developed on the basis of the previous ones. Music, too, has different stages of development.
In order to describe the various stages of music development, people have to give each stage a name. How do you come up with these names? Therefore, people who study music history name each stage according to the characteristics of the musical style of each period.
The first stage: much of the earliest music was passed down by word of mouth and was not recorded. It's like a mother teaching her child to sing. Because there is no music score record, everyone knows too little about the music at that time. At that time, Europe was roughly in the Middle Ages. Therefore, scholars call the music of that period "medieval music". The music that has been preserved from that period was for religious ceremonies. To be honest, some of them are pretty unpleasant. Religion is very powerful. The archbishops only pursue the sacredness of the ceremony and the unchallenging of religion, and believe that music should be given to God and gods. It doesn’t matter whether we like to listen or not. Therefore, the music is very depressing and even scary.
The second stage: music develops. Religious music in the Middle Ages was not very pleasant to listen to, so people asked that people not only listen to it with God and gods in mind, but also consider human feelings. Make it enjoyable for both men and God to hear. This period was in a period when various literary and artistic forms (including music) developed from serving gods to serving humans. This period is called the Renaissance. Therefore, scholars named the music of this period "Renaissance" music. The music of this period included many accompaniments for songs and dances that everyone usually sang. It sounds great. Does anyone still listen to religious music? No one listens to the depressing music of the past. So what's the point of having no music in the church? have. It's just a transformation. Musicians added their own sense of fear of God to music and wrote many magnificent musical works. It takes a lot of people to sing together. In order for everyone to be willing to sing, the music must be nice and familiar. This kind of everyday music that everyone is familiar with is called secular music. Secular music entered the music scene and became popular together with religious music, which is a characteristic of this period. This is liberating. Therefore, musical instruments developed greatly.
The third stage: Baroque music. Why is it called Baroque? There is no explanation that everyone agrees on. However, Baroque is a foreign word, which means fancy, exquisite and exaggerated. During the Renaissance, musical instruments developed greatly. There are so many instruments playing together, some sound good and some don't. During the Baroque period, musicians discovered some rules of beauty through long-term accumulation: music that abides by these rules will sound good; otherwise, it will sound unpleasant. For example, the rules of beginning and ending, rules of ***, rules of orchestration, etc. were all discovered during this period. In order to pursue and express the rules, musicians strive for excellence and never tire of complexity. The result is a very ornate and cumbersome music. The music of this period pursued formal beauty, and even religious music followed the principle of beauty. We have to remember a name: Bach. He was a great musician of this period. Many rules were invented. Handel, his music is brilliant. He also wrote operas for churches, called oratorios.
The fourth stage: the late Baroque era, the development of music entered an unprecedented scale. Sometimes hundreds of people play together. The musician concluded a most reasonable form of performance. Very neat, but not overly flashy. The rules of music have become mature and stable. Musicians have become more skillful in navigating these rules. There was a great musician named Haydn. He combined many instruments very cleverly and played them according to a certain format. Thus, the modern symphony was born.
This form of performance is... Classical), in art, mainly refers to a high degree of identification with the culture of the classical era, including Greece and ancient Rome. Classicism takes the taste of the classical era as a standard and attempts to imitate its style. Classicism was formed and flourished in France, and later expanded to other European countries. It is a concept promoted by the Age of Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, and some modernist ideas.
I hope it helps you and I hope you will adopt it. Thank you. Come on