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Classical Music and Its Musical Forms

The document discusses classical music forms such as sonata, symphony, concerto, opera, and suite. It explains that the classical period from 1750-1820 saw the development of refined instrumental forms like sonata which typically has 3-4 movements in contrasting tempos. The symphony is an orchestral composition with 4 movements including fast outer movements framing a slow middle movement. The concerto features a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra through 3 contrasting movements, sometimes including a cadenza. Opera combines music, drama, and spectacle to tell a story, and the classical period saw both serious and comic operatic forms.

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Isabelle Manalo
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191 views24 pages

Classical Music and Its Musical Forms

The document discusses classical music forms such as sonata, symphony, concerto, opera, and suite. It explains that the classical period from 1750-1820 saw the development of refined instrumental forms like sonata which typically has 3-4 movements in contrasting tempos. The symphony is an orchestral composition with 4 movements including fast outer movements framing a slow middle movement. The concerto features a solo instrument accompanied by an orchestra through 3 contrasting movements, sometimes including a cadenza. Opera combines music, drama, and spectacle to tell a story, and the classical period saw both serious and comic operatic forms.

Uploaded by

Isabelle Manalo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CLASSICAL

MUSIC
AND ITS
MUSICAL
FORMS
“Eine kleine Nachtmusik“ by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Classical Period
 1750-1820
 refined, elegant, formal
 emphasizes on a great variety of
contrast
 noted for development of highly
sophisticated forms of music
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Classical Period
 “Age of Reason”
 social and religious aspects became less
important
 “The Golden Age of Music”
 Forms like sonata, symphony, and
concerto became fully developed
Classical Music
 known for homophonic texture and melodies
 flexible rhythm
 mood may change gradually or suddenly
 elements of drama and surprise via dynamic
changes
 evident harmonic tension and thematic contrast
within a movement
 known for its growth of extremely complicated
forms of instrumental music
VOCAL
FORMS
Opera
 art form
 stage presentation that combines
music, costume, and scenery to
relay a story
 union of music (dominant role),
drama, and spectacle
2 Kinds of Opera
1. Opera seria
 serious opera
 inspired and adapted from the Baroque period
 story often revolves around heroes, myths, and
Greek gods and goddesses
 gives emphasis to solo voice and bel canto
(beautiful singing) style
2 Kinds of Opera
1. Opera seria
 Example: Idomeo by Mozart
2 Kinds of Opera
2. Opera buffa
 comic opera
 created and composed to depict common
people with common problems or concerns
 light and amusing in nature
2 Kinds of Opera
2. Opera buffa
 Example: Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
INSTRUMEN
TAL FORMS
Sonata
 sonata was derived from the Latin word
“sonare”
 extended instrumental work for a solo
instrument with piano accompaniment
 usually written in three to four movements
 differ in tempo, melody, and theme
 held together by a unity of subject and style
3 Movements of
Sonata
1. Allegro – fast 3. Rondo – main theme
movement which is heard
several times
between other
themes
2. Adagio – slow
movement
Sonata-Allegro
Form
 Sonata’s first movement is in the sonata-allegro
form.
 single movement
 has three main sections which are followed by
the concluding section called coda
3 Movements of Sonata-Allegro
1. Exposition
 where themes are presented
 contains main theme in tonic key, subordinate theme in
related key as dominant or relative major, and closing
theme to close exposition
2. Development
 modulations are used to treat themes in new ways
3. Recapitulation
 themes return in the tonic key
Symphony
 came from the word “sinfonia”
 composition for orchestra with four movements
 usually lasts from 20 to 45 minutes
 movements contrast in tempo and mood
4 Movements of Symphony
1. Fast and lively
 sonata-allegro form: usually written in duple meter
2. Slow
 andante, written in sonata form (ABA), theme and
variations or rondo form
3. Fast
 minuet, dance style, and written in triple meter
4. Brilliant or heroic fast
 sonata form or rondo form; usually written in duple
meter
Concerto
 instrumental work for a solo instrument like the
piano, violin, trumpet, or any other instrument,
which the orchestra for accompaniment
 intended to emphasize quality of sound and
individuality of solo instrument and show great
performance of the instrumentalist
3 Movements of Concerto
1. Sonata form
 written in fast tempo
2. Slow and lyrical
 slow and song-like written in ternary form
3. Fast
 written in allegro or rondo form
Concerto: Cadenza
 special unaccompanied slow piece in the first,
and sometimes in the last movements of the
concerto
 piece that exhibits a showy passage
 played only by the soloist
Suite
 performed in a concert setting
 not for accompaniment
 composed of instrumental and orchestral pieces
 may be taken out from musical play, opera, or
film

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