Period of Music – RevisionNational 5

Music can be divided up into different periods, each period having its own styles and musical features. Below is a brief outline of music from the year 1600 to present day.

Period Date Composer

Baroque

Classical

Romantic

20th Century

1600 – 1750

1750 – 1810

1810 – 1910

1910 – present day

Bach, Handel, Scarlatti

Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven

Wagner, Mahler, Schubert

Debussy, Shostakovich, Glass

Baroque Homophony, polyphony, opera, overture, ornaments, harpsichord, string instruments, Ground Bass, major, minor

Classical Symphony, concerto, cadenza, piano, clarinet, contrasting dynamics, development of orchestra

Romantic Expression, dynamics Orchstra doubled in size (Piccolo, Cor anglais, Bass clarinet, Double/contra bassoon,Tuba), chromatic scale, whole tone scale

20th Century Whole tone scale, atonal, Minimalism

Baroque Music (1600 – 1750)

The word Baroque comes from the Portuguese ‘barocco’ meaning an

irregularly shaped pearl or piece of jewellery. It was first used inconnection with the highly ornamented style of architecture and art of the 17th Century.

During this period the system of modes finally fell away. Composers started to sharpen and flatten notes, this resulted in the formation of major and minor key systems. New music was invented including the opera, oratorio, sonata and concerto. The violin family replaced the viols and the orchestra was beginning to take shape.

Instruments

Harpsichord A string instrument which preceded the piano. Strings were plucked (pizzicato) by quills rather than being struck by a hammer (piano). The harpsichord performed highly ornamented melodies alongside complex bass lines – ground bass, basso continuo.

Organ A keyboard instrument associated with churches. It can be either pipe or reed based. Organs usually have 2 or 3 keyboards as well as a foot keyboard which provides a rich depth to the sound.

Vocal Music

Opera A drama set to music with arias and chorus (choir).

Aria A solo song which comes from a large work e.g. opera

accompanied by an orchestra.

Chorus A choir, usually S.A.T.B used in a large work accompanied by an orchestra.

Instrumental Music

Overture This is a piece of music played to open an opera, oratorio or ballet. Music which precedes a substantial piece of music featuring little snippets of the whole piece.

The Symphony A piece of music for orchestra with 4 movements, each contrasting in speed.

1. Fast (Sonata Form)2. Slow (ABA – Ternary Form)3. Scherzo4. Fast (ABACADA - Rondo Form)

The Concerto A piece of music for solo instrument and orchestra, with 3 movements. Sometimes featuring a cadenza.

String Quartet Music specifically written for 4 string players. (2 violins, viola and cello).

Ornaments:

Trill Rapid and repeated movement between 2 adjacent notes.

Features:

Cadenza A passage of music usually at the end of a concerto which allows the soloist to ‘show off’ their technical abilities. A trill is normally used to bring the orchestra back in to the music.

Ground Bass This is a repeated bass part consisting of a few bars played over and over again, similar to a riff.

Homophony Texture where all parts move together in the same rhythm.

Polyphony Texture which consists of two or more melodic lines which weave independently of one another.

The Classical Period (1750 – 1810)

The Classical period refers specifically to the music composed between 1750 and 1810, a fairly brief period which includes the music of Haydn and Mozart and early compositions of Beethoven.

The Orchestra

The orchestra grew bigger. It now included:

2 flutes 2 horns2 oboes 2 trumpets2 clarinets 2 kettle drums2 bassoons strings

Music for Piano (pianoforte – soft loud)

During the Classical period, for the first time music for instruments became more important than music for voices. Many works were written for, or included the pianoforte. Unlike the harpsichord, the piano could convey different expressions – loud and soft or legato and staccato.

A popular accompaniment pattern played by the left hand became known as the alberti bass. This consisted of broken chords (1st, 5th, 3rd, 5th) repeated, supporting the main melody and keeping the music driving forward.

Major Works

Instrumental: Symphony, Concerto & String quartet as before.

Vocal: Opera, aria, chorus as before.

Forms:

Binary Form (AB) A form in which the music is made up of 2 different sections labelled A and B. Each section may be repeated e.g. AABB

Ternary Form (ABA) A form where the 1st section is always repeated at the end.

Theme & Variations A theme (tune) is heard, then repeated with slight variations.

Rondo Form (ABACADA) A form where the 1st section, A comes back between new sections.

Features:

Homophony Texture where all parts move together in the same rhythm.

Coda A passage at the end of a piece of music which finishes it off.

Modulation A change of key. It can be higher or lower.

Imitation To copy (imitate) a section of music. This can be between voices, instruments or both.

Suspension An effect which occurs when a note from one chord is held over to the next chord creating a discord (clash).

Arpeggios When the notes of the chord are played separately including the octave, e.g.

C – E – G – C’

Relative minor The key an interval of a third lower than the original major key, e.g.

C major --- A minor

Relative major The key an interval of a third higher than the original minor key, e.g.

E minor --- G major

Cadences Perfect & Imperfect

The Romantic Period (1810 – 1910)

The music of the Romantic period, more than any other period of music before, had a more powerful and intense expression of emotions. Although all music has some degree of emotion, we will find a greater emphasis during this era. Compositions were often written in response to literature, the arts and even folklore.

The Orchestra The orchestra increased in size adding new instruments:

Piccolo, Cor anglais, Bass clarinet, Double/contra bassoon,Tuba

The harp got pedals, the clarinet got keys and brass instruments get valves making it easier to change notes and widening their ranges.A conductor was introduced at this time allowing for greater variability in speed and dynamics within the ensemble.

Orchestral Works

The closer links formed between music, literature and the arts led to an interest in composing programme music (music which tells a story e.g. Danse Macabre by Saint-Saens). Often characters within the story would be given a theme.

Again, all previous instrumental and vocal works continued to be produced.

Features:

Strophic Where the same musical material is repeated with little or no change, e.g. verse – chorus – verse - chorus.

Through composed Where the music is different throughout the piece and there is little or no repetition.

Discord/dissonance A chord where notes clash.

Chromatic Where the melody moves in semitones, e.g.C – C# - D – E# – E – F – F# - G – G#

The 20th Century (1910 – present day)

Music in the 20th Century is largely one of exploration and experimentation. This makes 20th Century music one of the most exciting in musical history.

Important Styles

Minimalist A form of composition where the use of harmony, rhythm, melody and instrumentation are limited and small ideas repeated with very slight variation each time.

Aleatoric The elements of chance in music, where the performers have some freedom of the pitch and rhythm they use. No 2 performances are the same.

Features:

Discord Notes played together that clash.

Atonal No feeling of key (major/minor) very dissonant.

Electronic effects Reverb, delay, distortion

Cross Rhythms The effect of 2 notes played against 3 OR accents are different from those suggested by the time signature 4 but grouped 3+3+2

Syncopation Off beat notes which can be accented