Orchestral Landmarks

Orchestral Landmarks

• Classical period (1750 – 1800)

• Late Classical (1800 – 1830)

• Romantic period (1830 – 1900)

• 20th Century (1900 – 2000)

Classical Orchestra

Kettle Drums

French Horns Trumpets

Flutes Clarinets

Oboes Bassoons

Second Violins Double Basses

Violas

First Violins Cellos

Classical Orchestra

• Strings dominate the sound of classical music.

• Melody is in the violins.

• Woodwind fill out the harmony (or if the play the melody they double the string parts).

Classical Features

• Balanced 2 or 4 bar phrases.

• Use of sequence, repetition and imitation.

• Major or minor tonality – very diatonic.

• Very clear pulse with little variation of tempo.

Classical Structures

Name Movements Ensemble Notes

Overture 1 Orchestra Introduction to ballet or opera

Suite N/A Orchestra Incidental music from ballet or opera

Concerto 3 Soloist + Orchestra

Piano & violin concertos were most popular.

Symphony 4 Orchestra

The Classical Symphony

First Movement Second Movement Third Movement Fourth Movement

Brisk & purposeful

Slower & song-like

Fairly fast & dance-like

Fast & cheerful

• First Movement – sonata form• Second Movement – ternary or variation

form.• Third Movement – minuet or scherzo.• Fourth Movement – rondo, variation, or

sonata form.

The Classical Concerto

First Movement Second Movement Third MovementExposition Development Recapitulation

• Classical concerto is in sonata form.

• Cadenza – orchestra drops out and soloist improvises to impress the audience.

Classical Composers

• Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

• Franz Schubert (1791-1828)

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Classical or non-classical?Cadenza Recapitulation

Tone row

Balanced phrasing

Melody in the strings

Schubert

Wagner

Programme musicConcerto

Minimalism

Dissonance

Exposition

Classical or non-classical?

Cadenza

Recapitulation

Tone row

Balanced phrasing

Melody in the strings

Schubert

Wagner

Programme musicConcerto

Minimalism

DissonanceExposition