The Western Classical Tradition
In this unit you will learn about The Western Classical Tradition which is one of the 3 strands. The term is used to refer to music that is not related to pop music and has developed over many centuries in western countries such as Italy, Germany etc
The specific areas and genres are:
- Baroque orchestral music
- The concerto
- Music for voices
- Chamber music
- The sonata
Baroque Orchestral Music
The word baroque means music that was composed in a certain time period which is between 1600 and 1750. It ended in 1750 as this was when one of the greatest baroque composers, JS Bach, died. Music written during this period is very ornate and decorated. Polyphonic and contrapuntal textures are very common - texture that consists of two or more equally important melodic lines that are woven together.
The orchestra took shape during the baroque period and many instruments were developed. Violins replaced the weaker sounding viols and flutes gradually replaced recorders. The foundation of a typical baroque orchestra was the strings, particularly the violins. The other sections- woodwind, brass and percussion were not yet standardised and varied from piece to piece.
Brass instruments did not have valves yet so they were limited to the notes that they could play in their natural range – the harmonic series. This meant that trumpeters usually had to play high as the notes in the higher end of their range are close together and was easier to play a melody. To get high notes out of the trumpet the trumpeter has to adjust their embouchure which is the position and pressure of their lips.
Woodwind (apart from clarinets as they hadn’t been invented yet) and percussion instruments were used less often.
A common feature of the baroque orchestra was the continuo. This is where a chord playing instrument such as a harpsichord plays a part based on the bass line and harmonies of the piece.
Important baroque composers:
Monteverdi 1567-1643
Domenico Scarlatti 1685-1757
Vivaldi 1678-1741
Corelli 1653-1713
Purcell c.1659-1695
Couperin 1668-1733
Rameau 1683-1764
Lully 1632-1687
J.S.Bach 1685-1750
Handel 1685-1759
Baroque Genres
The Suite
A suite is a collection of dances, written by baroque composers for the harpsichord or orchestra. The different dances in a suite were usually in the same key and in binary form.
A piece in binary form has two sections of roughly equal length. The first section (A) is answered by the second section (B). Usually each section is repeated.
French composers often included dances in rondo form (A,B,A,C,A,D,A,E,A etc)
A popular dance during the baroque period was the minuet. This is a stately dance in 3/4 time. A minuet is in binary form but often two different minuets, usually in a contrasting key, were played one after the other, with the first minuet repeated at the end to form an overall ABA format – ternary form.
The Concerto
A concerto is an instrumental composition that features a soloist or small group of soloists, contrasted against a larger orchestra. This was popular because it gave the composers a chance to contrast the timbre and dynamics of a soloist with a larger group. The most popular types of concerto were the solo concerto and concerto grosso. The solo concerto has one instrument contrasted against a larger group and the concerto grosso has a small group of solo instruments contrasted against the larger accompanying group called the ripieno. In both types of concerto it is usual to begin with all the instruments, called a tutti, after that there are alternating solo episodes interspersed with the larger accompanying group playing short repeated versions of the opening tutti.
Quite often in baroque pieces a movement in a minor key will end on a final chord in the tonic major this is called a tierce de picardie.
Ground Bass
The use of a ground bass was popular in baroque music. This enables the composer to achieve unity in the music, because the ground bass was repeated throughout the piece – but also variety since new melodies could be added above the ground bass.
Classical Music
The term “classical music” is used to describe any music that has an orchestra playing but in this case it refers to the classical period, which like the baroque period was a period of time.
The classical period was between 1750 and 1810 and contains the music of Mozart, Haydn and the early compositions of Beethoven. Classical music from this period had homophonic texture, clear melodic lines and balanced expressions and form.
The classical concerto
During the classical period the solo concerto gained in popularity. The concerto grosso wasn’t as popular.
The solo concerto is in three movements (fast-slow-fast). The first movement is usually the longest and is in modified sonata form.
Sonata form consists of three main sections called the exposition, development and recapitulation.
Cadenza
Towards the end of a movement (usually the first movement, although this could occur in either of the quicker movements). This displays the virtuosity or brilliant technique of the soloist. In most classical concertos the cadenza is improvised, or made up on the spot, by the soloist. Later on composers wrote out their own music for the cadenzas. Just before the solo cadenza begins the orchestra pauses on an imperfect cadence. This signals the start of the cadenza. A cadenza usually ends with a trill, a signal to the orchestra that the cadenza is about to end and that they should resume playing.
Romantic Music
The term romantic is applied to music composed between about 1810 and 1910. Classical music aimed to balance expression and form but romantic music placed an emphasis on the expression of emotion and feeling, so that this became the most important aspect of the music. Romantic music is often powerful and intense, expressing the innermost thoughts and feelings of the composers.
Important romantic composers:
The middle and later music of Beethoven 1770-1827
Schubert 1797-1828 Tchaikovsky 1840-1893
Berlioz 1803-1869 Dvorak 1841-1904
Wagner 1813-1883 Verdi 1813-1901
Music for Voices- Choral Music
The mass, motet and cantata are types of vocal music composed for religious occasions and are usually performed by a group of singers called a choir.
A mixed voice choir contains both male and female voices. Female voices are Soprano and Alto – the high and the low. Tenor and Bass are the high and the low of the men’s voices.
Mass
A mass is a musical setting of the different parts of the church service known as the Eucharist or Communion. Masses are often sung in Latin, but more modern masses in the Anglican Church may be in English.
A mass usually has 5 sections:
1: Kyrie (Lord have mercy; Christ have mercy)
2: Gloria (Glory to God in the highest)
3: Credo (I believe in God)
4: Sanctus (Holy, Holy Holy) which also includes Osaana and Benedictus
5: Agnus Dei (Lamb of God)
There may be different versions of this plan depending on the occasion or purpose for which a mass has been composed. A requim is a mass for the dead, with extra sections appropriate for this occasion.
Motet
During the Renaissance period 1450-1600 a motet was a sacred (religious) piece, composed for voices. The texture of the music was mainly polyphonic/contrapuntal with much use of imitation, where a melodic idea in one voice part would then be copied in turn by each of the other voice parts. Motets are often performed a cappella – by the singers only, without accompanying instruments.
Cantata and oratorio
A cantata is usually for one or two solo voices and choir, accompanied by instruments. Cantatas can be sacred (religious) or secular (non religious). They are often made up of recitatives (half singing half reciting), arias (long vocal solo or duet) and choruses (section sung by the choir). Recitatives and arias are often paired, the aria following the recitative. A recitative is used to tell the story and is accompanied in a simple way and the melody follows the rhythm and rise and fall of the words.
An oratorio is a setting of a religious story. Like a cantata, it has recitatives, arias and choruses and is accompanied by an orchestra. A commentator/narrator sings the recitatives. A famous oratorio is Messiah by Handel.
Madrigal
Madrigals are secular (non-religious) songs that are sung by a group of solo voices and are often about life, love, nature etc. They became popular in Italy during the 16th Century and then later became popular in England when English composers started writing their own.
Opera
An opera is a play set to music. Like a play it is acted and has scenery, costumes and characters, but the words are usually sung throughout to the accompaniment of an orchestra. The first operas were written and performed at the beginning of the 17th century and have continued to be popular ever since. Like the cantatas and oratorios discussed earlier, operas use recitatives to tell the story and move the action on, arias to show off a good tune and vocal technique and choruses where the choir can join in the action.
Music for solo voice
Solo songs have always been popular. In much folk music, the singer sings with no accompaniment, performs the music on their own. This is an example of single line melody or monophonic texture, or there may be a drone or harmonic accompaniment.
Strophic and through-composed
In some pieces of vocal music the same music is used for each verse or section of the text (strophic form) but in some vocal compositions the changing mood or nature of the text determines the structure of the music so that the fresh music will be composed to reflect these changes (through-composed).
Both of these forms can be in lieder –which is the German word for songs, it’s a 19th century style of music where the voice and accompaniment are equally as important.
Chamber Music
Chamber music is intended for performance in a room (chamber) rather than in a concert hall or large building. It is written for instruments rather than voices and it is performed by a small group of solo players – one performer per part. Most chamber music is written for 2-9 players.
Within each group there are many different combinations of instruments.
Here are some of the common combinations:
Duet: piano with one other instrument eg flute, violin, horn, cello or clarinet
Trio: string trio, piano trio – piano, violin, cello
Quartet: string quartet ( 2 violins, viola, cello)
Etc.
The sonata
During the classical period (1750-1810) the term sonata was used to describe a composition for one or two instruments (duet) that was in three or four movements. At least one of the movements, usually the first one, was in sonata form.
The usual plan of a three movement sonata was:
- First movement – fast
- Second movement – slow
- Third movement – fast
In a four movement sonata there is usually a minuet and trio or scherzo and trio between the slow movement and the last movement.
The solo sonata
This is a sonata written for one instrument. The most popular solo sonatas during the first half of the 18th century were composed for violin or harpsichord. The Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) wrote more than 500 sonatas for harpsichord in binary form.
During the second half of the 18th century, the piano replaced the harpsichord as the principal keyboard instrument and the three or four movement piano sonata became the most popular form of solo sonata.
The Duet sonata
A duet is a piece of music written for two players. The most popular type of duet sonatas are those written for a piano in combination with another instrument. The piano’s ability to play a wide dynamic range and sustain a sound make it idea to accompany and interrelate with other instruments. Duet sonatas are often know but the name of the other featured solo instrument – eg violin sonata but the piano if an equal partner.
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