The Enligtenment and Music
The Classical style of music emerged during this time period
Mid-eighteenth century
The two french philosophers who are most associated with the Enlightenment
Voltaire and Rousseau
Rousseau thought that opera should have __________ characters singing ______________ music
Simple characters singing natural music
This was the result of the new sociology and economy of music in the mid-18th c.
regular public concerts
This was the artistic ideal of Baroque rhythm
Pleasing variety
The most versatile medium for Classical composers
The orchestra
How did Classical composers help listeners become familiar with a theme in a composition?
By repeating it right away
The Classical style developed principally in this city
Vienna
The light, frivolous style of art and music that developed during the mid-eighteenth century
Rococo
Thanks to Pergolesi, Rousseau and Mozart, this was the most progressive style of opera in the latter part of the 18th c.
Opera Buffa
How were public concerts financed in the 18th c.
By subscription
In regards to rhythm, within a movement of Classical music, the _______ and ___________ will stay the same and the ________ will be varied.
tempo and meter - same
rhythms - varied
The predominant texture of Classical music is
homophony
How did standard forms help the Classical audience?
It gave them a frame of reference - they knew what to expect as far as theme, keys, etc.
The three composers most associated with Classical music in the mid-late 18th c.
Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven
An elegant, charming musical genre typical of the galant style
Divertimento
Opera buffa was ____________ opera from this country: _______________
comic; Italy
The first public concert hall was located in this town
Oxford, England
How did the use of dynamics in the Classical period differ from the Baroque period?
Dynamics and gradual dynamic changes were specifically notated by composers.
In the Classical orchestra, how were the roles of the woodwinds and brass different than in he Baroque era?
They had clearly defined roles
What is the purpose of a transitional passage?
To create a sense of urgency leading into the presentation of a theme
This Classical-era ruler was known for his generous encouragement of the arts
Emperor Joseph II
Rousseau attacked this genre in his writings
Baroque Opera
The composer of the opera Don Giovanni
Mozart
The rise of public concerts in the 18th c. gave special impetus to the creation of this type of music
orchestral music
This popular new instrument reflected the Classical use of dynamics
The piano
The woodwind section of a Classical orchestra consisted of these instruments
2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets (optional), and 2 bassoons
How are Classical themes "closed off?"
with multiple cadences
A gathering in a home where notables would discuss the arts (books, music, art, etc) and ideas
A salon
The most important new literary genre that grew up at the same time as opera buffa
The Novel
What is "La serva padrona" and who was the composer?
An Italian opera buffa composed by Pergolesi
How did the rise of public concerts change the way musicians earned their livlihoods?
It didn't. The courts, opera houses, and the church were still the best way for a composer to earn money.
The move towards simplicity in Classical melody was reflected by the composers' use of _____________ and ______________ as the basis for their melodies.
Popular songs and folk tunes
The function of the brass sectin in a Classical orchestra was to do this
support the main harmonies
The four most important standard Classical forms
sonata form, minuet form, rondo, and theme and variation form
The purpose of music during the Enlightenment
to please and entertain
The influence of more austere classical subjects (Neoclassical art) is found in the operas of this composer
Christoph Willibald von Gluck
The plots of opera buffa differed from Baroque opera plots in this way
They dealt not with kings/emperors, etc, but with contemporary middle/lower class figures expressing feelings in a relatively natural way.
18th Century public concerts primarily included these two genres
Symphonies and Concertos
How was polyphony used by Classical composers, and where and why did it typically occur?
It was used for contrast against the homophony, and it was usually found in development sections in order to create tension
Why did the use of continuo diminish in the Classical era?
Composers wanted to move away from the improvisation of the continuo - they wanted to specify exactly how a chord should be played.