Classical Era
What made music from the Classical Era sound calm and organized?
Composers used clear melodies and steady patterns so the music sounded balanced and easy to follow.
Which Romantic composer was known as the “Poet of the Piano”? Virtuoso
Frédéric Chopin
What does tempo describe?
The speed of the music
Which family does the trumpet belong to?
Brass
What does the term “mood” mean in music?
The feeling or emotion a piece expresses
What was one of the main goals of Classical music?
Balance and clarity of form
What made Romantic music different from Classical music?
It focused on emotion, expression, and individuality
What does dynamics refer to?
How loud or soft the music is
Which family does the flute belong to?
Woodwind
How can tempo affect a song’s mood?
Fast tempo feels energetic; slow tempo feels calm or sad
Which composer is known as the “Father of the Symphony”?
Joseph Haydn
Which composer wrote The Nutcracker and Swan Lake?
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
What is timbre?
The tone color or unique sound quality of an instrument or voice
What are the four main instrument families?
Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion
What descriptive words could be used for a soft, flowing piece?
Gentle, peaceful, calm, soothing
What two types of musical texture were common during the Classical Era?
Homophonic and Polyphonic
What change happened to orchestras during the Romantic Era?
They became larger and used new instruments for richer sounds
What is texture in music?
How many layers of sound are heard at once and how they interact
What makes brass instruments different from woodwinds?
Sound is made by buzzing lips into a mouthpiece
What 4 things should you focus on when describing a piece of music you hear?
Tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture,
How did Classical composers use dynamics to express emotion?
They used gradual changes (crescendo/decrescendo) instead of sudden shifts
How did program music differ from absolute music?
Program music tells a story or paints an image; absolute music doesn’t
What is form in music?
The structure or organization of a musical composition
Why do composers use different instrument families in their songs?
Each family has a different sound or color, and using them together helps make the music more interesting and expressive.
How can the instruments in a song help you figure out what the music is trying to say or feel?
Different instruments create different moods — for example, strings can sound calm or sad, and brass can sound strong or exciting — helping us understand the emotion or story of the music.