Classical Music 101: The Era That Put the Classical in Classical Music

Classical Music 101 is back! This series aims to give you a non-intimidating, approachable introduction to classical music.

In our previous article, we looked at the rich and complex music of the Baroque period, a time marked by expressive melodies and elaborate ornamentation. Instrumental compositions also began to take off during this period. We looked at the dynamic and complex compositions of composers such as Vivaldi and Handel.

We'll be exploring the Classical period in today's article. This was a time of more refined and natural music, with composers such as Haydn and Mozart. These musical giants have set the standard for Western Instrumental Music. We now refer to Western Concert Music, regardless of its era, as "classical".

The Classical Era (1750-1820).

Around 1750, the Classical period began and ended with the Romantic age.

The transition from Baroque to Classical marked a fundamental change in aesthetics. The music shifted away from the complex polyphony of Bach to the melodic, emotional style of Haydn and Mozart.

Classical music, on the other hand, aims to express a subjective, more subjective philosophy. Baroque music, by contrast, tries to convey the magnificence and complexity of nature in an objective way. It was a goal to create music which expressed inner feelings and thoughts of an individual using vocal lyricism, and melodies that were easy on the ear.

Bach's sons were instrumental in the transition of the Baroque era to the Classical period. (Fun Fact: Bach had at least 20 children! Bach not only produced a lot of Baroque screamers, but he also had a prodigious number of offspring. In the 1750s Johann Christian and Carl Philipp Emanuel Friedemann, along with their father, began to modify Baroque styles into something that would later be used by Haydn and Mozart.

Classical music, like Baroque, was influenced by the cultural changes that were taking place in the West, specifically, the Enlightenment.

Thinkers of the Enlightenment period emphasized individualism and humanism and looked to Greece and Rome as inspiration for cultivating these values. Neoclassicism was the name given to this emphasis on ancient Greek and Roman culture in the Enlightenment.

Political philosophers of the Enlightenment used the works by Plato, Aristotle and Cicero as evidence to support their arguments in favor of individual rights and republican government forms. Architects modeled their work after the ancient architecture of Greece and Rome, which placed a strong emphasis on order and simplicity. Artists created paintings that depicted classical myths. All of these Enlightenment thinkers believed that discipline and reason could be used to achieve excellence in politics, morals, and the arts.

A growing middle class developed in the wake of industrial advancements and governments that placed a high value on individual rights. They began to exercise their economic power and sought entertainment that was compatible with their individualistic and democratic ideals.

Enlightenment middle-classers preferred art that was direct, emotional, and accessible rather than the ornate and complex Baroque art which appealed to royals.

Classical music was created by composers who lived during the Enlightenment to reflect these new tastes and ideals.

Classical Era Music: Characteristics

Clarity. It was sometimes difficult to tell the difference between different parts of a Baroque song. The song was very busy. Classical music is much more logical. Classical music composers created songs that were much simpler.