Classical

c.1750 – 1830

Main Composers: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert

The beginning of the Classical Period saw a reaction against the more lofty and earnest ideals of Baroque music. Now the aim was more to entertain, with a simpler and more transparent style. Later in the period, however, Beethoven and Schubert increasingly poured more personal emotions into their music.

Melody and Phrasing – elegant and balanced, with clearer sense of phrase endings. ‘Question and answer’ phrasing interspersed with rests is common (e.g the opening of Mozart’s famous ‘Eine kleine Nachtmusik’). Scale and arpeggio figurations are regularly used, and the mood is usually lively and cheerful.

Texture – light and clear textures, usually homophonic.   

Harmony – usually simple with lengthy diatonic passages. Major keys predominate. An exclusively Classical feature is ‘Alberti Bass’, where the harmony notes of the accompaniment are played one after another rather than together, e.g. C-G-E-G (lowest note C, highest note G).

Dynamics – more than in the Baroque, but still somewhat restricted and usually with sudden alternations of loud and soft rather than gradual changes. Beethoven and Schubert expanded the dynamic range, with more use of crescendo and diminuendo, as well as more sudden contrasts.

Ornaments – fewer than in Baroque music, but still common, especially trills.

Keyboard range – a little wider than before, but often with a bias towards the treble register.

Pedal – was just being developed in the Classical period. Likely to be used sparingly or not at all in your exam extract.

Suggested Listening

Mozart Piano Sonata in C, K545. 1st movement – Alberti Bass at the beginning; balanced phrases; light textures; scale and arpeggio figuration.

Haydn 3rd movement from Piano Sonata in G, Hob.XVI:27 – Lively, treble-oriented texture; ‘question and answer’ phrasing; simple harmonies; scale and arpeggio figures; Alberti Bass towards the end.

Beethoven Sonata in A, Op.2, No.2. 3rd movement – Even in this youthful work Beethoven is pushing the boundaries, with swiftly alternating pitches, contrasting dynamics and a harmonic swerve to the remarkably remote key of G# minor. But the clear phrase structure remains typically Classical. The constant flow of the central minor-key section is somewhat reminiscent of the Baroque, but the sudden accents are pure Beethoven.

Schubert Scherzo in B-flat, D593 – One of Schubert’s more traditional works, light in texture (except for the more sonorous middle section) and mood. The balance and clarity of the phrasing look back to the earlier part of the Classical period, but he also takes advantage of the piano’s augmented dynamic range by this time (1817).