# Classical Era Period



## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

I am interested to spread my knowledge about this period: Classical Era Period. I have some questions and topics in which I want to get further information. 

It is accepted in general that Classical Period took place between 1730 and 1820, however, I read that It was not uniformly implanted in Western Europe, in England the most characteristic case, even until 1770s instrumental (orchestral) and vocal works still had a strong influence of Baroque/Rococo, so, which criteria is used to define such dates? Also, beyond the most famous composers of this era: Mozart and Haydn, which composers may be considered as top/famous in the era (not today) that belonged strictly in Classical Period?

Now, more specific questions related to the characteristics of Classical Period instrumental and vocal works. It is known that Counterpoint was one of the most important features of Baroque Period instrumental and vocal works, being JS Bach the greatest exponent of Counterpoint technique, in which extent Counterpoint was used/developed in Classical Period? In terms of instruments, which instruments were most used and which were introduced/newer in respect of Baroque Period? Finally, as for vocal works, how big were the choirs?

Thank you in advance.


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

I like this period very much. My repertoire is basically stuff from this period and Bach

while Mozart and Haydn are definitely two icons of that period, Beethoven is an important composer in the latter half of the Classic Period.

My favorite stuff from that era is from Vienna. Remember that Rossini was composing his best operas in Vienna during those years

The guitar composer Mauro Giuliani was working in Vienna in the early 1800s, and he is my favorite guitar composer of that period. Giuliani was friends with Beethoven and Rossini and he published a set of pieces based on popular themes from Rossini's operas


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## RICK RIEKERT (Oct 9, 2017)

JSBach85 said:


> Also, beyond the most famous composers of this era: Mozart and Haydn, which composers may be considered as top/famous in the era (not today) that belonged strictly in Classical Period?


In their day Mozart and Haydn had many rivals, some of whom were compared favorably to them. Among the most celebrated then and least noticed now are Joseph Martin Kraus, J. P. Vaňhal, Franz Ignaz Beck, Antonio Rosetti, Franz Krommer, Ignace Joseph Pleyel, Leopold Kozeluch and Paul Wranitzky.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

The main stylistic innovation of the Classical Period was Sonata Form. I am not a Musician so my explanations may sound insufficient but eseentially this a set of rules that most works were suppossed to follow. The 4 movement Symphony and the String Quartet emerged during this period and the Concerto evolved from Baroque Models.
In the Operatic realm the Classical Period essentially took the reform efforts of Gluck and tried to modify the crazy quilt plots of 
Baroque Opera into a more coherant story with music functioning more in the plot. these reports reached ther apotheosis during the high Romantic era.
In Sonata form, each movement of a piece is suppossed to evolve along a certain framework, or rules. The first movement of a 
Sympony will typically start with an introduction that will establish the home key. Then the main theme is introduced, followed by secondary theme or themes. The two themes then are intermied in what is known as the exposition and development. Certain sections are menat to be repeated, occassionally with new material introduced. Gradually there is a climax where certain key relationships are resolved. In Classical Symphonies the first movement is sually the dominant movement.
The second movement is usually a slower type of movement that tends to resemble a theme and variations and is in a different key from I. It usually is meant to be contemplative.
The third movement is typically a dance movement. It progressed from Minuet or landler to Scherzo throughout the Period.
The finale is suppossed to be a link back to the first movement, usually in the same key as I, perhaps subtley alterning some material from I and tends to give the listener a sense of distance traveled from the beginning as well as a satisfactory conclusion. Finales from the Classical Period almost never end tragically and are uite affirming.
1730 may be a bit early for the beinning of the Period, but developements were occurring a t different times in differnt parts of Europe. The late 1760s is generally what I think of.
Beethoven and Schubert were considered to be late Classicists that provided the bridge to the Romantic Period.
Most of what I worte shoud be thought of applying principally to the German-Austrian and other middle Europen areas. The Italians and the French were more reknown fortheir innovations in Opera and took longer to be influenced by these developements.


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