Classical Era

Music Assignment: Composers of the Classical Era

Greatest classical composers of this era:

·         Franz Joseph Haydn: He was born on March 31, 1732 in Rohrau, Austria. He was one of the most brilliant classical composers who, unlike any other composer, aimed in incorporating the aims and achievements of the Classical Era. He had a stupendous voice and his sensitivity, knowledge and talent for music was precise and accurate. In his early adult years, he became a freelance musician, teaching music and composing. In 1757, he had a job of a music director for Count Morzin, who was an aristocrat of the Austrian Empire. Soon, his name and compositions spread and became recognizable. During his apprenticeship with Count Morzin, he wrote 107 symphonies, concertos, 45 piano trios, 83 string quartets, 62 piano sonatas, 14 masses and 26 operas. Haydn was also acquainted to Mozart. They respected and invited each other to their performances. On May 31, 1809, He perished in Vienna.

·         Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: He was born on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria. He was a musician who could play multiple instruments in public at the age of six. He was able to show his father, Leopold Pertl Mozart, a profound understanding of chords, tonality and tempo. At the age of five, he played the clarinet and the violin perfectly. In 1762, his father took him to the court of Bavaria for displaying his outstanding performance to nobles and ambassadors. Importantly, he had a meeting with Johann Christian Bach in London who had a strong influence on Wolfgang. In 1763, they had a three-and-a-half-year tour throughout Germany, France, Switzerland and other countries. In 1770, at the age of 14, he composed Mitridate, re di Ponto, by December. He also performed the opera Idomenée in Munich, 1781. As he was becoming known, more of his compositions flourished. He was known for his complex music and the insertion of too many notes in his compositions. In addition, he was also known for extracting familiar musical lines from one piece and include them into another piece.

·         Antonio Salieri: He was born on August 18, 1750, in Legnago, Italy. Antonio was one of the greatest composer of the 18^th and 19^th century in Europe. Also, he was famous for operas such as Armida and Tarare. Then, in 1804, he stopped composing operas. He only focused on religious compositions and was a court musical director. Was acquainted to Franz Joseph Haydn and taught Ludwig Van Beethoven about music composition. He died on May 7^th, 1825. He became one of the most leading musical figures in Viennese, Parisian and Italian circles.

·         Christoph Willibald Gluck: He also played an important role in opera where he improved it by softening the contrast between recitatives (it is an opera style in which a singer adopts the rhythms of ordinary speech) and arias (a long song with a solo voice) by mixing underlying melodic themes and orchestral passages within recitatives as they flowed into arias. He also combined French and Italian opera styles. He composed a few arias, solo motets and chorals as well as 9 symphonies, 6 trio sonatas and 2 trio sonatas. He composed the famous aria ‘Se mai senti spirarti sul volto’. Christoph mentored Antonio Salieri and became his protégé.

·         Muzio Clementi: Born at Rome in 1752. He was known as the ‘Father of the Pianoforte’. Clementi's 3 sonatas op. 2, published in London, 1779, represented a turning point in keyboard playing. He was also a master of many musical trades such as a performer, composer, publisher, teacher, arranger as well as an instrument maker. He travelled throughout Europe, gathering and publishing manuscripts of Beethoven, etc. and sold pianos. He was also a mentor who then advanced further in teaching great composers like Chopin and Mendelssohn. His most notable, famous compositions of the piano were Gradus ad Parnassum including 3 piano sonatas.

·         Luigi Boccherini: Luigi lived the same time as Franz Joseph. Coincidentally, his music is closely related with his, therefore, musicologist refer to him as the “wife of Haydn”. However, his music was less popular compared to Haydn and died in poverty in 1805. He had a prolific collection of compositions and his most notable works were his cello sonatas, concertos especially his guitar quintets. In addition, his most famous classical piece of music was Minuet from the string quartet Op. 13, no. 5.

·         Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach: Born on March 8^th, 1714. He was a German musician and a composer. He was the son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. He was a very important composer in the transition between the Baroque and Classical periods. He was also one of the founders of the Classical style and composed during the Rococo and Classical periods.  He was a creative composer of vocal and instrumental (keyboard instruments) music. He also formed the Viennese classical style. He also wrote Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments laid the foundation for keyboard playing. Even to this day, it is still being taught.

·         Ludwig van Beethoven: Born in Bonn in December 16^th, 1770. He was a formal student of Christian Gottlob Neefe who taught him using Carl Philipp’s Essay on the True Art of Playing Keyboard Instruments. Then, in 1787, he was sent to Vienna and studied with Mozart. In 1800, he performed his first symphony and a septet (op. 20). He also wrote 4 symphonies in order to overcome his disability (deafness) before 1806. The third symphony, Eroica, was titled Bonaparte to honor Napoleon. He died of dropsy in 1857. Overall, he composed 9 symphonies between 1799 and 1824. Tutored under Haydn in 1793.

Chosen Composer (Ludwig van Beethoven):

He was a deaf German composer and the chief musical figure in the transition period between the Classical and Romantic era. He was the innovator who widened the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto and quartet. He also combined vocals and instruments in a completely new method. Some of his important works were composed during the last ten years due to his hearing condition/deafness. He was also a pianist.

He was born in the city of Bonn in 16th December, 1770. His father, Johann and his grandfather, Ludwig, were musicians. Coincidentally, this trait was common in Beethoven too. At the age of 4, he was able to learn how to play the piano. He received piano lessons from Tobias Friedrich Pfeiffer, and Franz Rovantini gave him violin and viola lessons. He became an assistant organist who played for the Prince-Elector’s orchestra. Then, he became a student of Christian Gostlob Neefe. Then he moved to Vienna to study with Franz Joseph Haydn, who was also a famous classical composer. His musical genius matched Mozart’s however, he was dyslexic and never exceeded elementary level. In his teen years, he experienced deafness which shocked him. When he was 30, he performed Septet (Op. 20). By 1800, he became highly regarded as a composer.

Between 1800 and 1827, he evolved as a composer, composing more heroic works concentrating on struggle and revolution. The most important example is the Third Symphony called Eroica which is dedicated to the Corsican revolutionary leader Napoleon Bonaparte. He wrote 9 symphonies overall, string quartets and his aria, Fidelio. He also composed famous piano sonatas such as Moonlight and Waldstein. By 1815, he was almost deaf. At this time, he composed the Ninth Symphony “Ode to Joy” and the last string quartets which showed their complex and modern sound. Finally, he died on March, 1827.

Analysis of the Beethoven’s work (Fur elise):

During the classical period (1750-1830), Beethoven mastered the piano. The piano used at that time had a range of 6 octaves. The modern piano now has a range of 7½ octaves. Fur Elise was composed in 1810 and published in 1867 after the death of Ludwig van Beethoven in 1827. Its name means “Keyboard piece in A minor”.

Texture of the piece is thin. There is a melody line with little accompaniment. In the script below, the C section, a repetitive bass line in the left hand along with a melody on the right hand. There are two dynamic marking in the original script or piece which are pp. There are some dramatic parts located in the piece. The notes in the piece are mostly in semi-quavers. In addition, there are some quavers, demi-semi quavers, dotted rhythm and crotchets. The semi-quavers give a moving mood throughout the piece of music. This piece is in a time signature of 3/8 (simple triple). The tempo in this piece is less.

It has a wide range of approximately 6 octaves. Therefore, extensive use of a piano since many instruments do not have that type of range. The pitch of the piece travels in a slow motion when moving in steps and in a fast motion when using octaves and other intervals. It has a rondo form (ABACA). The theme of the piece has a repetitive tune. The “B” alphabet gives a more joyful touch. The “C” alphabet consists of drama and dynamic variation especially a large pitch range.

The left hand makes a simple fundamental-third arpeggio. The beginning melodic indecision between the note and turning note signifies that Beethoven creates an essential, clarifying melody with the next chordal arpeggios. In the central variation, he includes evidence F-E-D-C top notes. The time signature, 3/8, establishes a rhythmic fluency to the piece and a flowing feeling with the alternation of hands.