Classical Concerto 1750-1820

The Orchestra:

The orchestra during this period developed and became bigger in comparison to the Baroque orchestra:

•Strings: a few more players (up to 6) per section

•Woodwind: usually 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons and towards the end of the period, 2 clarinets

•Brass: 2 French horns and 2 trumpets •Percussion: 2 timpani •

•NEW INSTRUMENTS: Piano (often used as a solo instrument) and clarinet

•COMPOSERS: Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn

CLASSICAL CONCERTO KEY FEATURES:

•TEXTURE -  Melody and accompaniment was the main texture. Homophonic texture could also feature. The role of the woodwind and brass would be to colour and punctuate the texture. The continuo section was no longer required in the Classical period, as textures became fuller and harmonies clearer. Alberti bass now featured (in piano music and orchestra accompaniment) similar to a broken chord, giving the piece more movement. This can be seen in the bass clef in the image below:

•MELODY - Balanced phrasing (either 4 or 8 bars with question and answer phrases). Melody usually in the 1st violins (in orchestral or chamber music). Uses

•HARMONY AND TONALITY - diatonic = the piece uses notes that fit within the key of the piece. A piece in C major would use just white notes of the piano, with few or no accidentals. Modulations going to closely related keys (e.g. dominant, relative minor)

•DYNAMICS - ranges increased. Crescendos and diminuendos appeared, as well as more extreme and moderate dynamics, e.g. pp, ff, mp, mf. Brass was often used in loud passages, accompanied by timpani

•Some orchestras still performed without a conductor (especially in a concerto).

Video of Haydn's Cello Concerto No 1 in C major

Visual video - Piano Concerto in D minor, Mozart, First Movement (great to see how the different instruments interact and to see a visual representation of Homophonic texture).

Video of Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto (some great shots of the orchestra to help you identify instruments)

STRUCTURE AND FORM (click here for a video link explaining this)

Classical Concerto's still had 3 movements (fast slow fast) but they were longer in comparison to Baroque. Cadenza (a moment for the soloist to play in a virtuosic manner) usually featured towards the end of the 1st movement. Unlike the Baroque period, the soloist would not play in the tutti sections (where the full orchestra play).

There were different forms that would feature in the individual movements of Classical works:

SONATA FORM:

EXPOSITION = Themes are exposed - heard for the first time

DEVELOPMENT = Themes go through a number of interesting twists and turns (modulations/changing key and some new material would be heard here)

RECAPTIULATION = Themes are "recapped" or played again.

TERNARY FORM:

RONDO FORM:

VARIATION FORM: