Chapter 16:Classical Genres: Instrumental Music

The Symphony and the Symphony Orchestra

• Symphony: A multimovement composition for orchestra lasting about 25 minutes in the Classical Era (nearly an hour in the Romantic Era)– Origins in the sinfonia – Baroque opera overture

in three sections (fast – slow – fast)– Sections expanded into movements– By mid 1700’s, a fourth movement was added

(Minuet)– Fast – Slow – Minuet – Fast – Increased in popularity as public concerts

became more common– Created the terms symphony hall and symphony

orchestra

The Classical Symphony Orchestra • Increased in size as the symphony orchestra moved

from private court to public auditorium• More wind instruments were added to increase variety

and color• Each section had a specific assignment in the Classical

Era– Strings: Presented the bulk of the musical material– Woodwinds: Added richness and colorful

counterpoint– French horns: Sustained a sonorous background– Trumpets and Percussion: Provided brilliance when

needed Classical Orchestra

Strings: 1st violins, 2nd violins, cellos, double basses (about 27 players total

Woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons

Brasses: 2 French horns, 2 trumpets (for festive pieces)

Percussion: 2 timpani (for festive pieces)

Mozart: Symphony No. 40 in G Minor (1788), K. 550

First Movement (Molto Allegro)• Exposition:

• Development:

• Recapitulation: –Transition theme is extended–Brief coda

Mozart: Symphony No. 40

• Second Movement: Andante– Slow, lyrical– Contrast between woodwind and the string

timbre

• Third Movement: Minuetto: Allegretto– Intense, somber mood

• Fourth Movement: Allegro Assai– Sonata-allegro form– Begins with ascending rocket theme– Lack of transition into the recapitulation adds

a feeling of urgency and acceleration

The String Quartet

• String Quartet: genre of chamber music– Created by Joseph Haydn – Goethe compared it to a conversation among four

intelligent people• Two violin, viola, and cello• One player per part• Follows four movement form: fast – slow – minuet –

fast • Performed by professionals

and amateurs• Haydn and Mozart played

together in a string quartet

Haydn: Opus 76, No. 3, The “Emperor” Quartet (1797) Second movement, Poco adagio cantabile

• Known as the “Emperor” because of its famous theme– Melody composed in response to military and

political events– Honored Emperor Franz II– Tune served as national anthems for Austria and

Germany– Used as a Protestant hymn– The Emperor’s Hymn was Haydn’s favorite

composition• Theme and Variations form

The Sonata

• Genre of chamber music for solo piano or solo instrument accompanied by piano

• More sonatas published in the 18th-century than any other genre

• Three movement: fast – slow – fast • Performed by professionals and amateurs– Often used for piano students

The Concerto• Large scale, multimovement work for

instrumental soloist and orchestra intended for public audience

• Virtuoso performers lured audiences to the concert hall

• Three movements (no minuet)• Mozart: Composed 23 piano concertos– Considered the father of the modern piano

concerto– Often for his own performance

Mozart: Piano Concerto in A major (1786), First movement Allegro

• Piano and orchestra engage in a spirited give-and-take of the thematic material

• Written for his student Barbara Ployer• Sonata-allegro form• Double exposition: The orchestra first

introduces the first, second, and closing themes; Soloist then enters and plays the thematic material– Mozart introduces a new lyrical melody in

the strings when we expect the second exposition to end

• Cadenza

Mozart: Piano Concerto in A major • Second Movement (Andante):– Exquisitely crafted lines and coloristic

harmonies– Daring harmonic changes– At once sublimely beautiful and distantly

remote

• Third Movement (Presto)– Boisterous rondo– Banter back and forth between soloist and

orchestra