Classical Era Facts

The term “classical“ is used in different ways. When some people refer to classical music, they mean Sirius music, as opposed to popular or folk music. But when musicians use the term classical music, they mean music that was written between 1750 and 1825.

The music of this era can best be described as elegant, formal, and restrained. For the first time, instrumental music was more important than vocal music. In fact, the most important new musical form of the classical era was the symphony, an extended work in several movements (often four) for orchestra.

The symphony grew out of the Sonata, a popular form of the Baroque era. A sonata is a work for solo instrument, either alone or a company. In a symphony, there is no solo instrument, and the orchestra becomes the “instrument“ for the composer. So a symphony could be described as a sonata for orchestra.

Another classical form that evolved from the Sonata is the concerto. A concerto is a sonata for solo instrument, accompanied by an orchestra.

The classical orchestra was very similar to today’s orchestra, though smaller in size. The instruments were basically the same as those in a modern orchestra. The string instruments were identical to today’s violins, violas, cellos, and string basses. The string section was the most important part of the classical orchestra. Woodwind and brass instruments had also evolved and were similar to today’s flutes, oboes, clarinets, horns, trumpets, and trombones. Percussion instruments included drums, cymbals, and timpani. 

The organ was still an important instrument. But the piano replaced the harpsichord as the most popular keyboard instrument. The piano could play louder than a harpsichord and could produce sounds from very loud to very soft. Musicians call this a wide dynamic range. The piano’s wide dynamic range made it appealing to classical era composers.

In the Baroque Era, musical works had contrasting sections, such as fast-slow-fast, or loud-soft-loud. There were no changes in tempo or loudness (what musicians called the dynamic level) within a section. It was fast, or loud, the whole way through. In the Classical Era, composers begin to change the tempo with a dynamic level within a section. The changes could be gradual or sudden. A movement could begin slowly and gradually increase in tempo. Or a soft section might suddenly become loud.

The vocal forms of the Baroque era, such as operas, oratorios, and cantatas remained popular with classical composers. Many composers of the classical era were supported by aristocrats. This type of employment is called patronage. The aristocrat was a patron of the composer. He commissioned compositions from the composer and paid him for his musical creations. This provided the composer with a continuing source of income and outlet for his music, along with the freedom to develop his craft. Composers of the classical era could best be described as fine musical craftsmen. Many composers traveled throughout Europe to perform their music and to hear the music of other composers. This resulted in a single style of music of the Classical Era… A style that is elegant and formal, and which sounded the same in Rome, Italy, as it did in Vienna, Austria.