Classical Music

By:

Music in History

Mrs.

When asked the question, "what is classical music?", elevator music comes to the minds of many people. Although it is completely wrong to say that classical music is elevator music, the two terms are similar in one way. They are both a "generic term" applied to a type of music. Classical music covers many styles of music spanning over 700 years. The term classical music comes from the Latin term classicus, which means taxpayer of the highest class. Slowly after making its way through the French, German, and English languages, one of the earliest definitions of the word classical meant "formal or orderly" also, approved were, "authentically, chief, or principal." Today, one of the ways Merriam-Webster defines classical is "of, relating to, or being music in the educated European tradition that includes such forms as art song, chamber music, opera, and symphony as distinguished from folk or popular music or jazz."

Music historiographers classified the six periods of music by stylistic differences. Before 1400 was the Medieval period characterized by Gregorian chant, which was mostly religious. Within the 1400-1600's was the Renaissance period which had an increase of secular music, madrigals, and art song. After the Renaissance the Baroque period began during the 1600's to the 1750's known for its complex "ornamentation." Then came the actual Classical period, which brought balance and structure to the 1750's through the 1820's. The Romantic period followed till the 1900's and it was very emotional, had a large group of fans, and was programmatic. Beyond the 20th Century limitless styles within Classical Music existed; the most recognizable being the symphony, opera, choral works, chamber music, Gregorian chant, the madrigal, and the Mass.

Spanning seventy years, the classical period was a time when composers began "pulling in the supremacy's" of the many baroque period musical styles by creating strict compositional "rules and regulations." Yet within their firmness, great composers like Haydn and Mozart were able to create some of the greatest classical music the world has ever known, though they weren't the only composers responsible for outstanding classical period music. Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was a remarkable composer, characterizing the meaning of classical period composition, and though he wasn't as flashy as the younger Mozart, his music always stayed true to form. Haydn, unlike most composers, had a "reliable and steady" job composing, directing, teaching, performing, and managing musicians from the royal Esterhazy family. During this time, Haydn composed many pieces of music for the courtly orchestra to perform. With a staggering body of work, including over 100 symphonies and 60 string quartets, he is often referred to as the "Father of the Symphony" or "Father of the String Quartet."

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart spent half of his life touring throughout Europe. Born in 1756, Mozart began composing at the age of five. Shortly afterwards, he toured with his father and sister. Tragically, Mozart died at the young age of 35. Yet during his short life span, Mozart greatly advanced classical period music with over 600 compositions. His compositional style is similar to that of Haydn's, only more flamboyant and often criticized for having "too many notes." Antonio Salieri may have been resentful of young Mozart's musical genius; however the rumors of Salieri poisoning