Instrumental Music
(Classical 2)
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Instrumental music was more important than vocal music during the Classical period.
More and more instruments were added to the orchestra, including the flute,
clarinet, oboe, and bassoon.
Three instrumental forms
were developed: the concerto, the symphony, and the sonata.
The concerto of the Baroque period evolved into the popular Classical concerto.
The soloist was featured as the rest of the orchestra provided accompaniment.
Concertos were written for all the instruments in the classical orchestra.
An outgrowth of the Baroque
concerto grosso was the Classical symphony. The word symphony means
"sounding together" and it applies to the full orchestra all playing at
the same time. Symphonies had three movements (fast-slow-fast), but some
added an extra, dance-like movement before the last movement. Franz
Joseph Haydn wrote 104 symphonies during his lifetime!
Sonatas were written for
one or two instruments. Most sonatas were written for the favorite
instrument of the time, the piano. |
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Sample Works:
Mvmt 1 Allegro con brio from Symphony No. 44 in E minor ("Mourning") by F. J. Haydn
Mvmt 1 "Allegro" from Concerto for Bb Clarinet in Bb major, K.622 by W.A. Mozart
Credits:
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