5.03 Quiz: Classical Music Part 2

Welcome to the 5.03 Quiz: Classical Music Part 2. In this quiz, we’ll be testing your knowledge on some of the most famous classical pieces ever written. Be sure to brush up on your classical music history before taking this quiz!

Introduction

In classical music, composers often used less standard forms to create works that were highly emotional or expressive. In this quiz, you will listen to three pieces of music and identify the form each one is in.

The Different Types of Classical Music

There are many different types of classical music, each with its own distinct style and history. In this quiz, we’ll be exploring some of the most popular types of classical music, including Baroque, Classical, and Romantic. We’ll also learn about some of the most famous classical composers, such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

The Baroque Era

The Baroque Era is one of the four periods in the history of Western art music. The other three are the Renaissance, the Classical Era, and the Romantic Era. The Baroque Era began around 1600 and ended around 1750. The word “baroque” is a French word that means “odd,” “bizarre,” or “not quite symmetrical.” When applied to music, it refers to a style of composition that is characterized by ornate melodic lines, complex harmonies, and elaborate use of counterpoint.

The Classical Era

Classical music is art music produced or rooted in the traditions of Western culture, including both liturgical (religious) and secular music. While a more precise term is also used to refer to the period from 1750 to 1820 (the Classical period), this article is about the broad span of time from before the 6th century AD to the present day, which includes the Classical period and various other periods. The central norms of this tradition became codified between 1550 and 1900, which is known as the common-practice period.

Western staff notation is used by composers to indicate to performers the pitch, tempo, meter and rhythms for a piece of music. This can leave less room for negotiation and improvisation than in other musical styles. The term “classical music” did not appear until the early 19th century, in an attempt to distinctly canonize the period from Johann Sebastian Bach to Ludwig van Beethoven as a golden age. The earliest reference to “classical music” recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is from about 1836.

The Romantic Era

The Romantic Era was a time of great creativity in the world of classical music. The focus was on expressive, emotional music that reflected the inner life of the individual. This was in contrast to the previous two eras (the Baroque and Classical periods), which emphasized balanced, rational music that was focused on formal structures and orderly progressions.

Composers of the Romantic Era were inspired by nature, folklore, literature, and art. They wrote longer, more detailed pieces of music than their predecessors, and they were often more willing to experiment with form and tonality. Mood and feeling were important elements in Romantic music, and many pieces were written to evoke specific emotions or images.

Some of the most famous composers of the Romantic Era include Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Frederic Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Richard Wagner, Giuseppe Verdi, and Johannes Brahms.

The Modern Era

The period known as the “common practice era” is the classical era in music history. It began around 1750 and ended around 1900. The classical era saw the rise of Absolute Music, where the piece itself was more important than anything else. The music of this era is characterized by tonality (a focus on a major or minor key), balance, symmetry, and clarity. Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn were all composers of the classical era.

The Different Types of Instruments Used in Classical Music

There are a wide variety of instruments used in classical music. These include the violin, the cello, the flute, and the piano. Each instrument has a unique sound that can be used to create beautiful music. Let’s take a closer look at each of these instruments.

The Piano

The piano is a stringed instrument that is played by pressing keys on a keyboard. The word “piano” is an abbreviation of the Italian word “pianoforte,” which means “soft loud.” The piano was invented in 1709 by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian maker of musical instruments.

The piano is the only stringed instrument in which each string can be sounded separately by striking it with a hammer. This gives the piano a greater range of dynamics than any other instrument. The hammers are controlled by the keys, which are also connected to dampers that stop the strings from vibrating when they are not supposed to sound.

The strings of a piano are made of steel, and they are stretched across a wooden frame inside the body of the instrument. The frame consists of a soundboard, which amplifies the sound of the strings, and a bridge, which transmits the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard.

Pianos come in different sizes, from grand pianos that are more than nine feet long to upright pianos that are around four feet tall. Pianos also come in different shapes and colors, but they all have 88 keys (seven octaves plus three notes).

The Violin

The violin is a wooden string instrument in the viol family. It is the smallest and highest-pitched instrument in the family. Violins have been around for over 500 years and are used in both classical and traditional music. They are played with a bow, and the music is written in treble clef. The standard four-string violin tuned in perfect fifths (from lowest to highest): G3, D4, A4, E5.

The Cello

The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. The word cello is an abbreviation of the Italian violoncello, which means “little violone”. The violone was the largest member of the viol family, which also included the violin and viola. The cello’s origins can be traced back to the 15th century, when it was known as the bass violin. It gradually began to evolve into its current form in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The cello has a wide range of expression, making it one of the most versatile instruments in all of classical music. It is often used as a solo instrument, but it also plays an important role in orchestras and chamber music ensembles. The cello’s deep, rich sound is perfect for playing both melody and harmony.

The cello is held between the knees like a viola, but it is larger and has a lower pitch. Like all string instruments, the cello produces sound when its strings are vibrated by rosin-coated bows. The player presses their fingers down on the strings to create different pitches.

If you’re interested in learning more about this fascinating instrument, check out our list of interesting facts about the cello.

The Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike other woodwind instruments, the flute is held vertically when played. The flute is made of metal or wood and has a hollow cylindrical body with a small hole at the top. The flute is played by blowing air through the hole at the top of the instrument. The pitch of the flute can be controlled by opening or closing the holes along the body of the instrument.

The Different Types of Composers of Classical Music

There are four main types of composers of classical music: the Baroque composer, the Classical composer, the Romantic composer, and the Modern composer. Each type of composer has a different style of music. The Baroque composer wrote music that was very ornate and detailed. The Classical composer wrote music that was simpler and more organized. The Romantic composer wrote music that was emotional and expressive. The Modern composer wrote music that was avant-garde and experimental.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March [O.S. 21 March] 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations as well as for vocal music such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival he has been generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer who was born in 1770. He is considered to be one of the most important and influential composers of classical music. His work helped to bridge the gap between the classical and romantic eras of music. He is best known for his nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, his great mass the Missa Solemnis, and his only opera, Fidelio.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was an Austrian composer and is widely considered to be one of the greatest classical composers of all time. His works include the opera The Marriage of Figaro, the symphonies No. 40 and No. 41 (“Jupiter”), and the Clarinet Concerto.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, one of the most popular composers of all time, was born in Votkinsk, a small town in Russia, on May 7th, 1840. Tchaikovsky’s father was a mine inspector and his mother a doting housewife. Tchaikovsky had five siblings–three brothers and two sisters–but only two of them survived infancy. At the age of four, Tchaikovsky began piano lessons with his mother. He showed great talent and interest in music from an early age, but his father expected him to follow in his footsteps and become a government official like himself.Tchaikovsky attended the Imperial School of Jurisprudence in Saint Petersburg from 1859 to 1864. Although he enjoyed studying law and counted many of his fellow students among his friends, Tchaikovsky felt that a career in jurisprudence was not for him. In 1862 he secretly began composition lessons with Nicolas Rubinstein; if his father had found out he would have cut off his allowance.

Conclusion

Hopefully this short guide has given you a better understanding of the basics of classical music and some of its most important composers. As with any musical genre, there are many different sub-genres and styles within classical music, so there is plenty more to explore. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend checking out some of the resources below.