A Brief Overview of Classical Music Up Until Opera

A quick look at the origins and history of classical music up to the opera.

Origins of Classical Music

Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to Western musical traditions from the late eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century. In America, the classical music era is sometimes considered to extend from about 1750 to 1910.

Ancient Greece

Ancient Greece is generally considered to be the birthplace of Western classical music, having laid the foundations for many of the Orchestral instruments, scales and modes we still use today. The first definite reference to music performance in Greece comes from Homer’s Odyssey, which describes a concert given by the minstrel Phemius at the court of King Alcinous. This account, along with others from later poets such as Hesiod and Pindar, suggests that music was an important part of ancient Greek culture.

During the Classical period (5th – 4th century BC), professional male musicians such as Euripides began to write works specifically for performance by female choruses. These choral pieces were often accompanied by flute and lyre and would have been performed at religious ceremonies or funerals. One of the most famous examples is the ‘Hymn to Apollo’ by Mesomedes of Crete, which is thought to be the earliest surviving example of notated Greek music.

Opera, a form of musical theatre, first developed in late Renaissance Italy around the turn of the 17th century. Its roots can be traced back to Ancient Greece where plays were often accompanied by songs or Negro spirituals chanted by a chorus. The first opera as we know it today was ‘Dafne’ by Jacopo Peri, which was premiered in Florence in 1597. Opera quickly spread throughout Europe and became one of the most popular forms of entertainment in Georgian England.

The Roman Empire

Rome’s musical history can be divided in two parts: the music of the ancient Romans, and the music of the Papal States. The music of the ancient Romans was preserved in two ways: first, in written manuscripts that were later discovered and deciphered; and second, in archaeological artifacts such as wind instruments and largestrings. The music of the Papal Stateswas less well preserved, but we do have some idea of what it sounded like from contemporary descriptions.

The Roman Empire was one of the most powerful empires of the classical world, and its influence on music was profound. Roman music was highly influential in both sacred and secular contexts. Roman sacred music influenced the development of plainsong (or Gregorian chant), and Roman secular music influenced the development of everything from opera to jazz.

The music of the Roman Empire can be divided into three major categories: artmusic (music that was composed for performance by professional musicians), popular music (music that was composed for performance by amateur musicians), and folk music (music that was passed down orally from one generation to the next).

The Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, music was used to express ideas that were either religious or secular in nature. The Church played a significant role in the development of music during this time period. Church officials believed that music had the ability to soothe the soul and to bring people closer to God.

The Renaissance

The Renaissance was a period of time in which classical music began to take on a more secular form. This is evident in the fact that many of the great composers of the time were employed by the Church or by wealthy patrons. The music of the Renaissance is characterized by its intricate polyphony, or numerous melodic lines going on at once. This can be heard in the works of composers such as Palestrina and Byrd. The Renaissance also saw the development of instrumental music, with composers such as Vivaldi and Purcell writing pieces specifically for instruments such as the violin and cello. Opera, a form of musical theatre, also began to develop during the Renaissance and reached its peak in the works of Mozart and Verdi.

The Baroque Period

The Baroque period is usually divided into three parts: early, middle, and late. The early Baroque period, which began in 1600, was a time of experimentation in which composers were trying to find new ways to express themselves. The middle Baroque period, which lasted from 1650 to 1700, was a time when the style of the music became more refined and focused. The late Baroque period, which lasted from 1700 to 1750, was a time when the style of the music became even more refined and focused, and when composers began to write for specific instruments.

One of the most important aspects of the music of the Baroque period is its focus on melody. Composers of this period wrote melodies that were intended to be memorable and easy to sing. Another important aspect of the music of this period is its use of counterpoint, which is the technique of writing two or more independent melodies that go together harmonically.

The Baroque period was also a time when composers began to write for specific instruments. For example, Johann Sebastian Bach wrote many of his pieces for keyboard instruments such as the harpsichord and organ. Other composers wrote pieces specifically for certain groups of instruments, such as strings or winds.

The Modern Era

The modern era of classical music began around the turn of the 20th century. This was a time of great change in the world of music. New styles and genres were being created. There was a lot of experimentation going on. This is the era that gave us such greats as Debussy, Stravinsky, and Bartok.

The Classical Period

The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic eras. The best-known composers from this time are Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven. This period is sometimes known as the “Age of Enlightenment” because of the changes in intellectual thought during this time.

One of the biggest changes during the Classical period was that music became moreuer complex. Composers began to write in what is known as “sonata form.” This form consists of three parts: the exposition, development, and recapitulation. In the exposition, the composer introduces the main themes of the piece. The development is where these themes are developed and elaborated on. Finally, in the recapitulation, the themes are brought back again in a reworked form.

Beethoven was one of the first composers to experiment with this new form, and his influence can be seen in many of the works written during this period. Another change during this time was that rhythm became more important than ever before. This was partly due to the popularity of dance music, but it also reflected a change in attitudes towards music itself. Composers began to think of rhythm as an essential part of their compositions, rather than just something that added interest or liveliness to a piece.

The Classical period saw a great deal of change in both musical style and instrumentation. New instruments were invented, such as the piano and clarinet, and existing instruments were improved upon (for example, the development of faster-playing strings for violin). These changes allowed composers to write music that was more expressive and emotionally powerful than ever before.

The Romantic Period

The Romantic period (or Late Classical period) is the turn of the 19th century in Western European classical music. Romantic composers strove for larger-than-life emotional expression, escape from standard forms, and a return to (or expansion of) past musical styles—this last feature particularly characterized late Romanticism.

Musically, the Romantic era was characterized by increased chromaticism (both harmonic and melodic), striving for more emotion and character in music, expanded tonality (particularly in Beethoven’s later works), and experiments with rhythm and form. This Musical Romanticism represents a reaction against the formal constraints of the preceding Classical period, as well as a shift away from Enlightenment ideas contained therein.

The 20th Century

The twentieth century saw a return to tonality in classical music, but with a much more complex system of tonal relationships than in the past. At the same time, composers began to experiment with atonality (lack of key), rhythm, and new forms of musical expression. Some composers, such as Arnold Schoenberg, developed new 12-tone systems of composition; others, such as Igor Stravinsky, explored primitivism and folk music; still others, such as Bela Bartok and Dmitri Shostakovich, brought the music of their native countries to the international stage.

Opera also underwent a major transformation in the twentieth century. composers such as Giacomo Puccini and Richard Strauss continued to write in the traditional opera style, while others, such as Alban Berg and Benjamin Britten, experimented with more modernist approaches. In the latter half of the century, avant-garde composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen pushed the boundaries of opera even further, incorporating electronic music and non-traditional materials into their works.

Opera

Opera is a musical art form that originated in Italy in the late 16th century. Opera is a combination of singing and drama, and it is usually performed in an opera house. The first opera was written by a man named Jacopo Peri, and it was called Dafne. Opera became very popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, and it is still popular today.

Origins

Opera is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers, but is distinct from musical theatre. These work are characterized by their musicality, often containing elements of both popular and classical music. The word opera is derived from the Italian word “opera”, meaning “work”.

The Baroque Period

The Baroque period of classical music is generally considered to have lasted from 1600 to 1750. Baroque music was characterized by heavy use of counterpoint, elaborate harmonic structures, and dramatic embellishments. Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo (1607) is generally considered to be the first true opera, although some scholars believe Jacopo Peri’s Dafne (1597) may have had that distinction. Opera quickly became the most popular form of public entertainment in early modern Europe.

The Classical Period

The Classical period was an era of classical music between roughly 1730 to 1820. The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. Classical music has a lighter, sharper atmosphere than Baroque music and is less complex. It is mainly homophonic, using a clear melody line over a subordinate chordal accompaniment, but counterpoint was by no means forgotten, especially later in the period.

The major changes that happened during the Classical period were:
-Orchestras got bigger
-Concertos became more popular Solo instrumentalists became much more popular
-Piano replaced harpsichord as the main keyboard instrument
Opera continued to develop during the Classical period
The symphony developed and became extremely popular during the late part of the period
New genres such as sonatas andstring quartets appeared and became extremely important
Forms such as rondos and variation forms were used

The Romantic Period

The Romantic period in music lasted from the early 1800s to around 1900. This was a period of great change and intense emotion, when composers were influenced by art and literature as well as music itself. They wrote music that was expressive and personal, often using unusual harmonies and rhythms.

The most important Romantic composers were Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Frederic Chopin, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner and Johannes Brahms.

The Modern Era

The Modern Era of classical music is considered to take place during the period from approximately 1860 to 1930. This followed the Romantic Period and preceding the Postmodern Era. During this time, compositional techniques and musical forms continued to grow and evolve.

During the Modern Era, composers began to experiment with atonality, which is a type of music that does not follow a traditional tonal structure. This style of music often uses dissonance (when two notes are played together that create a harsh or unstable sound) as a way to create tension and interest. Atonal music can be characterized as non-melodic, meaning that it does not focus on creating tunes or melodies that are easy to remember or sing along to. Instead, this style of music is more concerned with creating interesting sound textures and atmospheres.

While atonal music was becoming more popular, other composers were interested in exploring different ways to use tonality (the arrangement of pitch relationships within a piece of music). These composers began writing works that were chromatic (using a wider range of pitches than had been used in previous eras), atonal, and even polytonal (using multiple keys at the same time).

Another development during the Modern Era was the increase in popularity of program music, which is a type of composition that tells a story or paints a picture using music. An example of program music is The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by French composer Paul Dukas, which tells the story of an apprentice who gets into trouble when he attempts to use magic without his master’s permission. Other examples include Strauss’ symphonic poem Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spake Zarathustra), which was inspired by Nietzsche’s book of the same name, and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, which was inspired by an art exhibition Mussorgsky attended.

One of the most important developments during the Modern Era was the creation of opera, which is a type of musical theatre where all parts are sung instead of spoken. Opera began in Italy in the early 1600s and slowly spread throughout Europe. By the 1800s, opera was being performed in countries all over the world. Some well-known operas from this era include Verdi’s La traviata and Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring Cycle).