Classical Music Examples to Get You Started

Looking for some examples of classical music to help you get started? Here are 10 pieces that are sure to get your feet tapping!

Introduction

Classical music is a broad term that covers a huge range of period and styles. In the Western classical tradition, it generally refers to music composed by musicians who are trained in the traditions of Western art, including both liturgical (religious) and secular music. The term “classical music” can also refer to any music that has been traditionally considered part of the classical canon, including Baroque, Renaissance, and Romantic-era works.

There are many different types of classical music, but some of the most well-known and beloved pieces come from the following periods:

The Baroque period (1600-1750) is characterized by ornate, dramatic compositions with complex counterpoint and elaborate ornamentation. Notable composers from this era include Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Antonio Vivaldi.

The Classical period (1750-1820) saw a shift toward simpler, more graceful compositions. This was the era of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, two of the most famous and influential composers in history. Other notable classical composers include Franz Haydn and Joseph Haydn.

The Romantic period (1820-1910) was marked by highly emotional, expressive compositions. This was the era of Frederic Chopin, Johannes Brahms, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Giuseppe Verdi.

The Different Types of Classical Music

Classical music is a broad term that covers a wide range of periods, styles, and forms. Classical music encompasses everything from the medieval to the modern period. It includes symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and more. There are different types of classical music, and each one has its own unique features.

Baroque

Baroque classical music was written between the years 1600 and 1750. This type of music started in Italy, and quickly spread throughout Europe. The word “baroque” originally described a misshapen pearl. Later, the word came to describe an ornate style of art, music, and architecture that was popular during this time period.

Baroque music is characterized by its use of counterpoint, or the simultaneous use of two or more independent melodic lines. This type of music also often features intricate ornamentation and detailed bass lines. The most famous composer of Baroque music is Johann Sebastian Bach, who wrote many works during this time period.

Classical

Classical music is often divided into different sub-genres, each of which has its own unique history, style, and form. Here are some of the most common types of classical music you’re likely to encounter:

-Opera: A dramatic style of classical music that is usually staged with costumes, sets, and elaborate scenery.
-Oratorio: A large-scale musical work with a sacred or serious subject that is typically performed by a solo singer and chorus without costumes or scenery.
-Cantata: A musical composition for voices and instruments that typically tells a story or celebrates a special occasion.
-Chamber music: A type of classical music that is written for a small group of instruments (usually no more than 10).
-Piano music: Music written specifically for the piano. This can include solo works, as well as pieces written for multiple pianos.
-Vocal music: Music that is written for the human voice. This can include solo pieces, as well as works written for choirs or other vocal ensembles.

Romantic

Romantic music is a genre of classical music associated with the period spanning the late eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries, commonly referred to as the Romantic era. It was characterised by emotional intensity, dramatic changes in tonality and style, and frequently revolved around subjects that made listeners feel special emotions like reverence, love, patriotism, and triumph.

The era saw an explosion of new musical ideas and forms of expression, including operas, symphonies, chamber music, solo works for piano and other instruments, and art song. Many of the greatest composers of the Romantic era were born in the late eighteenth century and continued to write music well into the nineteenth century.

The most important things to remember about this period are that Romantic composers were interested in expressive music and emotions,revolutionized traditional forms like the symphony and concerto,and created new forms like the art song and programme music.

Modern

Modern classical music is a period that began around 1890 with composers such as Richard Strauss and Giuseppe Verdi. It includes music from late-Romanticism, impressionism, post-impressionism, neo-classicism, and atonality. The tonality of much modern classical music has shifted from the major and minor keys typical of earlier periods to more ambiguous harmonic regions.

The Different Types of Instruments Used in Classical Music

There are a wide variety of instruments used in classical music. The most common instruments are the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. These instruments are used in a wide variety of classical music genres including symphony orchestras, concert bands, and chamber music.

String Instruments

There are four main families of string instruments in classical music: the violin family, the viola family, the cello family, and the double bass family. Each family has a different range of pitches (the highness or lowness of a note), so they can play different melodies and harmonies.

The violin family includes the violin, viola, cello, and double bass. The instruments in this family all have four strings that are tuned to specific pitches. The violin is the highest-pitched instrument in the group, followed by the viola, cello, and double bass.

The viola family includes the viola and the cello. Like instruments in the violin family, they have four strings that are tuned to specific pitches. However, the viola is a bit larger than the violin and has a lower pitch range. The cello is even larger than the viola and has an even lower pitch range.

The cello family includes only one instrument: the cello. It has four strings that are tuned to specific pitches, just like instruments in other string families. However, the cello is much larger than either the violin or viola and has a lower pitch range.

The double bass family includes only one instrument: the double bass (sometimes called simply “the bass”). It has four strings that are tuned to specific pitches, just like instruments in other string families; however, it is even larger than either the cello orviola and has an extremely low pitch range.

Woodwind Instruments

Woodwind instruments are a key part of the classical music tradition. The most common woodwind instruments are the flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon. Others include the piccolo, English horn, and bass clarinet.

The flute is a high-pitched instrument that is often used in orchestral music. It has a clear, ringing tone that can be both sweet and plaintive. The oboe is another common orchestral instrument. It has a distinctive, reedy sound that adds richness to the music. The clarinet is a versatile instrument that can be used in a variety of settings. It has a dark, mellow tone that can be both sweet and melancholy. The bassoon is a low-pitched instrument that adds depth and resonance to the music.

The piccolo is a small flute with a high-pitched sound. It is often used in orchestras to add brightness to the music. The English horn is a large oboe with a mellow tone. It is often used in symphonic music to add beauty and elegance to the sound. The bass clarinet is a large clarinet with a deep, rich sound. It is often used in symphonies and other orchestral works to add power and drama to the music.

Brass Instruments

There are eight different brass instruments commonly used in classical music. They include the trumpet, trombone, French horn, tuba, bugle, cornet, serpent and flugelhorn. All brass instruments are made of metal and produce sound when the player vibrates their lips while blowing into the mouthpiece. Brass instruments can be played solo or in groups (such as an orchestra or band) and are used in all genres of music, including classical, jazz and pop.

The trumpet is the highest sounding brass instrument and is often used as a solo instrument. It has a range of about four octaves and can be played very fast. The trombone is a tenor brass instrument with a slide that allows the player to change the length of the tubing. This change in length determines the pitch of the note being played. The French horn is a woodwind instrument that uses a coiled brass tubing instead of wood. It has a mellower sound than other brass instruments and is often used to play solos or provide accompaniment in an orchestra.

The tuba is the lowest sounding brass instrument and is usually only used in symphony orchestras. The bugle is a simple brass instrument that was originally used to signal troops during battle. It has a very limited range but can still be found in some marching bands today. The cornet looks like a small trumpet but has a softer sound. It is commonly used in marching bands and jazz ensembles. The serpent is an unusual looking brass instrument that was popular during the Renaissance period. It has a very low range and can be difficult to play in tune. The flugelhorn is similar to the trumpet but has a wider bore (the inside diameter of the tubing) which gives it a richer sound.

Percussion Instruments

Percussion instruments are vital to any classical music ensemble – they provide the rhythm that drives the music forward and create a sense of energy and excitement. The most common percussion instruments used in classical music are the timpani, xylophone, cymbals, triangle, glockenspiel, snare drum and bass drum.

The timpani are a type of drum that produces a low, deep sound that can be used to create tension and drama in a piece of music. The xylophone is a wooden instrument that produce high-pitched notes and is often used in fast-paced, lively pieces of music. Cymbals are metal plates that are struck together to create a sharp, crashing sound – they are often used for dramatic effect in pieces with a lot of action.

The triangle is a small metal instrument that is struck with a metal rod to create a soft, tinkling sound. It is often used in waltzes and other slow-paced pieces of music. The glockenspiel is similar to the xylophone but produces softer, mellower tones. It is often used in pieces of music with a dreamy or whimsical mood.

The snare drum is a type of drum that produces a sharp, staccato sound – it is often used in military marches and other pieces with a strong sense of purpose or drama. The bass drum is the largest percussion instrument and produces a very low, deep sound that can be used to add weight or power to a piece of music.

The Different Types of Composers of Classical Music

There are a wide variety of composers of classical music, from those who wrote purely for the church to those who wrote for the concert hall. There are also those who wrote for both. The type of composer you are will likely determine the style of music you write.

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer of the Baroque period. He is known for instrumental compositions such as the Brandenburg Concertos and the Goldberg Variations, and 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 (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist, who is arguably the defining figure in the history of Western music.

Beethoven was born in Bonn to a family of musicians. His father, Johann, taught him to play violin and piano, and his grandfather-and godfather- Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven, had been Bonn’s most prosperous and eminent musician. Beethoven’s musical talents were clear from an early age, but his father pushed him hard, leading to conflict between them.

There are only a few certain facts about Beethoven’s childhood. It seems he received systematic musical instruction from an early age from Christian Gottlob Neefe, the newly appointed Court Organist in Bonn. By the age of 10 he had already composed two songs for voice and keyboard, and he also played the violin in public concerts.

Supported financially by some wealthy patrons in Bonn, including Elector Maximilian Franz and Prince Lichnowsky, in 1787 Beethoven travelled to Vienna for the first time, hoping to study with Mozart. Although Mozart was not interested in teaching him, Beethoven was greatly inspired by the city’s music scene and remained there for the rest of his life (apart from a few brief visits to his family in Bonn).

In Vienna, Beethoven quickly established himself as a gifted pianist and composer. He gave regular public concerts, both as a soloist and as an accompanist to singers. He also became well-known for his improvisational skills, something that was much prized at the time. His first published work appeared in 1783: three songs for voice and keyboard.

As Beethoven’s reputation grew, he attracted pupils from all over Europe who came to study with him. Among his most famous pupils were Carl Czerny (1791-1857) and Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838). As well as being a successful teacher, Beethoven continued to compose music for both public concerts and private enjoyment. However, around 1796 he began to lose his hearing, which eventually led to total deafness. This did not stop him from continuing to compose music; he simply found new ways to work around his disability. For example, he would clear a table so that he could see anyone speaking to him; or he would lip-read what they were saying while writing down their words on paper (a skill that many people who are deaf or hard of hearing learn in order to communicate with hearing people).

Despite his deafness, Beethoven continued to give public performances as a pianist until 1811 when he finally gave up due to the pain it caused him (he would stick needles into his leg while performing so that he would feel pain instead of deafness). He also continued composing until his dying days: one of his most famous works – Symphony No 9 – was actually composed after he became completely deaf.

Beethoven died on 26 March 1827 at the age of 56 after suffering from poor health for many years. At the time of his death he was working on a new opera called The Life of Christ – though only sketches survive today. Even though Beethoven did not live to see it finished, The Life of Christ premiered posthumously in 1842 along with some other works that had been left unfinished at the time of his death..

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Perhaps the most popular composer of all time, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1756. He was a member of a very musical family, and his father Leopold was his first teacher. Mozart composed his first piece of music, a minuet, when he was just five years old.

Mozart’s genius was evident from an early age. He travelled around Europe with his father, giving concerts and impressing everyone with his skill. He worked for a while as the court musician for the Archbishop of Salzburg, but he found the job restrictive and moved to Vienna in 1781, where he hoped to find more success.

Mozart did find success in Vienna, but it was not always easy. He worked hard, composing operas, symphonies and concertos, as well as teaching music lessons to support himself. In 1791, he completed one of his most famous works: Symphony No. 40 in G minor. This work is still popular today and is often performed by Orchestras all over the world.

Sadly, Mozart died just a few years later at the age of 35. It is thought that he may have succumbed to kidney failure or rheumatic fever. However, we will never really know what caused his untimely death. What we do know is that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was one of the greatest composers of all time and his music continues to bring joy to people all over the world.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the most popular and well-loved classical composers of all time. His music has been performed and recorded countless times, and his ballet Swan Lake is one of the most iconic pieces of ballet music ever written. Tchaikovsky was born in Russia in 1840, and his music often reflects his Russian heritage. He composed some of his most famous works while living in Moscow, including Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

Conclusion

In conclusion, these are just a few examples of classical music pieces that you can use to get started with your listening. There is a vast and varied repertoire to discover, so don’t be afraid to explore. Who knows, you may find your new favorite composer or genre!