Classical

(1750– 1820 AD)

A.                 Historical Events

1.                  1750 – Benjamin Franklin discovers electricity through lightening

2.                  1765 First Steam Engine

3.                  1773 Boston Tea Party

4.                  1781 Revolutionary War ends

5.                  1803 Louisiana Purchase

B.                 General Facts

1.                  Rise of democracy

2.                  History is officially recorded

3.                  First vaccine is developed

4.                  Discovered oxygen, hydrogen, and electricity

C.                 Music Facts

1.                  Melodies are strong and easy to hum or sing along with

2.                  Piano becomes popular

3.                  Opera was very popular

4.                  Trumpet has keys (valves)

5.                  Austria and Italy become important music centers

6.                  Music is light, elegant, and fun

7.                  Ballet begins and becomes popular

D.                Composers

1.                  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

a.                   child prodigy

b.                  began playing piano at age 3

c.                   began composing at age 4 and touring by age 7

d.                  composed an opera at age 12

e.                   wrote string quartets, 12 operas, and 41 symphonies

f.                    Magic Flute – comic opera

g.                   A Little Night Music – sonata

2.                  Joseph Hayden

a.                   composed 107 symphonies

b.                  Farewell Symphony – at the end, performers leave stage while others continue to play

c.                   Surprise Symphony – wanted to wake everyone up!

3.                  Ludwig van Beethoven

a.                   bridges the gap between Classical and Romantic

E.                 Types of Works

1.                  Opera – comic and serious (full orchestra, choir, solos)

2.                  Sonata – small ensemble with solo instruments

3.                  concerto – full orchestra alternating with solo or small group

4.                  symphony – full orchestra (larger than Baroque)

5.                  string quartet – 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello

 Lesson Ideas

v     Listen to Mozart (Abduction of Sereaglio, Queen of the Night, & Eine Kleine Nacht Musik) and Hayden (Surprise Symphony)

Prehistoric	Medieval	Renaissance
Baroque	Classical	Romantic
	20th Century