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Period: to
Pietro Metastio
Court poet in Vienna; most important author of librettos; music set to his work 800+ times -
Period: to
Giovanni Battista Sammartini
Invented the symphony in Milan -
Period: to
Farinelli (Carlo Broschi)
One of the most famous castrati -
Period: to
Franz Xavier Richter
Invented the string quartet; important composer at Mannheim -
Period: to
Prince Nikolaus J. Esterhazy
Haydn's patron and employer until 1790 -
Period: to
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Oldest son of JS Bach; composed in Baroque and Classical; associated with Empfindsamkeit or "sentimental" music -
Period: to
Christoph Willibald Gluck
German opera composer; found a balance between music and drama -
Period: to
Johann Stamitz
Helped innovate and establish the symphony of Mannheim -
Period: to
Dr. Charles Burney
Music historian and author who traveled Europe, talked to composers, and wrote about findings -
Period: to
Classical
Melody: melodies were singable and symmetrical, used musical gestures; instrumental music used for expression
Harmony: simple and predictable; harmonic rhythm was slow except for developed sonatas
Texture: homophony was favored; counterpoint used for serious or religious topics
Rhythms: were simple and served the melodic content; used as gestures like dance and fanfares -
Period: to
Classical
Dynamics: important, marked often forte/piano and used for expression; ff and pp not written often, increased closer to the 19th century
Form: sonata form dominated instrumental music; ternary forms (arias) were "modern"; older da capo aria forms considered "serious"
Timbre/orchestration: pianoforte changed and added new color and versatility to chamber and orchestral music
Instruments: clarinet became common, changed sound of ensembles; timpani used sparingly, forte passages -
Period: to
Classical
Music was symmetrical, systematic, restrained and ordered in the Classical era.
Compositions became polythematic.
Sonata form thrived and developed.
Notes were repeated in melodic passages, sudden and occasional rests used for effect in music.
Opera was the main form of public entertainment until instrumental concerts rose in importance starting by 1800. -
Period: to
Classical
Humor was expressed in music by playing on the simple musical expectations. Franz Joseph Haydn did well in this.
Church music, especially arias, resembled secular arias. Castrati performed with great acclaim.
Courts and churches provided steady employment, but composers strove for operatic commission for fame and money. -
Period: to
Rococo
Style that is light, graceful, and ornamented -
Period: to
Franz Joseph Haydn
Important and innovative Austrian composer; helped develop the string quartet; didn't invent but known as the "Father of the String Quartet" -
Period: to
Johann Christian Bach
Son of JS Bach; friend and influence to Mozart -
Period: to
Luigi Boccherini
Prolific Italian composer and cellist -
Period: to
William Billings
Most important American composer; not the best; self taught; hymns and sacred choral music -
Period: to
Lorenzo Da Ponte
Italian librettist and poet; collaborated with Mozart -
Period: to
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
German poet and writer; work set to music; influenced Romanticism -
Period: to
Domenico Cimarosa
Italian composer important to opera -
Period: to
Antonio Salieri
Italian composer; important in transition between galant and classical; then later classical and the romantic; successful -
Period: to
Muzio Clementi
English composer, music publisher, keyboardist, piano manufacturer, and teacher -
Period: to
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
One of the best composers ever; most innovative in opera; child prodigy; prolific and versatile; Austrian -
Period: to
Seven Years' War
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Opera Buffa
Italian comic opera developed and gained popularity -
Period: to
Sturm and Drang
Style that had emotional expression and used minor keys -
Period: to
Industrial Revolution
Mass production of instruments; advances in science, ideas, etc. -
The Boston Massacre
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The Boston Tea Party
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Period: to
American Revolution
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Declaration of Independence
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Mozart composes Don Giovanni
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Period: to
French Revolution