About Classical Music Period (in English)

The Classical period in Western music occurred from about 1730 to 1820, despite considerable overlap at both ends with preceding and following periods, as is true for all musical eras. Although the term classical music is used as a blanket term meaning all kinds of music in this tradition, it can also occasionally mean this particular era within that tradition.

The Classical period falls between the Baroque and the Romantic periods. Probably the best known composers from this period are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven, though other notable names include Muzio Clementi, Johann Ladislaus Dussek, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and Christoph Willibald Gluck. Beethoven is also regarded either as a Romantic composer or a composer who was part of the transition to the Romantic; Franz Schubert is also something of a transitional figure. The period is sometimes referred to as Viennese Classic, since Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert all worked at some time in Vienna.

Main characteristics of music in the Classical period:
-Lighter, clearer texture than Baroque music, and less complicated; mainly homophonic – melody above chordal accompaniment (but counterpoint is by no means forgotten, especially later in the period).
-An emphasis on grace and beauty of melody and form; proportion and balance, moderation and control; polished and elegant in character with expressiveness and formal structure held in perfect balance.
-More variety and contrast within a piece: of keys, melodies, rhythms and dynamics (now using crescendo and sforzando); frequent changes of mood and timbre.
-Melodies tend to be shorter than those of Baroque, with clear-cut phrases and clearly marked cadences.
-Orchestra increases in size and range; harpsichord continuo falls out of use; woodwind becomes a self-contained section.
-The harpsichord is replaced by the piano (or fortepiano): early piano music is thinnish in texture, often with Alberti bass accompaniment (Haydn and Mozart), but later becomes richer, more sonorous and powerful (Beethoven).
Importance given to instrumental music – main kinds: sonata, trio, string quartet, symphony, concerto, serenade and divertimento.
-Sonata form develops, and becomes the most important design – used to build up the first movement of most large-scale works, but also other movements, and single pieces (such as overtures).

2007-01-16 19:03:02 補充：
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1. - it occured from about 1730 to 1825 (some people say 1820)
- it took over Barqoue period because the composers started to change their music style so the music became more subtle, delicate, hamonious and balanced.
2. - composers tended to wirte absolute music( no story behind the music)
- sonnata allegro form was invented ( e.g. Sonata in G major etc.)
3. music is balanced, subtle and harmonious
4. Haydn (master piece: The Four Seasons - string quartet) , Mozart ( The Marriage of Figaro - opera) and Beethoven (Pathetique - piano music)
5. Tom Lee
6. Classical music tend to be delicate, subtle, elegant and clear unlike those Barque music which is rigid; Romantic musich which has lots of "up and downs"; 20th centry music which is wierd sometimes ( I meant inharmonic most of the time). That's why you may feel more relaxed! :)
Hope this help ^^