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Classical music has been a part of the moviegoing experience for more than a century. From film scores to film-related concerts, countless moviegoers have enjoyed the experience of seeing their favorite films featuring live orchestral accompaniment.
what is classical music?
Classical music is a term that most commonly refers to the formal musical tradition of the Western world, consisting of compositions written by Western European composers in the Ancient Greek and Roman traditions during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, or in the Western European Classical tradition during the 17th to the 20th centuries, for orchestras, solo instruments, singing, opera, ballet, musical theatre, electronic music and more recently, popular music. The term often refers to the music itself (in the context of popular music, this term is usually understood to refer to either classical or art music, which is distinct in their respective institutional structures and practices.
Classical music genres
The Music Genres List site covers many of the most popular styles of classical music,we hope it becomes the go-to authority for all types of classic music. If you feel that our list is incomplete, please let us know and we’ll add it to the site in a timely manner!
Avant Garde Music
avant-garde classical music is about enjoying the experience of music. To understand the experience of the music you need the right combination of music, instrument, and venue. If you get any one of these elements wrong then you probably won’t get the full experience of the music.
Baroque Music
Baroque music is a form of classical music that was popular during the 17th and 18th centuries. For a lot of people, this music can be a bit of a challenge to get into because of the slow pace and the sound which is a lot different from other kinds of classical music.
Chamber Music
Chamber music is one of the most beautiful forms of music that is still practiced in the 21st century. Chamber music is a form of music that involves a small number of instruments.
These instruments usually play together and the music is written and performed for a small number of instruments and not a symphony orchestra. This blog is going to look at chamber music and what the best chamber music instruments are.
Chant Music
Chant music is a new genre of music that is spreading all over the world. It is a style of music that has been created using chants. It is currently popular in the United Kingdom and is quickly growing in popularity in the United States and other regions.
Choral Music
Choral music originates from Greece and Rome, where the chorus consisted of a number of singers that would sing a lyric by a soloist or small group. Choral music is distinct because of the harmony created by the group of individuals singing together, as well as the different vocal techniques that are used. The different vocal techniques that are used are called “parts”.
Consisting of a few lines of lyrics and a basic selection of notes, a song can be used to help a church audience remember a message, a choir member improve their own life, or a parishioner gain a perspective on a problem.
Classical Crossover
Classical crossover music is not about blending the music of classical and pop genres. It’s about creating music that appeals to both classical and pop music lovers. Classical music has the potential to be more popular than it already is if musicians could learn how to play classical music in a manner that would appeal to people of all ages.
Early Music
The Western Music tradition maybe some of the most familiar to the modern ear but it is actually very recent. Early Music such as Gregorian Chant and much of the Baroque and Classical Music was not composed to be heard in the way we hear it today.
High Classical
High Classical music is a class of music that can range from minimalist to complex. I will be going over the different types of music that fall into the High Classical music category and how this music affects us as a whole.
Impressionist Music
Impressionist music is music that is characterized by multiple, fragmented impressions. They are not defined by harmony or speech-like melodies, but by unique textures. Impressionist music can be created with a wide variety of traditional instruments but is most often associated with the piano.
Impressionist music was the first form of music that was created that wasn’t based on an actual song or piece of music. The music they created was more about how it made you feel, rather than following the traditional rules of music.
Medieval Music
The medieval period of music is thought to have started around the 14 th century. There were three main periods of music which are ‘ Ars antiqua’ (1300-1400) ‘ Ars Nova’ (1400-1450) and ‘ Ars Subtilior’ (1450-1500).
Minimalism Music
Minimalism is an approach in many areas of music theory, composition, and performance) that emphasizes simplicity. Minimalist pieces are often quite short, employ open-ended forms, harmonic grids, repetition of minimal motifs, and can often feature percussion instruments or extended techniques.
Minimalist music was originally championed by American composers of the mid-to-late 20th century, including La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass.
Modern Composition Music
Music has always had an important role in human culture, but in modern times it has taken on the role of an art form. The modern music composition industry is on the rise, but there are some barriers preventing its further development.
There are different modern composition music. Modern composition music is a piece of western music that uses technology with respect to musical instruments. It’s called as modern as it’s a modern version of music which has been created with the help of technology. People use modern composition music to increase their productivity. They can play this music in the background while they are working on any project.
Opera Music
Opera music comes with a certain sense of grandeur. It is set in such a way that can bring out the best in the singers. It is also a very diverse form of music. You can find opera in many different languages and many different cultures.
Opera music is a complex form of music that can leave a lot of people baffled. But it is a form of music which has a lot of history and a lot of art behind it. we will look at the history of Opera music and then look at some of the amazing pieces of music that have been written in the form of operas.
Orchestral Music
Orchestral music is one of the oldest music forms in the world. It has come a long way since its birth. Today it has evolved into a musical instrument that has its own place amongst many other instruments.
There are many different types of music. Some are good, some are bad. Orchestral music is a great kind of music. It has a magical appeal to it. Often people get lost in the music and think of the great composers. But the composition isn’t just about music, it’s about the art of music. It can’t be stressed enough that orchestral music is great in itself.
Renaissance Music
Renaissance music arose at the end of the Middle Ages in Europe. It marked the beginning of the period known as the “early modern” or “modern” era. The music of the period is most sacred, in the form of choral music, with instrumental accompaniment, following the tradition of the Church.
Romantic Music
Music has always been a very strong emotional trigger. Music can make us laugh, make us cry, make us think, make us angry.
Romantic music is a collection of music based around the theme of love. Romantic music has been written about love since the days of ancient Greece, but it has also been used to accompany many other romantic endeavors.
Wedding Music
A wedding is the most important day of your life. It’s the day that your family and friends will celebrate you and your new spouse for eternity.
Wedding music can be a touchy subject. There are a lot of people who feel that the music is a very important part of the wedding and a lot of people who feel that it is just a background element of a wedding.
Structure and Characteristics of Classical Music
Periods of Classical Music history
Classical music comprises three distinct historical periods. The Early period includes the Medieval era (550-1400) and the Renaissance era (1400-1600). The Common Practice period contains the Baroque era (1600-1750), the Classical era (1750-1820), and the Romantic era (1810-1910).
Medieval era (550-1400)
Instruments used during the Medieval Era started with early versions of the flute and violin. They were made to be played in spiritual ceremonies that helped establish religious norms across Europe.
Instruments like these were made through experimentation done by skilled craftsmen who worked using their hands rather than complex machinery like today’s instruments. Wind, string, percussion, and brass instruments came into play later on during this era, along with bass-like drums that could stand at the bottom of a church tower so their sound could carry throughout the building without having to call upon other musicians to play them.
Renaissance era (1400-1600)
The Renaissance era encompasses Western music history from 1400 to the beginning of the 1600’s. This period in a time marked the rebirth of humanism, and the revival of cultural achievements for their own sake in all forms of art, including music. The word “Renaissance” in itself is defined as a “rebirth” or a “reconstruction”.
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The distinctive musical sounds of the Renaissance era were comprised of a smooth, imitative, polyphonic style, as seen in the music of Byrd, Palestrina, and Lassus. While sacred music remained of great importance, secular music was starting to become increasingly common. Therefore, the polyphonic style was not only used in sacred music, but also in secularmadrigals .
The repertoire of instrumental music also began to grow considerably. New instruments were invented, including two keyboard instruments called the clavichord and virginal. In addition, many existing instruments were enhanced. The lute became the favored instrument of the time period, and it was established as the standard instrument for family music-making during the 16th century.
Masses and motets were the primary forms of sacred vocal polyphony. These were accompanied by the lute or a small instrumental ensemble or consort. Secular vocal forms included motets, madrigals, and songs, while instrumental pieces were usually short polyphonic works or music for dancing.
Renaissance polyphony was harmonious when compared with the Medieval style. Imitation was a method that composers used to make elaborate music more coherent and to give the listener a sense of arrangement. Imitation, where one melodic line shares, or “imitates,” the same musical theme as a previous melodic line became an important polyphonic technique. Imitative polyphony can be easily heard in the music of Byrd, Gibbons, and Gabrieli. Additionally, the masses and motets of composers such as Josquin also displayed the imitative polyphonic style. Imitative polyphony was so important that it continued into the Baroque period, especially in sacred music for the church.
Baroque era (1600-1750)
The term Baroque era describes the style or period of European music between the years of 1600 and 1750. The term Baroque was derived from a Portuguese word meaning “a pearl of irregular shape.” The word Baroque was initially used to imply strangeness, abnormality, and extravagance, applying more to art than music. It is only in the 20th century that this term has been employed to refer to a period in music history.
When compared with its predecessors, Baroque music can be seen as being highly ornate, lavishly texturized, and intense. The music of this time period was characterized by richcounterpoint and a highly decorated melodic line. The music of this period has a number of defining characteristics including the use of the basso continuo and the belief in the doctrine of the affections. The doctrine of affections allowed composers to express emotions and feelings in their compositions. Another distinguishing characteristic of the Baroque era was the emphasis on the contrast of volume, texture, and pace in the music, as compared to the music of the late Renaissance which did not concentrate on these elements. In addition, Baroque music broke away from the harshness of the Medieval and early Renaissance styles with a new emphasis on the use of vocal and instrumental color. Secular types of music were now in abundance and used as widely as those of the liturgical musical styles. Imitative polyphony (more than one line of music) still was an extremely important factor in writing and playing music, while the homophonic method (a musical technique that displays a vast separation amongst the melody line and the accompaniment) was gaining acceptance and use quite rapidly. This homophonic style eventually became dominant in instrumental forms of music as well. Musical works containing a continuo part in which a keyboard (usually an organ or harpsichord) and a bass instrument (usually a bassoon or a cello) helped to convey the harmonic support of chords under the melodic lines.
Although homophonic music was becoming increasingly popular during this time in music history, new forms of polyphonic music were also developing simultaneously. Similar to composers during the Renaissance, composers during this period felt that the art of counterpoint was essential to their artistry. Two extremely strict forms of imitative polyphony, cannons, and fugues, were very popular at the time of the Baroque era. To prove their very expertise, composers were sometimes expected to improvise complex fugues at a moment’s notice.
It is also important to note that opera and the orchestra were both conceived during the Baroque era as well. Around 1600, opera came about because Italian intellectuals wanted to recapture the spirit of ancient Greek drama in which music played a key role. Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo (1607), was the first great opera. The homophonic musical style played a significant role in opera and solo vocal music because it focused the listener’s concentration on the poetic melody of the singer.
During the beginning of the Baroque period, as a companion for operatic and vocal music, the orchestra evolved. By the mid-1600s the orchestra was growing into its own entity and the concerto was one of the most popular forms of music performed. The concerto featured a solo instrumentalist, or small ensemble of soloists, playing in opposition to the orchestra, thus creating an interesting contrast of texture and volume. In addition, during the Baroque period, composers began exploring music’s ability to express the human spirit and to depict natural phenomena. Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons was the most famous set of concertos that typified this.
Classical era (1750-1820)
Although the Classical Era lasted for only 70 years, there was a substantial change in the music that was being produced. Classical music placed greater stress on the clarity with regard to melodic expression and instrumental color. Although opera and vocal music (both sacred and secular) were still being written, orchestral literature was performed on a much broader basis. The orchestra gained more color and flexibility as clarinets, flutes, oboes, and bassoons became permanent members of the orchestra.
The classical style was dominated by homophony, which consisted of a single melodic line and an accompaniment. New forms of composition were developed to adapt to this style. The most important of these forms was the sonata which was in instrumental music. This form continued to change and evolve throughout the classical period, and it is important to note that the classical sonata was very different from the sonatas written by Baroque composers.
The early 1700s reflected a musical style known as Rococo. This style served as a transition from the Baroque to the Classical Era. Rococo, which developed in France, is actually an art term that described a new art style that was both light and embellished. Musically speaking, it is referred to as style Galant. In Germany, after 1750, the style galant became empfindsamer stil. With this change in name came an added element of expressiveness and sentimentality.
As classical music evolved, distinctive characteristics developed. Changes in form were seen along with changes in phrase structure. Shorter phrases and well-defined cadences became more prevalent. During this time period, a favorite accompaniment pattern was the Alberti bass (the name for Dominico Alberti), which featured a broken chord progression.
The melodies of the Classical era were more compact and diatonic. Harmony was less structured. It used tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords. In addition, during this period, diatonic harmony was more common than chromatic. Composers mainly used chords in triadic form and occasionally used seventh chords in their compositions.
The four major composers of the Classical era were Haydn, Mozart, Gluck, and Beethoven. These composers wrote extensively for vocal and instrumental mediums.
Romantic era (1810-1910).
The Romantic era was a period of great change and emancipation. While the Classical era had strict laws of balance and restraint, the Romantic era moved away from that by allowing artistic freedom, experimentation, and creativity. The music of this time period was very expressive, and melody became the dominant feature. Composers even used this expressive means to display nationalism. This became a driving force in the late Romantic period, as composers used elements of folk music to express their cultural identity.
As in any time of change, new musical techniques came about to fit in with the current trends. Composers began to experiment with the length of compositions, new harmonies, and tonal relationships. Additionally, there was the increased use of dissonance and extended use of chromaticism. Another important feature of Romantic music was the use of color. While new instruments were constantly being added to the orchestra, composers also tried to get new or different sounds out of the instruments already in use.
One of the new forms was the symphonic poem, which was an orchestral work that portrayed a story or had some kind of literary or artistic background to it. Another was the art song , which was a vocal musical work with tremendous emphasis placed on the text or the symbolical meanings of words within the text. Likewise, opera became increasingly popular, as it continued to musically tell a story and to express the issues of the day. Some of the themes that composers wrote about were the escape from political oppression, the fates of national or religious groups, and the events which were taking place in far-off settings or exotic climates. This allowed an element of fantasy to be used by composers.
During the Romantic period, the virtuoso began to be focused. Exceptionally gifted performers – pianists, violinists, and singers — became enormously popular. Liszt, the great Hungarian pianist/composer, reportedly played with such passion and intensity that women in the audience would faint. Most composers were also virtuoso performers; it was inevitable that the music they wrote would be extremely challenging to play.