Classical Style Features

Music in Society

·      Composers strove to write music that would appeal simultaneously to amateurs and learned connoisseurs

·      The growing middle class, who had greater access to education, financial stability, and leisure time than ever before, fuelled a demand for public concerts.

·      Composers increasingly broke away from the patronage system to seek their fortune as freelance musicians.

·      The aristocracy and middle class considered training in music an important educational skill.

·      Music making in the home became increasingly important.

Mood and Emotional Expression

·      Classical Music Features fluctuations of mood within a movement.

·      Changes in mood may occur gradually or suddenly, but are always firmly controlled by the composer and typically fall within a tastefully acceptable emotional range.

·      Music was expected to be immediately appealing, pleasing, natural-sounding and tasteful.

Rhythm

·      Numerous rhythmic patterns provide variety and contrast.

·      Unexpected pauses, syncopations and frequent changes between long notes and shorter notes also provide variety and contrast.

·      Rhythmic changes occur suddenly or gradually

Dynamics

·      Dynamics change gradually or suddenly, enabling the expression of highly varied emotional nuances within one movement.

Tone Colour

·      The characteristic sound of and orchestra with four families of instruments of approximately 25 to 60 players gradually became standard.

·      Wind and brass instruments were used in the orchestra to provide contrasts of timbre.

·      The most important form of classical chamber music was the string quartet written for two violins, viola and cello

Melody and Harmony

·      Melodies are tuneful and easily remembered after one or two hearings.

·      Phrases often occur in pairs, with the first phrase ending with an incomplete cadence and the

·      second phrase ending more conclusively.

·      Classical melodies may be broken into fragments or motives that undergo development and  explore different modes.

·      Harmonies and based on the major and minor scales.

·      Dissonance is used to provide contrast, suspense, or excitement.

Texture

·      Texture is predominantly homophonic

·      Fluctuations of texture occur to provide contrast; a piece may shift gradually or suddenly from one texture to another.