An Essential Era of Music

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From the string quartet, to the modernization of the symphony, there are many different innovations that we owe to the Classical Period of music, which started in 1775 and ended in 1825. Although it was based on the humanistic principles of the Age of Enlightenment, it would still ultimately produce such amazing innovations as adding the choir to symphony pieces, and other advancements. Finally, it produced such amazing artists such as Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven, whose music is today revered and enjoyed all over the world. The Classical era in the history of classical music lasted from approximately 1775-1825. This title was given because during this era, many people were reading the classical works from Greco-Roman culture, such as books by Plato or Aristotle (Kansas University). Historically, much upheaval was occurring in the world: the Age of Enlightenment was in full force, resulting in philosophers such as Rousseau and Voltaire, whose literature focused on the common man. As a result, public concerts became more common, as people began to feel that music was for every man (Kansas University). Going back into history, the major influences of the Classical period’s style were Johann Sebastian Bach’s two sons Carl Bach and Johann Christian Bach (1714-1788 & 1735-1782 respectively) (Sherrane). Both of these men had the more reserved style of the Classical era before it even began, and they influenced three of the biggest names of this era: Beethoven, Haydn, and Mozart. Johann personally met Mozart in London, and greatly influenced his concertos for piano. Meanwhile, Haydn and Beethoven were both influenced by the sonatas of Carl Bach. All three of these musicians, at some point in their life, studied in the city of... ... middle of paper ... ...ions as the modern string quartet, or the standardized mode of the symphony instantly recognized today? Where would the world be without the innovations of Haydn or the towering, monstrously expressive emotion of Beethoven? These musicians have left a lasting impact on our world and culture, giving us compositions that are almost instantly recognizable today. In conclusion, studying the Classical era of music makes one realize that it was a most essential era in developing music to the form it has today. Works Cited The Classical Period (1775-1825). Kansas University. Web. 31 Jan. 2014. Classical Chamber Music. Oracle Education Foundation Thinkquest, 1999. Web. 31 Jan. 2014. Pogue, David & Speck, Scott. Classical Music for Dummies. New York; Hungry Minds, 1997. Sherrane, Robert. Music History 102: The Classical or Viennese Period. ipl2, 2008. Web. 29 Jan. 2014.

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