Music in the Classical era

In music history, the Classical era refers to the period of Western classical music circa 1750–1820. The Classical era was preceded by the Baroque era and was followed by the Romantic era.

The term "classical" refers to both this specific period of time, but is also used to refer to a certain style of European music, possibly including non–Classical-era music.

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• growing middle class fuels demand for public concerts, music education, and accessible music that can appeal to amateurs and connoisseurs. not just the aristocracy.

• freelance musicians breaking from the patronage system. they don't just work for churches or rich people. making livings with public concerts, teaching music, installing instruments, helping with acoustic setups, etc.

• unexpected pauses, very emotive

• expected to be immediately appealing

• repetitive easy to pick up on

• no more basso continuo

• explicit notation becomes way more important

• orchestra becomes much bigger. 25–60 players, instruments usually in pairs. this sorta averages out any bad playing

• classical symphony:

  first movement

  typically fast tempo in sonata form

  second movement

  slow tempo, arbitrary form

• sonata form:

  • exposition

  • development

  • recapitulation