Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 MUSIC HISTORY 1

GREATLY responsible for the refinement of SONATA-ALLEGRO form.
Wrote 104 symphonies, 70 string quartets, nearly a dozen operas, 52 piano sonatas, 15 masses, and 2 oratorios.
Befriended Mozart and taught a young Beethoven.
His life and work bridge the entire CLASSICAL period: He began composing around 1750 (before BACH’s death) and
wrote music right up until around 1808 (when BEETHOVEN wrote his 5th Symphony!).

Haydn was born the son of a wheelwright in Rohrau, Austria and sang as a choirboy for nearly 10 years at the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Vienna–for a group later known around the world as the VIENNA BOYS’CHOIR.

He earned a living for nearly a decade as a freelance musician, teaching keyboard, accompanying singers, singing, and playing violin and organ.

In 1761, he became the Kapellmeister (music director) for the court of this man–Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy in Austria.
He composed for an orchestra.
He composed religious music for the chapel.
He composed opera.
ALL under an EXCLUSIVE contract which limited his writing for others and traveling.

01-violin-concerto-in-c-no-1-mvt-1.m4a
Haydn’s Violin Concerto in C (1763) is an example of his music during that period and music composed in a “new, special manner”.

In the 1770’s, his music began to surface all over Europe in PIRATED form.
Haydn ended up spending almost 30 years in the Esterhazy court when the Prince died in 1790.
This gave him the privilege to leave.

Haydn would go on to live in Vienna, Austria
There he would develop a close friendship with Mozart, and be an “unsatisfactory” teacher to Beethoven
He would also visit London, England twice in 1791 and 1794
His last 12 symphonies were composed during these trips and called the LONDON SYMPHONIES
01-symph-no-95-in-cmin-mvt-1.m4a

Honored as a Doctor of music at Oxford University
Haydn garnered much fame a fortune from his trips, playing and conducting for the royal family before returning to Vienna for good in 1795
Before his death, he would write a mass inspired my HANDEL (Mass In D Minor)
And 2 Oratorios: The Creation (1798) and The Seasons (1801)

Mozart’s Requiem was played at Haydn’s funeral
Haydn is called by some the “Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet”

The Classical Period is known as an era of ANTIQUITY. Society returned to ANCIENT GREEK ideals, including simplicity in ART, ARCHITECTURE (seen here), and PHILOSOPHY.

The CLASSICAL PERIOD (1750-1820) encompassed many important events during its time including:

the American Revolution
the French Revolution
the Industrial Revolution
the Discovery of ELECTRICITY
The start of DEMOCRACY
The ENLIGHTENMENT (Age of Reason)

The ENLIGHTENMENT was an intellectual movement during the Classical period that advocated REASON. Developed in France, Britain, and Germany, it’s ideals would go on to influence the Founding Fathers of America.
Major figures from the ENLIGHTENMENT include:
THOMAS JEFFERSON – statesman and philosopher
THOMAS PAINE – author of COMMON SENSE
VOLTAIRE – philosopher
ISSAC NEWTON – scientist

The music of the Classical Period became more accessible and simpler.
Uncomplicated, singable, less ornamented than Baroque.
“Lighter”
More EMOTIONAL than intellectual.
We also see the rise of something not seen before: OPERA BUFFA or “comic opera”.

The opposite of OPERA SERIA, OPERA BUFFA was a MIDDLE CLASS opera full of slapstick, gags, and humor. A good example of this would be Beggar’s Opera by John Gay, and The Marriage Of Figaro and Don Giovanni by Mozart.
Music concerts were now accessible to ALL people, and royal families paid musicians more than ever!

The CLASSICAL period would have a NEW signature instrument:

05-pno-sonata-_pathetique_-mvt-2.m4a

The PIANO was originally called the PIANOFORTE and was invented around 1700.
Took the place of the HARPSICHORD because it was much more DYNAMIC in quality.
It was also played as a matter of REFINEMENT by women!

The CLASSICAL period would also have a geographical center:

Vienna, Austria became the CENTER of this movement, being called the cultural crossroads of Europe.
It was the center of CLASSICAL music, which is often referred to as the Viennese Classical Style.