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Metastasio
Pietro Metastasio was a court poet in Vienna. He was the most important writer of libretto's for the 18th century. He wrote 8 oratorios, 27 three-act heroic operas, poems, and several other dramatic works. -
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Sammartini
Giovanni Battista Sammartini was an Italian composer and innovator of the symphony in Milan. He wrote symphonies, concertos, 5 stage works, and much more. -
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Farinelli
Farinelli (Carlo Broschi) was one of the most famous castrati in the 18th century, and was trained by Porpora. -
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Richter
Franz Xaver Richter was a German composer, teacher and singer. He was the innovator of the string quartet, and one of the foremost Mannheim composers. He composed symphonies, string quartets, mass, and sonatas. -
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Bach
Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach was the eldest son of J.S. Bach, and wrote in both the baroque and classical styles. Associated with the "sentimental style", and worked for 30 years in Berlin for Fredrick the Great. He wrote keyboard works, symphonies, hundreds of concertos, and arias. -
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Stamitz
Johann Stamitz was a symphonic innovator in Mannheim. He was a conductor, violinist, and teacher; helped establish the symphonic genre. He wrote 58 symphonies, chamber works, concertos, and sacred vocal works. -
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Classical Era
Melodies in the Classical era were singable and created with symmetrical phrasing. Music became a language of the 18th century. Rhythms were not complex and served the musical content. Harmonies remained predicable and uncomplicated, and homophony was the texture that composers usually stuck too. -
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Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn was a primary Austrian composer who served as an innovator and mover within the classical style. He was a teacher, keyboardist, and violinist. He wrote 106 symphonies, 83 string quartets, 20 operas, choral music, chamber music, and piano works. -
Symphony
A symphony is a three or four movement work for orchestra that Sammartini innovated in the 1730's and 40's. Early symphonies were usually three movements: fast, slow, fast. By the 1770's they were typically four movements. -
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Bach
Johann Christian Bach was a son to J.S. Bach, and also a friend and influence to Mozart. He set up concert series in London. He wrote symphonies, operas, church music, keyboard works, and concertos. -
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Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German poet and writer. He was a literary force behind Romanticism, and composers continue to set his works to music. -
String quartet
String quartet is a multi-movement chamber piece composed for four solo stringed instruments; two violins, a cello, and a viola. It emerged in the Classical era as a style that did not rely on basso continuo to support it. All the instruments were considered equal, like a polite conversation. Haydn made some of the most important contributions to the genre, but first composed by Franz Xaver Richter. -
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Late Enlightenment
Enlightenment period was a period of different thinking then those previously held. It was a philosophical and intellectual movement that took of the way of thinking in Europe. Included the pursuit of happiness, separation of church and state, and liberty -
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Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer, piano maker, and publisher. He wrote in all genres but his best innovations were in opera. To many he represents what Classical music was, and is one of the best musician and composers of all time. -
America declares independence
On July 4th, 1776 America broke political connections with the Kingdom of Great Britain by the signing of the Declaration of Independence and declared themselves their own ruler. -
Patented version of the Piano
A patented version of the piano emerged in England in 1777 -
America becomes independent
In 1783, America and Britain signed the Treaty of Paris stating that America was a free and independent nation.