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Cristofori
(1655–1732) The inventor of the "first" pianoforte in 1700. -
Rameau
(1683-1764) French composer and theorist who attempted to establish rational foundations for harmonic practice. -
Metastasio
(1698-1782) A court poet in Vienna, he was a librettist for opera seria and set the standard for opera in the 1750s. -
Libretto/Libretti
A written story that a composer later sets to music. -
Frederick the Great
(1712-1786) Prussian King and musician who prioritized music and the arts. -
C.P.E Bach
(1714-1788) Eldest son of J.S Bach, he was a primary composer of empfindsamkeit and felt that music was meant to move the emotions. -
Start of the Classical Era
Developed in Italy, starting with opera. Had easier and slower harmonic rhythms and singable melodies. Mainly homophonic and larger forms. -
Rondo Form
Based on the notion of the main refrain that is repeated. Its structure was A B A C A (B A) -
Solo Concerto
The solo concerto was the only one to remain in the Classical era and usually consisted of piano, flute, violins, and cellos. Typically has three movements. -
Haydyn
(1732-1809) Considered the primary mover of the classical era, instrumentally. He lived under the Esterházy court as a composer and servant. -
The Rococo Style
A style considered "over-the-top" with many trills, turns, and grace notes. Very ornamental for the classical period. -
Empfindsamkeit
A style that is simple and expressive of a "natural" feeling. This style was deemed sensitive and went against strict counterpoint. -
Schoebert
(1735–1767) Simulated orchestral effects in harpsichord music. -
Minuet
A dance, subgenre, and form. The overall structure was A B A. -
Rounded Binary Form
A form with two sections, the second section often ends with the return of the first section. (A BA') -
Concerto Form
Combined elements of the Baroque ritornello form and newer sonata form, cadenzas were usually expected at the end of each movement. -
Classical Style
A style expressing restraint, order, reason, and symmetry. Melodic ideas were used as compositional building blocks. -
Melodies
Melodies were shorter or rhythmic fragments, such as motifs. -
The Symphony
Invented by Sammartini in Milan in the 1740s, the symphony usually contained four movements and was a newly popular genre in the Classical era. -
Paisiello
(1740-1816) An Italian composer who wrote 94 operas, spending most of his time in Naples, St. Petersburg. -
Billings
(1746-1800) One of the first American composers who taught himself to compose music. -
Salieri
(1750-1825) One of the most successful court composers in Vienna, composing many operas in numerous languages. -
String Quartet
A type of chamber music that contains four movements following a general outline of a symphony. (two violins, two violas, and a cello) -
M.A Mozart
(1751-1829) Mozart's older sister, who was deemed as equally talented. Was an accomplished female composer. -
Periodic Phrase Structure
Antecedent and consequent units that make a larger whole together. It is symmetrical phrasing. -
Mozart
(1756-1791) Child prodigy when it came to music. He made huge contributions to almost all musical genres and was known for his dramatic content. -
von Paradis
(1759-1824) A female composer who was blind and known for her musical memory and piano/organ skills. -
Melody
Melodies in the Classical era aimed to establish symmetry in musical forms, making periodic phrase structure more preferred. -
Sonata Form
The most used form in the 1770s-1780s, for its symphonic and chamber pieces was very popular. -
Harpsichords Fall in Popularity
Harpsichord popularity began to lower after a more modern version of the piano formed in the 1770s.