Similarities Between the Classical & Baroque Music Styles

Vienna was an important center of classical music during the late 1700s.

The characteristics of music during the baroque era (roughly 1600 to1750) was one of ornate melodies that paralleled the architecture and painting of the period. A major aesthetic shift occurred during the middle of the 18th century which led directly to the classical period of music (roughly 1750 to1820). Although many forms invented during the baroque period remained popular during the classical period, composers modified their style to reflect public taste.

Instrumental Forms

Many instrumental forms, such as the sonata, concerto and symphony, were invented during the baroque era and continued to be used in the classical era. Each of these forms evolved to suit the advances in instrumentation and the concert-going public's taste. For example, a baroque era concerto would usually be performed by several soloists and a small group of string instruments. A concerto composed during the classical era would more likely have a single soloist accompanied by a orchestra consisting of strings, wind and brass.

Vocal Forms

Many of the vocal forms invented during the baroque era continued to be popular during the classical era. These include the predominantly religious oratorio and cantata, as well as the secular opera. As public taste shifted radically during the beginning of the classical period so did the subject matter of vocal music. Oratorios and cantatas continued to be composed during the classical period but much less frequently. The subject of operas during the baroque era was predominantly classical mythology. Operas written during the classical period shifted to realistic contemporary subject matter (especially in the last operas of Mozart), which reflected the ideas of enlightenment.

Style

One of the key characteristics of the baroque period is the use of counterpoint. Counterpoint occurs when two or more melodies occur simultaneously. The art of counterpoint reached its culmination during the late baroque era, especially in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Early classical period composers rejected the use of counterpoint and chose to compose more simple and transparent melodies. However, composers in the later classical period, such as W.A Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, studied counterpoint extensively and used it in many of their mature compositions.

Instrumentation

Prior to the baroque era instrumental music was usually written for unspecified instruments. Ensembles for specific instrumental ensembles developed during the baroque era, and by the beginning of the classical era certain instrumental combinations became standard. During the classical period the string quartet and the sonata for violin and piano were especially popular. Orchestras during the baroque era were dominated by string instruments, but gradually wind and brass instruments were added to the standard orchestra. By the end of the classical era a standard symphony orchestra consisted of strings, brass (usually just trumpets and horns) and wind instruments such as clarinets, oboes and flutes.

References

• Classical Music: "The Era of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven"; Philip G. Downs; 1992
• "Music Society and the Late Baroque Era" George J. Buelo; December 1993