The term as applied to music refers to the works of those 18th century composers whose music gives the impression of clarity, repose, balance, lyricism, and restraint of emotional expression.

The 18th century was a time when propriety was the arbiter and "taste" counted above all.

- A shift from traditional Christian theology to a morality based on social equality
- A shift from absolutes in governmental authority to greater independence
and freedom of thought and behavior
- Changes in the nature of patronage, particularly regarding the church and the courts of the aristocracy
- Austria and Germany became centers of vital musical activity
Numerous courts were able to maintain their independence
- In France and England almost all aristocratic life had come under the influence of a central power
- A greater rivalry developed between the aristocratic courts in social and artistic matters
- Enthusiastic patronage resulted from:
Long tradition of instrumental music
An abundance of talent
A natural love of music among all classes
Great artistic ambition
Great aristocratic wealth
- Composers were dependent on aristocratic patronage
- Aristocratic society was very discriminating in its artistic tastes
- A premium was placed on intellectual pursuits
Any reliance on feelings was looked upon with suspicion
- The concert hall and opera house became established institutions
Made it possible for all classes to enjoy the fruits of creative activity
- Publishing houses became well established
Exerted a strong influence on both composers and the public
Championed certain composers, often to the detriment of others
- Decline in patronage of the church toward music
A shallow attitude of the aristocracy did little to maintain religious music
at the level of the Baroque

II.  Function of Music

- Served as entertainment in exclusive aristocratic salons
Highly sophisticated, discriminating audience
- Public concerts reached a larger, but still discriminating, audience
Orchestral music
The elegant spectacle of opera
- Served an important role in the home
Amateur musical performances, both instrumental and vocal
Music for dancing was in popular demand
- The church still expected composers to provide music for its services
Even if it reflected the secular trends

III.  Style and Performance Practice

 
- (see Style Galant; and Empfindsamer stil)

- Formal Organization

The basic form was one in which one melody contrasted with a second in A B A form
Partly in protest against the complications of Baroque polyphony
Partly to create a form that could be grasped and enjoyed by all
Classic music was characterized by a symmetry of form
Precise and clear
Clearly marked by cadences
Balanced phrases and periods
Folk music was gradually introduced into art music
Due to the great diversity of the Classic audience
(see Sonata-Allegro form)


- Melody

Emphasis on lyricism with smooth, melodic contours
Melodies were extended to double phrases and more
in contrast to the generally short, cryptic melodic devices of earlier music
Written ornaments became a part of the lyric melody
Sequential patterns were formalized (to the extent of becoming cliché)
(see Mannheim School)
Chordal structure was often the basis for melodic configurations


- Rhythm

Classic composers most often wrote simple and constant rhythmic patterns
clearly punctuated by rhythmic cadences
There is a tendency toward uniformity among rhythmic patterns
An important formal device of this era was Alberti Bass
Silence became an expressive rhythmic factor
Used to heighten the impact of cadences
The tempo of sections or movements tended to remain constant from beginning to end


- Harmony

Relatively simple
Utilizing primary chords, their inversions, and various seventh chords
Tonal
Slow harmonic rhythms that are subordinate to the melody
Predominately homophonic
Bass no longer served a melodic function (as in Baroque)
The practice of Basso continuowas discontinued
Formal key relationships among themes and among movements
(see Sonata-Allegro form)
In general, all movements are in the same key
With the exception of the second movement which is in the subdominant,
dominant or relative minor


- Texture

Classic music is essentially homophonic
with lyric melody predominating
Even when polyphonic texture is present, there is a clarity and transparency of line
In orchestral music, this clarity of texture is emphasized by means of
contrasting tonal coloring


- Instrumentation and Tone Color

The most popular means of musical expression in the Classic period was instrumental
Orchestra
Consisted of a string ensemble of approximately twenty-six, with pairs of wind instruments (flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets), and timpani, at the discretion of the composer
Chamber music
Both strings and winds
Music for solo instruments
The use of the harpsichord diminished significantly toward the end of the 18th century
The lute and harpsichord, popular during the Renaissance andBaroque were
superceded by the piano in the late 18th century
Some of the finest music of the Classic era was chamber music
String quartet, piano quintet, trios, or solo sonatas
Apart from opera, vocal music was of minor importance
Remained in the form of religious music, folk songs, and Lied
Opera was in great demand


- Performance Practice

Dynamic markings became commonplace
Important means of achieving contrast
Crescendos and diminuendos
Sudden, dramatic dynamic changes
Instead of sonority contrasts as in the Baroque
Composers wrote very explicit directions in dynamics, tempi, phrasing,
and all other interpretive matters
Although ornaments were not always written out, there was a precise formula for each
Composers wrote for specific instruments and combinations of instruments
Several composers were excellent performers or conductors, along with their creative efforts

IV.  Music for Voices

 
Single-Movement Forms and Compositional Devices
Recitative
Aria
Choruses and Ensembles
Vocal polyphony
Lied


Composite Forms

Opera
Oratorio
Mass

V.  Music for Instruments

 
Single-Movement Forms and Structural Devices
Sonata-Allegro Form
Rondo
Variation
Three-Part Song Form
Minuet and Trio
Overture
Polyphonic Instrumental Music


Composite Forms

Sonata
Symphony
Concerto
Chamber Music
Serenades, Divertimenti, Cassations, Notturni

VI.  Composers

Giovanni Sammartini
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach
Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz
Franz Joseph Haydn
Johann Christian Bach
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Ludwig van Beethoven

VII. Historians, Theorists

Because Classicism was concerned mainly with form, there was little philosophizing about music.  Most of the writers sought to formalize musical performance and consequently gave detailed instructions as to how to play instruments and interpret the various devices of musical practice.
 
Johann Joachim Quantz
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach
Leopold Mozart
Charles Burney