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Classical music is categorized into different time periods where each era has its own distinct style and sound. The symphonic repertoire the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs falls primarily into five periods. These periods are: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century and Modern. Read below to learn:
Baroque (1600-1750, with height of period between 1700-1750)Music from this period was composed primarily for either royalty, courts and private entertaining or for church settings. Pieces are typically characterized as tuneful and ornamental, often lively, with clear harmony and melody and active counterpoint. The music is orderly, and during this period, the sonata and concerto became popular and standardized in form, as did dance music, including the waltz, gavotte, bourrée, minuette and gigue. Typical baroque instrumentation might have included strings in all ranges, harpsichord, voice, and perhaps early flutes, trumpets or horns. Significant events in history during this period include the discovery of gravity, Louis XIV’s rule in France, the Restoration in Europe, the Pilgrims’ landing in Plymouth, MA and the creation of the first U.S. colony and, and the formation of Great Britain. Notable composers of the period include Corelli, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Handel and Bach. Baroque Repertoire programmed during the 2009-2010 Season includes: 1723 - Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
Classical (1740 – 1820)This period reflects a more formal approach to musical style, with emphasis on rigid structure and clarity of the music, with less ornamentation and more distinct harmonic and melodic lines. The symphony itself became the form most associated with this period, gaining popularity through such composers as Haydn, who was primarily a court composer, and Mozart, who brought more music to public attention, hence the rise in popularity of opera, as well as the symphonic form. Instruments were added to the typically all-string orchestras, such as valved brass and keyed woodwinds, and the orchestra’s repertoire grew exponentially. At its height (1780s and ‘90s), the Classical period flourished in Significant events in history during this period include the discovery of electricity, the American Revolution and signing of Declaration of Independence, the French Revolution, Napoleon’s rule and exile, the dissolution of the
Romantic (1820 – early 1900s)The transition from Classical era to Romantic era was gradual, with Beethoven most frequently recognized for bridging the eras. His orchestral work clearly pushed the boundaries of symphonic form with harmony, instrumentation and dynamic range, seeking new ground from that of his earlier work for piano and chamber ensembles, which was cemented firmly in the classical style. The era is defined generally by a more complicated harmonic language and a desire to further develop the symphonic form, which resulted in the popularity of programmatic music (that which tells a story or depicts a scene). The addition of piccolo, trombones, tuba and more percussion to the orchestral language reflects the size and range of the orchestra we are familiar with today. Composers’ roles in society also evolved; rather than being simply employees of a court or church, in this era they became artists, concerned with establishing their own voice through the music they wrote. Late in this era, composers often began to use native folk tunes in their music, creating more nationalistic styles of writing, adding French and Russian to the already-established Italian and German styles. Significant events in history during this period include the creation of the first major
20th Century (1900-2000)This era developed rapidly, and includes many styles of writing. Impressionism found its way into music in the early part of the century, particularly through the works of French composers, such as Debussy and Ravel, and American composers began to develop their own style of writing, often infused with jazz and later, rock and pop. Some European composers took a scientific approach, developing a more theoretical and experimental approach to writing, with increasingly dissonant music often being written. This style evolved quickly to a return to tonality, using the basics of harmony and melody, yet with new techniques and instrumental combinations. Due to advances in technology, the use of electronic and amplified music seeped into orchestral music as well. Significant events in history during this period include the construction of the Panama Canal, the Russian Revolution, first and second World Wars, Korean and Vietnam Wars, birth of rock ‘n’ roll, manned space travel, and the fall of Communism in Europe and Russia. Notable composers of the period include Rachmaninoff, Copland, Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, Bartók, Gershwin and Bernstein. 20th Century Repertoire programmed during the 2009-2010 Season includes:
Modern (2000 – present)Influences beyond Western music are continually being explored and assimilated into music being written today, including instruments, structures, and tonalities of other cultures. Also being blended into the ‘standard’ scoring for orchestras are electronic and pre-recorded sounds, not to mention folk influences from around the world. The exploration of sound and how it is created on instruments is evolving as well, and today’s composers are continually looking to blend their inspirations into new and distinct sound structures and music that keeps evolving with the times. Notable composers of today include Adams, Carter, Danielpour, Higdon, Corigliano, Adès, Golijov and Saariaho. Modern Repertoire programmed during the 2009-2010 Season includes:
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