Music in the Classic Period

Very clear and concise. The book focuses on Haydn y Mozart. Recommended to all classical music fans, and those interested in the historical aspects of Europe's arts, culture, history, and music in the 18th century.

One of the most important things that I almost overlooked was the cultural differences between the classical styles, most notably opera. Operas were best heard and most liked in Italian, but eventually, the Germans started to form their own operatic styles based on folk music and legends. Mozart tried to write French operas but they just didn't ring as well from the established grand operas in Italian. It appears that Italian was the best language for opera.

Also noteworthy was the fact that many of the composers' notes during this time period for their music were written in Italian. So even if you were an amateur musician playing from scores, you would've known a little Italian to play your parts. 

Lastly, it should also be noted that composers, travelers, and merchants were expected to speak multiple languages like French, Italian, and German, it was the norm for composers like Mozart. 

The development from this 'classic period,' from the baroque to sonata form-rondo, to concertos, to symphonies, to chamber music and string quartets, to opera, to sacred music, and finally into the Romantic era of Beethoven is an amazing development in the history of music, culture, and art. The past has greatly influenced the moderns in terms of classical music and beyond, ad infinitum.

New Music IV

     I've been listening to a lot of classical music tonight to calm down. I find the natural sound of acoustic orchestral instruments to be very soothing in comparison to the electronic stuff I've been listening to lately. Right now I'm finishing up listening to Mozart's Symphony number 40 in G minor. Earlier tonight I was talking to a smash bros friend and he was telling me how some player listens to classical music while he plays to calm down. It really does do the trick! Classical music is so good too. The harmonies and melodies just seem to sound mathematically correct (like organized equations), especially this Baroque era stuff. Baroque is music from the 1700s. My favorite classical music has always been the Baroque era stuff. My go to composers are Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Handel, and Beethoven. They just seem to sound 'right', if that makes sense. Their music speaks to me in ways that jazz music doesn't. You can say its the instrumentation, the time that it was composed in, or just the straight up white European aspect of it. This music sounds like Radio Top 40 of the 1700s, its ear candy to me. It has a certain 'catchy-ness' to it and has repeated patterns, much like pop music or electronic music but the form is still complex with unique twists and changes. There was once a time where I left classical music playing in my room all the time, even when I wasn't there. It just sets the tone and atmosphere for me. I've been a hardcore classical listener before, listening to Wagner's Ring Cycle and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Firebird. The whole tradition of this music is fantastic and still going to this day. It's good to hear this music. It truly is Europe's greatest musical tradition. Let me leave you with this tune by Albinoni Adagio in G Minor.  This shred metal guitarist Ywngie Malmsteen does a sick version of this tune with a Fender stratocaster and Marshall stacks. Here, we can enjoy the piece in its original form. Enjoy.