What are the main characteristics of Baroque, Classical and Romantic music?

Baroque- contrapuntal, lots of ornamentation, harpsichord used, Classical- bigger orchestra and piano used, very strict time with generally gradual changes in tempo/dynamics and that kinda thing, it always sounds very homophonic and this is the main difference between classical and romantic Romantic- bigger orchestra , swells in dynamics, thick timbre(texture) polyphonic textures Baroque- Most of Baroque music has dynamic of Piano to Forte. It had more of polyphonic texture. The rhythms and melodies are repeated through out. Baroque music contains more of "plain" type of music. It wasn't dramatic as Romantic Era Music. "Air on the G String" is example of Baroque and most of the rhythms and melodies are repeated and it is played in polyphonic texture. Classical- One of the famous composers of Classical is of course Mozart. If you ever listen to mozart's piece, it is played very happily. Nothing dark or dramatic. Romantic- It was very dramatic. They tried to express the moods throughout music. There were more suites, movements, and compound moods. There were wide dynamic ranges and more styles. Styles, what I mean is it had more slurs, marccato, sticcato, and etc. They also had more phrase to a note. And it was played in homophonic texture. Listen to Bach and Vivaldi on Spotify - this is Baroque Listen to Mozart and Haydn on Spotify - this is Classical Anything else is Romantic Baroque: the time span is generally accepted to be from 1600-1750. Opera was conceived during the early part of this period, and many early Baroque composers began to discuss a new perspective on the role of text and voice in composition. Early Baroque opera composers include Peri and Monteverdi, both Italian. Forms such as the fugue arose during the 1600s. Many instrumental works were derived from traditional dances of the time (a suite is a collection of dances). A significant difference between Renaissance and Baroque styles were the virtuosity and ornamentation of Baroque compositions (could be paralleled with a similar trend in painting and architecture).

Later Baroque composers included Bach, Vivaldi, and Telemann. By the end of the Baroque period (concurrent with Bach's death in 1750), a harmonic language very different than that of the Renaissance had formed. For more specific theoretical information, look up Rameau's 1722 treatise on harmony. The evolution of a two-mode harmonic system (major and minor) happened during the Baroque period. Classical: The classical period is considered to be from about 1730 (of course, there's a little overlap) to 1820. To provide some perspective, Beethoven died in 1827 (although he dabbled in an early Romantic style). The classical period is characterized by larger harmonic structures and simpler, more symmetrical musical phrases (a phrase is like a clause or sentence in language). This period coincides with the period of enlightenment philosophy. Some key composers include Mozart and Haydn. Romantic: This period lasted for most of the 19th and into the 20th century. This period is hardest to define with specific musical terms, although near the end of the 19th century there was quite an increase of chromaticism. "Romantic" does not imply romantic love, but the music tends to be more expressive and emotional. With composers such as Liszt, public appreciation for virtuosity increased. Many composers and performers were given the same treatment we give our rock stars today. Romantic composers include Schumann, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Chopin, Strauss, and Tchaikovsky.

How to Identify Classical Music

The violin was a major element of classical music

Although the term classical music generically to describes any orchestral or chamber music, the term classical actually applies to a specific period of music that falls between the Baroque and Romantic periods. The Classical period ranges from 1750 to 1820 and features several distinct elements that can help identify the music composed during, or based upon this period. 1. Step 1

Relax and listen to the piece you want to identify. Listen first for the overall mood of the song. Classical music contains shifts in mood between movements and often within the same movement. These shifts in mood often prove sudden or gradual, ranging from powerful surges in the attack of the instruments to drops in volume that make the music almost hard to hear. A constant shift between cheerfulness or sadness often occur during classical pieces. 2. Step 2 Listen for emphasis on piano and strong rhythmic changes. Classical music moves freely between different rhythms and features syncopation, staccato and even drawn out pauses for emphasis. 3. Step 3 Note whether or not the music is homophonic. Much of classical music consists of a single recognizable melody with accompaniment, often played by strings or wind instruments. Classical music has a more popular melodic approach than Baroque and includes composers such as Mozart and Beethoven. 4. Step 4 Listen for the absence of the harpsichord, which was replaced by the piano during the classical period. If you can look at sheet music, you'll see the absence of figured bass lines, due to composers of the period writing the accompaniments in full. Note how the music of the Romantic period breaks the conventions of the classical period by introducing large ensembles and highly charged emotional music. Beethoven provides an example of a Romantic period composer. He began at the end of the classical period and became one of the pioneers of the Romantic period. Note also the increased use of dissonance and more harmonic experimentation during the Romantic period than in either the Baroque or Classical periods.

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