Classical Period Music Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key composers, characteristics, movement patterns, opera terms, and listening selections of the Classical Period.

Classical Period

A musical period lasting from 1750-1820.

Joseph Haydn

Classical composer (1732-1809), one of the three main composers of the Classical Period.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Classical composer (1756-1791), one of the three main composers of the Classical Period.

Ludwig Beethoven

Classical composer (1770-1827), one of the three main composers of the Classical Period.

Cosmopolitan

A characteristic of Classical musical style that was universal and downplayed national differences into a single period style.

1st Movement (Multi-Movement Instrumental Works)

A movement with a fast tempo that is dramatic and complex, often in Sonata Form.

2nd Movement (Multi-Movement Instrumental Works)

A movement with a slow tempo that is lyrical and feeling.

3rd Movement (Multi-Movement Instrumental Works)

A movement with a dancelike character in triple meter, often in Minuet and Trio Form.

4th Movement (Multi-Movement Instrumental Works)

A movement with a fast tempo that is upbeat and energetic, often in Rondo Form.

Overture

An orchestral piece which opens an opera and sets the overall dramatic mood.

Libretto

Text of an opera.

Aria

Song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment, usually expressing an emotional state.

Recitative

Vocal line in an opera that imitates the rhythms and pitch fluctuations of speech.

Operatic ensemble

A piece sung by three or more solo singers.

Chorus

Group of singers performing together with more than one to a part.

Surprise Symphony (No. 94 in G Major) - 2nd mvt.

A work by Haydn featuring Theme and Variation Form.

Lacrimosa from Requiem Mass in D Minor

A vocal piece composed by Mozart.

Symphony No. 40 in G Minor - 1st mvt.

A work by Mozart featuring Sonata Form.

Don Giovanni - Act 1: Introduction (Notte e giorno faticar)

An operatic work composed by Mozart.

String Quartet in C Minor - 4th mvt.

A work by Beethoven featuring Rondo Form.

Moonlight Sonata - 1st mvt.

A piece composed by Beethoven.

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor - 1st mvt.

A work by Beethoven featuring an adapted Sonata Form.