WAM musical eras

What are the eras in order

Medieval, renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, modern

Medieval year

0 - 1400

Medieval characteristics

Homo or Mono, religious, no fixed metre or rhythm

Renaissance year

1400-1600

Renaissance characteristics

polyphonic, small ensembles, smooth/balanced sound, music played in churches or by travelling musicians

Baroque year

1600 - 1750

baroque characteristics

change volume by + or - instruments, rhythmic unity, polyphonic, trills to embellish, sequences, used mainly 1, 4, 5

Baroque context

instruments easier to purchase and learn, before used to be only played in churches or by travelling musicians, bass improv over chord changes

Baroque forms

suite (for dancing), sonata, concerto grosso, fugue (melody intro and repeated / canon)

Key baroque composers and piece

Johann Sebastian Bach (well temperament tuning), George Friedrich Handel wrote ‘Messiah’

classical time

1750 - 1800’s

classical context

vienna based, wealthy payed composers as well as public concerts

classical characteristics

small orchestra, longer works, clean with bright contrasts (desire for simplicity/predictable), balanced phrases (Q+A each 4 bars), defined form/structure, homophonic, more dynamics, 7 chords and key changes, written out bass

classical forms

symphony + concerto

Key classical composers

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn

Romantic time

1800’s

romantic characteristics

emotional expression, complicated/technically difficult, dynamics and tone changes (mellow/bright), long melodys with unusual leaps and chromaticism show emotional range, complex chords and clashing intervals, frequent key changes, complex rhythm (triplets, syncopation) with flexible tempo (rubato)

Key composers and pieces

Pyotr Tchaikovsky swan lake

Modern time

1900’s

modern characteristics

experimental, wide genre variety, new technology