Haydn and Mozart Music Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Haydn and Mozart Music Analysis - Essay Example The choice of music was excellent because it illustrated three types of music genre or form of the Classical era: the Concerto/Sonata, the Symphony and the Overture of a vocal piece. These three forms started in the Baroque as smaller instrumental compositions and still exist today. The forms are concrete. The chamber orchestras are defined. The instruments, which were standardized, were used for for proper orchestration. A perfect example today is the use of the piano in the continuation of Haydn's Il ri In the Classical era, as the chamber orchestra took on a different meaning, strings and wind instruments were considered an ensemble and forms of music were more defined. Wind instruments (oboes and brass) were combined with strings. Strings were defined as violins, violas, cellos, and bass. It is interesting that the Basso was still part of Haydn's repertoire though it was not used by other composers. The bass continuo (harpsichord) was still used by Mozart but less and less. As th e chamber orchestra and musical ensembles were well defined, musical form became clearer. The sonata form of three movements differ from the baroque period where it was a group of diverse movements of music (Grout 385) The Sifonio is a short prelude to a vocal piece of music. It was commonly interchanged with overture. overture. The classic era of music lasted over a period of 70 years. Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were the principal composers. Haydn spending the majority of his life under the patronage of one court, worked as the court composer, conductor, teacher, player and made sure the instruments were in playing condition. Since he was rather isolated, he nothing much to do but to compose music. Mozart started his early adult life under the patronage system and was treated as a servant. When finally got his freedom he was forced into poverty because he could not get any other court work. Beethoven was one composer who made so much money that he was able to tell everyone to go t o the devil. He abhorred being told what to do. The classical era was a period of perfecting instruments, forms of music and making instrument music the most important form of music. The sonata and the sonata form of musical of writing as in the Concerto of Haydn and the Prague Symphony of Mozart were both written in three movements. Beethoven wrote his symphonies with 4 movements towards the end of the 70 years; (1750-1830) (library.thinkquest.org) The most significant form of writing in the Classical Era was the sonata with the three movements. It was a story with a question, an explanation and the answer. Haydn never lived the life of other composers. Whereas Mozart was a child prodigy and had the constant teaching from his father, Haydn was basically self taught and was forced to make a living giving lessons. He was born in 1732 and moved to a church choir until his voice changed. In 1761, he become under the patronage of his first and only patron, the Prince Esterhazy in the Hu ngarian Empire. It is significant because Haydn stayed in his service 30 years which was unheard of. "He was inspired by the isolation of the estate as all he had was his music" (Grout, 484). He was one of the most prolific composers of the classical period. His type of instrumentation had never been done before. The Prince played the baryton, a type of string instrument which doesn't exist today. More than 200 pieces were composed for this instrument in trio form. Mozart spent most of his childhood traveling all over Europe. He would spend up to three