The use of the phrase ‘classical music’ did not appear until the early 19th century and it is not referred to English dictionaries until after the period ended. There are various styles of music that exist within the classical music; these include symphonies, opera, choral works and chamber music.
Common with its musical characteristics are the use of dynamics and orchestral colour in a thematic way; the use of rhythm, including periodic structure and harmonic rhythm, to give definition to large-scale forms, along with techniques of modulation to build longer spans of tension and release.
This form of music is often distinguished by its wide use of instruments of varying tones and pitches used to create a deep, rich sound. Classical music was hugely affected by the invention and modification of instruments throughout time. Different combinations of instruments can be used for classical music, composers wrote for different groupings including orchestras, wind ensembles or various combinations of instruments for chamber music. Instruments like the piano, violins, cellos, clarinets and trumpets were used. Singers were also used, which invented its own series of classical music, the Opera. Composers also wrote solo pieces for a specific instrument, accompanied by piano.
Many classical composers viewed the main challenge being to create music that was both intellectually demanding yet retaining an enjoyable emotional listening experience. Many works make use of musical development, the process by which a musical idea is repeated in different contexts or in altered form. Music scholars study this use of form and repetition and seek to unlock the reasons why some composers manage to execute the technique effectively while others simply fall into the trap of further harming their compositions. Some of classical music’s greatest melodies have used the process so well they have remained in the minds of listeners for centuries.
Another identifier of the classical style is the way it is passed on accurately using written music notation rather by oral transmission, which would undoubtedly create numerous variations. This is a very good method of preserving the piece as the written music contains the technical instructions for performing the work.This way the compositions remain accurate to the original composers design. The written score, however, doesn’t usually contain explicit instructions as to how to interpret the piece in terms of production or performance, apart from directions for dynamics, tempo and expression; this is left to the discretion of the performers, who are guided by their personal experience and musical education or the direction of a music director or conductor.
Essential Reference: A list of the most famous classical music composers:
Ludwig Van Beethoven – 1770-1827 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – 1756-1791 Johann Sebastian Bach – 1685-1750 Claude Debussy – 1862-1918 Franz Liszt – 1811-1886Frederic Chopin – 1810-1849 Felix Mendelssohn – 1809-1847 Antonin Dvorak – 1841-1904 Giuseppe Verdi – 1813-1901 Gustav Mahler – 1860-1911 Hector Berlioz – 1803-1869
George Frideric Handel – 1685-1759 Igor Stravinsky – 1882-1971 Robert Schumann – 1810-1856 Antonio Vivaldi – 1678-1741 Richard Strauss – 1864-1949 Serge Prokofiev – 1891-1953 Dmitri Shostakovich – 1906-1975
Bla Bartk – 1881-1945 Anton Bruckner – 1824-1896
To fully understand the various styles of this genre of music, many of these composer’s works should be explored to understand the fullness and variety of the form.
Callum Asterman has written this article to explain the range of classical sheet music and classical music books from Chappell of Bond Street’s online catalogue.