Intro to the Classical Period of Classical Music

Here's a brief introduction to the Classical Period of classical music. We'll listen to excerpts of some of the best hits of classical music including The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, The Creation, Symphony no 29, Piano concert no 17, and Sonata in C, K545.

Intro (0:00)
Classical Period Music is in every movie and TV show (0:42)
An overview of the Classical Period and year span (2:41)
Historical context for the Classical Period (4:55)
General characteristics of Classical Period music (6:14)
What sort of listener would enjoy Baroque Music? (10:42)
Maybe this music is boring because we're playing it in a boring way? (11:56)

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About me: I am a conductor, published composer, professional singer, sound engineer, and producer based in Los Angeles. I love classical music and want to help as many people as possible learn more about it.

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[KeepitClassical]

This period may be short, but it's incredibly consequential.

[dr.phil.pepper]

Thanks for these great videos. They are so well structured, convey a lot of meaningful context and are still simple enough to keep it comprehensible.

[matthewleary]

Not all young folks spurn the classical period! I've never heard a Mozart piano concerto I didn't like, and I also love his symphonies and Haydn's piano sonatas. There is structure to classical music that is simply beautiful.

In especial, I love Mozart's 25th symphony and Haydn's piano sonata #37 in D.

[loganfruchtman]

Franz Schubert is also a classical era composer

[oeautobody]

So much advancements during this period! I like what your dad said, wants to hum the tune :) fun!

[justins]

I like what you did with the shirts in this series.

[lawrencetaylor]

Rumour has it that you are funded by Big Classical!

[mrcet]

13:00 — Yes, in analogy, if we play Renaissance lute music straight from the tablature, we get nothing at all like what was played in the day! The tablature was largely a template that the performer was expected to improvise upon.

It was not nearly as much so in the Classical period, but there was a lot more … “audience participation” … in the late-1700s than nowadays. If the audience loved a certain aria, they’d “hoot and holler” for her to sing it again, often with more ornamentation and general excitement (more or less the tradition of “da capo aria.”

The idea that music has to be performed identically every time, exactly as noted, is more a product of the Romantic Era.

[stevekudlo]

I think a great intro to the classical period is Beethoven, since he straddles both classical and romantic periods. My introduction to it was his 5th Symphony.

[birdmanben]

I love (hate) how Mozart's Lachrymosa = megalomania to film/TV producers.

[skyrim]

I loved that choral and orchestra piece “And the Spirit of God Moved” (8:50) but I can’t find it anywhere. Do you know where I can listen to the full piece?

[bibekpawn]

13:00 where can i listen to this one?? who played this ??

[guidoroemer]

You didn't tell who played the " bad" and "good" mozart sonata.