Music. Learn, enjoy, appreciate.

18th century composers believed that music should be understood and appreciated by all, regardless of class or education. It’s little wonder then that the music of this period, composed by such greats as Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, is so popular. This day examines the music of the classical period, its structures and forms, its historical and social context, and its principal composers.

This course is the second of a series of four one-day music courses that will guide you through the main periods of classical music history. Over four Saturdays throughout the year you we will see the progression of music from the richness of the Baroque, through the elegant simplicity of the classical period, the passion and drama of the Romantic period to the mysterious beauty of the Impressionist period.

Outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• list some of the main composers of the Classical period
• list some music from the Classical period
• describe some of the musical characteristics of the Classical period.

Content

This course covers the following topics:

• what is wonderful about music of the Classical period
• classes and classics: origins of the term 'Classical'
• social, cultural and historical background: Europe, 1750-1820
• the art of the Classical period: we look at art and architecture of the times, and see parallel tastes in art and music
• music genres: of the Classical period: the rise of the concert tradition
• the beginn