c. 1750 - The Baroque Era of J.S. Bach & G.F. Handel comes to an end
c. 1770 - 1800 - The Peak of the Classical Era - Joseph Haydn & W.A. Mozart
(This era is also the height of the Enlightenment.)
Values of Classical Antiquity (Plato, Aristotle, etc.) permeate the era: Reason,
rationality, logic, form, the development of character, and civil responsibility.
Classicists believe in the tempering of the emotions and most Classical art exudes
positive emotions (serenity, happiness, joy, etc.). The music stresses beautiful
melodies, balance, clarity of musical structure, expressive restraint, and good taste -
simple, dignified, elegance is the aesthetic ideal.
1790s → The first Romantic writers and painters in Germany & England.
1795 - Ludwig van Beethoven publishes his first works.
1800 - 1828 - Transition towards Romanticism (Beethoven)
1803 - Hector Berlioz is born in south-east rural France near the Alps.
Values of Romanticism begin to enter music: More focus on darker emotions
(melancholy, grief, anger, confusion, rage, etc.) and individuality. Beethoven creates
1805 - Ludwig van Beethoven, 34, premiers his Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" ("Heroic")
1808 - Beethoven premiers his Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" (Romantics love nature)
1809-11 - Felix Mendelssohn, Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann & Franz Liszt are born.
Movements of instrumental works are all based on only four formats: sonata-form,
ternary (including minuet & scherzo), rondo, and (theme and) variations
1790s → The first Romantic writers and painters in Germany & England.
1795 - Ludwig van Beethoven publishes his first works.
1800 - 1828 - Transition towards Romanticism (Beethoven)
1803 - Hector Berlioz is born in south-east rural France near the Alps.
Values of Romanticism begin to enter music: More focus on darker emotions
(melancholy, grief, anger, confusion, rage, etc.) and individuality. Beethoven creates
more drama using more minor keys, sudden volume changes, and gaps of silence
than did his predecessors. "Heroism" becomes a Romantic value.
But Beethoven retains a lot classicism in his music - he never becomes fully romantic.
1805 - Ludwig van Beethoven, 34, premiers his Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" ("Heroic")
1808 - Beethoven premiers his Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" (Romantics love nature)
1809-11 - Felix Mendelssohn, Frédéric Chopin, Robert Schumann & Franz Liszt are born.
Deaths: Weber: 1826. Beethoven: 1827. Schubert: 1828.
1830 - 1860 - The Early Romantic Era
1830 - Berlioz premiers Symphony fantastique in Paris on Dec. 5
1830 - 1840 - Important Romantic works coming from Berlioz, Mendelssohn,
Chopin, Schumann, & Liszt
Even more Romanticism values: Love, anguish, magic, mystery, otherworldliness,
1830 - 1860 - The Early Romantic Era
1830 - Berlioz premiers Symphony fantastique in Paris on Dec. 5
1830 - 1840 - Important Romantic works coming from Berlioz, Mendelssohn,
Chopin, Schumann, & Liszt
Even more Romanticism values: Love, anguish, magic, mystery, otherworldliness,
the diabolical, death, destiny, eternity