Baroque period commenced immediately after renaissance from 1600 till 1750. During this period music composers decided to eliminate polyphony and brought back an ancient Greek style known as monody. This style comprised of one melody coupled by necessary compliments. Harmony was thought to be quite relevant and this is why it was developed. Harmony involves combining all the different voices into one common voice.
According to Wakefield music styles were limited to specific geographical locations because traveling and communication was not efficient compared to later days. Italy was the hub of music due to many performances that were held there at the request of pope (200). The Opera which entails integrating written words with dances and other artistic gestures was developed in this period in Italy. There were artists who were dedicated to composing sacred music for the Roman Catholic Church.
However, there are others who specialized in secular music which used to be performed in palaces of the wealthy people. Claudio Monteverdi was one the composers who brought new trends into the opera. Most of the styles were featured in his performances. One of his styles included idiomatic writing which was still present even after this period. Some of the genres that came into being in this era include chorale and sonata among many others.
The classical period begun in 1750 and ended in 1830. The composers avoided the use of various musical instruments in one tone. The music was therefore clearer because the clash of instruments had been eliminated. The composers of this period wrote music that was not complex and heavy like in the baroque period. The music consisted of different keys and melodies which were not lengthy. The piano was used instead of the harpsichord.
This period is accredited to C.E.P. Bach and Gulk because they are the ones who were behind the emergence of this era. The ensemble was also developed in this era. Joseph Haydne was among the renowned composers whose music stood out from the rest. This was because of his creativity in how he developed new styles from existing ones.
To Joseph composing music was a calling and may be this is why the prince was attracted to his works. In this period the composers performed in many places and the compositions were based on piano rather than vocals. In most performances the composers were absent. Estrella explains that music performances became affordable to low income earners unlike before when it was reserved for the rich. This led to the increase in demand for pianos (1).
The Romantic period begun in 1800 and lasted until 1910. In this era, composers integrated early styles into present compositions. The composers experienced a major boost to their role in music due to technological developments which led to the development of an electric keyboard which was easier to use compared to the mechanical one.
Lombardi argues that the developments in industrialization led to the introduction of better instruments. In addition, more people begun to appreciate music and due to this there were many performances whose audience comprised of ordinary people unlike in the other periods where performers only performed to music learners (1). The music of this era placed importance on the lyrics used because that’s what determined the message of the music to the audience.
This is because music had been changed to become a medium for people to express themselves. Franz Schubert emerged as one of the most outstanding composers of this era. This era offered liberalization to composers because they could write their music in languages that suited them such as Borin which was written in Russian. They did this to illustrate the love they had for their countries.
Works Cited
Estrella, Espie.”Music of the Classical Period.” About. 2005. Web.
Lombardi, Esther. ”Romantic Period, Where did it all begin?.” About.com. 2000. Web.
Wakefield, Steve. Carpenter’s Baroque Fiction: Returning Medusa’s gaze. New York: Tamesis Books, 2004.