This document discusses vocal music genres of the Classical era. It outlines major choral works like masses and requiems by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Sacred music began moving from churches to concert halls. Opera was a dominant genre performed in opera houses and came in forms like Opera Seria and Comic Opera. Mozart was a master of Classical opera, composing works like Don Giovanni, which featured exciting vocal ensembles. Examples from Don Giovanni are provided for analysis.
1. Vocal Music in the Classical Era
by Elliott Jones
of Santa Ana College
for Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative shared under a Creative
Commons Attribution License
2. Choral Genres
īŽ Mass
īŽ Haydnâs Mass in D Minor (Lord Nelson)
īŽ Mozartâs Mass in C Minor
īŽ Beethovenâs Missa Solemnis
īŽ Requiem
īŽ Mozartâs Requiem
īŽ Oratorio
īŽ Haydnâs The Creation and The Seasons
3. Sacred Concert Music
īŽ Sacred genres such as Mass and Requiem
move from the church to the concert hall
īŽ These forms provided convenient and
familiar frameworks for composition
īŽ Example: Beethovenâs Missa Solemnis was
intended as a concert piece
5. Classical Opera
īŽ Opera houses were center of innovation
īŽ Opera was most important genre
īŽ Opera reached the widest audience
6. Opera Seria
īŽ Dominant form of early Classical period
īŽ Similar to Baroque opera
īŽ Mythological and historical subject matter
īŽ Designed for aristocracy
īŽ Always in Italian
7. Comic Opera
īŽ Eclipsed Opera Seria over time
īŽ More realistic depictions of life
īŽ Sung in language of audience
īŽ Lively, down-to-earth plots
īŽ More ensemble (duets, trios, chorus)
īŽ Farcical situations and humorous dialogue
īŽ New character: the buffo
8. The Buffo
īŽ Comic character
īŽ Spoke to the audience at times
īŽ Often a rather earthy character
īŽ Bass voice
9. Comic Opera Across Europe
īŽ Ballad Opera (England)
īŽ Zingspiel (Germany)
īŽ Opera Comique (France)
īŽ Opera Buffa (Italy)
10. Mozart and Opera
īŽ Mozart was the master of Classical opera
īŽ He had keen theatrical instincts
īŽ Haydnâs operas were largely unsuccessful
īŽ Beethoven only wrote one opera
īŽ Mozart was especially skilled at writing
exciting vocal ensembles
12. Notes on Overture to Don Gio.
īŽ Slow sinister introduction presents music
from the dark ending of the opera
īŽ Change to fast tempo marks beginning of
exposition â two themes
īŽ Recapitulation âfadesâ as music moves
directly into opening vocal ensemble
13. Listening Example
īŽ Title: âNotte e giorno fatticarâ DG
īŽ Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
īŽ Genre: Opera
14. Notes on Notte e giorno fatticar
īŽ Begins with brief aria by Leporello
īŽ Ensemble follows as more characters enter:
īŽ Donna Anna
īŽ Don Giovanni
īŽ Commandant
īŽ No recitative
īŽ Sudden changes of emotion
15. Listening Example
īŽ Title: âLa ci darem la manoâ DG
īŽ Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
īŽ Genre: Opera
16. Notes on La ci darem la mano
īŽ Begins with simple recitative
īŽ Duet follows as Don Giovanni and Zerlina
sing (aria style) to each other
īŽ More consistent emotion
īŽ Very famous duet