Classical Concerto
A classical concerto is a three-movement work for an instrumental soloists and orchestra. It combines the soloists's virtuosity and interpretive abilities with the orchestra's wide range of tone color and dynamics. Emerging from this encounter is a contrast of ideas and sound that is dramatic and satisfying. The soloists is very much the star, and all of his or her musical talents are neede in this challenging dialogue. The classical love of balance can be seen in the concerto, for soloists and orchestra are equally important. Between them, there's an interplay of melodic lines and a spisirit of give-and-take. One moment the soloists plays the melody while the orchestra accompanies. Then the woodwinds may unfold the main theme against rippling arpeggios(broken chords) played by the soloists. Like symphonies, concertos can last anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes. But instead of the symphony's four movement, a classical concerto has three:1)fast, 2)slow and 3)fast. A concerto has no minuet or scherzo. In the classical era, the soloists, who was often the composer, generally improvised the cadenzas. In this case, the score contained only the fermata, indicating where the cadenza should be inserted. But after the eighteenth century, the art of improvisation declined, and composers began to write their compositions. Today, performers of eighteenth-century concertos may have a choice of cadenzas. For some concertos, composers wrote cadenzas for their own performance or for that of a student. Also, many nineteenth-and twentieth-century musicians later provided cadenzas for classical concertos.
Classical Chamber Music
Classical chamber music is designed for the intimate setting of a room(chamber) in a home or palace, rather than for a public concert hall. It is performed by a small group of two to nine musicians, with one player to a part. Chamber music is lighter in sound than classical orchestral music. During the classical period, it was fashionable for an aristrocrat or a member of the well-to-do middle class to play chamber music with friends and to hire professional musicians to entertain guests after dinner. Chamber music is subtle and intimate, intended to please the performer as much as the listener. A chamber music group is a team. Each member is essential, and each may have an important share of the thematic material. Therefore much give-and-take is called for among the instruments. Classical chamber music does not need a conductor; instead, each musician must be sensitive to what goes on and coordinate dynamics and phrasing with the other musicians. In this respect, a chamber ensemble is like a small jazz group.
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Music composed during Classical Period has their own uniqueness.
Thus my favorite composers here are Beethoven and Haydn.
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