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Musical Periods & Musical Styles
Baroque Period | Classical Period | Romantic Period | Modern Period
A musical period refers to a certain time in history when a certain
kind of
music was played. A musical style refers to certain characteristics in
music that
help us to describe it and place it in a certain category. For
instance, when you
think of music played by a symphony orchestra, you may think of a
certain style
of music. When you think of music played by a marching band, you may
think of another style of music. An interesting thing about musical
periods and styles is the music of a certain period can be taken and
changed to be heard in an entirely different style. As well, music
written in a certain style can be changed to be heard as if it came
from an entirely different musical period.
Musical Periods & Composers
Baroque Period: 1600-1750
Baroque (ba-roke) is a word used to describe a style that followed the
changes in European music between the years 1600 and 1750. The word
baroque means “strange” or “excessive.” Music in the baroque
period was more difficult and
complex than in the music period before the baroque period. The music
had more than one melody that could either harmonize or clash with the
other. Composers used loud, soft, fast and slow tones to make the
listener understand a story or feel certain emotions. At this time
secular (non-church) music was becoming popular and the orchestra and
opera were invented. As you know, an orchestra is a group of
instruments playing together. An opera is a story that is set to music.
George Frideric Handel,
Baroque Period Composer, 1685-1759
 George Friedrich Händel was born in Halle, Germany. But since he
spent most of his professional life in England, he’s better known
as George Frederick Handel.
Even though Handel was very interested in music, his father (who was a
barber and surgeon) was not. There’s a story that Handel smuggled
a clavichord -- a VERY quiet instrument -- into the house so that he
could practice in secret.  Handel’s father insisted that his son
become a lawyer, until the day that Handel sat down at the keyboard and
dazzled a duke. The duke convinced Handel’s father to let his son
study music.
What Handel really loved was opera. At the time, Italy was the place to
learn about that. So Handel went to Italy for four years. After he got
home to Germany, he was hired as court composer to a prince. But he
immediately asked for time off to go to England, where people really
liked Italian opera. (When the English got tired of opera, Handel built
a whole new career for himself composing oratorios.) Through a strange
set of circumstances, Handel’s princely German employer wound up
becoming king of England. When he got to London, he didn’t need
to hire a court composer, because he found his court composer from
Germany – namely Handel – was there!
Classical Period: 1750-1820
The classical period in music history lasted for only 70 years; however
there were many changes during this time. Strict rules were applied to
music composition and the sounds were more balanced and restrained.
Homophony, which is music that has one melody and background music,
became popular. Before the Classical Period, there was more monophony
in music. This means the music had one melody and no background music.
New instruments such as the clarinet, flute and other instruments were
added to the orchestra and new types of songs, or musical compositions,
were created to adapt to the new sounds. Two major composers of the
classical period you may have heard of were Beethoven and Mozart.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,
Classical Period Composer, 1756-1791
 Mozart, born in Salzburg, Austria, was no doubt the greatest child star
that ever lived.  He was traveling all over Europe playing music by the
time he was six. Because of his constant travels, Mozart eventually
learned to speak fifteen different languages.
He wrote his first sonata for the piano when he was four and composed
his first opera when he was twelve! Mozart could compose anywhere
– at meals (he loved liver dumplings and sauerkraut), while
talking to friends, while playing pool and even while his wife was
having a baby. He composed very quickly and wrote huge amounts of
music. It would take over 8 days to play all of his music, one piece
after the next, without stopping. One famous piece that he wrote was
Variations on “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
Ludwig van Beethoven,
Classical Period Composer, 1770-1827
 Beethoven grew up in Bonn, Germany in a very unhappy home. He was forced
to practice the piano by his father, who would punish him mercilessly
when he
made mistakes. By the time he was twelve, he was earning a living for
his family by playing the organ and composing. He was eventually known
as the greatest pianist of his time. One of Beethoven’s favorite
foods was macaroni and cheese. He also loved strong coffee –
exactly 60 coffee beans to one cup.
Although Beethoven gradually lost his hearing, he composed many of the
most famous musical works of all time, such as his ninth symphony,
after he had become totally deaf.
Romantic Period: 1820-1910
Romantic period music reflected the political and social changes that
were taking place all around the world. Composers experimented with
their music and showed much more creativity. Melody became the dominant
feature of the music and was used to express nationalism (loyalty to a
country or group of people). The opera and orchestra continued to be
well-liked and new sounds were added. Virtuosos (very skilled
performers) became very popular. Singers, pianists, and violinists were
the most admired virtuosos of the period. It is said that Franz Liszt,
who was a famous Hungarian composer of this period, played the piano
with so much emotion that women in the audience would faint while
listening to him play.
Edvard Grieg, Romantic
Period Composer, 1843-1907
  Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway. During almost all of
Grieg’s lifetime, his native country, Norway, was struggling to
become an independent nation. Until 1814, Norway was subject to
Denmark; from 1814 until 1905, it was forced into a union with Sweden.
Because Grieg’s music played an important part in giving the
Norwegian people their own identity, he is regarded as a hero in
Norway. Many of his compositions are based on the sound of Norwegian
folk songs. They paint a musical picture of the mountains, forests,
fjords, and streams of this beautiful country.
Modern Period: 1910-Present
The music of the 20th, and now the 21st century, is music that is not
as traditional in sound as the music that was heard in the periods
before the Modern Period. In the early to mid 20th century many new
musical styles such as jazz, rock and roll, and country music were
introduced that became enormously popular. Technology has played a very
important part in the evolution of modern music. New styles of music
were created around instruments such as the electric guitar and
electronic keyboard. The use of computers has also had a huge influence
on musical styles by allowing
composers and musicians to manipulate sounds. Recorded music in every
style has become available to everyone and has made listening to music
more popular than ever.
Igor Stravinsky,
Modern Period Composer, 1882-1971
  Igor Stravinsky was born in Oranienbaum, Russia. In his long life,
Stravinsky saw tremendous changes – and, in his music, he created
great change. Stravinsky’s father, an opera singer, wanted him to
become a lawyer. So
when he went to college he studied law and music at the same time. The
music for the ballet The Firebird made him famous as a composer, and he
gave up law. When his piece The Rite of Spring was first played in
public, it caused a riot -- the audience made so much noise arguing
about the music that the orchestra was drowned out!
Russell Peck,
Modern Period Composer, 1945-
  Russell Peck is a well-known American contributor in the symphony field
to both the classical and educational/ family repertoire. Mr. Peck has
had thousands of performances by hundreds of orchestras in the United
States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Some of the
orchestras that that he has appeared with are the London Symphony,
Montreal Symphony and
the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as regional orchestras
throughout the U.S. He lives in Greensboro, North Carolina.
John Williams,
Modern Period Composer, 1932-
 John Williams was born in 1932 in Long Island, New York, and later
moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1948. He studied composition at
UCLA. After serving in the Air Force, Williams returned to New York to
study piano at the Juilliard School of Music. He worked as a jazz
pianist for a time before moving back to Los Angeles to begin his
career in the film studios. Mr. Williams has composed the music for
close to eighty films and has composed some of the most famous themes
ever written for cinema. Some of these include Jaws, Close Encounters
of the Third Kind, ET - the Extraterrestrial, Jurassic Park, the Star
Wars Pre-episode and Trilogy, the Indiana Jones Trilogy, Home Alone,
and Empire of the Sun. Receiving 38 Academy Award nominations, Williams
has been awarded with five Oscars, four British Academy Awards, sixteen
Grammies and three Golden Globes. He also has several gold and platinum
recordings. His film score for Schindler’s List earned him an
Oscar and a Grammy.
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