Learn about classical music. Explore the definition, analyze the history of classical music, discover the classical music composers, and view examples.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Classical Music Definition, Composers & Examples
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered classical music?
Classical music is a genre that lasted from about 1750 to 1830, and involves complex musical compositions of many types. It is characterized by elaborate forms, thematic elements, harmonies, and homophonic melodies.
Who are the three famous composers of classical music?
The three most famous classical composers are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven. They composed music around 1750-1830.
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ShowThough oftentimes used to generally describe orchestral music from a few centuries ago, classical music has a specific time period and characteristics that distinguish it from other musical types. Classical music is best defined as European music composed from about 1750 to 1830 that features balance, elegance, and homophonic textures (one main melody accompanied by other harmonic parts).
History of Classical Music
Prior to the classical music period, the Baroque style was prevalent (1600 to 1750). Baroque style is known for dramatic, energetic, contrasting compositions. The most famous composer of that period was Johann Sebastian Bach. After his death, music style transitioned to the classical type and is considered a reaction to Baroque music.
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Three of the most famous classical composers were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Joseph Haydn. Mozart and Haydn were both Austrian, and Beethoven was born in Germany. All three lived in or near Vienna, the capital of Austria, at some point in their lives. Vienna had a robust and active music scene where many composers traveled to nurture their talents and seek out patrons to support their art. Live performances were quite expensive, so typically only the aristocracy could attend concerts. Average citizens might attend cheaper concert halls with less trained musicians, or learn to play instruments themselves and gather with friends and family to play music.
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg, Austria. From a very young age, Mozart had a remarkable talent for music. He wrote his first musical composition at age five. His father Leopold took him and his musically talented sister Maria Anna on a tour around Europe to display their talents and build their reputation as gifted musicians. Once Maria Anna reached a marriageable age, she was no longer allowed to perform.
After traveling for much of his youth, he settled in Vienna at the age of twenty-five. There he met Haydn, another famous classical composer. They became good friends and often performed together. For ten years until his death at 35, Mozart composed pieces considered to be some of the greatest of his time, and are still regarded as such today. Mozart was considered a master of every musical style he attempted, including operas, symphonies, sonatas, and concertos. His works are known for their incredible melodies, patterns, harmonies, and thematic elements. Many are also technically difficult to learn and perform, such as the Queen of the Night aria from his opera The Magic Flute. Mozart's talents are legendary, and while there have been dozens of talented composers before and after him, his mark on the world of music cannot be understated.
Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was born in Rohrau, Austria. Like Mozart, he displayed advanced musical talent at a young age. From around 8 to 17 years old, he performed at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna as a choir member and studied at the choir school. As a young man he wrote his first string quartets under the guidance of other prominent musicians.
Around 1761, Haydn earned the patronage of the Esterhazy family, a noble family known for supporting music in Vienna. Haydn spent the next 30 years serving as musical director for the Esterhazy family who encouraged his creativity and encouraged him to compose many musical pieces. He also met and became good friends with Mozart during his time in Vienna.
Haydn is perhaps best well known as the "father of symphony," for while he did not invent the style, he became its main conductor and established forms that future composers used.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was born in Germany and considered one of the greatest composers of all time. Pressured to be a child prodigy like Mozart around the age of 6, Beethoven had a strained relationship with his father. It was not until he became older than his musical talent flourished when he composed his first piece at age 12. By 1784, Beethoven became the main provider for his family and was made an Assistant Court Organist.
Around 1792, Beethoven began studying piano under Haydn. A few years later, he earned the patronage of many members of the aristocracy and composed dozens of pieces. By around 1801, Beethoven discovered he was gradually losing his hearing. His affected him deeply, and in a letter to a friend he said "If I had any other profession, I might be able to cope with my infirmity; but in my profession it is a terrible handicap." Despite his deafness, Beethoven continued to compose beautiful music pieces. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time.
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Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn all composed music pieces still widely recognized and used today. In the chart below are some of their most famous compositions.
| Mozart | Beethoven | Haydn |
|---|---|---|
| Rondo alla Turca (1783) The Marriage of Figaro (1786) Eine kleine Nachtmusik (1787) The Magic Flute (1791) |
Moonlight Sonata (1801) Symphony No. 3 Eroica (1803) Symphony No. 5 (1808) Fur Elise (1810) |
London Symphonies (1791-95) Symphony No. 103 Drumroll (1795) German National Anthem (1797) The Creation (1798) |
Classical music also is compromised of several forms within the genre. In the chart below are some of those types, brief definitions, example pieces, and their composers.
| Form | Definition | Example pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Opera | Dramatic story told on stage with singers and instruments, decorated sets, and costumes | The Magic Flute (Mozart) Armida (Haydn) Fidelio (Beethoven) |
| Concerto | Composition with a solo instrument versus an orchestra | Various concertos with piano, clarinet, cello, violin, and other instruments (Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn) |
| Symphony | Elaborate musical composition utilizing a full orchestra | "The London Symphonies" (Haydn) Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven) Symphony No. 40 (Mozart) |
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Classical music is a genre written in Europe around 1750 to 1830 that is characterized by its elegance, balance, and homophonic textures. It includes several forms like sonatas, symphonies, and operas. Classical music was quite a contrast and reaction to Baroque music of the previous period, known for its dramatic and energetic compositions.
Three of the most famous classical composers are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven. All three spent many years in Vienna, capital of Austria and the main center of classical music's development. Mozart was a child prodigy who composed his first piece at age five and composed dozens of pieces, including many operas. Haydn was also famous from a young age, starting at eight years old in the St. Stephen's Cathedral choir. Though he did not invent the symphony, he is considered the father of this music form as a master of the style, its main conductor, and influence on future musicians. Beethoven was a true musical genius who, while not famous as a child, wrote many pieces including symphonies and concertos. Even though he gradually went deaf in his twenties, Beethoven never ceased to create music. Some of his best work was written after he lost his hearing. Overall, classical music and the people who created it carry on a legacy that is still listened to, admired, and inspirational to others.
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Video Transcript
Defining Classical Music
Classical music is a tricky genre, mainly because to the uninformed everything before jazz sounds like it! Indeed, Classical music and Baroque music both use orchestras to produce their distinctive sounds, but the way in which each does it is truly different. For example, Baroque music is very heavy, whereas Classical music is light, almost airy.
Indeed, Classical music greatly emphasized homophonic melodies, meaning that there was a single melody that all the instruments played, instead of the layered melodies of the Baroque period. This allowed for Classical pieces to be much more powerful, whereas Baroque pieces were just pretty in comparison.
History and Evolution of Classical Music
Following the death of J.S. Bach in 1750, composers began to rebel against the strict rules of Baroque music. Particularly, they were tired of the overly-intricate stylings of layered melodies that could only display so much technical mastery. In short, the composers knew that their musicians, and themselves, were capable of so much more.
As such, music during this period moved away from the ornate nature of music before, instead searching for clarity. Often, there would be only one melody, and this was played with each instrument contributing its own range and voice to the piece as a whole.
With this newfound clarity came a period of extensive growth for one innovation of Baroque music that the Classicists were loathe to rid themselves of: the opera. Suddenly, with precision of music, the story of the characters could become more pronounced, allowing dramatic interest to be complimented by pointed musical contributions rather than dictated by heavy melodies.
Composers: Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven
Three composers in particular frame Classical music. While they are by no means the only ones of note, these three men not only display the greatest genius of that age but also how composers interconnected with one another, most often in the Austrian capital of Vienna.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart inspired not only musicians to the present day but also composers of his own period. One of the greatest geniuses in musical history, Mozart composed his first work by age 5 and is largely credited with the entire creation of the piano concerto. Among his greatest works are Don Giovanni, Symphony No. 40 and Piano Concerto No. 24. Such a fast-paced career is lucky for music because the composer died at age 35.
Joseph Haydn was a close friend of Mozart, and indeed, many of the latter's works were dedicated to Haydn. However, Haydn was no pushover with regards to talent; he is regarded as the father of modern symphony and is regarded especially highly by fans of string music. This is especially evidenced by one of his greatest works: Cello Concerto in D.
Ludwig Van Beethoven was a generation behind Mozart and Haydn and moved from Bonn to Vienna to study under these masters. While there is no evidence that Beethoven learned from Mozart, he did study extensively under Haydn. The real wonder of Beethoven's career is that while still in his 20s he started to lose his hearing, meaning his later work was composed while he was deaf. That said, his Ninth Symphony, particularly the Ode to Joy, is considered by many to be the greatest piece of music in history.
Lesson Summary
Far from boring, the genre of Classical music broke the restrictions of the Baroque period, lifted opera to new heights and gave the opportunity for some of the greatest musicians of all time, namely Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, to share their work. It was also from this period that Ode to Joy was written, which remains one of the most enduring pieces of music even in culture today.
Classical Music: Study Notes
 |
- Classical music: beginning with the death of J.S. Bach in 1750, classical music searched for clarity, broke the restrictions of the Baroque period, and lifted opera to new heights
- Homophonic melodies: a single melody that all the instruments played, instead of the layered melodies of the Baroque period
- Mozart: composed his first work by age 5 and is largely credited with the creation of the piano concerto
- Don Giovanni, Symphony No. 40 and Piano Concerto No. 24
- Hadyn: regarded as the father of modern symphony
- Cello Concerto in D
- Beethoven: composed a majority of his symphonies while suffering from hearing loss or totally deaf
- Ode to Joy: considered by many to be the greatest piece of music in history
Learning Outcomes
After you've worked through this lesson on classical music, find out how prepared you are to:
- Characterize the genre of classical music
- Detail the history and evolution of classical music
- Name classical composers and recognize their contributions
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