Classical MusicThe Classic era lasted from 1750-1825. Music of this period is characterized by clarity, balance, and restraint. The composers tried to create music with a universal appeal that was not mentally taxing to listeners. Form increasingly gained importance, and melodies were often based on folk songs or folk dance rhythms. Symmetry of phrases and a variety of rhythms that lead into one another is typical of Classical Music. Instrumental color became more important. Harmony, rhythm, and melody were equally important. The principle genres were the symphony, sonata, solo concerto, chamber music, and opera. Sonatas were composed most often. Additional instruments began to be added to the orchestras; flutes, oboes, bassoons, clarinets, trumpets, and timpani began to be used. Previously, only strings had been used. Haydn and Mozart developed and perfected the Classical symphony and string quartet. The two met in the 1780's. Haydn worked for the Esterházy family, mainly at Esterháza, from 1761-1790. After this, he worked in England where he composed his London Symphonies. Wolfgang Mozart's talent was evident from a very early age. By the time he was six, he was composing. He was also able to play the harpsichord, organ, and violin. He and his sister, Maria Anna, were both very musically talented as children. Their father toured them around Europe . Wolfgang learned from a number of people on these tours. Haydn and Mozart developed a way to create dramatic effects that seemed both surprising and logically motivated. Christoph Willibald Gluck was instrumental in changing the way opera was done. He used lyric simplicity, balanced phrases, melodic sighs in the vocal line and broken chord figurations in the accompaniment. Gluck wanted to balance the music and drama. Glucks goals were:
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