Page 19 - (DK) The Classical Music Book - Big Ideas Simply Explained

INTRODUCTION 17

A feature of the Baroque, Classical, For listeners, the most noticeable woodwind, brass, and percussion
and Romantic periods was the difference between a Renaissance instruments, and—since the
system of major-minor tonality in song and a full-blown 19th-century 1950s—electronic technology.
which a key note, called the tonic, symphony is the sound of the voice
is the gravitational center around and/or instruments. Throughout This book
which a composition revolves— history, new musical instruments How composers put these musical
moving away from the tonic to have been invented and existing elements together to develop
create tension and toward the ones refined, giving composers different genres of classical music,
tonic to resolve it. and musicians new sounds with and the factors that influenced
which to work. them, is explained in this book.
Musical forms Each of these instrument has It presents significant milestones
Different styles of music emphasize its own distinctive timbre, or in the history of Western classical
particular aspects of its structure. tone, and different combinations music: not only the great composers
Some focus on melody, perhaps of instruments and voices have and their works but also some
with a harmonic accompaniment, evolved over time. These range lesser-known figures whose music
as was common during the Early from a cappella (the unaccompanied exemplifies a style or period. They
Baroque period; others employ voice), through solo instruments, are arranged in chronological order,
counterpoint, the interweaving like the piano, and small chamber placing them in a wider historical
of two or more melodies in a groups, such as the string quartet, context to show how they reflect
complex form of polyphony that is to the full concert orchestra of more society and culture.
one of the defining characteristics than 70 players of stringed, Each article focuses on a piece
of Western classical music. of music that illustrates a particular
Also important is the musical development in music, discussing
form, or shape, of a piece of music: its salient features and its
it may comprise recognizably significance in relation to other
different sections, perhaps in works by the same composer, or
contrasting keys. For example, in the same style. An “In Context”
in a simple “ABA” form, a musical The time is past when sidebar and a “See also” section
idea is presented, followed by a music was written for a refer to other pieces of music that
second idea, and then the opening handful of aesthetes. are relevant to the one under
idea is repeated. Musical forms Sergei Prokofiev discussion. As not every major
range from simple songs, such composer, let alone all the great
as the Lieder, made popular pieces of music, could be featured,
by Franz Schubert and Robert a Directory section at the end of
Schumann, to the complexity the book details other significant
of a multimovement symphony. composers and their work. ■

US_014-017_Introduction.indd 17 26/03/18 1:00 PM