style chart, 1725-present

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1/15/13 Style Chart, 1725-present

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Tone Color Texture Harmony Rhythm Melody Form

Early

Classical

(1725‑1775)

Establishment of

modern orchestra:

pairs of winds, 4‑part

strings, timpani.

Gradual decline of

continuo and rise of

modern chamber

ensembles; wide

variety of timbres,

occasional use of

piano, dynamics

gradual as well as

terraced and used to

articulate thematic

contrast.

Contrasting textures

as the rule, with

melody‑with‑

accompaniment as

the foremost type

among basically

homophonic

textures. Much use of

2‑voice texture.

Empfindsamer Stil

characterized by

richer and more

varied textures.

Limited harmonic

vocabulary (strongly

diatonic with major

mode preferred);

modulations

sometimes surprising

but limited in

number and range of

related keys. Slower

harmonic rhythm

with much Alberti

bass; V‑I cadences

(some feminine).

Variable rhythmic

motion (themes

contrasted by

rhythm) within

basically moderate

tempi. Articulation of

short phrases by

frequent rests and

cadences. Simple

meters accented on

first beats of

measures.

Greater emphasis on

melody, featuring

contrasting themes

of simple character

(triadic and scalar).

Periodic structure

with clearly

articulated and

balanced phrases of

a short‑breathed

nature. Expressive

use of

ornamentation.

Dynamic tonal and

thematic processes,

principally in a binary

sonata form with or

without coincidence

of tonal and thematic

recapitulation; later

in 3‑part sonata

form, rondo,

variations, etc. Basic

structural process‑‑

creation and

grouping of more or

less balancing

phrases.

High

Classical

(1775‑1825)

Timbre and dynamics

important

thematically, at times

structurally;

beginning of modern

art of

instrumentation.

Varying orchestral

timbres based on 4‑

part strings, pairs of

woodwinds, pairs of

reinforcing brasses

(sometimes), plus

timpani. Much

contrast of full andlight orchestral

textures; gradual

dynamics, more

idiomatic use of

instruments.

Contrasting textures

remain standard,

from light and

episodic to full and

cadential with

emphasis still on

homophonic varieties

of texture.

Noteworthy

integration of

counterpoint with

Classical style; much

3‑voice and then 4‑

voice writing.

Larger harmonic

vocabulary with freer

(unprepared and

chordal) treatment of

dissonance; more use

of minor keys and of

mode changes;

greater use of

modulation

(including third

relationships),

especially in building

bigger cycles of

tension and release.

Harmonic rhythmvariable and used to

build climaxes.

Highly differentiated

rhythms over a

basically regular

periodic structure;

tempi more extreme,

longer phrases (now

often unbalanced by

overlapping and

elision as well as by

generally greater

subtlety, sforzandi,

and syncopation).

Development of

highly original

rhythmic motivescommon. Harmonic

rhythm used to

articulate large‑scale

forms.

Thematic

differentiation

between primary,

transitional,

secondary, and

closing themes.

Trend towards more

characteristic

motives, antecedent‑

consequent phrasing

(also extension and

contraction of

balancing phrases),

more chromaticism,

use of buffa elementsas well as seria, use

of folk like melodies.

Thematic

development. 3 and

4‑part sonata forms,

rondo, sonata‑rondo,

ternary forms,

variations, and even

fugue. Increasing

complexity and

enlargement of scale,

with three or four

movements as

conventional norms,

founded on large‑

scale tonal

relationships.

Gradual expansion of

string‑dominated

Classical orchestra

(by adding some

brasses such as

trombones and

making greater use

Variable, but

essentially

homophonic

approach (largely

melody with

accompaniment) withricher, fuller chords

and constantly

Harmonic color very

significant, with

vocabulary expanded

through

chromaticism, third

relationships, newaltered and borrowed

chords (diminished

Wider range of pace

and motion, with

preference for

extremes, or simply

for a slower pace.

Clear periodizationlikely in small pieces

with symmetrical

Use of a wider range

of pitches and

moods, ranging from

the intimate and the

lyrical to the grand

and passionate.Phrase structure

often asymmetrical

Traditional,

especially Classical,

ways of organizing

structure through

tonal relationships

and standardprinciples enhanced

by an episodic





Early

Romantic

(1800‑1860)

of the brass timbre),

partly to aid in

depiction of extra‑

musical programs.

Traditionalists

(Brahms) build on

Classical framework,

while radicals

(Berlioz) introduce

special effects(mutes, col legno ).

changing textures,

including

counterpoint in

development sections

or for tone painting.

sevenths and

augmented sixths)‑‑

all with less

resolution of

dissonance and

increasing instability

of key.

structures, but

asymmetrical

phrasing normal in

larger works.

Loosening of basic

concept of regular

pulse and firm tempo

through use of

rubato freedom.

and irregular. Voice

dominant in vocal

music, with

accompaniment

supportive rather

than competitive.

approach to form

and development of

the cyclic principle

and thematic

transformation. Small

works gathered in

sets.

HighRomantic

(1860‑1910)

Greatly expanded

orchestra in all

families with love for

dark colors (horn &

cello) and completion

of full range through

contrabassoon, etc.

Orchestral families

used separately,intermixed, or

blended with very

large but also

chamber effects and

even soloistic use of

strings. Wider range

of dynamics and

much concern for

special effects and

personal palettes

(Wagner).

Greater degree of

variability, perhaps

linked with

programmatic

content; more

richness through

doubling, enhanced

accompaniments, and

revival of counterpoint (Mahler

& Strauss).

Parallelism and

Impressionistic

planing of chords

(Debussy).

Proportion of

dissonance growing,

as composers write

around dominant

instead of tonic and

use more 7th chords,

9ths, tritones,

enharmonic

relationships, andmuch‑delayed

suspensions.

Obscuring of

cadences, empirical

harmonists

(Mussorgsky), and

non‑functional use

of chords (Debussy).

Greater freedom of

pulse along with

preference for

extremes of pace and

motion, for

simultaneous

rhythmic contrast at

different levels, or

simply for a slowerpace. Reintroduction

of cross‑rhythms,

hemiola,

syncopation; much

use of folk, march,

and waltz rhythms.

Adoption of poetic

rhythms and rhythms

drawn from East

European or other

folk musics.

Still larger melodic

range and larger

leaps, along with

greater emphasis on

chromaticism and

thematic

transformation

(character variation),

leading at oneextreme to

extraordinary

lyricism. Use of folk‑

influenced modes

and speech

inflections as one

aspect of irregular

melos and phrasing.

Expanded time‑scale

reflected in

innovative large‑

scale unity through

freely‑shaped

dramatic intensity

and graded dynamic

climaxes, sometimes

overlaid on greatlydistended Classical

formal principles.

More frequent

episodic quality and

inception of so‑

called progressive

tonality.

Early 20th

Century

(1900‑1950)

Extremes and

contrasts of color

with less concern for

euphony.

Emancipation of

percussion and use

of instruments in

unusual ranges with

great virtuosity

(Stravinsky), use of

new sonorities (from

folk‑‑Copland‑‑to

"noise"), and ideal of

Traditional textures

available through

Neo‑classicism.

Renewal of

contrapuntal fabric in

serialism (with new

emphasis on

retrograde and

retrograde inversion),

while Impressionistic

textures remain

viable.

Neo‑classical music

still achieves stability

through consonance

but within expanded

contemporary

vocabulary. Modal

and pseudo‑modal

colors derive from

nationalism,

serialism negates

tonal foundation of

Western music, and

eclectics draw from

Contrasting

approaches, ranging

from post‑Romantic

character to a style

based on irregular or

additive meters (from

nationalism) or

simply emancipated

from regular metric

accent and periodic

phrasing through

polyrhythms,

ostinati, and organic

Varied melodic styles

according to

orientation towards

post‑Romanticism,

Nationalism (use of

non‑Western or folk‑

derived modes),

individualistic use of

fragmentation,

rearrangement, and

super‑imposition of

motivic cells

(Stravinsky) or Neo‑

Freely variational or

episodic forms on a

programmatic basis,

architectural on

symmetrical or

asymmetrical basis

(as in serialism or in

Bartok's arch forms),

organized around

arbitrary pitch

centers within a

greatly expanded

tonality. Traditional





Klangfarbenmelodie

(Webern). Evolution

of virtuoso orchestras

& conductors.

all sources. rhythmic cells

(Stravinsky), to

traditional Neo‑

classic use of spun‑

out or periodized

motion.

classicism (with more

dissonance).

principles revive.

Later 20th

(21st)

Century

(1950‑

present)

Adventuring among

new timbres,

including electronicones: serialized use

of color an dynamics,

non‑pitched sounds,

glissandi and special

effects, pointillism,

and new use of

conventional

instruments (as in

tone clusters). Law of

resonance explored

and yet all the

traditionalpossibilities remain.

Timbres drawn from

non‑Western musics.

Extremes of density

and transparency

through the search

for original textures

produced by collage‑

like or over‑dubbing

techniques.

Counterpoint remains

strong as the heart of

serialism. Aleatory

approaches vary

texture of piece with

every hearing

Co‑existing

remnants of

traditional harmonywith wide variety of

new pitch

combinations,

ranging from total

serialism to aleatory

freedom and from

tone‑clusters to

electronically

produced and

mathematically

determined pitch

formations

Retention of all

traditional concepts

(including ostinati,regular and irregular

meters, continuous

and discontinuous

motion), but with

renewed emphasis on

the new:

declamatory,

serialized, and non‑

retrogradable

rhythms, Eastern

rhythmic complexity

and Westernpolyrhythms, metric

modulation,

computer‑dependent

rhythms based upon

elapsed time or fixed

on tape.

All traditional scales

and modes available

(even together),enlargement of

possibilities through

Eastern influence

(such as Indian

ragas), synthetic

modes, acoustically

based new systems

(Partch's 43‑note

octave). Highly

influential

mathematical

approaches,including total

serialization.

Renewed reliance

upon traditional

principles (perhaps intransformed

manner), as well as

use of highly

intellectual (though

not always inaudible)

symmetrical,

geometrical, and

mathematical

approaches. New

frontiers lie in

aleatory and

improvisationalconcepts such as

mobile form and

procedurally

controlled

indeterminacy.

Source: David Poultney. Studying Music History. Prentice‑Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1983.

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