Classical Music

Recently I've been listening to a lot of classical music, and I actually did some research on different musical forms and composers. I swear I'm not that big of a nerd; I used to play piano and flute when I was younger! Well I want to write a post on the basic structure of classical music forms, and share some of my favorite songs for you to listen to!

A symphony is a long piece of music meant for an orchestra with four movements:
1. Fast
2. Slow
3. Playful ('scherzo') or dancy ('minuet')
4. Rondo (fast and furious! with an alternating theme of ABACADA)

Sonatas are composed for one or two instruments, and consists of three or four movements:
1. Fast
2. Slow
3. Playful ('scherzo') or dancy ('minuet')

Concertos feature a soloist accompanied by an orchestra, and has strictly three movements with a fast-slow-fast pattern.

Serenades and divertimentos were composed for easy listening at social functions such as parties. They usually have more than five movements, and were written for winds, percussion and bass, and strings.

Fantasias and rhapsodies deviate away from strict forms such as a sonata, and is instead written in a free form according to a composers whim.

Dances were composed for dancing, and is characterized by a steady rhythm and repetative theme. It usually has a title with name that sounds like a dance, like 'waltz'. Suites are several musical movements dances grouped together

Usually a famous piece of classical music is just one movement from the whole song. For instance, the famous Moonlight Sonata (the piano as the choice instrument) is only the first movement of three movements. The third movement is not as recognizable, but it's pretty awesome. It's intense and furious, and has crazy fast fingerings that only skillful muscians can play. Check it out. (Moonlight actually deviates away from the sonata form I listed above, and is referred to as a 'quasi una fantasia,' or almost a fantasy)

Okay that was pretty boring. Here, listen to some songs!

Frederic Chopin - Fantasie Impromptu
Antonín Dvořák - Bohemian Suite



I'm also really into hip-hop, but that's another blog post! Bye!

-Michelle Park