Introduction to Classical Styles

Piano and keyboard music is probably the largest category within classical music as a whole, and many people are first introduced to classical music at the piano keyboard. Classical music (including classical piano music) can broadly be divided into different periods, as follows:

• Baroque period (17th century to mid-18th century): This period pre-dated the piano, and most keyboard music was played on the harpsichord. The music style was very linear and “contrapuntal” (melodies written in opposing parts). J.S. Bach emerged toward the end of this period (the piano had its early beginnings during his lifetime), and was a master of this contrapuntal style. Other noted Baroque composers included Handel and Domenico Scarlatti.
• Classical period (mid-18th century to early-19th century—not to be confused with “classical music” as a whole!): This period is sometimes described as “from Bach to Beethoven.” The new “pianoforte” soon became the dominant keyboard instrument, and Mozart was one of the first composers to make full use of the piano’s powers. This period had more emphasis on single melodies supported by accompaniments, and adhered strictly to musical forms such as sonatas and concertos. Other noted composers from the Classical period include Haydn and Schubert.
• Romantic period (early 19th century to early 20th century): This was the era of the pianist/composer superstars. Chopin and Liszt played their original compositions to ecstatic crowds in Paris and elsewhere. The Romantic era emphasized melody and virtuosity, extracting the full potential from the piano (which by then had evolved to a level similar to modern-day instruments). In fact, Chopin wrote almost exclusively for the piano, and became one of the instrument’s greatest champions. Other prominent Romantic era pianists/composers include Rachmaninoff and Brahms.
• Modern period (early 20th century to the present day). This period saw a multitude of styles shooting off in many different directions. In this book, we’ll cover one of them, Impressionism, which was related to the “Impressionist” movement in the visual arts, with its fuzzy colors and non-literal images. Led by the French composers Ravel and Debussy, this style produced music with shifting harmonies and rhythms, conveying somber moods while stimulating the imagination. Ravel was also influenced by the burgeoning jazz styles of the time. Other famous Impressionist composers include Satie and Faure.

We’ll start out with an all-time classic from the Classical period, an excerpt from Beethoven’s “Für Elise.” The first section of this piece is very popular for early-intermediate students of the piano, as its technical demands are fairly modest. Its endearing melody, however, has made it the composer’s most famous “piano miniature.” There has been much debate about who “Elise” actually was—one common theory is that she was one of Beethoven’s piano students. Make sure you observe the dynamic markings and slurs, and use the sustain pedal as indicated. Oh…and watch out for the clef changes in the left hand! Listen to track 66 to hear an excerpt from Beethoven’s “Für Elise.” Notice the expressive character in the playing, with gradual changes in tempo. Experiment with your own expressions to give this piece its own “life.” The crescendo (<), meaning to gradually get louder, and diminuendo (>), meaning to gradully get softer, help add to the expressive quality of the music.

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Next, we’ll move to the “Sonata in C Major” (first movement) by Mozart, a great genius from the “classical” period. This is the most famous of all Mozart’s piano sonatas, due to its relative simplicity compared to his other works. Mozart himself designated this tune “for beginners,” and here we have an excerpt from the first movement of the sonata. Although the tempo is marked as “Allegro” (fast), don’t forget to practice it slowly first. Oh, and it looks like we have some of those pesky clef changes again in the left hand! Listen to track 67 to hear an excerpt from Mozart’s “Sonata in C Major.”

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The left-hand pattern in “Sonata in C Major” (first 4 measures) was a very common type of accompaniment figure in the Classical period known as Alberti bass. The pattern consists of broken chords, usually tonic–dominant—mediant–dominant (or inverted chords, bottom note–top note–middle note–top note, etc.) in succession. See Section 5, Song 2, “Come Sail Away,” for an example of this classical figure used in popular music.

Our next piece is the “Prelude in B Minor” by Fryderyk Chopin, a towering figure in the Romantic period. This is a good example of the melody being played in the left hand, with the accompaniment being played in the right hand (for a change!). This is probably the most wellknown of all Chopin’s preludes. It has a very somber mood, with the left-hand melody slowly unfolding. Make sure you observe the crescendo and diminuendo markings, as well as the slurs in the left hand!

Listen to track 68 to hear Chopin’s “Prelude in B minor (Op. 28, No. 6).” Pay close attention to the left-hand part, and notice how it “sings” above the right-hand part with respect to volume.

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Always know where the melody is in each tune you play. As we saw in “Prelude in B Minor,” the melody was in the left hand. The melody must be louder than the accompaniment, so always practice bringing it out. Melodies can shift from one hand to another, and also be embedded in an inner voice, especially in classical music. It may be difficult at first, as both hands will want to play the same volume, but with careful practice, the independence needed to play one hand loudly and the other hand softly will come.

Our last piece in this chapter is Debussy’s wonderful composition “Clair de Lune,” one of the best-known pieces from this Impressionistic composer. The piece has subtle twists of harmony and rhythm, and evokes images of nature’s beauty through its emphasis on color and texture over melody. The work is very challenging for the pianist, and the articulations and dynamics are crucial to the emotional intensity of the work. Enjoy!

Listen to track 69, to hear an excerpt from Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.” Notice how the piece seems to float without a clear pulse. This is just one interpretation to use as a guide, but you should employ a certain amount of rubato (freedom of rhythm and tempo) when playing it—the tempo should “expand” and “contract” as you see fit, in order to bring out the impressionistic qualities.

To emphasize the impressionistic nature of this piece, liberal use of the damper pedal is recommended. Use your ears to help judge when and where to make pedal changes. Also, the beginning is marked con sordino which means “with mute,” indicating to employ the soft ( una corda ) pedal.

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