This document discusses vocal music genres of the Classical era. It outlines major choral works like masses and requiems by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Sacred music began moving from churches to concert halls. Opera was a dominant genre performed in opera houses and came in forms like Opera Seria and Comic Opera. Mozart was a master of Classical opera, composing works like Don Giovanni, which featured exciting vocal ensembles. Examples from Don Giovanni are provided for analysis.

1. Vocal Music in the Classical Era
by Elliott Jones
of Santa Ana College
for Kaleidoscope Open Course Initiative shared under a Creative
Commons Attribution License

2. Choral Genres
 Mass
 Haydn’s Mass in D Minor (Lord Nelson)
 Mozart’s Mass in C Minor
 Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis
 Requiem
 Mozart’s Requiem
 Oratorio
 Haydn’s The Creation and The Seasons

3. Sacred Concert Music
 Sacred genres such as Mass and Requiem
move from the church to the concert hall
 These forms provided convenient and
familiar frameworks for composition
 Example: Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis was
intended as a concert piece

4. Classical Opera

5. Classical Opera
 Opera houses were center of innovation
 Opera was most important genre
 Opera reached the widest audience

6. Opera Seria
 Dominant form of early Classical period
 Similar to Baroque opera
 Mythological and historical subject matter
 Designed for aristocracy
 Always in Italian

7. Comic Opera
 Eclipsed Opera Seria over time
 More realistic depictions of life
 Sung in language of audience
 Lively, down-to-earth plots
 More ensemble (duets, trios, chorus)
 Farcical situations and humorous dialogue
 New character: the buffo

8. The Buffo
 Comic character
 Spoke to the audience at times
 Often a rather earthy character
 Bass voice

9. Comic Opera Across Europe
 Ballad Opera (England)
 Zingspiel (Germany)
 Opera Comique (France)
 Opera Buffa (Italy)

10. Mozart and Opera
 Mozart was the master of Classical opera
 He had keen theatrical instincts
 Haydn’s operas were largely unsuccessful
 Beethoven only wrote one opera
 Mozart was especially skilled at writing
exciting vocal ensembles

11. Listening Example
 Title: Overture to Don Giovanni
 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Genre: Opera

12. Notes on Overture to Don Gio.
 Slow sinister introduction presents music
from the dark ending of the opera
 Change to fast tempo marks beginning of
exposition – two themes
 Recapitulation “fades” as music moves
directly into opening vocal ensemble

13. Listening Example
 Title: “Notte e giorno fatticar” DG
 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Genre: Opera

14. Notes on Notte e giorno fatticar
 Begins with brief aria by Leporello
 Ensemble follows as more characters enter:
 Donna Anna
 Don Giovanni
 Commandant
 No recitative
 Sudden changes of emotion

15. Listening Example
 Title: “La ci darem la mano” DG
 Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
 Genre: Opera

16. Notes on La ci darem la mano
 Begins with simple recitative
 Duet follows as Don Giovanni and Zerlina
sing (aria style) to each other
 More consistent emotion
 Very famous duet