Genres of music

Mass

• A religious piece for a choir

Baroque

Concerto Grosso

• Music from the Baroque period, played by an orchestra and a group of soloists.
• Often includes a harpsichord.
• NOT the same as a concerto

Trio Sonata

• Music written for, and played by, four instruments: 1 harpsichord, 2 violins, 1 cello.

Baroque Onwards

Oratorio

• Similar to an opera but with a sacred text, so tells a religious story

Opera

• A musical drama, completely sung throughout, to tell a story. Including:
• Aria - A piece for a solo voice and an orchestra
• Chorus - A piece for the main chorus, or choir, with an orchestral accompaniment
• Ensemble - A piece for a group of soloists and the orchestra
• Recitative - A sung solo punctuated by chords

Classical Onwards

Concerto

• Concertos are composed for an orchestra with one solo instrument.
• They usually have 3 movements, arranged fast-slow-fast.
• Developed from the concerto grosso, concertos were first used in the classical period.
• Famous composers of concertos include:

Classical

• Mozart
• Beethoven
• Wolfgang
• Haydn

Romantic

• Weber
• Chopin
• Brahms
• Elgar

Piano Trio

• A group made up of a piano, a violin and a cello

Sonata

• A piece written for a solo instrument with a piano accompaniment
• eg. A violin sonata is played by a violin and a piano

String Quartet

• A group of 2 violins, 1 viola and 1 cello.
• Also a piece of music written for that group

Symphony

• Symphonies are usually formed using three movements, whilst in the 1940s, a fourth movement was added.
• The movements are usually ordered slow-fast-slow with the last movement often taking the form of a minuet.
• It usually encompasses the whole orchestra, without solo instruments.
• Famous composers of symphonies include:
  • Johann Stamitz
  • J.S.Bach's two sons
  • Schubert
  • Dvorak
  • Bruvkner
  • Mahler
  • Mendelssohn
  • Brahms
  • Shostakovich
  • Berlioz

Renaissance

Madrigal

• A secular piece (not sacred or religious) for a choir.
• Usually has "fa la la"s in it