# Genres of music

Source: https://projectgcse.co.uk/music/genres_of_music

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#### **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