Musical Pieces/Forms
There are many different types of musical compositions. You don’t have to know them or be able to identify them in order to enjoy classical music. In the same way you don’t need to know any of the technical details of a pop song to be able to enjoy it.
However, knowing what types there are and who plays them may help you understand and appreciate classical music a little more.
**The Classical Novice is a work in progress, if you have anything to add, disagree with anything here or have suggestions we would love to hear from you on the email at the bottom of the page or through the contact from on the About page.
*featured image courtesy of benjgibbs via Flickr
Sonata
What is a sonata? A sonata is a basic musical form – that is the shape of a piece of music. It is one of the foundations of classical music and appears frequently in many different types of pieces.
Fugue
What is a Fugue? A fugue is a style of composition. It is a series of melodies woven together using different voices (either instruments of actual voices) which are introduced one by one. It can be a stand alone piece or form part of a longer piece of music.
Symphony
What is a symphony? A symphony is a large scale piece written for a full orchestra. They can be quite powerful and are meant to be heard in a concert hall or large space.
Concerto
What is a concerto? A concerto is a piece written for a single type of instrument (maybe just one, maybe many – think piano or violins.) The solo instrument will be joined by an orchestra.
Étude
What is an Étude? An étude is a short piece of music focused on a specific area of technique . Étude’s are usually written for solo instruments and allow the player to practice or demonstrate areas of their musical skills.
Fantasy
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Suite
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Symphonic Poem
This page is a work in progress. Please check back later. *featured image courtesy of Dan Loggers, Flickr
Waltz
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