: a light and elegant free homophonic style of musical composition in the 18th century with rococo ornamentation as contrasted with the serious fugal style of the baroque era.
The Galant music style was characterized by a focus on melody, simplicity, and clarity, as well as a rejection of the complex counterpoint and ornamental embellishments of the Baroque era. Also, it is known by the term “rococo“, which comes from the French word “rocaille,” meaning “shellwork”.
The Galant Style of music could be considered as a transitional style between the Baroque and Classical Periods of music. It lasted from about the 1720s to the 1770s. The word "galant" derives from French, where it was in use from at least the 16th century.
The term Style galant, also called Rococo, refers to a homophonic, light-hearted and ornamental musical style of the 18th century, especially in France and Italy.
Overture (from French ouverture, lit. "opening") is a music instrumental introduction to a ballet, opera, or oratorio in the 17th century.
Rococo is a style of fantasy -- it is a state of mind that aims to charm. The "style galant" in music aimed to do very much what the rococo was doing in applied art and architecture. Its primary objective was to appeal to the widest audience, and hence music had to be simple and natural for both listener and performer.
The galant style was an 18th-century movement in music, visual arts and literature. In Germany a closely related style was called the empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style). Another close relative is rococo style.
Mozart's music stands as an archetype of the classical style Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived at the height of the Classical period in music history - a time of elegance, beauty, refinement, and grace. His melodies were simple, graceful, and full of feeling. He employed the orchestra's colors masterfully.
Rococo is a style of fantasy -- it is a state of mind that aims to charm. The "style galant" in music aimed to do very much what the rococo was doing in applied art and architecture. Its primary objective was to appeal to the widest audience, and hence music had to be simple and natural for both listener and performer.
The galant style was an 18th-century movement in music, visual arts and literature. In Germany a closely related style was called the empfindsamer Stil (sensitive style). Another close relative is rococo style.
The French word for “to open” is ouvrir. From that comes the word “overture,” aptly named, because an overture does indeed start things off – for an opera, a play, a suite of dances played by an orchestra or piano. Most of us think of it as the music heard before the curtain goes up on an opera performance.
An overture is a piece of music played by an orchestra at the beginning of an opera or play. When an overture begins, the actors take their places and wait for the curtain to rise.
Leave a Reply