12.1 The galant style and empfindsamer Stil

The galant style and empfindsamer Stil marked a shift from Baroque complexity to simplicity and emotion. These new approaches emphasized clear melodies, lighter textures, and personal expression, moving away from dense counterpoint and rigid structures.

Key figures like Johann Stamitz and C.P.E. Bach pioneered these styles, bridging Baroque and Classical eras. Their focus on melody, emotional contrast, and simpler harmonies laid the groundwork for Classical composers like Mozart and Haydn.

Key Characteristics and Concepts

Characteristics of galant vs Baroque

Top images from around the web for Characteristics of galant vs Baroque

• 

  ZGMTH - Robert O. Gjerdingen, Music in the Galant Style, Oxford University Press 2007 View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  History of Baroque Music and Origins | Music Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Opera | Music 101 View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  ZGMTH - Robert O. Gjerdingen, Music in the Galant Style, Oxford University Press 2007 View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  History of Baroque Music and Origins | Music Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Characteristics of galant vs Baroque

• 

  ZGMTH - Robert O. Gjerdingen, Music in the Galant Style, Oxford University Press 2007 View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  History of Baroque Music and Origins | Music Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Opera | Music 101 View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  ZGMTH - Robert O. Gjerdingen, Music in the Galant Style, Oxford University Press 2007 View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  History of Baroque Music and Origins | Music Appreciation View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Emphasized simplicity, elegance, and clarity in musical composition contrasting with the complex polyphony and ornamentation of the Baroque style
• Featured lighter textures and homophonic melodies with clear-cut phrases departing from the dense counterpoint and continuous melodic lines of Baroque music
• Incorporated frequent cadences and symmetrical phrasing differing from the Baroque style's use of continuous melodic development and irregular phrase lengths
• Employed simpler harmonies and slower harmonic rhythms contrasting with the complex harmonies and rapid harmonic changes in Baroque music (basso continuo)
• Focused on melody-dominated homophony with subordinate accompaniment differing from the Baroque style's equal treatment of multiple melodic lines in polyphonic textures (fugues, canons)

Concept of empfindsamer Stil

• Empfindsamer Stil, or "sensitive style," emerged in the mid-18th century developing as a reaction against the perceived emotional restraint of the Baroque style
• Emphasized the expression of personal emotions and feelings in music aiming to evoke a wide range of affective states in the listener (joy, sorrow, longing)
• Employed sudden changes in mood, dynamics, and tempo to convey emotional contrasts utilizing techniques such as sighing motifs, chromaticism, and irregular phrasing
• Featured expressive melodies with speech-like rhythms and ornamentations seeking to imitate the natural inflections and cadences of human speech (recitative-like passages)
• Incorporated more frequent use of minor keys and dissonance to express darker emotions contrasting with the Baroque style's preference for major keys and consonance

Composers and Historical Context

Composers of galant and empfindsamer

• Galant style composers:
  • Johann Stamitz (1717-1757) played a key role in the development of the symphony and string quartet
  • Giovanni Battista Sammartini (1700-1775) influential in the early development of the symphony and galant style
  • Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782) known as the "London Bach" and a significant influence on Mozart
• Empfindsamer Stil composers:
  • Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) son of J.S. Bach and a leading figure in the empfindsamer Stil, composed expressive keyboard works and influenced Haydn and Beethoven
  • Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710-1784) eldest son of J.S. Bach and known for his expressive and improvisatory style
  • Johann Joachim Quantz (1697-1773) flute virtuoso and composer who taught Frederick the Great

Impact on Baroque-Classical transition

• The galant style and empfindsamer Stil bridged the Baroque and Classical eras representing a shift towards simplicity, clarity, and emotional expression in music
• The emphasis on melody-dominated homophony in the galant style paved the way for the Classical style influencing the development of sonata form and the classical symphony
• The empfindsamer Stil's focus on emotional expression and contrast influenced the Sturm und Drang movement contributing to the heightened emotional content and dramatic contrasts in early Classical works (Mozart's Symphony No. 25)
• The galant style's use of periodic phrasing and clear-cut cadences influenced Classical phrase structure leading to the development of balanced and symmetrical musical forms in the Classical era (sonata form)
• The works of galant and empfindsamer composers served as models for early Classical composers with Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven being influenced by the innovations of these transitional styles