Description
The Age of Enlightenment saw the dawning of a new era in music. Public concert halls were established, lower classes had access to music, and even music itself changed and grew. Join me, as we take a minute to get the scoop!
Fun Fact
The Age of Enlightenment considered the importance of an individual who can reason for themselves, the idea of equality under the law, and the notion of natural and inherent rights. This focus on the individual greatly influenced the music composition of the time.
About Steven
Steven is a Canadian composer living in Toronto. He creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his website for more.
A Note To Music Students et al.
All recordings and sheet music are available on my site. I encourage you to take a look and play through some. Give me a shout if you have any questions.
Got a topic? Pop me off an email at: TCMMPodcast@Gmail.com
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The Age of Enlightenment aka the Age of Reason was a philosophical movement in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It included a range of ideas centred on the value of human happiness and the pursuit of knowledge obtained by means of reason.
The effect The Enlightenment had on music was also remarkable. Access to music opened up to all classes of society, public concert halls were built, and many more orchestral instruments were developed.
The Enlightenment inspired two periods of music, the Baroque and Classical. The Baroque began in the 1600s and was based on the principle that music could communicate emotional states, for instance through program music. Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons would be a good example.
In the Classical Period, the musical aesthetic was all about conflict, contrast, and resolution. In the 1700s Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a dominant force. And later on, Beethoven brought about a new depth and intensity to musical composition.
The Age of Enlightenment shows us that as society shifts in outlook so too is this reflected in the music of the time.