The 7 Best Pieces of Classical Period Music

What Makes Something Classical?

The Classical Period of Western art music lasted from roughly 1750-1820. 

It’s important to note that not all works of “classical music” (ie. Western art music) were composed during this period. The Classical era makes up just one of the three main periods of what we refer to as “classical music.”

In case you’re curious, the other two periods are the Baroque and Romantic eras.

So, what's the defining characteristic of Classic period music?

It's fairly simple: The compositions of the Classical period are defined above all by their simplicity, singable melodies, and balance.

They also express much more emotion than the music of the Baroque era which came before. 

Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn are three of the Classical era’s biggest composers. Some people think Beethoven belongs to the Romantic era, because his life and work straddled the fence between the Classical and Romantic periods.

For the sake of simplicity, though, we'll just call him Classical 😉

Now, let's get into the music!

The Top 7 Classical Pieces

Beethoven, Sonata No. 14. “Moonlight” in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2: I. Adagio sostenuto

This solo piano piece by the great German composer still weaves a magic of its own. Young musicians of today find it difficult to escape the infectious energy Ludwig van Beethoven breathed into it.

Written in 1801, Sonata No. 14 was dedicated by Beethoven to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. She had been his student for a short time.

It was the German Romantic poet Ludwig Rellstab who gave this piece he nickname "Moonlight Sonata." He likened the sonata’s famous opening movement to moonlight reflecting on the shiny waters of Lake Lucerne.

Most listeners assume this to be a rather romantic piece by Beethoven due to the word "Moonlight" in its name. However, it's interesting to know that the composer was likely inspired from a darker place. 

This is evident from the notes in one of Beethoven's original manuscripts. In them, he mentions a scene from the opera Don Giovanni, where Don Juan kills the commander. Thus, the Moonlight Sonata was more likely written with a funeral in mind, not romance. 

People consider this one of Beethoven's most popular compositions for the piano, and love its range of extreme emotions. It certainly stands out as an all-time favorite for music lovers across the globe.

Beethoven, Für Elise, WoO 59

This famous composition by Beethoven was written for solo piano and goes by its common name of Für Elise.

The piece has melodies that mingle into each other, ranging from a mix of large chordal leaps and fast moving parts to the dramatic and cheery portions.  

But here's the unbelievable part.

This is one of Beethoven's most famous piano pieces of all time, but he never published during his lifetime. The manuscript was discovered in 1867, exactly 40 years after his death!

A musician named Ludwig Nohl discovered and transcribed the version that is now so loved around the globe.

Interestingly, there's a lot of mystery that surrounds Beethoven's Für Elise. It all revolves around the unanswered question, “who exactly was Elise?”

There are three likely candidates - Therese Malfatti, Elisabeth Rocker and Elise Barensfeld.

Legend has it that the name Elise was common to all three of them. It is believed that Therese was mistakenly interpreted as Elise by Nohl; one of Elisabeth Rocker's nicknames was Elise; and the third candidate, Elise Barensfeld, was a child prodigy to whom Beethoven could have dedicated the piece.

Beethoven, Symphony No. 9

Also known as the 'Choral' Symphony, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 includes the text of German poet Friedrich Shiller's poem An Die Freude (Ode to Joy).

The symphony has four vocal soloists and a chorus, hence why it is called 'Choral'.

Arguably the greatest symphony composed by Beethoven, it's one that the great composer never even got to hear for himself!

At the time the great Symphony No. 9 was being composed, Beethoven was steadily losing his hearing, and by the time it premiered, the composer was profoundly deaf.

Symphony No. 9 premiered to an enthusiastic audience in Vienna on May 7, 1824. By then too deaf to conduct, Beethoven didn't even notice the standing ovation that he received at the end of the performance.

He had failed to hear a single note of his magnificent composition. 

This famous and much loved symphony has been used to mark several monumental public events.

It is the European Union's choice of anthem since 1985. It was also a part of the opening ceremony celebrations of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

The Choral symphony, regarded as the pinnacle of Beethoven's compositions, is the longest and most complex of all of his symphonies. It was also his last symphony before his death in 1827.

Haydn, Piano Trio in G Major “Gypsy”, Hob. XV:25: III. Finale. Rondo all’Ongarese. Presto

Published in 1795, this piece is Franz Joseph Haydn's best-known piano trio.

The composition sometimes goes by the nickname "Gypsy" or "Gypsy Rondo". It got this name because of its finale, which is in the 'Hungarian' style.

The full piece includes three movements: 1) Andante, 2) Poco adagio, and 3) Finale: Rondo all’Ongarese - presto.

There’s an amazing violin solo in its middle section, but the third is the most popular.

As you'll notice, Haydn’s fascination and love for folk music is evident in the composition of Gypsy Rondo as well.

The composer dedicated Gypsy to Rebecca Schroeter, a wealthy widow in her early 40s, who he met in London.

In 1790, Haydn's employer Prince Nicholas Esterházy died. That's when the composer decided to take up the lucrative offer of Johann Peter Salomon, a German violinist, and travel to London. 

For a long time prior to his move, he received many invitations to visit the city and conduct a series of concerts for the audience there. 

Haydn visited London twice for his concert tours and experienced great success in the city.

His London visits led to some of his best-known work, which includes the Gypsy Rondo piano trio.

In the words of Haydn's biographer: "London opened a new world to him."

Haydn, Symphony No. 104 in D Major, Hob. I:104 “London": IV. Finale: Spiritoso

Haydn's Symphony No. 104 in D Major is the great composer’s final symphony.

It’s the last of the twelve symphonies he wrote in London. Aptly, Symphony No. 104 is dedicated to the city and referred to as the "London Symphony."

The piece opens with a slow but grand introduction in D minor, and then gradually leads to the first movement proper in D major. It finally closes with a coda, also in D major.

Published in 1795, Haydn composed the symphony while in London. It premiered at the King's Theatre on 4 May 1795. The concert was a huge success.

Haydn was at his happiest and best when he was composing and performing in London.

Because of his preeminence as one of the most prolific Classical period composers, Haydn picked up several nicknames.

Between 1732 and 1809 for example, he wrote approximately 106 different symphonies. That landed him the nickname 'father of symphony.'

On top of that, Haydn had also composed around 70 string quartets. For that reason, he's also commonly referred to as the 'father of the string quartet.'

Mozart, Requiem, K. 626: Lacrimosa

Mozart's Requiem is one of the most iconic pieces in the world of classical music.

Though the legendary composer could not complete this masterpiece due to his untimely death, it is still one of his best known works.

As mentioned, only a part of the Requiem was completed before Mozart died in 1971. It was later completed in 1792 by Franz Xaver Süssmayr, a student of Mozart.

This composition by Mozart invokes such strong waves of emotions within the listener, it feels almost as if Mozart were using Requiem to try to defeat death itself!

Mozart, Symphony No. 40

This symphony is another one of Mozart's greatly admired works.

Sometimes referred to as the "Great G minor symphony," it is performed and recorded frequently across the world.

Mozart composed Symphony No. 40 in 1788 along with two other symphonies — the 39th and the 41st.

Music experts are of the opinion that Mozart composed all three as a unified work. They rightly point out that Symphony No. 40, as the middle work between 39 and 41, has no introduction and no finale.

Another popular belief is that Mozart did not create these symphonies with a performance in mind.

In 1788 when Mozart was composing these masterpieces, he was going through a 'dark' time in his life. This influenced his writings too. 

Experts like Charles Rosen have called the symphony, "a work of passion, violence, and grief." Others find the symphony tragic in tone and intensely emotional.

But in spite of the 'darker' tones, the symphony is unquestionably one of the most beloved works of the great composer.

Conclusion

Music from the Classical period is rich in melody and emotion. While Classical era works don't quite reach the heights of emotional expression that the Romantic period is known for, they're still gorgeous in their own right.

I hope this list gives you a great place to start with classical music. By listening to the compositions in this list, you'll get a good idea of the style that defines the Classical era in music history.

To explore the music of the Baroque and Romantic periods of music, check out the articles listed below. In the meantime, happy listening!

-Evan