Comparison of Musical Periods

Feature \ Period Baroque Classical Romantic 20th century(Modern)

General Regular, not too emotional Use simple music materials Express different feelings Use different techniques
Tempo & Metre Steady Steady tempo Change frequently Change of metre in a piece
Slower at the end Little use of rubato Use of rubato Irregular metre
Accelerando and ritard
Rhythm Clear rhythm follows Pattern Simple, usual More free in rhythm Unusual, irregular
of beginning Clear rhythm Use of triplets 5 times, 7 times
Same pattern in the whole Some change of rhythm Use of syncopation
movement Ostinato
Hemiola
Melody & Phrase Sometimes long phrases Short, balanced phrases, Fairly long, expressive Wide range of notes
Sequence Built with motives Songlike melodies Big leaps
Ornamented Beautiful melody, chord Chromatic Short motives
base, clear shape and Wide range Many accidentals
cadence Not songlike
Clear theme in the same
movement
Ornamented but fewer
A piece is commonly in 4
phrases and each phrase is in
8, 16 or 32 bars
Tonality & Key Diatonic Diatonic Diatonic Tonal
Modulated to related key Modulated to related key Modulated to ''far'' keys Atonal
Polytonality
Modes
New types of scales
Always change tonality
Harmony Triads of the key and 7th Triads of the key and 7th Rich, complicated chords Complex & unusual chord
chord mainly chords mainly Chromatic Always dissonant
Less chromatic notes Simpler chords when use of pedal Note clusters
Some suspension compared with baroque Use of pedal
Narrow range Less chromatic notes
Some use of pedal
Texture Homophonic Mainly homophonic Homophonic Homophonic
Polyphonic Some polyphonic writings Polyphonic in late romance Contrapuntal(polyphonic)
Imitative polyphony, Broken chords (alberti bass) Pointillism
counterpoint
Dynamics f or p for the whole f, p changes and contrast Change frequently Change frequently
movement Change, but not greatly Big change and contrast Great and dramatic
terraced dynamics cresc, dimin and sforzando cresc and dimin
Seldom cresc. & dim. ppp- fff
Articulation Legato, staccato Staccato, legato, tenuto Staccato, legato, tenuto Wide range of articulation
Semi-staccato(non legato) Variety in articulation Along with accents Glissando
Fermata
Character & Mood Same among the piece Mood and tone color might Dramatic Always change
 change Exoticism Impressionism
Lively, elegant Technical virtuosity Neoclassicism
Focus in form, contrast, Mood might change in the
balance same movement
Form & Structure Binary(AB) Balance Free Varied & complex
Ternary (da capo aria) Sonata form Traditional forms Not easy to define
Variations Rondo Character pieces and free
Fugue Theme and variations miniatures Jazz
Baroq. suites with dances Binary Blues
Ternary
Minuet and trio
Country dance Allemande, Gavotte, Gigue, Minuet Waltz,Mazurka,Polonaise,
Minuet, Polka "Hungarian dance''
Composer Bach, Handel, Scarlatti Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven Schubert, Chopin, Debussy, Stravinsky, Bartok,
Schumann, Liszt, Schoenberg
Mendelssohn, Brahms