MUSIC OF THE CLASSICAL AND ROMANTIC PERIODS
Classical basically means “something of the highest rank or quality.” A precise and technical meaning of “classical” as it relates to music denotes a musical style that was in use from the second half of the century and reached it fulfillment in the works of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. ... The most popular medium in the classical period was instrumental music. Sonatas, symphonies, cantatas and sonata allegro are the different forms of musical works of the classical period. ... The most popular medium in the classical period was the instrumental music. Classical composers replaced the long, flowing lines of baroque melodies with much shorter tunes, often consisting of only a few notes.