<a href="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/WolfgangAmadeusMozart.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2717" src="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/WolfgangAmadeusMozart.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /></a>
<p style="text-align: center;">http://www.broadstreetreview.com/index.php/main/article/What_was_Mozart_thinking</p>
Mozart was a child prodigy that helped form Classical music as we know it today.  “He began composing at the age of about five, and during the thirty remaining years of his life he wrote some 600 works.”  (Hannis).  “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” or if you don’t speak German, “A Little Night Music” was one of his most popular pieces.  Hands down, all of Mozart’s music is genius and beautifully tuned from his symphonies to his concertos.  “A Little Night Music” is a serenade and the occasion that it was written for in 1787 is still unknown.  The piece is made up of four movements, a typical characteristic of the Classical movement.  The first movement, allegro, is Mozart’s best known single movement ever created.  The musical phrases rise and fall in pitch and seem to answer each other back and forth.  Mozart’s rhythm stays on beat and he “perfectly illustrates the classical qualities of contrast and balance.” (Fiero).  With his tune precise, he flows into 3 more movements and left us with a masterpiece.  Whether you’re in an elevator going to an important meeting or watching a local orchestra recreate this serenade, you will enjoy it.  Without Mozart and the other great composers we would have missed out on music that shaped today’s era.  “A Little Night Music” should be preserved because it helped define the classical period and is still very popular today.<!--more-->

The Baroque period gave birth to the classical period in music.  Wind instruments were created and it was exciting because composers had new tools.  Instruments begin to replace vocals and orchestras made up a lot of classical period music.  Concertos and sonatas were created in the Baroque period and a lot of those styles dominated the classical period.   The classical period describes a particular musical style that triumphed in Europe between approximately 1760 and 1820.  “Classical composers most of whom came from Germany and Austria, wrote homophonic compositions with easy-to-grasp melodies, which are repeated or developed within a definitive formal structure.” (Fiero).  The three main composers that dominated the classical period were Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig Beethoven, and Franz Joseph Hayden.  They replaced Baroque polyphony with distinct musical phrases.  Harmony became very important and composers were popular.  Mozart and these guys were in very high demand and everyone wanted their music performed.  Mozart was writing his infamous “Don Giovanni” while he composed “A Little Night Music” and they are both dramatic in quality.  Keith Hannis from BBC Radio says it best: “There was clarity in both sound and form, and a satisfying balance between contrasting related elements in the music (e.g. piano and forte, question and answer, light and dark).”  During this time, church music was still in high demand but it was being overshadowed by all the music composed for secular entertainment.  Mozart was a court musician for the Archbishop of Salzburg for years and finally made a daring decision and went out to pursue an independent career.  Musical instruments were becoming very sophisticated during the classical period.  The orchestra consisted of many instruments that were all related such as: the strings (violins, violas, cellos, and double basses), the wood-winds (flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons), the brass section (trumpets and French horns), and the percussion section (kettledrums).  Each section of the orchestra had its own purpose in the whole make-up of the symphony or movement that was created by the composer.  The orchestra was very essential to this time period because it formed the music created by the composer.  The different sounds and variations of instruments gave the music attitude, grace, and purpose.  Sometimes composers would use a single instrument (concerto), a whole symphony, or just the string section.  It all depended on the meaning of the piece and the play the composer wanted the audience to experience in musical form.

“A little night Music” is innovative and unusual for its time because it sums up the whole classical period in a short serenade.  Most symphonies were long and “A little night Music” was short, concise, and to the point.  The reason it was written is unknown so that gives a mysterious aspect to the piece.  Serenades like this were often used as background music for festive occasions and large social gatherings.  Mozart was really sick when he wrote it and often people are curious as to what was going through his head and the emotions he was feeling.  “A little night music” is purposeful, alert, energetic, and busy.  The first movement of the serenade defined the whole piece and is the most popular by hear.  “A little Night Music” defines the characteristic of call and answer that dominated the classical period.  The classical period was in fact a very short period too.  Most music composed at this time is important and relevant.  Popular pieces of this time include Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” and “Fur Elise.”  Haydn’s popular pieces are Symphonies No. 44 and No. 104.  All of these pieces are genius and the music from this period will be forever popular and norm.  Mozart only lived to be thirty-five; this piece is even more unusual and argues for preservation because he was only able to express his musical brilliance for a short period.  When a person thinks of the classical period, they can recall “A little Night Music” almost immediately.  Its popularity and obvious classical characteristics make it stand out from typical music of that time.

After Mozart’s death, “A Little Night Music” was lost for a little bit.  It was not until 1827 that is was first performed.  “A Little Night Music” originally had five movements according to Mozart’s journals but one was lost between the period of when it was written and when it was first performed.  According to Google’s Ngram viewer that tracks the popularity of the title “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik,” it gained fame after 1920’s.  So in fact, the time that this masterpiece was written in 1787, people had no appreciation for it because it was undiscovered.  With the invention of the recorded media Mozart gained his popularity and recognition for “A Little Night Music.”

Today “A Little Night Music” can be heard all around the world.  Although it can be used as music to entertain you while on hold or in an elevator, it’s importance and popularity is huge.  There was a big debate called “The Mozart Effect.”  In 1993, the University of California at Irvine conducted studies on students listening to Mozart before their tests and their test scores improved.  Researchers started saying that listening to Mozart could help you think more cognitively and “make you smarter.”  The tests were never duplicated but Mozart gained major popularity and his music was playing everywhere.  The Baltimore Symphony, The Illinois Symphony, and The Rockford Symphony, have all recreated “A Little Night Music.”  That is only to name a few!  Mozart is a household name.  “A Little Night Music” has been played in major movies including: <em>There’s Something About Mary, G.I. Jane, Daddy Day Care, Batman, Alien, Ace Ventura,</em> and my favorite <em>Fantasia</em>.  Obviously if this piece is being reproduced and used in top-selling movies, it is only common sense that people think highly of it.  The audiences of the movies range as well and from toddlers to adults Mozart is a favorite.  “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” is a staple of the classical period and its popularity is at its height today.  I think this serenade will forever be appreciated, reproduced, and studied for generations to come.  I find the elegance of the piece from the time it was written particularly meaningful.  The boldness in the first movement that is bursting with energy can always bring a smile on a gloomy day.  I was a piano player when I was young so this piece is nostalgic to me.  I also loved Fantasia so I was familiar with the piece from being a little girl.  Its history is huge in not only music but the instruments that were being created at that time.  It was made for a string quartet or a pianist, but the full symphony effect creates a big statement and entrance.

Ludwig Van Beethoven was another important composer of the classical period.  One of his most famous pieces and a very recognized piece of the classical period is, “Fur Elise”.  Translated to “For Elise” there is a lot of speculation around the purpose the bagatelle was created.  A bagatelle literally means a thing of little or no value but, “Fur Elise” became highly familiar.  A small piece but just as recognizable as one of Beethoven’s symphonies.  Just like Mozart’s, “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” there is a mysterious feature to the creation of the short piece.  Written in 1810, no distinct records or letters mention “Elise” after Beethoven’s death in 1827.  “Fur Elise” was also published after Beethoven’s death in 1865 like Mozart’s “A Little Night Music.”  “’Fur Elise” is a common catalyst and inspiration that causes many people to become interested in the piano.”  “A Little Night Music” made people interested in the symphony.  “A Little Night Music” has a grand and bold entrance while “Fur Elise” is soothing and gradual.  Both pieces reflect distinct classical period characteristics and had composers that defined classical music.  They are both similar in popularity and are recreated by famous symphonies and pianists.  People know both of them by ear and the composers are household names.  The pieces play a huge history in musical instruments such as the strings and the piano.  “Fur Elise” and “A Little Night Music” are both important to the history of classical music.  They are small pieces written for no particular reason but became influential in the creation of symphonies, musical instruments, and modern music.

“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” is so widely accepted and appreciated already.  Its popularity can be seen in movies, literature, local symphonies, and high school bands.  The classical period was short but sweet and will always be studied and researched as long as music continues to play a significant part of society.  It is important for future generations to be aware of the history and context of different genres of music and their impact on society.  The classical period is such a small part of music as a whole but, very important and significant.  It is important that Mozart and “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” are preserved so we can be aware of one of the greatest composers of all time.  We can continue to study and recreate his music and it will never get old.

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<p align="center">Works Cited</p>
"Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Program Notes." Baltimore Symphony Orchestra - Program Notes 2009 - 2010 Season. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.bsomusic.org/main.taf?p=1,1,1,10,1&gt;.

This article is program notes to a symphony. It has background information on Mozart and "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," It also has information on other symphonies Mozart created. I used it for background information and to show popularity of different symphonies that recreated his music.

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"Eine Kleine Nachtmusik between 1800 and 2000." <em>Google Ngram Viewer</em>. Google, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Eine+Kleine+Nachtmusik&amp;year_start=1800&amp;year_end=2000&amp;corpus=0&amp;smoothing=3&gt;.

The Google Ngram viewer allows you to search a title or group of words and it will show you when it gained popularity or when that title showed up in books. I used this source to search when "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" was popular and when it was showing up in books and publications.

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Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. Vol 2. Books 3-6. 6<sup>th</sup> ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. eBook. McGraw-Hill’s Connect. 2011. Web. Fall 2012.

This textbook provides information and history on art, religion, philosophy, and architecture.  I used this textbook for research on Mozart and the Classical music period.

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Green, Aaron. ""Fur Elise" by Ludwig Van Beethoven." About.com Classical Music. About.com, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/onestopbeethoven/qt/beethove-fur-elise.htm&gt;.

This article is about "Fur Elise" and the history of the piece. It has basic information about when it was created and some basic information on Ludwig Van Beethoven himself.

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Hannis, Keith. "BBC Radio Discovering Music "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"" Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. BBC Radio 3. 9 Jan. 2011. Www.bbc.com. BBC Radio. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x1s9p&gt;. Transcript.

This source is listening notes that go along with a program about Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik." The notes analyze the structure and style of the music. Information and history is also provided. I used this source for a better understand of musical terms used to describe this piece professionally. I used this source for history and for a review of the piece.

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Jones, Martin. "Human Intelligence: Mozart Effect." <em>Human Intelligence: Mozart Effect</em>. Indiana University, 2003. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/mozarteffect2.shtml&gt;.

This article provides information about "The Mozart Effect." It includes a summary of the research and information on opinions about the research and whether it's true or false. I used this website for general information about the study.

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"Program Notes - Illinois Chamber Orchestra I." Illinois Symphony Orchestra. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ilsymphony.org/concerts/illinois-chamber-orchestra/program-notes-ico-1.html&gt;.

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra provides program information about "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik." They have some background and history about Mozart and when the piece was created. I used this source to show popularity and general research about the piece.

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