Between the Barlines – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! Today, we have somewhat of a special episode, based solely on opinions that are backed up by facts. As I mentioned in our last 3 episodes about Beethoven, he sits right on that historical fence between the Classical and Romantic periods, and musicologists love to argue about where he really belongs. So, today’s big question is: Is Ludwig van Beethoven a Classical era composer, or does he truly belong to the Romantic era?

Instagram Results:

classical 54%/romantic 46%

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! We have reached the final episode about Ludwig van Beethoven today. We’ve learned thus far that Beethoven’s career is often divided into three creative phases: the Early Period, inspired by Haydn and Mozart; the Middle Period, defined by heroic, bold works such as the Eroica Symphony; and finally, the Late Period, which is our focus today.

Music mentioned in this episode:

Late String Quartets Opuses 127, 130, 131, 132, 133, and 135: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YytQEjYRdUI&list=PLO6zBTEo45QhwK0K1NWmIDesKrduHficv

Piano Sonatas Opuses 109, 110, 111: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRX3TFLA67E

Symphony No. 9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IqnVCc-Yqo

Missa Solemnis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8Yy0gSt-JE

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry. I am really excited about this episode because we are going to highlight some key keyboard composers in the classical period as well as chat about the invention of the piano! Something we’ve learned this season is that the classical period was a time obsessed with clarity, balance, and expressive nuance—qualities the piano was born to deliver. And with this new invention of the piano, expressivity not just in taking time but also in articulation and dynamic was a HUGE change! Early champions of keyboard music during this time included C. P. E. Bach, Muzio Clementi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry! We are going to focus on unpacking more genres from the classical era. We’ve talked a lot about sonata form this season, and if you wish to refresh yourself on what that form entails, go back to episode 6 on the sonata! Today, we are going to spend some time learning about binary forms and their relatives, variations, minuet and trio, and the rondo. As always, I will mention some pieces of music for each one of these forms. Let’s get started!

Music mentioned in this episode:

Beethoven Minuet in G Major, WoO 10, No. 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttHwuyJsZAI

C. P. E. Bach Solfeggietto in C Minor, H. 220, Wq. 117/2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rDGc69FQcY

Mozart 12 Variations "Ah, vous dirai-je, maman" KV 265: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO-ecxHEPqI

Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 – III. Menuetto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZwnJ_wTlYg

Beethoven Rondo a capriccio Op. 129 ("Rage Over a Lost Penny"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9vhk-cNwv4

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry. Today is our final installment of our instrumental classical era music discussion. The past two episodes on sonatas and symphonies helped us understand more about instrumental music in this period. Today, we are going to touch on the last big instrumental genre, and that is the concerto!

Music mentioned in this episode:

Haydn Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major: https://youtu.be/rO2L9Q06CTE?si=YvSfJju4BPbL4XYQ

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467: https://youtu.be/NgY0QcUjtYE?si=mVDNHnwYn92joBvj

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in d minor, K. 466: https://youtu.be/yM8CFR01KwQ?si=fQ8ljUnCQaYaRFmN

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 in c minor, Op. 37: https://youtu.be/D_iPsP8LXI0?si=NRRIpM45QggRw88f

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 37 "Emperor": https://youtu.be/m0evC5OMofs?si=h_SWQI8yoxVE5gOJ

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry! We are just a few episodes into season 4! I hope you are enjoying learning about the classical era. If you are just joining me this season, I suggest that you go back to seasons 1-3 to learn about music all the way back from antiquity to the point which we will talk about today! On today’s episode, we are going to continue our chat about instrumental music of the early classical period by chatting about the symphony!

Music mentioned in this episode:

Sammartini Symphony in F Major: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ3dt0hMSFQ

Mozart Symphony No. 39: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clH-bMhvtAY

Mozart Symphony No. 40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTc1mDieQI8

Mozart Symphony No. 41 ("Jupiter"): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsNk-7j9lpY

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry! Today, we are going to begin a 3-part series exploring the instrumental genres of the classical era. With that being said, today we’re diving into one of the most influential musical forms of the Classical period: the sonata. When we think of the sonata today, we often imagine Beethoven or Mozart, maybe a stormy piano piece or a graceful violin movement. But the story of the sonata goes back earlier—to the early Classical period, around the mid-18th century—when composers were beginning to move away from the complexity of the Baroque and toward clarity, contrast, and expressive balance.

Music mentioned in this episode:

C.P.E. Bach - Sonata in A Major, H.186: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtndLR9Ef_0

D. Scarlatti - Sonata in D Major, K119: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSj24ge6sew

Haydn - Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI: 52: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDVj_JzQCg8

J.C. Bach - Sonatas: https://youtu.be/XCGaldUh1G4

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host Dr. Maeve Berry! I am so excited for today’s episode because this is one of my favorite topics in all of music: the German Lied! When we talk about Lied—literally “song” in German—we’re often thinking of the rich 19th-century tradition: Schubert’s Erlkönig, Schumann’s Dichterliebe, or Brahms’ poignant settings of folk texts. But before these names set the gold standard for Romantic art song, Lied had a much humbler beginning.

Music mentioned in this epsiode:

Schubert - Erlkönig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoBo8dlPcQo

Schumann - Dichterliebe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xFU0IJimX4

C.P.E. Bach - Oden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eexhWsYgbw

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry! If you are enjoying season 4 so far, please rate and like the podcast on whatever platform you listen to and share it with a friend! Today, we’re diving into one of the most pivotal figures in 18th-century music — Christoph Willibald Gluck — and how his revolutionary ideas helped redefine what opera could be.

Music mentioned in this episode:

Orfeo ed Euridice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iakrY83yCv4

Alceste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDFnGqG7qt8

Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynWWcHC754I

Welcome back to Between the Barlines! I am your host, Dr. Maeve Berry! Today, we are headed to the opera house in the 18th century, a time when the world of opera was exploding with new forms, new stories, and new sounds. This was the golden age of opera seria, the rise of comic opera, and the beginning of Singspiel and other national operatic styles.

Some of the music mentioned in this episode:

Handel Giulio Cesare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qrcg2jlnqA

Pergolesi La serva padrona: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsUeywPFEgQ

Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYOTeHL14uQ

John Gay The Beggar’s Opera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq7g_NRKHU0