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Classical Music/History of Concerts

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Expert: - 3/9/2010


Question
I do not really really even know how to start my research, but I am curious about the history of concerts.  In Music History today we discussed how Liszt was the first performer to do full concert piano recitals.  I would like to find out if it is true that before this concerts were usually a mixture of different music such as vocal, instrumental, etc.  Any ideas would help me. Thank you!

Answer
It wasn't the type of music (or consistency throughout of the same type) that distinguishes the "concert" from the "not concert."  Earlier performances (other than opera) were what today are called "musicales" or "salon musicals" (note absence of E).

Some (usually) lady/ladies would invite a performer to come to her home and present a concert.  Chopin did this a lot, for example, as did Liszt.  The audience was comprised of her guests, not the general public.

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Another type of "public" performance was one done for a patron or an employer (who supported the musician - - often a composer, in exchange for having certain compositions created).  For example, Mozart made many musical presentations for the Archbishop of Salzburg.  Haydn, employed as court composer by Count Esterhazy, wrote numerous pieces for the count's evening entertainment.  Handel wrote groupings of pieces for the king (ex.:  Water Music, Fireworks Music) or as fund-raisers (Messiah).

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With Beethoven, there is the advent of public performances. He presented his piano concerti and symphonies to paying audiences (sometimes called "subscription performances").

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Yes, some earlier concerts were a mix (see the musicales), but not all earlier ones were mixes.
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