Music History Listening Assignment No.

1
The Piano Studio of Jennifer Boster

Classical music is categorized into four main periods – Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern. Read
“A Brief History of Piano Music” to learn a little about each period and its characteristics.

Listen to Rochberg’s String Quartet No. 6, Third Movement (Variations on Pachelbel’s Canon in D). As the
piece begins, it is in a Baroque style. Next you will hear Classical style, then Romantic, then Modern. It
then ends by eventually works its way back to the Baroque style (very cool!). Can you hear the different
styles? Try to recognize when it changes to a different style, and to recognize some characteristics of
each musical period.

As you listen, write down some clues (or characteristics) that let you know which style the music is in.

Baroque

Classical

Romantic

Modern