The musical changes between the baroque and classical eras were the creative thinking used in composing the songs. Unlike the classical period, where music was homophonic in texture with more precise and more straightforward forms, the Baroque era music was polyphonic in texture. Additionally, Baroque era ornamented and elaborated melodies, while Classical music had well-balanced and poised purer melodic lines. Contrary to the Baroque musical period, which focused on loud and quiet dynamics, the Classical era used expanded dynamics that permitted a more comprehensive range of possibilities. The classical era majored in tonality, allowing for the creation of music that majored in tonic and dominant harmony, the Baroque period, on the other end, because of the polyphony, lacked the harmonic pull.
Giovanni Gabrieli is an Italian national who was an organist and a renaissance composer. He wrote the piece in 1597, the first piece of music in which the role of instrumentation was defined. It featured a viola de braccio, three trombones, a cornett, and two ensembles. All these were played together and, at some point, separately. The name sonata pian’ e forte” refers to an instrument that employs both soft and loud dynamics. It is speculated that the piece was created to be played during catholic church services.
The chosen performance is a masterpiece with crucial elements. There is an apparent use of both loud and sound dynamics with a very abrupt application. The work employs a polyphonic texture with counterpoints. Such an arrangement makes the music thinner and broader. As the music starts from 0:00 to 2:30, it has a slow tempo and a sad mood, but it changes to a fast and happy one from 2:31 to 3:00 when the key is modulated.