Explore the Common Practice Period with music dictionary guides to Baroque, Classical, Romantic harmony, form, tonality, and style.
The Common Practice Period spans roughly 1650 to 1900, encompassing Baroque, Classical, and Romantic styles. It is defined by functional tonality, standardized forms, and a set of compositional rules that shaped Western art music.
The Classical era (c. 1730–1820) marked a shift toward clarity, balance, and structured forms such as the symphony and sonata. It emerged from the late Baroque and laid the groundwork for the Romantic period.
The Age of Enlightenment in music, roughly spanning 1720–1820, marks the transition from Baroque complexity to Classical clarity, emphasizing balanced forms, homophonic texture, and the rise of the public concert.
The Baroque Era (c. 1600–1750) was a period of dramatic, ornate music marked by the rise of tonal harmony, basso continuo, and expressive contrast. It laid the groundwork for modern Western art music.
The Romantic Era in Western art music, roughly spanning 1820 to 1910, is characterized by heightened emotional expression, expanded orchestration, and a turn toward individualism and nationalism.