The Enlightenment Era

As we move out of the focus of Folk music, we are beginning to move back to the creative roots of music and music forms. The Enlightenment Era, also known as The Classical Era, ranged from 1600-1800. Music, art, and different ways of thinking flourished in this time period. This philosophical movement brought a rise to the middle class, and as we learn in the Yudkin text, "The Enlightenment favored the human over the divine, the reason over religion, and clarity over complexity." 

To me, the most interesting aspect of The Enlightenment Period that we've focused on in class is the architecture. Many spectacular styles of architecture appeared in this era. Many cathedrals, castles, and homes glow with the Enlightenment era style of architecture called Revival Architecture. Revivalism was huge at this time, take the Panthéon in Paris for example. It was modeled after the original in Rome, using similar Greek ideas of architecture, seen in the giant columns and detailed pediment on the face of the building. It is revivalism because of the Greek aspect in the architecture, but also incorporates Enlightenment era themes with implementation of the massive dome and cross. 

 The Panthéon was originally built as a church but now its purpose is to function as a mausoleum. This style of architecture perfectly portrays what this era was about. Nothing like this was built for a long time before this structure, and it was a very coming-of-age style of it's time. The Enlightenment really focused on a new way of thinking, and when they incorporated that thinking into their music, it was also brought into their buildings and their art. In a way, the Panthéon is even different from a lot of Enlightenment Era architecture. It is large, evokes a powerful force, and seems like it is part of a higher order. The thinking of the time was to build a place for all, focusing on having an inviting style of architecture, structured around the middle class. This revivalism style was really only seen in churches and castles, and it remained popular throughout the entire time period. 

As we move through this segment of music in the Enlightenment Era, I think it is important to focus on all aspects of the time period. Music effects every way of thinking in history, and it was one of the most powerful forms of art in this era. All the art is connected, making it easy to see the hints of similar ideas in all forms of the art of this time.