The most important type of music in the Middle Ages

In Europe, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, vocal music has long dominated. In the Baroque period, instrumental music developed independently and began to keep pace with vocal music, while in the classical period, instrumental music flourished.

Baroque music has developed for more than 100 years, forming many instrumental genres, such as sonata trio, concerto concerto, opera overture, suite, fugue and so on. Composers have accumulated pure music creation experience independent of lyrics, which laid the foundation for the prosperity of instrumental music in the classical period. In the classical period, the main melody music style has established a dominant position, while polyphony music has been relegated to a subordinate position, although it has not been completely abandoned, and melody and harmony of music have become the two most prominent elements. Classicism emphasizes clear and logical musical language. Symmetrical music melody syntax and paragraph structure have replaced the decorative melody method of Baroque music motivation plus variation. Sonata form with dialectical thinking factor has become the most important music form widely used and tirelessly explored by composers in many music genres.

The emerging modern piano is loved by people. It has replaced plucked clavichord and percussion clavichord as a family instrument, and piano sonata has become the most popular solo music form. The composer has formed a new concept of sonata structure and classical keyboard style in his piano works. In addition, there are duets, trios, quartets and quintets in the private living room, among which string quartets are most valued by composers. As a social pastime and entertainment, such as serenading and frolicking. Due to the rise of private concerts, especially public concerts, large-scale music genres have flourished. Symphony-"Sonata for Band" occupies a central position in classical instrumental music and develops rapidly. When the symphony gradually changed from palace entertainment to the main repertoire of public concerts, it incorporated the spiritual connotation of the times.