<P> Since there was a greater emphasis on a single melodic line, there was greater emphasis on notating that line for dynamics and phrasing . This contrasts with the Baroque era, when melodies were typically written with no dynamics, phrasing marks or ornaments, as it was assumed that the performer would improvise these elements on the spot . In the Classical era, it became more common for composers to indicate where they wanted performers to play ornaments such as trills or turns . The simplification of texture made such instrumental detail more important, and also made the use of characteristic rhythms, such as attention - getting opening fanfares, the funeral march rhythm, or the minuet genre, more important in establishing and unifying the tone of a single movement . </P> <P> The Classical period also saw the gradual development of sonata form, a set of structural principles for music that reconciled the Classical preference for melodic material with harmonic development, which could be applied across musical genres . The sonata itself continued to be the principal form for solo and chamber music, while later in the Classical period the string quartet became a prominent genre . The symphony form for orchestra was created in this period (this is popularly attributed to Joseph Haydn). The concerto grosso (a concerto for more than one musician), a very popular form in the Baroque era, began to be replaced by the solo concerto, featuring only one soloist . Composers began to place more importance on the particular soloist's ability to show off virtuoso skills, with challenging, fast scale and arpeggio runs . Nonetheless, some concerti grossi remained, the most famous of which being Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola in E flat Major . </P> <P> In the classical period, the theme is made up of phrases with contrasting melodic figures and rhythms . These phrases are relatively brief, typically four bars in length, and can occasionally seem sparse or terse . The texture is mainly homophonic, with a clear melody above a subordinate chordal accompaniment, for instance an Alberti bass . This contrasts with the practice in Baroque music, where a piece or movement would typically have only one musical subject, which would then be worked out in a number of voices according to the principles of counterpoint, while maintaining a consistent rhythm or metre throughout . As a result, Classical music tends to have a lighter, clearer texture than the Baroque . The classical style draws on the style galant, a musical style which emphasised light elegance in place of the Baroque's dignified seriousness and impressive grandeur . </P> <P> Structurally, Classical music generally has a clear musical form, with a well - defined contrast between tonic and dominant, introduced by clear cadences . Dynamics are used to highlight the structural characteristics of the piece . In particular, sonata form and its variants were developed during the early classical period and was frequently used . The Classical approach to structure again contrasts with the Baroque, where a composition would normally move between tonic and dominant and back again, but through a continual progress of chord changes and without a sense of "arrival" at the new key . While counterpoint was less emphasised in the classical period, it was by no means forgotten, especially later in the period, and composers still used counterpoint in "serious" works such as symphonies and string quartets, as well as religious pieces, such as Masses . </P>

The predominant texture in the classical era was