Their Style

Composers of the Viennese School emphasized a complex balance in most of the music that they wrote. Orchestra music and other music for large groups often had complex melodies and harmonies, with the melody sometimes traveling back and forth between different groups of instruments. A more proportionate balance between the treble and bass clef, which was not present in previous times, was acheived.

The composers in the Viennese School did not write only orchestra music though, they also composed solo concertos and music for smaller groups of instruments. The string trio and quartet became quite popular, and the quintet was also fairly well-received.

The music of these composers often stressed a lightness, sometimes called joyousness, which was well-taken by its listeners, and thus became popular. The same qualities that made their music popular have ensured its popularity with many listeners straight into modern times.