Baroque Music(1600 – 1750)

IGCSE Year 10October 13th, 2009

Aristocracy was rich and powerful during the 17th century

The word baroque = bizarre, elaborately ornamented

Filling up space with action and movement◦ Contrasting light and dark

Baroque Society

Three phases◦ Early (1600-1640)

Italian composers created opera Homophonic texture emphasized and unstable

chords◦ Middle (1640-1880)

Modes gave way to major and minor scales New importance of instrumental music

◦ Late (1680-1750) ** Return to Polyphonic texture Dominant to tonic chords Instrumental music = as important as vocal

Baroque Music

MOOD◦ One piece = One mood usually◦ Exception in vocal music – changes in emotions correspond to changes

in musical changes (but usually not suddenly)

RHYTHM◦ Continuity in rhythm◦ Emphasis on the beat

MELODY◦ Also feeling on continuity (reoccurring)◦ Elaborate and ornamental = not balanced

DYNAMICS◦ Continuity – if shifts occur, usually sudden = TERRACED DYNAMICS◦ Use of ORGAN or HARPSICHORD – no finger pressure control◦ Clavichord = slight changes allowed = for amateur usage

Characteristics of Baroque Music

TEXTURE◦ Polyphonic◦ Repetition of the melody in different voices◦ Not all were polyphonic

CHORDS AND BASSO CONTINUO◦ Chords – became more significant◦ Sometimes composed melody to fit a chord

progression◦ BASSO CONTINUO and FIGURED BASS

WORDS and MUSIC◦ Sometimes many notes for one syllable of text

Characteristics of Baroque Music Cont’d

Instruments in the violin family

10-40 players

Based on the basso continuo – harp and cello, bass, or bassoon

Violins and violas

Woodwinds, percussion, brass were added only some of the time – ie. when music was festive

Melody, rhythm and harmony was stressed

Baroque Orchestra

Movements that contrast

Movement = complete and independent, but part of a larger work

ABA, AB, Undivided form = ALL COMMON

Contrasting sounds

Baroque Form

Music written to order (mainly from churches and courts, and opera companies)

Good pay and prestige of the music director

Job is at the call of the patron

Some had good relationships with their patrons ◦ Ie. Corelli

Music in Society

Church also need music – organ or choir, or orchestra

Church music contributed to the prestige of the city

Music played in public, for taverns etc.

Usually musician jobs = handed down from father to son

Women were not usually employed performers, but many became musicians (ie. Caccini, Strozzi)

To become a musician = pass exam, or do other non-musical requirements

Music in Society Cont’d

Small group pitted against larger group (Tutti)

2-4 soloists

8-20 in Tutti◦ String instruments, harpsichord as part of basso

continuo

Usually in 3 movements (fast, slow, fast)

Concerto Grosso

Usually the form of the first and last movement of concerto grosso

Alternating between tutti and solo

TUTTI with a theme (ritornello)

Theme returns in different keys in fragments

End of the piece = ritornello in home key◦ TR (home key)◦ Solo◦ TR (fragment)◦ Solo◦ TR(fragment)◦ Solo◦ TR(home key)

Ritornello (refrain) Form

History of the Concerto:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 D MajorBach

Listening Notes:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 D MajorBach

The fugue: polyphonic composition on one main theme: SUBJECT

Different melody lines (voices) imitate the subject

TOP LINE – soprano voice, bottom is base 4-5 voices, but usually starts in single voice Sometimes counter subject Episodes with new material Some are introduced by a prelude

The Fugue

Key Terms:◦ Stretto

◦ Pedal Point

◦ Inversion

◦ Retrograde

◦ Diminution

The Fugue Continued

Notes

Bach’s Fugue in G Minor

Instrumental music grew in importance

Sonata = several movements for 1-8 instruments

TRIO sonatas: 2 high instruments, 2 for basso

Sonata da cheisa vs. Sonata da camera

Baroque Sonata

Notes:

Arcangelo Corelli’s Trio Sonata in A Minor

Late Italian Baroque – born in Venice

Violin teacher, composer, conductor

Composed SOLO CONCERTOS – single soloist and orchestra

Antonio Vivaldi

Notes:

La Primavera (Spring), from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi

Known as the town musicians

Church organist, court organist, then concertmaster

First wife died, leaving 3children – remarried

Cantor in Leipzig, he was a religious man

J.S. Bach

No opera, his vocal music – usually hymns

Polyphonic texture and rich harmony

Several melodic lines at once – chord progression

Single idea per piece – twisting the inner voices etc

Bach’s Music

Notes:

Prelude and Fugue in C Minor

Same key but different tempo, meter, or character◦ Allemande◦ Couratne◦ Gavotte◦ Sarabande◦ Gigue

AABB

Balance and symmetry

The Baroque Suite

Notes:

Suite No. 3 in D Major: Bach

Opera

Chorale/Cantatas

Oratorios

Vocal Music in Baroque Era

Fusion of music, acting, poetry, dance, scenery, constumes

Began 1600

Orchestra and actors with conductor

LIBRETTO – text Parts:

◦ Coloratura soprano◦ Lyric soprano◦ Dramatic soprano◦ Lyric tenor◦ Dramatic teno◦ Basso buffo◦ Basso profondo

Opera

ARIA

RECITATIVE

ENSEMBLE

CHORUS

PROMPTER

OVERTURE/PRELUDE

Opera Continued

Camerata – ancient Greek tragedy They rejected polyphony Euridice by Peri earliest opera preserved Orfeo by Monteverdi 1st opera house in Venice – 1637 Castrato Late baroque – secco

recitative/accompanied recitatives ABA da capo Arias

Baroque Opera Writers

Early Baroque era

Wrote Orfeo

Music directer in Venice

Bridging the 16th and 17th century

Wanted emotional intensity in music

Used dissonances, tremolo and pizzicatos

Monteverdi

Notes:

Monteverdi’s Orfeo

London, choirboy, then composer then organist

English composer, wrote with all music forms

Wrote Dido and Aeneas

Homophonic textures and polyphony

Used GROUND BASS – repeated bass pattern

Henry Purcell

Libretto by Nahum Tate – inspired by Aeneid by Virgil

Dido – Queen and Aeneas – king of Trojans

Aeneas lands in Carthage and falls for Dido

False messenger tells Aeneas to leave – Dido suicides

Dido and Aeneas

Notes:

Dido’s Lament – Act III

Music used often in churches – 4 hour services!

Chorale: hymn tunes sung to German texts- Usually one note to a syllable- New music was often based on traditional melodies- CHORALE PRELUDES before the hymn

Cantata- Piece that was sung- usually for chorus, vocal soloists, organ and orchestra- Resembled the opera at the time

Chorale and Church Cantata

Notes:

Cantata No. 140: Wachet aug, ruft uns die stimme: Bach

Large scale for chorus, solo and orchestra No acting,based on biblical stories

Choruses and arias, duets and recitatives

Longer than cantatas and have story line

Ie. Messiah

Oratorio

Italian opera and English oratorio

Studied law in university

Music director at for Hanover

Wrote Rinaldo (opera)- success

Favorite of Queen Anne

Scapegoat of political struggles

1741: Messiah

George Frideric Handel

Late Baroque- just like Bach

His works are nearly always serious, based on Roman and Greek history

English oratorios – stories from Old Testament But not for the church, just for entertainment

The chorus was his focus!

Changes texture frequently

Sharp changes in mood – major and minor

Handel’s Music

Notes:

Handel’s Messiah

Notes Continued: