7/28/2019 Music of the Baroque and the Renaissance Period

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MUSIC OF THE BAROQUE AND THE RENAISSANCE PERIOD

In the 13th

century, music became more elaborate. In forms, several words can be sung at the same time. Butreligious changes in the 16

thcentury brought demands from vocal music in which the words could be heard clearly. It

resulted to a simpler church music.

RENAISSANCE MUSIC (1450-1600)I. Musical Style

The vocal forms of this period were marked by smoothly gliding melodies conceived for the voice.

Most church music was written in a capella style Solo instruments were famous especially flute and keyboard

Women played an active role in music

II. Sacred MusicMusic played an important role in the ritual of the church in addition to the monophonic Gregorian chant, music for

church services included the polyphonic setting of the Mass, motets and hymns.

1. Mass  – the ritual of the Eucharist, celebrated primarily in the Catholic church, has given rise to a large musicalrepertory. The Proper  – the sections that vary from day to day; the Ordinary – the fixed portion of the Mass thatwas sung daily.

a. Kyrie – the first section of the mass is a prayer for mercy that dates from the early centuries of Christianity.

b. Gloria – “Glory be to God in the High” is a joyful hymn of praise that is omitted in the penitential seasonsof Advent and Lent

c. Credo – “I believe ib one God, the Father Almighty” is the confession of faithful and the longest of theMass texts

d. Sanctus – “Holy, holy, holy” which concludes with the “Hosanna” (Hosanna in the highest) e. Agnus Dei – “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” is sung three times. Twice it concluded

with „miserere nobis” (have mercy on us) and the third time with the prayer “dona nobis pacem” (grant uspeace)

2. Motet – a French word meaning “word”. It became a sacred form with a single Latin text, for use of the Mass andother religious services. Motets in praise of the Virgin Mary were extremely popular because of the many religiousgroups all over Europe devoted to Mary.

III. Secular Music

Most prosperous homes had a lute, a keyboard instrument, and the study of music was part of the proper upbringing for a young girl.

1. Chanson  – It was the favorite at the courts of the dukes of Burgundy and the kings of France which are consideredgreat patrons of the arts. It is written for three voices.

2. Madrigal – was an aristocratic form of poetry-and-music that flourished at the small Italian courts, where it was afavorite diversion of cultivated amateurs. The texts consists of a short poem of lyric or reflective character, often includingthe emotional words for weeping, sighing, trembling and dying.

BAROQUE MUSICBaroque comes from the Portuguese word meaning, a pearl of irregular shape.

1. Opera  – a musical dramatic work in which the actors sing some or all of their parts.2. Cantata  – from the Italian word, “cantare”, to sing – that is a piece to be sung. It is a work for solo vocalists, chorus,

an instrumentalists based on a lyric or dramatic poem. To Lutherans in which JS Bach belonged, it was an integral part of the church service, related along with the sermon and prayers that followed it, to the Gospel of the day.

a. chorale – is a hymn tune, especially associated with German Protestantism.3. Oratorio  – one of the great Baroque vocal forms, which descended from the religious play-with-music of the

Counter-Reformation. It came from an Italian word meaning “a place of prayer”. It was based on a biblical story andperformed in a church without scenery, costumes or acting. The action is done with the help of a narrator.

4. Concerto  – “concentare” meaning “to contend” a. solo concerto – concerto for solo instrument and an accompanying instrumental groupb. concerto grosso – was based on opposition between a small group of instruments, the concertino, and a larger 

group, the tutti or ripieno (“full”) 

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5. Suite  –an ordered set of instrumental pieces meant to be performed at a single sitting. Some or all of them basedon the forms and styles of dance music

6. Fugue  – derived from the Latin word “fuga” meaning “flight”, implying a flight or fancy or possibly the flight of thetheme from one voice to the other.

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH“The aim and final reason of all music should be nothing else but the glory of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”  

Bach was born of a family that supplied musicians to the churches and town bands. He was raised by his older 

brother when he was orphaned at the age of ten. At twenty three, he was appointed court organist and chamber musicianto the Duke of Weimer. He has two marriages and produced nineteen offspring. Four of his sons became leadingcomposers of the next generation.

 After a stroke and several operations from cataracts, he was blinded. Yet he continued his last task, revisingeighteen chorale preludes for the organ. The dying master dictated to a son-in-law the last chorale, Before thy Throne,My God , I Stand. 

His compositions were Branderburg Concerto No. 4, Prelude and Fugue No. 1, Concerto in D Minor for twoviolins, to name a few.

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL“My Lord, I should be sorry if I only entertained them. I wished to make them better.” 

He was born in Germany, the son of a prosperous barber-surgeon. At the age of twenty five, he was appointed

conductor to the Elector of Hanover. While Bach was paid only eight dollars, Handel received fifteen hundred dollars ayear. His great opportunity came when he was appointed the musical director at an Italian opera. His Jul ius Caesar wasone of his finest works in the line of opera seria.

Handel suffered the same affliction as Bach – loss of eyesight from cataracts. Like Bach, he dictated his lastworks.Yet he continued to appear in public, conducting his oratorio and performing on the organ. In 1759, after conductinghis most famous oratorio, Messiah, he collapsed in the theater and died some days later.

His other compositions were The Water Music