Symbols called sharps #, or flats♭placed in front of letter named tones, determine the direction, either up or down of half-steps.

Sharps = up ↑

Flats = down ↓

• Keys next to one another, either up or down or black or white, are referred to has half-steps.

↑↑ ↑↑Half steps

Materials of MusicTerms

• Transposition – shifting an entire piece of music from one key to another

–This is done often for singers

• Modulation – changing from one key to other keys within one piece of music

The Baroque EraThe Baroque Era

1600-1750

• Baroque style adopted a highly dramatic type of expression rather than the classical ideals of the Renaissance.

• Art, architecture, dress and music becomes extreme, grandiose and highly emotional.

The Baroque EraDrama

ExtravaganceContrastOpulenceExtremesGrandeur

St. Peter’s Basilica

The View from the Dome at St. Peter’s

Versailles

Trevi Fountain, Rome

The Baroque Era• The term Baroque means odd, irregular,

rough and uneven and refers to the elaborate quality of the Baroque style.– It was originally a negative term

• Sacred and secular culture was even more equal in this style period than the past.

The Baroque Era• A time of contrasts:

– Science and Religion– Knowledge and faith– Poverty and opulence

ReligionMany Religious Wars between Protestants

and Catholics.Puritans, Separatists and Quakers leave

England seeking religious freedom.

The Baroque EraPainting

Painters were fascinated with the effects of light.

Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens

Caravaggio

Caravaggio

Artemesia Gentileschi

Vermeer

Rembrandt

Artemesia Gentileschi

Baroque Music• First Opera house constructed• First public concerts• The rise of instrumental music• Explorations in dynamics (contrast)• Establishment of movements

occurs during this time.

Baroque MusicMovements

• Individual sections of a larger piece of music– The sections often contrast each other

French Suite, No. 1, D minor BWV 812 Johann Sebastian Bach AllemandeCouranteSarabandeMenuetGigue

Baroque Music• Movements act much like acts of a play or

chapters of a book. They are a portion of the whole.

Examples of multi-movement works:– Chamber Music– Sonata– Concerto– Symphony– Dance Suite

Baroque Music• The tonal system we use today,

with major and minor scales, was put into wide use during this time.

• The triad became a significant element to harmonic writing.

The Doctrine of the Affections• One mood or affection per

movement or piece of music–This arose out of the union of text

and music• The rise of the virtuoso

–Performers with exceptional ability or skill

Women in Baroque Music• Women continue to advance in Baroque music as

singers, instrumentalists and composers

– Francesca Caccini (1587-1638)• Singer and first woman to compose an opera

– Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)• Singer and composer

– Elisabeth-Jacquet de la Guerre (c. 1666-1729)• French harpsichord player in Louis XIV’s

court and composer

Francesca Caccini

Barbara Strozzi

Elisabeth la Guerre

Francesca Caccini (1587-1641)• Italian composer, singer, lutenist, poet,

and music teacher• Sang at the wedding of Henry IV to

Maria de Medici• Hired as a musician at the very

influential Medici court• Her stage work, La liberazione di

Ruggiero, has been widely considered the first opera by a woman composer.

Elisabeth Claude Jacquet de La Guerre(1665-1729)

• French composer & harpsichordist• One of the only women musicians at the

court of Louis XIV• After leaving court she was an

influential musicians at the French salons

Elisabeth Claude Jacquet de La Guerre(1665-1729)

• Suite No. 1, 2nd Gigue, from Pieces for Harpsichord

• C’en est fait, le repos – from Judith

17th-century Italy• Italy in the seventeenth century was very

different from the unified country we know today. Cities like Florence, Venice, Genoa, Bologna, and Naples formed small individual states with distinct local customs, traditions, dialects, and even artistic traditions.

• Home of the Florentine Camerata – A group of intellectuals who discussed and

initiated artistic style changes

Florence, Italy

• They wanted to express words in vocal music as clearly as possible– Polyphonic textures were avoided

• This type of new solo singing style is called monody– Songs were accompanied by

simple chords that supported the vocal line

• Monody influences the creation of opera

Florentine Camerata

Opera• An opera is a musical drama that is

entirely sung.

• Opera is an excellent example of the exaggerated drama of the Baroque era.

Opera• The written story or text of an opera is

called:– The Libretto.

• The libretto is then set to music by a composer.– Librettos were highly sought after by

Baroque opera attendees.

Sections of the Opera: Recitative & Aria

• Recitative – a style of singing closely related to speech. – They provide the story and dramatic action

to an opera.• Their melodies follow the natural

inflections of speech.• Their primary purpose is to clearly

express the text.

OperaAria

• An aria expresses the emotions of an opera, and the reflection of the characters.

• The text is often less complicated than recitatives– Arias may contain extensive vocal display.

Sections of Opera• The Recitatives and Arias• Can be considered the body and soul of

opera.– Body – Structure, foundation– Soul – Emotion, passion

Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)• Choir master at St. Mark’s in Venice.

– Monteverdi successfully incorporated the clear vocal line from Florence - Monody

• Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo of 1607 is considered the first opera.

Opera in France & England• King Louis XIV of France established

French national ballet and French national opera– Tragédie lyrique – French opera– Jean-Baptiste Lully – composer of

French opera

Opera in France & England• English puritans banned theater during

the early Baroque period• Henry Purcell – England’s first opera

composer. Wrote Dido and Aeneas– Page 141, 142 Recitative and Aria

Opera Singers• Some of the most famous and sought after

singers of opera were male singers, even for woman’s roles.– An interest in women’s voices was still

developing during this time• Castrati were boys who were castrated before

reaching maturity in order to preserve the quality of their voices.– Castrati were eventually outlawed in most

countries. The French particularly disliked the sound of the castrati voice.

Allesandro Moreschi

Carlo Maria Broschi a.k.a., Farinelli

The Last Living Castrati

• Alessandro Moreschi (1858-1922)

• A member of the Pope’s choir–Made the only known

recording of a castrato–Made in Rome in

1903/04–In his mid 40s

Barbara Strozzi and the Italian Secular Cantata

• Cantata (Italian “to sing”) • Vocal genre for solo

singers and instrumental accompaniment

• Based on lyric, dramatic, or narrative poetry

Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677) • Italian singer and composer

• Educated in Venice

• Worked in a male-dominated field

• Prolific composer of madrigals, arias, cantatas, and sacred motets

Strozzi: Begli occhi (Beautiful Eyes) • Short secular cantata

• Two sopranos and basso continuo

• Abrupt tempo and mood changes

• Text speaks of unrequited love

• Dissonances emphasize bitterness

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)• An organist. From a musical family of over 200

years of musicians• Never left Germany. Worked in many cities within

his own country• Married twice

– First wife Maria Barbara died young – Anna Magdalena was his 2nd wife – He had a total of 20 children between two wives

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

• Reputation– One of the hardest working musicians

in music history.– He is considered the greatest

composer of polyphonic music in the history of western music

– His music contributions are so important that the end of the Baroque period is also the year he died - 1750

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

• Bach was a devout Lutheran.

• He refined the sacred cantata to provide for the heavy demand for vocal music for Sunday church services and special holidays.

• Cantata – a musical piece that is sung.

Bach’s Cantatas• Early Lutheran church services were often 4

hours long. • Bach wrote over 300 cantatas for these types of

services.• Cantata No. 80, A Mighty Fortress is Our God

George Frederic Handel (1685-1759)

• German born• Trained in Italy• Traveled throughout Europe• Spent a large part of his life in

England.• Organist, harpsichordist, composer.• Adopted the dramatic opera style of

Italy to his music.

George Frederic Handel

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)• International career• Wrote:• Italian opera seria • oratorios • Instrumental music

– Music for the Royal Fireworks

– Water Music

Handel and the Oratorio• Oratorio

– Performed by solo voices, chorus, orchestra

• Vocal dramas like opera but on a sacred subject and they are not costumed or staged.

– Sacred entertainment

• His oratorios appealed to the people of England.– Handel’s oratorios contain extensive use of

choruses.

Handel: Messiah • Premiered in Dublin in 1742• Written in 24 days• Libretto: compilation of Old and

New Testament

•“Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” homophonic

•“For the Lord God reigneth” monophonic

•“The Kingdom for this world is become” homophonic

•“And He shall reign for ever and ever” polyphonic

•“King of Kings and Lord of Lords” homophonic

Hallelujah Chorus: contrasting textures

Hallelujah Chorus• Tradition states the George II was so

moved that he rose to his feet in admiration• This tradition still goes on today.

Bach and Handel Comparison

Bach HandelMusical roots Struggled to make a livingStayed in Germany Traveled throughout EuropeChurch musician Wrote for the TheaterConservative Lutheran Cosmopolitan, fashionable lifeNo operas Wrote many operas and oratorios