BAROQUE MUSIC

1. BAROQUE MUSIC UNIT 3 Part ONE

2. Bell Ringer What does the term “Baroque” mean?

3. Composers of the Baroque Period (c. 1600-1750) • Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) • Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643) • Heinrich Schultz (1585-1672) • Johann Hermann Schein (1586-1630) • Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) • Dietrich Buxtehude (c.1637-1707) • ArcangeloCorelli (1653-1713) • Giuseppe Torelli (1658-1709) • Henry Purcell (1659-1695) • Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725) • Francois Couperin (1668-1733) • Antonio Vivaldi (c.1675-1741) • Jean-Phillipe Rameau (1683-1764) • Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) • Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) • George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

4. Introduction to Baroque Musical Style The word “Baroque” is used today to refer to a style in the arts– in music, a style and period that encompass the 17th and first half of the 18th centuries. The origin of the term “Baroque” is uncertain but could come from: • The Portuguese word barrocowhich means an irregularly shaped pearl • The Italian word baroco which means a far-fetched syllogistic argument • Named after 16th century painter Federigo Barocci

5. BAROQUE PERIOD SETTING THE SCENE Life in the 17th century Art and Music The Elements of Music: Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, Texture Instruments Types of Compositions and Forms Colonial American Music

6. Life in the 17th Century • Europe was deeply affected politically, socially, and intellectually by the aftermath of both the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. • During the Medieval period, the Catholic Church helped to unify Europe. • During the Renaissance, secular rulers grew stronger and the authority of the Catholic church was weakened. • The Reformation of the Renaissance is viewed as a struggle between Church and state.

7. The Economy • The 17th century brought major increases in commercial activity and in the power of the middle class. • European trade networks expanded due to Spain’s and Portugal’s explorations of the New World joined by other western European nations later in the 17th century. • As Spain, Portugal and other European countries were busy in the New World, England and the Netherlands dominated European trade.

8. The Economy • The most striking feature of the age was the growth of absolute monarchy (a country reigned over by a king, prince, or other monarch ) • While asserting their right to rule unhampered by religious authority, national and regional rulers also tried to put an end to: • Traditional “liberties” of the nobles and free towns • The customary prerogatives of council and popular assembly

9. The Economy • The best example of this monarchic government is France. • The most famous monarch of France is King Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” who ruled from 1643-1715. He was the symbol of monarchy in France for over half a century. • France became the language of culture and diplomacy, and the French court at Versailles became the literary and artistic center of Europe.

10. The Economy • As colonization of the New World increased, the scientific exploration that had begun in the Renaissance reached its peak. • Kepler and Galileo improved the science of the stars, astronomy. • Antonie van Leeuwenhoek made several discoveries which include red blood cells with his microscope. • Sir Isaac Newton came up with his law of gravity. • René Descartes and other philosophers established new ways of thinking about the world.

11. Art and Music … also reflected the search for knowledge and understanding. Doctrine of the affections When looking at a piece of Baroque art today, many viewers are overwhelmed by a sense of strong emotions like fear, anger, love, joy, etc… this overwhelming of feelings could be explained by the doctrine of affections. The emotions felt are called affections and the theory was called the doctrine of affections. Works of art and music were rationally conceived to embody a particular mood or emotion.

12. Art and Music El Greco’s “Baptism of Christ” Rembrandt’s “Prodigal Son”

13. Baroque Architecture

14. Art and Music In Music the theories that gave birth to the new style were shaped in Italy at the beginning of the 17th century. Italy was the center of the musical world until France and Germany started making musical contributions. Secular music in countries like Spain and France where the fashions of court held the most influence was very different from music of countries where the most influence came from the middle class like in England just as the Church music in the Roman Catholic countries differed from the church music in the Protestant states due to who the dominating figures were.

15. Melody and Rhythm In the late 16th century, a group known as the Florentine Cameratamet out of the home of Count Giovanni de’ Bardi in Florence, Italy. The members of this group were interested in: • The revival of ancient Greek drama • The style of theater called stile rappresentativo which eventually led to the creation of the first operas.

16. Melody • The most important characteristic of the stile rappresentativo was monody. Monody is the use of one principal melody with simple chordal accompaniment. • This new approach concentrated on melodic interest with one voice. Monteverdi called this new approach secondaprattica (“second practice”). The Renaissance style was called prima prattica (“first practice”). • Since the chordal accompaniment was relatively simple, the singer would often add additional notes to the melody, a practice called ornamentation. Two kinds of ornamentation are: • Trill • Turn

17. Rhythm • Because of the wide use of ornamentation, the consistent beat of the music was sometimes interrupted. • In the secondaprattica style, greater rhythmic flexibility was required to accommodate the additional ornamentation. • At the same time, instrumental pieces show a new definition and standardization of rhythm by using: • Time signatures • Measures separated by bar lines

18. Melody and Rhythm • Individual performance started to grow due to the development of new types of vocal music. • Popular solo compositional types include: • The recitative • The aria • The arioso • These new styles of composition gave soloists the opportunity to display their skills of ornamentation. Ornamentation was not always indicated by the composer. The singer would add embellishments in the style that was appropriate to the time period. This was called performance practice. • Another type of composition that became popular among both vocal and instrumental melodies is the sequence.

19. Bell Ringer What are two types of ornamentation developed during the Baroque Era? Test on Friday! Bell Ringers Due Friday!

20. Harmony • The monadic style that was so popular in this period was influenced by the development of major-minor harmony. • Renaissance harmony was based on the sound of intervals based on the Church modes. Certain intervals were recognized as giving consonant sounds while others were considered to be dissonant. • At the end of the Renaissance, major-minor harmony was starting to emerge and by the end of the Baroque period, the major-minor harmonic system was firmly in practice. • Jean-Phillipe Rameau (1683-1764) wrote a famous document about the major-minor harmonic system called the Traite de l’harmonie(“Treatise on Harmony”).

21. Because of the development of the major-minor harmonic system… Because of the use of modulation technique (changing the tonal center of the piece)… The system of tuning known as equal temperament (making the half steps and wholes steps of a scale more equal in length) was developed. Bach wrote a series of keyboard pieces called the Well-Tempered Clavier that could have been played in all major and minor keys to show the advantages of the new tuning. • Composers use chordal progression (which is the sense of one chord leading on to the next) to direct their choices in what the composition sounds like. • Modulation became more widely used too

23. Texture • The musical texture that developed from the use of monody and tonal harmony was quite different from that of the Renaissance. • The monadic style made use of one melody with supporting harmony in other parts. • Harmonic support was generally provided by two instruments playing accompaniment: • Chordal accompaniment by the Organ or Harpsichord • Basso continuo (Accompaniment reinforcing the bass line) played by a string or wind instrument such as a viol or bassoon.

24. Texture Composers developed a short hand for the Baroque style of accompaniment which came to be known as a figured bass. The chords were note written in. The composer would though write in the melody line and the bass line placing a set of numbers below the bass note to indicate the chord that should be played. So what’s good about a figured bass? • Saved the composer time from writing out each chord in the accompaniment, • Let the performers share in the creative process instead of following note for note the composer’s vision.

25. Texture • Homophony is another feature of both instrumental and vocal music of the Baroque period however it was more prominent in vocal music. • Instrumental music remained polyphonic for the most part because instruments could: • Handle more complex music than the human voice • Had a wider pitch range than the human voice • Could execute wider intervals more easily than the human voice • Could change notes faster • Also there is no need to keep the melody simple because there are no words needing to be made clear. • Imitative counterpoint from the Renaissance continued to develop into several different forms such as the fugue.

26. Instruments A major development in the 17th century was the raising of instrumental music to equal status with vocal music made possible by: The technical improvements made to instruments The desire to stimulate the affections (emotions)

27. Instruments Composers realized that because the instruments have their own timbre, tone, range, and flexibility, certain instruments were suited for certain melodic lines. Composers started to specify their instrumentation. Of the wind family, the flute, oboe, trumpet, horn, and trombone were used in a variety of ways, as solo instruments and in ensembles of all sizes.

28. Developments in instruments: • The Violin • Known for its wide range and dynamic flexibility • developed in northern Italy were perfected by makers such as Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) • Used by composers like Arcangelo Corelli and Antonio Vivaldi • The Keyboard • Organ music became very popular in Germany and can be found in compositions of Dietrich Buxtehude and Johann Sebastian Bach. • The harpsichord and clavichord predate the piano lacked the dynamic flexibility found in an organ but were not as expensive to produce.

29. The Baroque Orchestra

30. Types of Compositions and Form Vocal Music • Operas • Cantata • oratorios Instrumental Music • Sonatas • Concertos • Suites • fugues

31. Contrast and the ConcertatoStyle • Another important element found in Baroque music was supplied by the idea of contrast. • A contrast of different sounds was a device with lots of potential for emotional expression. • The use of contrast appears in the : • Concerto • Terraced dynamics ( sudden changes in dynamic level) • Terraced dynamics did appear in the concertato style

32. Concertato Style • This led to the development of the concertatostyle. • Concerto comes from the verb concertarewhich originally meant “to compete” and later meant “to collaborate.” • Both of these meanings describe concertato style because groups would perform together or play/sang in alternation with one another. • There are a couple of ways to build the ensembles of the concertato style: • A large ensemble against a small ensemble • A chorus against a chorus • A single performer against and ensemble • A chorus against an ensemble

33. The picture above depicts two different ensemble mixtures for concertato style: either opposing choirs accompanied by a large orchestra or a large orchestra opposing and equally good sized choir.

34. Notice there was no organ or harpsichord in that picture. These keyboard instruments did not have the flexibility to perform the terrace dynamic required of the concertato style. • What does this kind of style remind you of? (HINT: two ensembles that alternate who sings or plays?) • Antiphony

35. Colonial American Music

36. This is an example of a map from the Baroque period used to depict colonial America.

37. Colonial American Music • Based largely on English music brought by the colonists in the 17th century consisting of hymns, psalms, ballads, and dances. • Early musical development was strongest in the New England colonies where much of the music was religious. • There were two manners of singing: • “usual” manner • “regular” manner

38. Colonial American Music Usual Manner Regular Manner Church members were encouraged to learn how to read music so that they were able to sing more tunes. Because the congregation could read music, they were able to sing more tunes with accuracy and uniformity. This regular manner was concentrated mostly in the colonies of the East. • Few tunes were used because the people could not actually read music. • This kind of singing often sounded very poor and unenjoyable. • The usual style was concentrated mostly in the areas of the South and West.

39. Bell Ringer What are the two styles of singing in American Colonial Music? Where in colonized America would you find these styles? Describe them.

41. The Typical New England Colony