Baroque Music (1600 – 1750)

1. Baroque Music(1600 – 1750) IGCSE Year 10 October 13th, 2009

2. Baroque Society • Aristocracy was rich and powerful during the 17thcentury • The word baroque = bizarre, elaborately ornamented • Filling up space with action and movement • Contrasting light and dark

3. Baroque Music • 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

4. Characteristics of 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

5. Characteristics of Baroque Music Cont’d • 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

6. Baroque Orchestra • 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

7. Baroque Form • Movements that contrast • Movement = complete and independent, but part of a larger work • ABA, AB, Undivided form = ALL COMMON • Contrasting sounds

8. Music in Society • 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

9. Music in Society Cont’d • 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

10. Concerto Grosso • 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)

11. Ritornello (refrain) Form • 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)

12. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 D MajorBach • History of the Concerto:

13. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 D MajorBach Listening Notes:

14. The Fugue • 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

15. The Fugue Continued • Key Terms: • Stretto • Pedal Point • Inversion • Retrograde • Diminution

16. Bach’s Fugue in G Minor • Notes

17. Baroque Sonata • Instrumental music grew in importance • Sonata = several movements for 1-8 instruments • TRIO sonatas: 2 high instruments, 2 for basso • Sonata dacheisa vs. Sonata da camera

18. Arcangelo Corelli’s Trio Sonata in A Minor Notes:

19. Antonio Vivaldi Late Italian Baroque – born in Venice • Violin teacher, composer, conductor • Composed SOLO CONCERTOS – single soloist and orchestra

20. La Primavera (Spring), from The Four Seasons by Vivaldi Notes:

21. J.S. Bach • 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

22. Bach’s Music • 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

23. Prelude and Fugue in C Minor Notes:

24. The Baroque Suite • Same key but different tempo, meter, or character • Allemande • Couratne • Gavotte • Sarabande • Gigue • AABB • Balance and symmetry

25. Suite No. 3 in D Major: Bach Notes:

26. Vocal Music in Baroque Era • Opera • Chorale/Cantatas • Oratorios

27. Opera • 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

28. Opera Continued • ARIA • RECITATIVE • ENSEMBLE • CHORUS • PROMPTER • OVERTURE/PRELUDE

29. Baroque Opera Writers • 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

30. Monteverdi • Early Baroque era • Wrote Orfeo • Music directer in Venice • Bridging the 16th and 17thcentury • Wanted emotional intensity in music • Used dissonances, tremolo and pizzicatos

31. Monteverdi’s Orfeo Notes:

32. Henry Purcell • 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

33. Dido and Aeneas • 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

34. Dido’s Lament – Act III Notes:

35. Chorale and Church Cantata 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

36. Cantata No. 140: Wachetaug, ruftuns die stimme: Bach Notes:

37. Oratorio 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

38. George Frideric Handel 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

39. Handel’s Music • 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

40. Handel’s Messiah Notes:

41. Notes Continued: