Transcript Baroque Music

The Baroque Period
1600-1750
Historical Facts
Galileo & Newton were discovering new ways to
explain the universe
 In music, art, architecture, and fashion, fancy
decoration & ornamentation became the rule
 Men & Women wore wigs and coats with lace
 Composers continued to be employeed by the
church & wealthy- the patronage system
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◦ Patrons paid for the composer’s work, so they
decided what they wrote- limiting creative freedom
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Important Composers:
◦ Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frederic Handel,
Johann Pachelbel, Georg Phillip Telemann, Henry
Purcell and Antonio Vivaldi.
Baroque Characterisitics
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Form
◦ Dances were popular during this period as
well as preludes, fugues, suites, toccatas and
theme and variations. Binary ( 2 beat) and
ternary ( 3 beat) forms were used frequently.
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Harmony
◦ Two or more melodies played at the same
time created a musical texture called
counterpoint. There were frequent
harmonic changes. Tonality was based on
major and minor keys.
Baroque Characteristics, Cont’d
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Keyboard instruments
◦ clavichord, harpsichord, and organ
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Rhythm
◦ Emphasis was on strong beats, upbeats and fast-changing
rhythmic motion. Eighths, 16ths and triplets were
frequently used.
 Eighth note = ½ beat
 16th note = ¼ beat
 Triplet divides the beat in 3
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Style
◦ Faster notes were normally played legato- connected &
smooth
◦ Slower notes were normally played nonlegato.- seperated
◦ Ornaments were used frequently
Trends in Music
Complex polyphonic music
 Accompanying chords
 Dynamics & tempo markings
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◦ Dynamics- volume
◦ Tempo- speed
Improvisation
 Used music to express emotions- joy &
anger
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Vocal Baroque Music
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Opera- combined music, acting, scenery,
costumes, and props
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Actors and actresses sing the libretto (script)
Opera Seria- Serious Opera
Opera Buffa- Funny Opera
First Opera- “Orfeo” by Claudio Monteverdi
Cantata- series of arias and recitatives,
not staged or acted
Instrumental Baroque Music
Instruments- flute, oboe, bassoon,
trombone, valveless trumpets and horns,
harpsichord, organ, timpani
 Music written for instruments contained
several sections called movements
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◦ Concerto
 featured one soloist or a group of soloists
 usually contained three movements (fast-slow-fast).
 Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Composers
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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Dietrich Buxtehude
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)
Francois Couperin (1668-1733)
Girolamo Frescobaldi
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1659-1729)
Jean-Baptiste Lully
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Jacopo Peri
Georg Phillip Telemann
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)
Alessandro Scarlatti
Heinrich Schutz (1585-1672)
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)