Transcript Baroque 1 - midworld productions

BAROQUE (1600-1750)
(The Birth of Opera)
-Two Giants of the era Handel & Bach
-Most other composers forgotten until
rediscovered in the 20th century
• The Baroque Period can be divided
into 3 sub periods
• (of about 40-50 years each)
• early 1600-1650
• mid 1650-1700
• late 1700-1750
• BAROQUE (1600-1750)
• Dramatic extreme contrast and
passion ruled the day in literature
and music
• Instruments are finally written for
specifically and will soon be
dominate
• BAROQUE (1600-1750)
• Major and Minor scales and keys will
be developed by the mid period
• Early baroque composers favored
homophonic but late composers
gloried polyphony
• New instrumental emphasis is taken
to extremes.
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 1. Unity of Mood
• pieces often express one mood
throughout
• start sad / end sad
• start joyfully /end joyfully ect…
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 1. Unity of Mood
• composers developed specific rhythms &
melodic patterns to illustrate common moods
giving a family resemblance among pieces
(similar to Jazz and guitar riffs of today or
blues or gospel singers)
• Vocal music though could sometimes have
drastic changes in mood to fit the text
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 2. RHYTHM
• Patterns of rhythm are continuously
repeated throughout from beginning
to end providing a drive
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 3. MELODY
• feeling of continuity opening melody will
repeat over and over varying in octaves but
character remains constant
• always ever expanding and very ornamented
and elaborate very difficult to sing or
remember as a tune
• rapid notes longer dynamic expansion rather
than balance and symmetry
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 4. DYNAMICS
• only gradual changes mostly constant.
• main instruments were organ and harpsichord
which had little dynamic range
• terraced dynamics (building of notes or
instruments) used instead of just playing
louder or softer
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 5. TEXTURE
• mostly homophonic in early period but by mid
to late period almost all polyphonic
• two or more melodic lines going at once but
most important are the soprano and bass
• vocal pieces though would shift between
textures to create moods with the text
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• In past melody came first and was more
important than any chords that happen to
come out of it
• Chords become increasing dominant and
some tunes the chords come first then melody
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• Most important part of the chord the BASS
note or BASSLINE (in which whole
composition rest upon)
• Figured bass MOST CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE
of BAROQUE MUSIC
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• figured bass or basso continuo is added to
music which chord symbols or numbers
outline basic chord structure
• performer of the accompaniment part (usually
at least two instruments organ/ harpsichord of
low instr i.e cello/bassoon
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• performer given freedom to improvise
the part similar to jazz and rock lead
sheets of today
• practical use was to save time and paper
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 7. WORDS and MUSIC
•
•
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•
Word painting with specific words
HEAVEN high notes HELL low notes
Rising scales upward motion joy
Descending chromatic suffering pain lost
love or the Crucifixion
• Musical language like this was well
standardized
• Elements of BAROQUE
• 7. WORDS and MUSIC
• To showcase virtuosity of singer or
instrumentalist …ornate and rapid
notes on a single syllable.
• Word and phrases would be
repeated to unfold music not lyric
• The Baroque Orchestra
• The main make-up was standard
• The Violin family
•&
• The Basso Continuo section
• Basso Continuo section was
(harpsichord plus cello, double bass
or bassoon)
• The Baroque Orchestra
• Woodwind
• Brass
• Percussion
• These would vary from piece to piece
and orchestra to orchestra
• The Baroque Orchestra
• Baroque instruments were very
different from modern instruments
• The trumpet had no values was very
difficult to play at high registers.
• It was associated in past with royals
and good trumpeters were treated
very well
• The Baroque Orchestra
• BACH, HANDEL, VIVALDI
• (Important Baroque Composers & Orchestral Leaders)
• mixed and experimented with different
combinations of instruments
• often reworking compositions between
instruments
• (sometimes losing a little in translation)
to fit orchestral make up
• The Baroque Orchestra
• Most pieces written were concerned
with sounds and not individual
instrument quarks.
• Families of instruments would play
the same parts as others families
sometimes more successful than
others.
• YOUTUBE – Baroque Orchestra
• BAROQUE FORMS
• all previously discuss forms are
present in Baroque music
• AB
• ABA’
• thru composed etc….
• BAROQUE FORMS
• Unity of Mood but pieces usually
contain separate MOVEMENTS
• MOVEMENTS
• have their own themes
• have definite start and end
• a brief pause will come in between
movements
• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• Before 1800 most music written to order to
meet demands of churches/ municipalities/
and opera houses
• demand was for newly written music and not
old style
• Music main source of entertainment for
aristocracy (size of $$ court related to size of
orchestra, choir and opera singers)
• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• Bach directed small 18 piece orchestra but large
could be as much as 80 players and singers
• Orchestra usually limited to 30 instrumentalist
• Music director responsible for all aspects
• (concerts, church music, dinner music, operas plus managing other
musicians, the instruments, and the music library.)
• good & bad to be director
• great pay prestige and played original music but still
servant to the aristocracy
• some music directors would befriend royals and
others not
• some royals good musicians
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MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
most public only heard music in church
church had orchestra now plus choir
cities compete for best public / church
musicians
• earned less than court musicians
• made special $$ for weddings and funerals
(made less when less death)
• Large Towns some times employed musicians
for processions, concerts for dignitaries,
universities.
• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• Opera houses mainly in Italy employed
musicians and composers to supply steady
steam of new operas
• Often music handed down in the family but
training was in the church and orphanages
that would later become conservatories.
• Women still not permitted to hold high roles
such as music director or choir master but a
number of women composers did emerge.
• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• To get a job often difficult exams,
performances, and composition submissions
would be required.
• Difficult non-music jobs would often go along
with the musical position
• Plus Large $$ donations required
• Or even arranged marriages to get a highly
regard position.
• Concerto Grosso
• major form of orchestral music in late Baroque
period
• SOLOist (small groups or solo) contrasted
against Tutti (full orchestra)
• performed more frequently in private
aristocratic palaces
• several movements that contrast in character
and tempo
• ( 1. fast 2. slow 3. fast) (ABA’ form)
• Concerto Grosso (form)
• ( 1. fast 2. slow 3. fast) (ABA’ form)
• 1. fast (vigorous determined clear contrast
between tutti&solo)
• 2. slow (quieter,lyrically,intimate)
• 3. fast (carefree,dancelike)
• ritornello – refrained theme that repeats in
fragments until the end section where it
repeats entirely
• Concerto Grosso (form)
1
.a. Tutti, ritornello in home key
b. Solo
2.
a. Tutti, ritornello fragment
b. Solo
3.
a. Tutti, ritornello fragment
b. Solo
4. Tuttie, ritornello in home key
• Listening Journal :
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (J.S. Bach)
• 1st movement only
• Dedicated to Brandenburg = German
Aristocrat who requested piece Bach didn’t
work for him
• 1st time harpsichord given a solo in a Concerto
(new instrument)
• 1st movement allegro (fast section) Concerto
with ritornello form (duple meter) in key of D
major