Transcript Chapter 10 The Baroque Orchestra

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The orchestra began in the
baroque period
Orchestras first used to
accompany singers
Royalty and wealthy families hired musicians and
composer-conductors to provide instrumental
music
Originally orchestras consisted of
only bowed stringed instruments
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Handel composed Water Music for
King George II of England in 1717
Composed to be performed for the king and
guests on a barge on the Thames River
Water Music is can be divided into three suites of dances
Performance of this work on the king’s barge did not include the
harpsichord because of limited space
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Orchestral suite
Homophonic texture
ABA form (minuet and trio)
Triple meter
Strings, horns, oboes, bassoon, harpsichord
Listening Guide
Example
from CD 3,
track 19,
p. 103
Listen to the entire example :
Notice that only strings and continuo play
the middle trio section
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From the Latin
word concertare,
which means to
fight or
contend
Concertos developed out of the
interest in contrasting soft and
loud sounds
Composers applied this
idea in music by
contrasting dissimilarly
sized groups of
instruments
Types of concertos
Concerto grosso
(small solo group &
orchestra)
Solo concerto
(solo instrument &
orchestra)
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Multi-movement work contrasting a small group of solo instruments
(concertino) and full orchestra (ripieno)
Three-movement
structure
(fast- slow- fast)
commonly used
Ritornello (Italian for
“return” or
“repetition”)
Common in concerto
grosso;
thematic material for
ripieno returns between
concertino passages
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Read “The
Live
Experience:
Playing Solos
in Baroque
Music” (p.
104) about
musicians
inserting
personalities
into
performances
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Bach composed music for court orchestras, particularly at
Anhalt-Cöthen
Three follow
concerto grosso
style of concertino
and ripieno
groups
Six works dedicated to
Christian Ludwig, the
Margrave of Brandenburg
Bach created timbre contrast
within the concertino as well as
between concertino and ripieno
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Concerto grosso
Allegro tempo
Ritornello form (typical for first movement)
Quadruple meter
Concertino: flute, violin, harpsichord
Ripieno: string orchestra with continuo
Listening Guide
Excerpt
from CD 3,
Tracks 20-22,
pp. 105-106
Listen to the opening of this movement:
The ripieno plays the ritornello at the
beginning and end of the excerpt
The concertino plays contrasting music in
between
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Shaped like a small
grand piano
Metal strings are plucked
Crisp tone quality
Commonly used in
baroque orchestras
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Ripieno plays without a solo instrument or group
Desire for more contrast led to
solo concerto:
multi-movement work in which concertino
consists of only one instrument
prolific composer of solo concertos:
Antonio Vivaldi
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Violinist father taught
him to play violin
Born in Venice, Italy
and died in Vienna,
Austria
Worked as violin teacher and
composer at a girl’s orphanage;
orphanage’s orchestra became
famous
Interested in priesthood and
music, became known as the Red
Priest because of his red hair
1678-1741
Composed solo concertos each week
for Sunday concerts at the
orphanage
Composed over 500
concertos, many sonatas,
operas and cantatas
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The Four Seasons is a set
of 4 violin concertos and
is one of Vivaldi’s bestknown works
The Four Seasons is an
early example of baroque
program music:
Each concerto is named
for a season and a sonnet
about the season
introduces the music
instrumental music
associated with a
nonmusical idea stated
in the title or program
Music depicts seasonal
sounds:
birds singing, streams
murmuring, thunder and
lightning, leaves rustling
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Solo concerto
Allegro tempo
Ritornello form (typical for first movement)
Quadruple meter
Concertino: solo violin(s)
Ripieno: string orchestra with continuo
Listening Guide
Excerpt
from CD 1,
Tracks 10-14,
pp. 107-108
Listen to an excerpt from this movement:
The concertino plays trills like bird calls
followed by the ripieno playing the ritornello
theme
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Second Movement
Solo concerto
Largo tempo
Triple meter
Solo violin, first and second violins, viola
Provides contrast with first movement
Hear these
movements
on CD 3,
Tracks 23-24,
pp. 109-110
Third Movement
Solo concerto
Allegro tempo
Ritornello form
Quadruple meter
Solo violin, string orchestra, continuo
Dance-like
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Texture
Homophonic,
polyphonic
Cantata
Small Vocal
Works
Tonality
Major-minor system
with dissonance used
for special effects
Harpsichord, organ, lute,
orchestras made up of bowed
strings with some woodwinds
and/or brass instruments with
basso continuo
Musical
Instruments
Rhythm
Measured
Fantasia, prelude,
toccata, fugue, suite
Solo
Instrumental
Music
Singing Style
Monody, recitative,
aria, arioso,
large-scale choral works
Sonata da chiesa,
sonata da camera,
concerto grosso,
solo concerto
Group
Instrumental
Music
Opera, oratorio,
Passion, Mass
Activity, contrasts, and
much improved
embellishment to decorate
the musical lines
Other
Features
Large Vocal
Works
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