Chapter Eight: Early Baroque Vocal Music

Baroque Opera emerged in Italy around 1600 – Sought to re-create the emotive powers of classical Greek theatre Opera: A stage play in which the drama is expressed through music; opera drammatica in musica – Libretto: The text of an opera – Overture: Opening instrumental piece – Use of Monody

Claudio Monteverdi ( ) “The father of opera” Composed operas, madrigals, Masses, motets 1590: Worked as singer and performer on string instruments for Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga in Mantua – 1601: Appointed court director of music – Composed the operas Orfeo (1607) and Arianna (1608) Became maestro di cappella at Saint Mark’s basilica in Venice – Important later operas: Il ritorno d’Ulisse (1640) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (1642)

Orfeo (1607) The first important opera in the history of Western music Based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice Use of Monody: Expressive solo singing to simple accompaniment Recitative: Musically heightened speech, narrates the plot – Usually only accompanied by basso continuo – Simple Recitative: Sparsely accompanied recitative

Orfeo (1607) Aria: “Song;” Passionate, expansive, tuneful – Lyrical type of Monody – Expression of feelings and emotions – Accompanied by full orchestra and basso continuo – Self-contained unit, both textually and musically Arisoso: Manner of singing halfway between aria and recitative Listening Examples: pp

Chamber Cantata For solo voice and a few accompanying instruments Intended to be performed at home or a private chamber (chamber music) Subjects usually described the worldly exploits of the heroes and heroines of classical mythology or takes of unrequited love

Barbara Strozzi ( ) Steeped in the traditions of Claudio Monteverdi Wrote chamber cantatas for herself to sing Cantata L’amante segreto (The Secret Lover): “Voglio morire” (I Want to Die) – Use of figured bass and ostinato (melody, harmony, or rhythm that continually repeats)

Opera in London Opera spread from Italy to German-speaking countries, to France, then to England Henry Purcell ( ) Has been called the “greatest of all English composers” 1679: Position as organist at Westminster Abbey By 1682, organist for the king’s Chapel Royal as well Dido and Aeneas (1689): One of the first operas written in English – Written for performance at a private girl’s boarding school – Libretto from Virgil’s Aeneid

Dido’s Final Aria Introduced by “Thy hand, Belinda” – Simple recitative “When I am laid in earth” – Aria (Listening Ex: p. 106) – Built on a basso ostinato (or ground round) – Purcell used a chromatic step-wise descending line with a two measure cadence returning to tonic