Chapter 17 Part 2

  Divided into two sub-periods:  Early Baroque  Late Baroque

 The main purpose of Baroque music was to move the listener by using different emotions.  How did composers do this?  Terrace dynamics: layered dynamic levels within a piece.  Some voices loud, some voices soft at the same time.  Dramatic tempo changes  Each section, or movement, of a piece maintained a single mood throughout.

 Opera made its first appearance around  Composers wanted to recognize solo voices rather than keeping all of the voices equally busy.  This let to simplified instrumental accompaniment to support the voice.  Continuo: an accompaniment consisting of a harpsichord sounding the chords and a low stringed instrument reinforcing the bass line.  Recitative and aria was created at this time.

 Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi  Written in 1607  Tells of Orpheus’ descent into the underworld to retrieve his dead bride Eurydice.  Mr. Runyan will explain the rest of the story.  The opera utilizes recitatives, arias, madrigals, and orchestral music.  Listen #7

 Later Baroque composers continued to develop the use of counterpoint and intricate melodic combinations.  Fugue: a polyphonic composition consisting of a series of successive melody imitations.  Like a fancy round (row your boat on steroids).  There is a subject (main theme) followed by and answer (imitation of the subject in a different voice).  rpQ2eWY rpQ2eWY

 A turning point in Baroque music came in 1722 when Jean-Philippe Rameau published Treatise on Harmony, which established rules of harmonization.  Baroque composers now began to think in terms of chords and harmony, not just melodies.  Listen #9

 The Baroque period was the age of great string music. Many new forms of instrumental music were invented.  Concerto: A musical form where solo parts alternate with a group of instruments.  The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi  HPRi0ZeXE HPRi0ZeXE  Concerto for Two Trumpets in C by Vivaldi  dwzgjPVHI dwzgjPVHI