Baroque Composers

Claudio Monteverdi – ( ) One of the most important composer of early Baroque Born in Cermona, Italy 21 years of serving court of Mantua  Singer and violinist  Music director Composer of Orfeo (1607) Not widely recognized early in career outside of community  Resulted to begging at some points of life 1613 appointed as music director at St. Mark’s in Venice  30 years – until his death  Composed sacred and secular works  Composed operas for the San Cassiano opera house First public opera house in Europe  Wrote last opera at age 75  The Coronation of Poppea, 1642) Works formed a bridge between the 16 th and 17 th century Desired to express emotion through music

Orfeo (Orpheus, 1607) Monteverdi’s first opera Composed for Mantuan court  Very lavish – star soloists, 40 count orchestra… Uses recitatives, arias, duets, choruses, and instrumental interludes  Flexible musical setting for text Plot line  Orpheus happy about marriage to Eurydice  Son of the god Apollo  Bride is killed by poisonous snake  Orpheus goes to Hades to bring Eurydice back  Because of music he receives his wish  Condition – could not look back at Eurydice when leaving  Orpheus looks back and Eurydice disappears  Apollo pities Orpheus and brings him to heaven

Act II: Recitative: Tu se morta (You are dead) Sung by Orpheus after he is told of Eurydice’s death Vocal line is accompanied only by basso continuo  Basso continuo – small organ and bass lute Homophonic texture Rhythmically free  No sense of beat  Phrases are irregular in length Uses word painting Listening – pg 142

Henry Purcell – (about 1659 – 1695) Greatest English composer  Last native English composer of status until 20 th century Born in London Father was a musician for the King Choirboy at the Chapel Royal  Age composer for the king’s string orchestra 1679 appointed organist of Westminster Abbey 1682 organist for the Chapel Royal Late years spent some time composing music for plays Buried beneath the organ in Westminster Abbey Dido and Aeneas (1689)  Only true opera he wrote – others are plays incorporating music  Vocal music is true to the English language inflection  Used ground Bass

Ground Bass Ground Bass (basso ostinato) – bass line is repeated over and over while the melodies above it change Can be as short or long Creates unity among the varied melodic line Used in vocal and instrumental works  Dido and Aeneas  Bach’s Mass in B Minor

Dido and Aeneas (1689) Written for students at a girls’ boarding school Hour in length Scored for strings and harpsichord continuo No elaborate stage or virtuosic solos Many dances  Wanted to highlight the talents of the students Chorus larger role in action and commentary Libretto – by Nate Tate  Inspired by Aeneid a poem Main Characters-  Dido – Queen of Cathage and Aeneas – king of the defeated Trojans Plot  After the destruction of Tory – Aeneas is ordered to seek a site for a new city  Starts search with 21 ships  Lands in Carthage and falls in love with Dido  Sorcerers and witches set a plot for Dido’s fall  Gods order Aeneas to leave and renew his search

Act III: Dido’s Lament Recitative accompanied only by basso continuo Sorrowful mood Climax of the opera Aria – built on chromatically descending ground bass  Stated 11 times Melody moves freely

The Baroque Sonata Instrumental music very important Sonata- a composition in several movements for 1 – 8 instruments  More definitive meaning later in history Trio Sonatas – 3 melodic lines  Involved 4 instrumentalist  2 high instruments and 2 basso continuo instruments Originated in Italy  17 th century – spread to Germany, England and France Sacred or secular  Sonata da chiesa – church sonata  Sonata da camera – chamber sonata

Arcangelo Corelli – (1653 – 1713) very exclusive Italian violinist and composer  Treated as an aristocratic elite Studied in Bologna Most of adult life in Rome Taught music  Laid foundation of modern violin technique  Wrote double stops and chords for violin Wrote only instrumental music  Unusual for the time  60 sonatas and 12 concertos all for strings

Trio Sonata in A minor, Op. 3, No. 10 (1689) Two violins and basso continuo  Violins seem to be rivals Basso Continuo for organ and cello  Bass is more than accompaniment – imitates melodic ideas 4 movements  Fast – quadruple meter with dotted rhythms  Fast – quadruple meter in vigorous allegro  Slow – songlike, adagio in triple meter  Fast – dancelike, quadruple meter, 2 part form AABB  All in minor key – different in meter, mood and tempo