The Baroque Period

The word “baroque” really means bizarre, abnormal, and exaggerated, but these terms seem harsh, because it doesn’t seem all that bad.

The term “baroque” was actually given to this period from 1600 to 1750 by the writers and critics of the period that followed, called the Classical Period. The composers of the Classical Period had changed their style since the Baroque and so, just as we do, they made fun of the previous period by calling it bizarre and abnormal.

Baroque Classical The style of the Classical Period was very simple, much in contrast to the highly complex style of the Baroque.

Here is some more Baroque art work. Baroque artisans loved to coat everything in gold.

Everything in art and music was very elaborate. Extreme attention to detail can be found in everything from pipe organs to church walls and ceilings to decorative carvings on buildings. Here is a church alter built during the Baroque Period.

Here are 2 Baroque pipe organs. Look at the excessive use of decoration, attention to detail, and the use of gold.

The other 5 modes are still around today, but aren’t used very often. Up to this time, composers used groups of notes called modes to write songs. A composer had 7 different modes to choose from to write a song. But during the Baroque, 2 of these 7 modes started to be used more often than the other 5. Nowadays, 99% or more of the music you might hear on the radio is based on these 2 modes called the major and minor scales. The major and minor scales each contain 8 notes from octave to octave.

Binary was the most often used FORM in the Baroque Period. Here is a picture of bifocals, a bilingual dictionary, and a bicycle. What number does the “bi” stand for? What letters do we use for the themes? In a Binary song, there are 2 parts, A and B. First, you will hear one melody, which is usually repeated, then a different melody, and that’s it! In the Classical Period that followed, they began to return to the first melody again.

The orchestra developed in the Baroque Period, however it only consisted of one instrument family and a keyboard instrument. Can you tell what they were from listening? StringsHarpsichord

A fugue is much like a round or canon, but each time the melody repeats itself, the pitch is higher or lower than before. (Click to start)

A pipe organ This pipe organ has 3 keyboards or manuals. The little white knobs are called “stops.” They control the different sounds. The wooden pedals play very low sounding notes and are controlled by your feet.

A toccata is any piece that is played by a keyboard instrument. A toccata comes before (precedes) another piece. What are the keyboard instruments that were around during this time?

A secular play that is sung from beginning to end: Opera

Opera uses very expensive sets and the singers must act convincingly to win over the audience. The subject matter is non-religious. This opera took place on a lake. The audience is on the shore.

More opera sets.

An oratorio is like an opera, but it is sacred. This means that oratorios are based on religious stories. In addition, the stage sets for oratorios range from very minimal to absolutely nothing.

Oratorios have very little acting and sometimes no costumes. This is an oratorio called “Messiah” from G.F. Handel. It’s much cheaper to produce an oratorio than an opera.

The End