The Baroque Period

The word “Baroque” The word “Baroque” began as a term of disapproval. In 17 th century it was used by philosophers to describe tortuous forms of argument, and by jewelers to describe oddly colored or misshapen pearls First applied to music in the 1768 by the French philosopher Rousseau, who said, “the harmony is confused, full of modulations and dissonances; the melody is harsh and unnatural; the intonation is remote; and the motion is constrained. Today, the word is not negative due to the grandeur, depth, and technical mastery of works by such composers as Bach, Handel and Vivaldi

Life in the Baroque Era Monarchs had total control over the economy, content of books, style of art, and life and death. This model was set by Louis XIV, who raised the power of the king. Life was characterized by a strict social hierarchy, rigid laws, and elaborate codes of dress and manners. No major wars Rulers supported the arts as a way of expressing their cultivation and learning

Philosophical and Scientific thinking Radical change New technological developments; scientists began to test their ideas by measurement and mathematical analysis rather than by relying on traditional ideas. Sir Isaac Newton – discovered the principle of gravity, developed calculus and determined that white light is made up of all the colors of the spectrum.

Art and Architecture Order and organization were valued above all else in society and in the arts Baroque artists thought that emotions could be objectively classified and that art could be designed to arouse specific emotions in its audience. Art and architecture evoke intense reactions and involve the viewer immediately. Portraits stress the grandeur and personality of their subjects In art, contrast and illusion are dominant. Painters discovered the contrasts between light and shade Illusion was a commonly used device

Baroque Music Composers set out to portray specific states of emotion Created contrast and illusion through the use of dynamics (phrase is first played loudly and then softly) and contrasting performing groups Concertos- are built on the idea of contrast: between the orchestra and a small group, or the orchestra and a single instrument.

General Characteristics of Baroque Music In the early Baroque stylistic trends were established In the late Baroque musical forms become more fixed and composers become well-known masters

Early Baroque Opera is invented, which featured elaborate stage machinery, gorgeous costumes and beautiful stage sets, moving stories, expressive acting and dramatic music Music was designed to evoke specific states of mind. Certain melodic and harmonic patterns came to be associated with particular feelings Composers experimented with ways to make music imitate the voice Tendency toward more rigid formal design More regular metric organization/composers began to use bar lines to organize their music Use of more straightforward major and minor keys

Transition to Late Baroque Organization and control began to replace experimentation Forms in opera and instrumental music became standardized Rigid hierarchy of society was reflected in opera plots Growth of tonality, with its carefully organized sequence of keys and harmonic patterns With the Baroque fascination with structure and organization came the development of fixed musical forms.

Late Baroque Characterized by rhythmic vitality Emotions still present and essential in late Baroque, but they were more organized and more formally presented All Baroque music has one characteristic: a strong bass line. A strong bass line, known as the basso continuo (continuous bass, or sometimes just continuo) forms the harmonic underpinning, provides a strong foundation for rhythmic momentum Basso continuo is often played by a combination of a keyboard instrument (harpsichord) and a low melody instrument (cello or bass viol)

Vocal Forms Opera: Large-scale stage productions featuring music, dance, costumes, and elaborate plots and settings Cantata: Short, unstaged operas portraying a single scene Church Cantata – Dramatization of a religious subject Chamber Cantata - Short work on a secular subject Oratorio: Opera-like work on religious theme, but not staged. The Passion is similar to an oratorio, but describes the final days of Jesus’s life. Chorale: Protestant hymn sung in unison by the entire congregation, with a simple melody and regular rhythm

Instrumental Forms Concerto – Instrumental work based on opposition of two parts: full orchestra and soloist, or full orchestra and a smaller subgroup within it Concerto grosso – “Large concerto” Full orchestra and small group of soloists Solo Concerto – Full orchestra and a single soloist Sonata: Chamber work for a small group Sonata da camera “chamber sonata” Movements based on dance rhythms Sonata da chiesa “church sonata” More serious, movements alternating slow and fast Dance suite - Series of short, contrasting dance movements