The World of Music 7th edition Part 4 Listening to Western Classical Music Chapter 10: Music of the Baroque Period (1600-1750)

Baroque newbies Location, location, location Italy France Germany England Its not what you know, its who … Galileo Newton Descartes Spinoza Milton Rubens Rembrandt

Slip Slidin’ Away… A decline of the church’s influence and a rise of K+Q A rise of secular music … A rise of sponsorship outside of the church A rise of Protestant church music Many based on the Lutheran Chorale Hymn-like singing within the congregation Polyphonic creations based on a LC melody Simple, new harmonizations in strophic form

New Terms Chorale Opera Oratorio Chamber Music Aria / Recitative Ornamentation / Embellishment Homophonic Tonality (Major/Minor) Modulation Terraced Dynamics Basso Continuo Figured Bass Word Painting Strophic Da Capo Aria (ABA form) Fugue Concerto

Musical Characteristics Texture Rise of Homophonic (Melody-harmony) Polyphonic still a “biggie” throughout the era Major-Minor Tonal system A change from the church modes Established the tonic-dominant chordal relationships in music Modulation concept established Continuo 2 instruments Bass – Cello, bassoon, or similar Keyboard playing chords Figured Bass aka Basso Continuo Word Painting Music emulating the text More prominent in Baroque era Contrasts Terraced Dynamics Da Capo Modulations More steady rhythm

Baroque Instrumental Music Support Voices Orchestra Created Violin Family…plus Trumpets Oboes Flutes Much smaller than today’s orchestra in numbers Other Important Instruments Lute Harpsichord Organ Fortepiano (invented, but still rare)

Reasons for the Creation of Opera Interest in the famous Greek Tragedies More Theatrical Music and dramatic interest Word Painting in Music Shifting to a Homophonic Aesthetic from a Polyphonic tradition Creation of Aria and Recitative One a tune to show-off, the other to carry the plot The first one was in Italy about 1600 A.D. Late Baroque saw the rise of Ballad opera (A satirizing of current Opera ( the SNL of Opera)

Orchestral Concepts Concerto vs. Concerto Grosso Overture Dance Suite Fast … Slow … Fast pattern Overture Slow intro (Homophonic) … Fast finish (Polyphonic) pattern Dance Suite Allamande Courante Sarabande Gigue Sonata (Church vs. Chamber) Solo (3 peoples, soloist + continuo (Bass inst. + keyboard)) Trio Sonata (4 peoples, 2 soloists + continuo) Church Sonata = 4 mvmts. S…F…S…F Chamber Sonata = Dance suite played by ensemble format with options to add stuff + Prelude + Aria + Other dances

Solo Keyboard Forms Fugue (The king of the forms) Toccata Prelude Imitative Counterpoints’ end result.. Included Modulation(s) 1 or 2 themes used Toccata Prelude The above 3 can be combined in performances i.e. Toccata and Fugue, Prelude and Fugue, etc. Theme and Variations Fantasia (A freer, but more complex form of T + V on one theme) Passacaglia Chaconne P + C used a repeated Bass Line (Ground Bass) Dance Suite (As in Orchestral forms) Usual Instruments Harpsichord Clavichord Organ

Choral Music Cantata Oratorio Sacred Subject Material Worship service (perf.) Integral to the Lutheran service Contained Arias, Recitatives, Choruses, Instrumental only sections Accompanied by an Organ Oratorio Sacred Subject Material Concert Performance Longer, Larger Contained Arias, Recitatives, Choruses, Instrumental only sections Accompanied by an Orchestra or Organ

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) German (traveled and worked all over the country) Composer, Choirmaster, and Organist Big Family (2 wives over time) J. C. Bach and C. P. E. Bach developed into composers too + 8 others that survived to adulthood Phenomenal Skill with Counterpoint His music is still studied today! Prolific Output at the Highest Level Master of Polyphony and Tonal Harmony Bach’s genius was neglected for a time, but was rediscovered in the 19th Century. (Typical – you gotta be dead to be famous) Biggies: Well-Tempered Clavier Art of the Fugue Goldberg Variations Brandenburg Concerto(s) … all 6 of them St. Matthew Passion Mass in B minor Cantatas, cantatas, cantatas …

George Frederic Handel (1685 – 1759) International Man Born in Germany Studied/Developed in Italy (Opera) Lived (with great fame) in England for 50 Years The Messiah Oratorio His Most Famous Piece The “Hallelujah Chorus” is from this work. Water Music (FYI premiered 7-17-1717) written to be performed on 2 barges (Royalty + Musicians) Music for the Royal Fireworks Guess why this music was written… Celebrating the end of a war and the eventual treaty

Other Baroque Composers Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) Italian Violin Virtuoso and featured this instrument in his compositions François Couperin (1668-1733) French Harpsichord Virtuoso and featured this instrument in his compositions Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1666-1729) Henry Purcell (1659-1695) English Famous Opera: Dido and Aeneas Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Concertos and Concerto Grossos were his speciality George Philip Telemann (1681-1767) German Church music Masses + Motets Oratorios + Cantatas Instrumental works as well Concertos Sonatas Overtures Chamber music