The Baroque Era

Baroque Culture Definitions Portuguese for “irregularly- shaped” pearl Geographical Centers EnglandFranceGermany

The Times Science –Sir Isaac Newton ( ) Laws of gravity Calculus Sir Isaac Newton

Johannes Kepler ( ) Movement of the planets Foundation of astronomy Galileo Galilei ( ) Johannes Kepler Galileo Galilei

René Descartes ( ) –Analytical geometry –Applied scientific principles to philosophy –Applied methods of mathematics to the study of what humans think and feel –Believed that human emotions could be classified in the same way scientific phenomena are classified (Doctrine of Affections) René Descartes

William Gilbert ( ) Properties of electricity Sir William Harvey ( ) Circulation of the blood Robert Boyle ( ) Chemistry

Inventions

Politics – Age of Absolute Monarchs Charles II of England Frederick II of Prussia Louis XIV of France Phillip IV of Spain

Religion –Roman Catholic –Protestant –New Religions Deism –Influenced by the advances in scientific knowledge –Operated on reason alone without supernatural manifestations –Ethan Allen, Thomas Payne, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, James Madison

Everyday life in the Baroque – Institutions with power Court Church – Aristocratic Life – Middle and Lower Class Life

Visual Arts Architecture –In the Renaissance: simple, straight lines and detail Bramante – St. Peter’s CathedralBrunelleschi – Florence Cathedral

–In the Baroque: ornate, extravagant, showy St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Palace of Versailles, Paris

Painting –Emotionally charged –Dramatic subjects –Contrast; play between light and shadow

Peter Paul Rubens ( ) Self-Portrait Assumption of the Virgin

Rembrandt van Rijn ( ) Self-Portrait The Night Watch

Sculpture –Strong light and dark contrasts –Dramatic tension –Subjects are never still but moving, struggling, twisted Gian Lorenzo Bernini Self-Portrait Apollo and DaphneLouis XIVEcstasy of St. Theresa

Age of Paradox/Contrasts Church ↔ State Monarchy ↔ Bourgeoisie Aristocracy ↔ Affluent Middle Class Importance of Religions ↔ Rise of Secular Scientific Research ↔ Superstition, Witchcraft Importance of humanity ↔ Religious Persecution

Music’s Response to Paradox/Contrast Vocal ↔ Instrumental 8 Church Modes ↔ Tonality (Major, minor) Sacred Music ↔ Secular Music Polyphonic Texture ↔ Homophonic Texture

The Composer’s Life Patronage System Church ↔ Court Deterioration of the Patronage System Other Music Achievements: –Audience of the common people –Development of music for its own sake

Music of the Baroque Doctrine of Affections Elements of Music –Melody Long, instrumental in conception Use of sequences Monothematic Use of ornamentation

–Harmony Tonal Use of Major and minor scales –Rhythm Metric Motoric –Texture Homophony and Polyphony equal in importance (Late Baroque) Thorough Bass or Basso Continuo

–Form Binary Ternary Fugue Ritornello –Dynamics Terraced Not written into the score –Timbre Vocal Instrumental

Keyboard Instruments Pipe Organ Painted Organ Pipes Harpsichord

String Instruments Viol Family Lute Stradivarius Violins Guarnerius Violin Composite of String Instruments

Woodwind Instruments Recorder Family Wood Flute Early Clarinets Oboe da Caccia

Brass Instruments Long Trumpet Trombones

Percussion Instruments Kettledrums

Vocal Genres Opera –Began as court entertainments in Italy –Includes a story (libretto), solo singing, choral singing, dancing, costumes and sets –Forms: recitative, aria, chorus Claudio Monteverdi ( ) Orfeo, 1607 Tu se’ morta

Cantata –Short, unstaged operas (secular and sacred) –Used operatic forms (recitative, aria, chorus) –Sacred cantatas often based on a chorale Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) Cantata 140: Wachet Auf, 1731 Awake, A Voice is Calling Us First Movement: Chorus and Orchestra Fourth Movement: Tenor Chorale

Wachet Auf

Oratorio –A sacred, large-scale opera –Always based on a biblical story –No staging or constuming –Larger role for the chorus –Uses opera forms (recitative, aria, chorus) George Frideric Handel ( ) Messiah, 1741 Recitative: The Voice of Him Aria: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted Chorus: Hallelujah

“Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah (1741) Perhaps one of the world’s most famous choral pieces Text is from the Revelation of St. John Hallelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth The kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ And he shall reign for ever and ever King of Kings and Lord of Lords Hallelujah! Combines monophonic, polyphonic and homophonic textures

Instrumental Genres Dance Suite –Originally a series of dances played for dancing –By the Baroque, suites became independent instrumental pieces no longer intended for dancing –Usually contained four dances –Often unified by key –Differed by tempo and international background –Used binary form J.S. Bach Suite No. 3 in D Major, Air Bourée Gigue

Sonata –Originally a “sound piece” for one instrument –Became a chamber music genre in the Baroque (from 2 to 6 players) –Four movements: fast, fast, slow, fast –Trio sonatas were popular Arcangelo Corelli ( ) Trio Sonata in A Minor, Op. 3, No. 10 (1689) First Movement

Concerto Grosso –“friendly contention” –Contrasts a larger ensemble (ripieno or tutti) with a solo group (concertino) –Three movements: fast, slow, fast –Often uses ritornello form Antonio Vivaldi ( ) Spring Concerto The Four Seasons, 1725 First Movement: Allegro Spring has come, and joyfully, The birds greet it with happy song. And the streams, fanned by gentle breezes, Flow along with a sweet murmur. Covering the sky with a black cloak, Thunder and lightning come to announce the season. When these have quieted down, the little birds Return to their enchanting song.

Ritornello Form

Vivaldi - Spring Concerto, Allegro

Keyboard Music –Organ and harpsichord –Often paired a “free” piece with a contrapuntal fugue [Prelude and Fugue] –Toccata: added elements of virtuosic “touch” keyboard technique J.S. Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, 1722 Prelude and Fugue in c minor

J.S. Bach – Fugue in g minor, BWV 578

Composers Johann Sebastian Bach George Frideric Handel Antonio Vivaldi Henry Purcell Barbara Strozzi ( ) Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre ( )