The Baroque Era Copyright © Frankel Consulting Services, Inc.

What was going on in the world? English settle Jamestown Galileo confirms the Earth is round Louis XIV rules France Sir Isaac Newton publishes his Laws of Universal Gravitation George Washington born French & Indian War

What does the word Baroque mean? Baroque is a French word from Portugese origins that means an irregularly shaped pearl. This refers to the irregular shape of the music and art of this time as compared to other time periods…

Originally the term Baroque was used for the art works created during this period in that there was an natural strangeness and extravagance associated with them. Only recently has the term also been used to include the music…

Characteristics of Baroque Music Known as Europe’s Gilded Age Musicians were employees of the wealthy Returned to the Greek and Roman ideals

Characteristics of Baroque Music Harpsichord and cello providing the base of the composition. Emphasized contrasts in texture, pace and volume. Strong improvisation in both melodies and the embellishments of those melodies. Most importantly - if you hear a harpsichord, it’s almost always Baroque.

Baroque Composers

Johann Sebastian Bach From Germany Composed cantatas

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Famous for his fugues : Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Wrote S.D.G. at the end of all his pieces (to the Glory of God) His entire family was musical

Domenico Scarlatti

Francois Couperin

Henry Purcell

Georg Philipp Telemann

Archangelo Corelli

George Frederic Handel From England Composed oratorios

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Famous for oratorios Composed “Messiah” – “Hallelujah Chorus” is in this piece Handel was a world traveler and man of the world

Antonio Vivaldi From Italy Composed concertos

Antonio VIVALDI Virtuoso violinist Ordained priest Taught violin at a girls’ orphanage in Venice Wrote over 800 concertos (500 for solo violin & orchestra) Majority of his works were unknown until the 1920s The Four Seasons (c. 1725) Also wrote 100 operas

Baroque Instruments

Flute

Oboe

Recorder

Bassoon

Trumpet

Horn

Viola

Cello

Harpsichords & Claviers

Pipe Organ

Baroque music differs greatly from Medieval and Renaissance music.

Uses of Baroque Music Church Music and other religious songs Secular Songs (love, politics…) Instrumental Dances Courtly Entertainment

Baroque Music Characteristics Tried to paint pictures – music portrayed emotion. The stabilization of music as we know it today. Instrumental music is popular. It gained equal importance with vocal music.

Composers used mixed groups of instruments to perform works of great complexity. Music was no longer only functional, it was made to be enjoyed as it’s own entity. Composers began to search for inspiration for their compositions in not only the church, but in nature.

Polyphony (“many sounds”) returned to a high status. Composers employed key characteristics in their music, including: 1)Unity of mood; 2)Continuity of rhythm; 3)The repeated use of a melody; 4)The use of terraced dynamics; 5)The use of polyphonic texture

Even More about Baroque Music The 1 st opera of note was written in 1600 in Florence, Italy. Operas often used text from Greek and Roman mythology Orchestra, chorus, soloists, staging, costumes, dancing

Baroque Music Vocabulary

Sonata Instrumental music with several movements.

Oratorio Opera-length works with a clear storyline but without the production elements.

Counterpoint Two different notes play simultaneously. This system began during the Renaissance.

Fugue This is a polyphonic composition consisting of a series of successive melody imitations or the restatement in succession of identical or nearly identical musical material in 2 or more parts. A theme is introduced by one voice, repeated by other voices, and developed throughout the piece.

Cantata Designed specifically to be used in the Lutheran church service. It is a work for vocal soloists, chorus, orchestra, and organ. Various churches today use cantatas to celebrate such holidays as Easter and Christmas.

Baroque Dance

Early Ballet - Baroque Grew from court dances established by rulers like King Louis XIV (14th) Dancers were very professional Nobility studied dance with masters Dance manuals were created: taught dance with “social elegance”

Catherine De Medici Helped with beginnings of ballet in France 1533: she married Henry II, King of France She was Italian: French no likey. However, she brought a dancer named Balthasar de Beaujoyeaux who helped make ballet popular. There were large sets, songs, poetry, & prose performed during a ballet Known as a great patron of the arts

Nicknamed “The Sun King” after his ballet performance in Ballet de la Nuit. Established a dance academy that made dance more professional Pierre Beauchamp, the king’s ballet master, developed ballet terminology & technique still used today. He created the 5 positions *The 1 st female dancers appeared in 1681 in a a ballet called, The Triumph of Love King Louis XIV