1. Chapter 8 The Early Baroque Period

2. Key Terms Basso continuo Ground bass (basso ostinato) Functional harmony Opera Recitative Aria Suites Fugue Variations Toccata Canzona Passacaglia

3. Renaissance and Early Baroque Timeline

4. Early Baroque (cont.)

5. Renaissance to Baroque A period of rapid change New emphases –Expression of strong emotion –Solo singing New styles –Recitative; theatrical style –Instrumental and dance music

6. Renaissance vs. Baroque Renaissance Human voices superior Vocal ensembles A cappella ideal Natural, simple musical ideas Irregular, floating rhythms Modal harmony Church and chamber Declamation and word painting Baroque Instruments equally important Solo singers Voice with accompaniment Artifice and virtuosity Clear, dance-like rhythms Functional harmony Theater, church, and chamber Expression of strong emotions

7. Venice Major center of tourism and trade “Most Serene Republic” Typified magnificence and extravagance –In art and architecture –In music

8. St. Mark’s Basilica The center for Venetian music Extravagant architecture –Many Byzantine mosaics –Many balconies; two choir lofts Extravagant music –Using two or more choirs in alternation –Mixing of voices and instruments

9. Extravagance and Control New freedom of expression Break from tradition Rigorous and systematic control of new forms Expressive yet organized music

10. Giovanni Gabrieli (c. 1555–1612) Prolific composer and organist at St. Mark’s Mixes delicate, expressive passages and rich, brilliant echo effects

11. Gabrieli, “O magnum mysterium” Renaissance features Uses vocal ensembles New melody for each phrase of text Careful declamation and text painting

12. “O magnum mysterium” Baroque features Equal treatment of voices and instruments Clear, often dance-like rhythms Clarity: parallels between beginning and end Intensification –Repetition and sequence –Theatrical contrasts Interplay between choirs and instruments

13. “O magnum mysterium”

14. O great mystery and wonderful sacrament— that animals see the Lord new born lying in the manger: Hallelujah, hallelujah. O magnum mysterium et admirabile sacramentum ut animalia viderunt Dominum natum iacentem in presepio: Alleluia, alleluia.

15. Style Features of Early Baroque Music Emotional expression tempered by control Methodical use of musical elements to express emotions –Rhythm and meter –Basso continuo –Ground bass –Functional harmony

16. Rhythm and Meter Strong beat and regular meter Consistent repetition of patterns Different patterns for different emotions Range between two extremes –Recitative –Dance music

17. Texture: Basso Continuo Consistent feature of Baroque music –Strong, reinforced bass line –Strong harmonic foundation Played by –Bass melody instruments (cello, bass) –Chording instruments (keyboard, lute)

18. Texture: Ground Bass Ground bass = Basso ostinato, repeating bass line Ostinato is a nearly universal practice

19. Functional Harmony Relies on major and minor scales –Sense of stability –Disorientation of dissonance or modulation More focus on chord progressions over strong bass line More predictable, purposeful—more modern!

20. Opera Most characteristic Baroque art form Ideal vehicle for individual emotionalism Ideal example of extravagance and control –Lavish mix of many art forms –Rigid schemes (recitative and aria)

21. Recitative vs. Aria Recitative Free, speechlike rhythms Pitches follow speech patterns Continuo accompaniment Prose text (words stated once) Advances the action (movement) Dialogue (free interaction) Aria Clear beat, consistent meter Pitches form melodic patterns and phrases Orchestral accompaniment Poetic text (phrases often repeated) Freezes the action (reflection) Soliloquy (expresses one emotion)

22. Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) Leading figure in music c. 1600 “The last great madrigalist and the first great opera composer” Mantua court (1589–1612) –Orfeo, opera’s first masterpiece St. Mark’s, Venice (1612–1643) –The Coronation of Poppea

23. Monteverdi, The Coronation of Poppea Poppea is mistress to Emperor Nero Their love triumphs after –Poppea’s former lover is banished –The Empress is set to sea –Nero’s adviser is forced to commit suicide Poppea is crowned Empress of Rome

24. The Coronation of Poppea Act I: Nero’s guards grumble outside Poppea’s house Poppea’s former lover shows up Poppea and Nero sing a lingering farewell (recitative) Poppea sings of her hopes and her ambition to become empress (aria)

25. The Coronation of Poppea From Act I, Recitative Rhythm dictated by words and dialogue –Speeds up and slows down freely Short arioso (songlike) passages –Support Nero’s flattery of Poppea

26. The Coronation of Poppea From Act I, Aria A kind of victory dance in three sections Recitative indicates moment of uncertainty Energetic rhythms depict section 3’s battle

27. Henry Purcell (1659–1695) Greatest English Baroque composer Member of Chapel Royal and organist at Westminster Abbey Sacred, instrumental, and theater music Influenced by French and Italian music Wrote the first real English opera, Dido and Aeneas

28. Purcell, Dido and Aeneas Story from Virgil’s epic poem, The Aeneid After escaping from Troy, Aeneas falls in love with Queen Dido of Carthage Malicious witches make Aeneas believe that Jove has ordered him to continue his journey Furious at his rejection, Dido spurns him Dido commits suicide in the final scene

29. Dido and Aeneas Act III, final scene Recitative –Dark, somber tone –Mostly minor mode with chromaticism Aria –Descending bass line –Repeated phrases Chorus –Alternates imitation and homophony –Uses word painting

30. Dido and Aeneas Act III, final scene, Aria

31. The Rise of Instrumental Music Vocal music was Renaissance ideal New instrumental genres emerged in Baroque era Three main sources –Dance –Virtuosity –Vocal music

32. Dance Opera firmly linked to ballet Dance suites for orchestra Stylized dances and suites for harpsichord Dance rhythms in all genres

33. Virtuosity Instrumental music was now written down Virtuoso performers used written music as a guide for improvisation

34. Vocal Music Baroque favored solo singers Imitative polyphony moved to instruments –Development of fugue –Sets of variations on vocal tunes

35. Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643) Leading organ virtuoso Famous performer, composer, and teacher Worked in Florence and Rome Known for expressiveness and extravagance

36. Instrumental Genres Toccatas –Free-form works; capture spirit of improvisation Canzonas –Rigorously organized; emphasize imitative textures Stylized dances –Short, binary form, often in suites Sets of variations –Based on vocal melodies or harmonic patterns

37. Frescobaldi, Suite, Canzona First section uses single motive imitatively Contrasting section introduces new motive for imitation Tend to end with strong cadences

38. Frescobaldi, Suite, Balletto and Corrente Common pairing of slower and faster dances Inner vs. outer form –Both binary form, homophonic, same key, similar bass lines –Balletto: duple meter, slow tempo –Corrente: triple meter, faster tempo

39. Passacaglia A set of variations on a brief series of chords and their bass line Similar to ground bass works, but bass line repeated less strictly

40. Frescobaldi, Suite, Passacaglia 18 variations of a simple pattern –Four-measure harmonic pattern –Inconclusive ending on dominant Frescobaldi creates endless variety –Inverts or omits the ground bass –Changes rhythms and chromaticism –Switches last five variations to minor mode