Download Baroque Period (1600 * 1750)

Baroque Period (1600 –
1750)
By Mr. Jue
Timeline in Music History
Medieval
(500 - 1400)
Renaissance
(1400 –
1600)
Baroque
(1600 1750)
Classical
(1750 –
1820)
Romantic
(1820 –
1900)
20th Century
(1900 –
2000)
The meaning of the word “Baroque”
• Baroque is a French word that originated from Portuguese meaning an
irregularly shaped pearl.
What was going on in the world?
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1610 - Galileo confirms the Earth is round
1643-1715 - Louis XIV rules France
1655 – Taj Mahal built in India
1687 - Sir Isaac Newton publishes his Laws of Universal
Gravitation
• Art – Rembrandt (Dutch)
• Literature – Shakespeare (English)
• Science – Galileo (Italian); also, the Catholic church was
attempting to ban the ideas of Copernicus…heliocentric
universe.
• Philosophy – Descartes (French), Wolff (German)
What was going on in America?
• 1607 – Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in
America
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1624 – Dutch came to New York
1636 – Harvard University founded
1720 – Exploring Alaska
1732- George Washington born
What was going on in the music world?
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An entrepreneur in London originated the idea of public concerts.
Italian composers created the first recitatives.
Musicians in Paris and Rome organized the first orchestras.
For the first time, instrumental music stands alone without depending on words.
Opera and Ballet were linked together
At this time France was the center of ballet.
French musicians took the dances from these operas and ballets and grouped them into collections called suites.
Three places composers could make a living: The Church, The Court (working for Nobility), and now the Opera
House.
• Dynamics: composers did not mark their scores with dynamics. Players would interpret these for themselves. If
dynamics were used they would be abrupt (from piano to forte).
Characteristics of Baroque Music
• Use of a Basso Continuo - harpsichord and cello providing the base of the composition.
• Emphasized contrasts in texture, pace and volume.
• Strong use of improvisation in both melodies, and the embellishments of those melodies.
• Lots of ‘Ornaments’. Baroque music has lots of quick wiggles backwards and forwards on a single
note. These wiggles don’t really add anything to the tune. They are simply there as decoration.
• Harpsichord and Organ were the main keyboard instruments of the Baroque period.
• Most importantly - if you hear a harpsichord, it’s almost always Baroque.
• Lots of different lines of music (or ‘tunes’) all going their own way. These single tunes weave together
to make the whole music. This is called Counterpoint
Baroque
Composers
Composers in the Baroque Period
Early Baroque (1600 – 1620)
30 Years War (1619 – 1648)
Late Baroque (1700 – 1750)
G. Gabrieli
A. Vivaldi
C. Monteverdi
J.S. Bach
H. Schutz
G.F. Handel
G.F. Telemann
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
• First great composer of the Baroque era to be attacked for being too
radical.
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Called “the last great madrigalist and the first great opera composer”
Wrote his first opera; Orfeo (1607) while working at St. Mark’s.
Orfeo is considered the first masterpiece of Opera.
Monteverdi became the choirmaster at St. Mark’s which was considered the
most prestigious musical position in Europe.
Antonio Vivaldi
1678-1741
From Italy
Composed concertos
Antonio VIVALDI
• Virtuoso violinist
• Ordained priest
• Wrote over 800 concertos (500 for solo
• Taught violin at a girls’ orphanage in
• Also wrote 100 operas
• Wrote over 800 concertos (500 for solo
• Majority of his works were unknown
Venice
violin & orchestra)
• Majority of his works were unknown
until the 1920s
• The Four Seasons (c. 1725)
violin & orch)
until the 1920s
(stored in a church archive)
Johann
Sebastian Bach
1685-1750
From Germany
Composed
cantatas
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750)
• Famous for his fugues
• Exceptionally skilled at the organ
• The Well-Tempered Clavier - a collection of solo
keyboard music written in all 12 Major and
minor keys for tuning purpose
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Had 20 children
-7 with 1st wife (his 2nd cousin)
-13 with 2nd wife (singer)
All children taught music
• Three of his children, Johann Christian Bach (J.C. Bach), Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
(C.P.E Bach), Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (W.F. Bach) became professional musicians
• Wrote 200 sacred and secular cantatas (was not appreciated while alive)
Some of Bach’s well-known music
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Prelude in C Major
Minuet in G Major
Cello Suite #1 in G Major
Jesu, joy of man’s desiring
Air on G string
Toccata and Fugue in D minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6_0xOBeLNw
George Frederic Handel
1685-1759
From England
Composed oratorios
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
• Famous for oratorios
• Composed over 40 Italian operas
• Composed “Messiah” – “Hallelujah Chorus” is in
this piece
• Handel was a world traveler and man of the world
Some of Handel’s well-known music
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Halleluia from Messiah
Sarabande
Largo
Water music suite No. 1 Air
Rinaldo: Lascia ch'io pianga
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko_4bGGMOE8&index=10&list=PL
5A7BED41274063BB
Comparison
J.S. Bach
Handel
No operas
Many operas
Stayed in one area
Traveled all over the world
Had big family
No marriage
Problem personality
Vocal Music
Opera (secular)
• Opera – “A drama that is primarily sung, accompanied by instruments, and
presented on stage. Operas have scenery and costumes. Operas typically
alternate between recitative, speech-like song that advances the plot, and
arias, songs in which characters express feelings at particular points in the
action. Choruses and dances are also frequently included.” (Baroque.org)
Oratorio (sacred)
• Oratorio – “An extended musical drama, with text based on religious subject matter,
intended for performance without scenery, costumes or action. Oratorio originally
meant ‘prayer hall.’ By the mid 17th century, they were performed in palaces and
public theaters, and were growing increasingly similar to operas. However, the
subject matter, division into two parts (instead of 3 acts), and absence of staged
action still set them apart.” (Baroque.org)
• Opera-length works with a clear storyline but without the production elements.
• like a sacred opera, but action was not staged.
Cantata (sacred)
• Cantata – “An extended piece consisting of a succession of recitatives and set pieces such as
arias, duets, and choruses. Cantatas originated in 17th century Italy, and began as secular
works composed for solo voice and basso continuo. They were most likely performed at
private social events.” (Baroque.org)
• Literally meant “sung”
• 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.
• J. S. Bach’s 200-plus cantatas were almost all written for weekly church services.
Instrumental Music
Sonata
• Sonata – “is used to describe several types of pieces in the baroque era; it
most commonly designates a work in several movements, for one or more
instruments (most frequently violins), and basso continuo; a sonata for 2
violins, or other treble instruments, and bass was referred to as a trio sonata.”
(Baroque.org)
• Instrumental music with several movements.
Concerto
• Concerto – “Derived from the Italian ‘concertare,’ meaning to join to
together/unite, the concerto took several forms during the era. Early in the period,
a concerto was simply a composition that united a diverse ensemble consisting of
voices, instruments, or both. Later, the concerto took on its modern definition, a
multi-movement work for an instrumental soloist and orchestra. The concerto
grosso alternates a small group of soloists with a larger ensemble. The most
dominant type of concerto in the 18th century was the solo concerto, which
featured a single instrument in contrast with an ensemble. The most prolific
composer of the solo concerto was Vivaldi.” (Baroque.org)
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.
Baroque
Instruments
Harpsichord
Pipe Organ
Flute
Oboe
Recorder
Bassoon
Trumpet
Horn
Viola
Cello
Lute
Theorbo
Dulcimer