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Antiquity: BCE-476 AD
Medieval Era: 476-1420
Renaissance: 1420-1600
The Baroque Era
1600-1750
Copyright © 2006 Jacksonville High School, Christopher D. Howard
This information may be used and reproduced for educational purposes as long as proper credit is given.
Music of the Baroque
 Baroque (Fr.): Barocco (It.)—Imperfect Pearl
 Name given for flamboyant and extra
characteristics
 Term not applied to music until 1919 by Curt
Sachs, German Musicologist
Baroque History
 Age of Absolutism-Absolute Rule (Driven by
Divine Right)-Louis XIV <France> set the
standard
 Subjects to the Crown
 Many courts were built as a symbol of wealth
 Peter I “The Great” of Russia also known for
establishing a system of great power through
Absolutism.
Baroque History-Thirty Years’ War
 Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) Germany
(fought here), France, Spain, Sweden,
Denmark, Holland and several countries of
the Holy Roman Empire ended by Treaty of
Westphalia
 France comes out on top (shoots foot with
repeal of Edict of Nantes)…
 Edict of Nantes (1598): Agreement between
French Catholics and Protestants to not kill
each other.
Louis XIV
 Called the “Sun King”—Because he thought
he was the center of the universe
 Exclaimed “I am the state!”—Divine Right
 Led France through several military conflicts
 Pro-Arts: patronized Jean-Baptiste Lully
(French composer)
 Revoked Edict of Nantes, causing 500,000
Protestants to migrate elsewhere (Holland,
Prussia and N. America) causing decline in
French stability—Lack of laborers.
Louis XIV--Palais De Versailles
 Built lavish palace—Versailles
 Moved French government from Paris to
Versailles
 Adorned in Gold—Played host to fireworks,
tournaments, dramas ballets and operas.
England
 Avoided Absolutism because of the Magna Carta of 1215—
Everybody works together and no one has complete power
Went through several Kings during this time
period:
 King Charles I (1625-1649)
 Oliver Cromwell (1649-1660)-Commonwealth
(Eventual Dictatorship)
 King Charles II (1660-1685)
 King James II (1685-1688)

“Glorious (Bloodless) Revolution”ousted absolutist-inclined, proCatholic
 Queen Mary (Daughter of James II) and
William of Orange (1689-1702)
The Scientific Revolution
 The Catholic Church (and much of Europe)
believed that the earth was flat and that it was
the center of the universe.
 Nicolaus Copernicus (Polish Astronomer, 14731543)

Believed the Earth was round and that the sun
was the center of the universe. Works not
published until 1543.
The Scientific Revolution
 Tycho Brahe (Danish Astronomer, 1546-
1601)
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Mapped skies and orbits
 Johannes Kepler (German Astronomer, 1571-
1630)
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Supported Copernican view by using Brahe’s
information
Orbit elliptical not circular
Protestant
The Scientific Revolution
 Galileo Galilei (Italian Mathematician, 1564-1642)
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Also supported Copernican view
Proved that the sun was the center (w/ telescope).
Universal Laws of Physics
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Laws of Inertia—An object at rest will stay at rest and
an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted
upon by an external force…pendulum to clocks
Catholic—Condemned by the Catholic Church and
stood trial (and lost) under the Spanish Inquisition
Father was a composer
The Scientific Revolution
 Francis Bacon (English Philosopher and
Scientist, 1561-1626)
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Empirical thought
Helped develop Scientific Method
 Rene Descartes (French Philosopher and
Mathematician, 1590-1650)
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“I think, therefore I am.”
Question everything.
The Scientific Revolution
 Isaac Newton (English Scientist and
Mathematician, 1642-1727)
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Laws of Gravity
Expanded on Laws of Planetary Motion
Published Mathematical Principles of Natural
History AKA Principia (1687)
Developed Calculus through observations
made in Principia
Art and Literature of the Baroque
 Miguel de Cervantes (Spanish writer, 1547-
1616)

Don Quixote
 Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (Dutch
Painter, 1606-1669)

Brilliant painter but difficult to work with—this
explains the many self portraits.
Rembrandt
The
Music Party (1626)
Rembrandt
Self
Portrait (1629)
Rembrandt
Self
Portrait (1660)
Rembrandt
Portrait
of a Lady with
an Ostrich-Feather Fan
(1660)
Glossary
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Magna Carta: (1215) Called the “Great Charter:” reluctantly signed June 15, 1215 by King
John I as a result of the nobles’ revolt against higher taxes (to finance continuous wars).
Document in England granting all English citizens basic rights and equal protection under
the law.
Edict of Nantes: (1598) Signed by King Henry IV (France) as a truce between the Roman
Catholic and protestants, allowing Huguenots (French Protestants/Jean Calvin Reformed
Church 1550) to retain control of the cites they occupied.
Thirty Years War: (1618-1648) Civil war fought in Bohemia (area of Western Europe)
involving most of Western Europe—fought from religious tensions between France and
Germany. Ended with the Peace of Westphalia (confirmed the division between Roman
Catholic and Protestant Territories).
The Age of Absolutism: (1576) The rise of monarchies that claimed their right to rule through
God. English, French, Russian and German examples.
The Glorious Revolution: (1688) Bloodless revolution creating a limited monarchy.
Parliament awarded the crown to William and Mary when James II fled. Political parties, the
Cabinet and the office of the Prime Minister a result of this English Revolution.
Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth: (1649-1660) Cromwell was a English military
leader that lead the Puritans in the English War—n Parliament abolished the office of the
monarch and the House of Lords, resulting in a commonwealth (state governed by elected
people). Cromwell installed as Lord Protector from in 1653
The Scientific Revolution: (1600s-1700s) Europe and America were included in this
widespread movement of scientific advancements in Chemistry, Astronomy, Navigation,
Medicines. Advances helped bring about the Enlightenment.
Music of the Baroque
Overview
Music of the Baroque
Common traits:
 Unifying of mood (affect)
 Each piece conveys a single predominant mood
throughout, with the intent of emulating or provoking
that mood in the listener. DO NOT CONFUSE WITH
COMPOSER’S SELF-EXPRESSION.
 Terraced dynamics
 Loud then Soft…Still no gradual changes
 Heavily ornamented
 Growing emphasis on formal aspects (construction)
Music of the Baroque
 Introduction of Opera
 Constant competition between Catholic and
Protestant Churches for “new” music.
 New New New…Caused music of earlier
composers to be forgotten (even early
composers of the Baroque)

New musical forms
Music of the Baroque
 Printed music for amateurs on the rise
 Music still characterized as memorized and
improvised
 Public learned music through “audience
participation”
 Shortcuts developed to save time in
composition
Music of the Baroque
Seconda Prattica
Music of the Baroque
 The Music world (not just the church) began
to evaluate polyphonic practices
 Possible reasons:
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The Catholic Church had done so during the
Renaissance sparking an interest in ‘clear’
polyphonic music
During the Baroque, several concepts came
back following: “What is Old is NEW, Again.”
Renaissance composers began using
harmonies that did not make sense.
Music of the Baroque
 Baroque composers went back to the thought
that the Text was the most important aspect
(melos) and other aspects of the song were
built around that text.
 The music was intended to assist in
provoking the desired response from the text
 Polyphony survived, but now with fewer
moving lines and a clearer “melody”
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HOMOPHONY IS BORN!!!
Florence Camerata
 (Florence, Italy) (camerata means club or society)
 Group of interested music advocates
(including poets, musicians and nobleman)
that gathered to discuss revisions of music
 Included (among others):
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Vincenzo Galilei (Galileo’s father, composer, ?-1591)
Giulio Caccini (composer, 1545-1618)
GIacopo Peri (composer, 1561-1633)
Florence Camerata -The intermedi
 Major contribution: intermedi of La Pellegrina (“The
Pilgrim Woman”)-(a traditional Greek-style play
written for and performed at the wedding of
Ferdinando de’ Medici in 1589)
 Traditional Greek in both subject and text vs. music
relationship (Based on Greek Mythology)
 The intermedi were between the acts of the play and
are now called “entr’actes,” or “intermezzos”
 These intermedi exemplified the “new, old”
polyphonic style
The Second Practice
 Music of the Baroque is termed seconda
prattica (“second practice”) distinguishing it
as different from the prima prattica (“primary”
or “first” “practice”) of the Renaissance
 Main factor: Solo voice is perceived and
conceived as the Main voice with
instrumental accompaniment, rather than the
vocal line fitting within the polyphonic texture
as an equal to the instrumental parts
Compositional Styles/Genres
of the Second Practice- Basso Continuo
 Basso Continuo (“Continuing Bass”)
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An accompaniment foundation supplied for
solo voice
Single bass line, performer is responsible
filling out inner voice
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4 main voices—Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano
 Figured bass-numbers or “figures” given by
composer to performer to fill out inner parts
 Improvisation-still key performance element
Compositional Styles/Genres
of the Second Practice- Basso Continuo
 Instruments were not stated specifically
 Solo, usually voice
 Bass line often doubled
 Inner voices played by any instrument that could
play multiple notes/chords (harpsichord…)
Compositional Styles/Genres
of the Second Practice- Basso Continuo
 Support for the vocal line is described two ways:
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Chordal: vertical (up and down)
Contrapuntal: horizontal (left to right)
Compositional Styles/Genres
of the Second Practice- Basso Continuo
 Composers began to rely heavily on performers and “wrote” less
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down
Shortcuts include tablatures (tabs)—pictures and symbols used to
indicate what fingers to put down to play a given note or set of notes
(chord).
Other shortcuts: figured bass, expected ornamentation
This gave the composers the opportunity to compose more music
(since they did not have to fill in the inner parts)
Instrumental techniques and vocal techniques developed
simultaneously.
Mixed with this “easier” style of composition, the revitalization of the
Greek Drama, the focus on text…OPERA emerged.
OPERA is Sung Drama
Compositional Styles/Genres
of the Second Practice-Mondody
 Monody: Solo voice accompanied by basso
continuo
 Monodies within the Second Practice showed
more rhythmic continuity (overall connection)
 Rhythm of the second practice became more
defined (easily distinguishable barlines)
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This is due to the now present weak and
strong beats (vs. the First Practice “Equal”
Beats)
 Polyphonic music still exists: now seen with
many more a capella (of the chapel….no
accompaniment) groups.
Comparison
RENAISSANCE
BAROQUE
Style
Prima Prattica
Remnants of Prima Prattica
and new Seconda Prattica
Text
Poorly represented
Great focus on meaning and
projection
Texture
Polyphonic-Equal voices
Still Polyphonic (in concept)
Mostly Homophonic
Rhythm
tactus-infrequently-changed
steady pulse
Fixed meters with expected
strong and weak beats
Melody
Lyrical and not virtuosic
Greatly virtuosic (flashy)
Harmony
Modal
Tonal
Form
Paratactic (each section
with new theme)
Paratactic and Syntactic
(interrelated themes)
Instrumentation
Vocal mostly a cappella
Instrumental and vocal
interchangeable
Instruments and Vocal parts
conceived intentionally
More concrete differences
between vocal and instrumental
Antiquity: BCE-476 AD
Medieval Era: 476-1425
Renaissance: 1425-1600
The Baroque Era
1600-1750
Vocal Music
Vocal Music: Italy
 The Madrigal

Still basically the same principle as before.
 CALLED: Concertato Madrigal
 Big name in composition of this style: Claudio
Monteverdi.
 Early works displayed Renaissance style,
later works Baroque (w/ continuo).
Vocal Music: Claudio Monteverdi
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Transitional composer (Lifespan straddled
Renaissance and Baroque periods).
He understood and used both the prima and
seconda pratticas.
Career divided into two parts: Mantua and
Venice
Mantua: court of the Gonzaga Dynasty. Wrote
what was requested by the court, including
first two operas: Orfeo (1607) and Ariadne
(1608).
Venice: San Marco Basilica-very prestigious
position.
(p. 204-205)
Vocal Music: Claudio Monteverdi
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Wrote with technique called “ground bass.”
Virtually an ostinato for the bass—a repeated
figure.
Musical Example Zefiro torna e di soavi
accenti (“The west wind returns with soft
accents).
Pause: p. 201-202
Vocal Music: Italy
Artusi-Monteverdi Controversy
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Giovanni Artusi attacked Monteverdi’s use of
dissonance in a document entitled, “The Artusi;
or, On the Imperfections of Modern Music.”
The specific piece that Artusi referred to was
Cruda Amarilli
Monteverdi responded with a document (at the
beginning of Book 5 of his Madrigals) entitled,
“The New Practice; or, The Perfection of Modern
Music.”
Monteverdi’s response shared Monteverdi’s view
that dissonance was acceptable, especially
when attempting to portray the text.
Vocal Music: France
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The air de cour (“courtly air”) shared the
same ‘transitional’ characteristic as the
madrigal, starting out polyphonic and a
cappella and then gradually moving toward
the monodic approach with continuo.
(similar to concertato madrigal)
Vocal Music: France
 Jean-Baptiste Lully: (1632-1687) Italian Born, French
citizen at early age.
 Worked for Louis XIV
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1652: Becomes ballet dancer
1661: Appointed superintendant of music at French Court
1662: Appointed music master to the French royal family
1672: Establishes patent to establish Royal Academy of
Music (and sole authority to write and perform all opera in
France).
 Died of Gangrene (after stabbing foot during a rehearsal)
Vocal Music: Germany
 Heinrich Schütz: (1588-1672) Born exactly
100 years before Bach.
 Another Transitional composer mastered by
first and second practice.
 Brought Seconda Prattica north of the Alps
 Mostly composed sacred music, associated
with the Lutheran Church.
 Composed the first German Opera after
adapting recitative for the German language.
 Worked in Dresden
Music of the Baroque
Focus works and composers…
George Frederic Handel
 German-born composer and violinist (1685-1759)
 Was born in the same year, within 100 miles of
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Bach—but they never met
Started law school in 1702 (left after a year)
Moved to Italy in 1706, then back to Italy (in service
of the Elector of Hanover) in 1710.
Handel worked in England, where the elector
eventually gained the throne (George I, 1714)
Appointed director of Royal Academy of Music
George Frederic Handel
 Became a British subject in 1727
 Known for composing only a few operas
(most famous Rinaldao, 1711)
 Also composed, oratorios, cantatas, Anthems
(for the Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican
Churches)
 Buried in Westminster Abbey (England)
 Handel was a German composer writing
Italian operas in England!!!
Handel’s Water Music
 Premiered in 1717 on the Thames River,
London, England…on a Barge…hence
“Water” Music.
 Orchestral
 3 Suites
 King George I threw a big party (on a
barge)—asked Handel to provide the
“musical entertainment” (on a second barge)
Handel’s Messiah
 Oratorio
 Premiered in Dublin, Ireland in 1742
 At English premiere, King George II was so
excited by “For the Lord God Omnipotent
Reigneth,” that he stood up. (Hallelujah
Chorus from Messiah)
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(English custom…the King stands=you stand)
Now, it is tradition to stand during this portion.
Johann Sebastian Bach
 German-born composer, keyboardist,
violinist, etc. (March 21, 1685-July 28, 1750)
 His obituary (published 6 days later) read,
“The loss of this uncommonly able man is
uncommonly mourned by all true
connoisseurs of music.”
 Music had been the family trade for four
generations—Bach had little choice
 Worked as and organist
Johann Sebastian Bach
 1703 Worked as and church organist (Arnstadt)
 1707 Worked at a larger church…still as an organist
(Mulhausen)
 1708 Appointed court organist and chamber musician
(later concertmaster) to the Duke of Weimar
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Bach later asked to be relieved of duty—the angered
Weimer imprisoned Bach for nearly a month before
allowing him to leave
 1717 Music Director court of Anhalt-Cothen
 1722 Cantor of St. Thomas’s School in Leipzig
Johann Sebastian Bach-BWV
 Works are catalogued by the BWV system
 BWV means: Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis or
Bach Work Listing
 Catalogued by Wolfgang Schmieder
Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos
 Six Concertos Concertos for chamber
orchestra, works based on an Italian
Concerto Grosso style
 Finished in 1721 and presented to the
Margrave (The lord or military governor of a
medieval German border province) of
Brandenburg as a gift
 The Margrave never thanked Bach for his
work--or paid him
Bach’s Passions
 Passion-The Story of (the Crucifixion of) Christ
 Good Friday, 1729, Leipzig (St. Thomas’ Church) St.
Matthew’s Passion, BWV 244 was premiered (nearly
4 hours long)
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St. Matthew Passion is the Gospel account of St.
Matthew of the Passion of Christ
Oratorio (w/ recitative, solos, chorus)
Calls for large group (2 choirs, each w/ their own
orchestra, several vocal and instrumental solists)
 Also wrote a Passion according to the Gospel of St.
John, 1730
Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier,
 The best known of Bach's clavier works is the
famous set of preludes and fugues called The
Well-Tempered Clavier. Part I (Book 1) was
completed at Cöthen in 1722, and Part II
(Book 2) was completed at Leipzig around
1740. Each part consists of twenty-four
preludes and fugues, one prelude and one
fugue in each of the twelve major and minor
keys.
Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor,
BWV 565
 Written for organ, “king of instruments” (Bach)
 Freely constructed piece w/ virtuoso
passages and an improvisatory style
 (ABA) Toccata presented, then followed by a
fugue (VERY popular Baroque instrumental
compositional genre) and then the Toccata is
hinted (ABa’)
Bach’s Goldberg Variations (1742,
BWV 988)
 Another encyclopedic work
 Series of 30 Variations
 Canon, Fugue, and other musical forms of
the Baroque
 Aria presents the melody (which is varied
throughout) in the bass
Antonio Vivaldi
 Known as the “Red Priest,” b/c of his red hair.
 Worked much of his life in a girl’s orphanage.
 Wrote over 400 concertos, 40 operas (seria), 12 motets
 Wrote The Four Seasons
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A series of 4 concertos
All have 3 movements: fast-slow-fast
Vivaldi also wrote a series of sonnets (poems)
to be read in conjunction with the performance
of the concertos as narration.
Source
Bonds, Mark Evan. A History of Music in
Western Culture. Upper Saddle River:
Pearson Education, Inc., 2003.