Download Notable Events during the Baroque Period (1600

Notable Events during the Baroque Period (1600-1750)
Reign of James I (1603-1625) He was King James VI of Scotland
from 1567 before inheriting the English and Irish crown in 1603.
His mother was Mary, Queen of Scots.
1605 – Guy Fawkes’
failed gunpowder plot.
Thirty Years War (1618-1648) – initially a conflict between Catholics and Protestants in the
Holy Roman Empire.
English Civil War (1642-1649). Led to the execution of Charles
and the exile of his son Charles II.
The Great Fire of London
1666
Salem witch trials in Massachusetts
1692
Toleration Act in England – 1712
Great Awakening (1720-1740s).
Periods of religious revivals in America.
The Battle of Culloden – 1746
Americans declare their
independence from
Britain - 1776
Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)
Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
Rembrandt (1606-1669)
Notable Composers
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) - English
Unlike some countries which enjoyed a strong and continuing musical
tradition from the Renaissance onwards, England – while strong on
literature – has suffered from a distinctly patchy musical heritage. Purcell is one of England’s
only composers of European stature. In 1680 he became organist at Westminster Abbey
before being appointed the position of organist at the Chapel Royal in 1682. Purcell is famed
for his unique setting of English words which is perhaps best heard in his famous opera Dido
and Aeneas which is still performed regularly today.
J.S.Bach (1685-1750) - German
Bach’s birthplace was over-shadowed by the Wartburg mountain,
topped by the fortress in which Martin Luther hammered out the
fundamental principles of Protestant theology during
The Reformation, so his life was dominated by his devotion to the
Lutheran faith and his music dedicated to its service. Born into a musical family (a long
dynasty of Thuringian organists and composers) his career lasted some sixty-five years. Bach
has written what is now considered by many to be some of the finest and technically
advanced music in the entire canon of Western music, including the Brandenburg concertos,
St John Passion, St Matthew Passsion, Mass in B minor and The Art of Fugue. Yet, during
his lifetime, his fame remained local. Despite composing arguably some of his best work (the
Goldberg Variations, The Musical Offering and The Art of Fugue) towards the end of his life
when his eye sight began to fail, he died leaving his wife in fire financial straits. By the time
of Bach’s death, musical fashions were fast changing and his music was perceived as
antiquated. During his lifetime he was more celebrated as an organist than as a composer.
Unlike Mozart and Beethoven in the following period, he had little posthumous influence
until Mendelssohn rediscovered his choral masterpieces in the 19 th century and his works
began to be performed once more.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) - German
Despite being born in the same year just 160km apart, the careers of Bach and Handel could
not have been more different. Handel was a great traveller who went all over Europe. Bach
stayed at home. Handel was opera mad. Bach wrote none. There is an altogether lightness in
much of Handel’s music which is not present in that of Bach. He pursued a musical career
against his father’s wishes who wanted him to study law. Only after his father’s death did he
take up music full time. Handel travelled to Italy under the patronage of Prince Ferdinando,
meeting some of the most celebrated musicians of the time, Corelli and the Scarlattis, before
travelling to England where he fed the growing middle-class demand for opera left empty
after the death of Purcell. Handel remained a favoured royal composer before becoming the
composer-in-residence at the Royal Academy of Music from it’s opening in London in 1719.
In 1742 he wrote one of his most famous works – his oratorio Messiah which is performed
every New Year (and several other times in numerous places) in Glasgow. He was buried
with full honous in Westminster Abbey.
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) - Italian
For many people, Vivaldi is associated with just one piece of music – The Four Seasons –
which have been recorded countless times. Yet, he was one of the most prolific composers of
his generations, writing 400 concertos (or as Stravinsky said, ‘he wrote one then copied it out
a further 399 times’). At the age of fifteen he entered the priesthood and was ordained fully
some ten years later (being nicknamed ‘The Red Priest’ due to his red hair) but having a
special dispensation that allowed him not to say Mass. He spent most
of his musical life as the music director of a girls’ orphanage in
Venice. His priesthood was called into question when he was
rumoured to be more than just good friends with not just one soprano
but two: sisters Anna and Paolina. In 1741 he took a mysterious
journey to Vienna (most likely connected with Anna’s singing work)
and died of a unknown causes a month after arriving.
Baroque Music
During the Baroque era, Renaissance polyphony gave way to a new, highly ornamental style
with a strong harmonic basis. Most Baroque music – from operatic arias to concerti grossi
for groups of instruments – was supported by a basso continuo, a firm bass line played on
keyboard and reinforced on cello or bass which provided a harmonic foundation.
Features of Baroque Music
Ornaments (note: ornaments are a common feature added to music from this period on)
Acciaccatura
A crushed note played quickly on the beat or before it.
Appoggiatura
A leaning note which takes half the value of the main note
which follows it.
Turn
Notes which turn round the main note.
Main note, note above, main note, note below,
main note.
Mordent
2 types : upper mordent
lower mordent
The upper mordent sounds the main note, note above, main note.
The lower mordent sounds the main note, note below, main
note.
Grace Note
A type of ornament played as a quick note before the main note
of a melody.
Trill
Rapid and repeated movement between 2 adjacent notes.
Cadences
A cadence is a resting of a musical phrase.
Finished Sounding
Unfinished Sounding
Perfect – chords V-I
Plagal – chords IV-I (‘Amen’)
Imperfect - ends on chord V
Interrupted – chords V-vi
(vi is a minor chord)
Fugue
Fugue
Episode
Modulation
Subject
Stretto
Tonic
Counter Subject
Contrapuntal
Real Answer
Imitation
Tonal Answer
Dominant
Fugue: A contrapuntal piece based on a theme (subject) announced in one voice part alone,
then imitated by other voices in close succession. In a fugue, the second entry of the melody
is called the answer as it enters at a different pitch, usually the dominant of the original key.
For example, if the first note of the subject is C, then the first note of the answer would be G.
As the answer plays, the first part continues with the counter subject above.
Typical Fugal Structure
Voice 1
Voice 2
Voice 3
Voice 4
Subject
Counter
Subject
Answer
Free Part
Free Part
Counter
Subject
Subject
Free Part
Counter
Subject
Answer
etc.
Study Score 1 – Fugue no.1 in C major from Bach’s ‘The Well-Tempered Clavier
Exposition
The first section of a fugue where each voice has played or sung at least one
entry of the subject or answer.
Subject
The main theme which the fugue is based on. You will hear this on its own at
the start of the fugue.
Answer
The second entry of the subject (‘answering’ the subject in the dominant key).
Look at the answer below. The answer is exactly the same as the subject
except it has been written in the dominant key (a 5th higher or a 4th lower) –
i.e. as the subject starts on C then the answer must start on G (5 notes higher).
If the intervals of the answer are exactly the same as the intervals of the
subject then the answer is said to be real (a Real Answer).
If the intervals of the subject and the answer were slightly different to each other then we
would the answer a tonal answer. For example, look at Bach’s fugue in C minor we have:
Subject
Tonal Answer
Counter Subject
After the subject or answer is played, the continuation of that
same instrument or voice is called the counter subject.
Stretto
Voices enter very quickly one after the other, adding tension and excitement as
in the entries of the subject and answer in a fugue.
Episode
A section of music linking two appearances of the same
material. It is often used as a modulating link between entries
of the subject is frequently based on fragments of the subject or
counter subject. Listen to this example from Bach’s fugue in F
sharp minor.
Subject
Real answer
Subject
Counter-subject
Counter-subject
Subject
Subject
Episode
bars 1116
Concerto Grosso
Concerto Grosso
Ritornello
Ripieno
Concertino
Basso Continuo
Concerto Grosso: A type of concerto where a group of soloists (concertino) are combined
and contrasted with a larger group (ripieno).
A concerto grosso is usually written in ritornellos form. The ritornello is the main theme
played by the ripieno (the orchestra) and sometimes the concertino (the soloists). The
ritornello will return frequently throughout the movement (literally, ‘little return’), similar to
rondo form (ABACADA, etc).
A basso continuo is usually present in the orchestra. In the Baroque period, the continuo part
consisted of a bass line (basso continuo) played by the cello, bass, viola da gamba or bassoon.
In addition, the harpsichord, organ or lute player was expected to fill in harmonies built on
that bass line.
Typical Structure
Ripieno
Concertino
Ripieno
Concertino
Ripieno
etc
Compare this to a solo concerto (also prominent during this period) – a work for a solo
instrumentalist and orchestra.
Handel – Concerto Grosso
Suite
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Bouree
Minuet
Gigue
Suite: A collection of short instrumental pieces intended to be played in a particular order
and in a single performance, collectively forming a large single work. Typically, the pieces
were all dances in the same key but each with a different character and tempo.
Prelude: Introductory movement to the suite.
Allemande: Stately dance with four beats in a bar.
Courante: Fast, lively dance with three beats in a bar. Literally translates as ‘running.’
Sarabande: Slow dance with three beats in a bar.
The next movement is either one of the following –
Minuet: Lively dance with three beats in a bar.
Bouree: Lively dance in double time which start with an anacrusis (upbeat).
Gavotte: Moderate dance with four beats in the bar or in double time which starts on the third
beat of the bar.
Gigue: Fast dance in compound time.
Chaconne or Passacaglia
Chaconne
Passacaglia
Variation
Ground Bass
Chaconne: A series of variations played over a repeated chord sequence.
Passacaglia: A series of variations played over a ground bass. A ground bass is a theme in
the bass line which is repeated while the upper parts are varied.
Series of variations
Ground bass
French overture
Overture
Italian overture
Dotted rhythms
Duple metre
Triple metre
Compound time
Overture: An overture is an instrumental work which is used to introduce a large-scale work
such as an opera, oratorio or a musical.
French overture: This is characterised by an opening section in duple metre and a slowmoderate tempo followed by a faster second section in triple metre or compound time (and
sometimes returning to the slow speed before the end). It features dotted rhythms.
Italian overture: Three part structure where the tempi of the movements are fast-slow-fast.
The trumpet often had an important role in the Italian overture during the Baroque period.
Vocal Styles – Sacred and Secular
Style of Singing
Recitative
A type of vocal writing where the music follows the rhythm of speech. It is
used in operas and oratorios to move the story or plot on. Often accompanied
by a basso continuo.
Aria
A song sung in an opera, oratorio or cantata with an orchestral
accompaniment.
Da capo aria An aria in ternary form (ABA) used in operas and oratorios in the 17th
and 18th centuries. The third section is not written out but the instruction Da
capo (from the beginning) is given instead. The repeat of the A section was
performed with the solo ornamented.
Chorus
A group of singers with several singers to one part accompanied by an
orchestra.
Chorale
A German hymn tune, homophonic in texture found in oratorios and cantatas.
Styles of Vocal Works
Opera
Drama set to music with soloists, chorus, acting and orchestral
accompaniment. It is normally performed in a theatre. Secular.
Oratorio
Usually tells a story from the Bible set to music for soloists, chorus and
orchestra. It includes recitatives, arias, chorus and chorales. It is performed
without acting, costume or stage design. Sacred (religious words).
Cantata
Small scale oratorio for soloists, chorus and orchestra. Sacred (religious
words).
Passion
A type of oratorio dealing with the story of the Crucifixion as told by the four
apostles (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Text is in German and features
chorales as well as recitatives, arias and choruses. Sacred (religious words).
Mass
Sacred choral work using the five main sections of the Roman Catholic church
liturgy (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus Benedictus, Agnus Dei (think ‘King
George Cuts Sandwiches Buttering Always)). In the Baroque period, a setting
of the Mass would include an orchestra, recitatives, arias, choruses and
chorales. Sacred (religious words).
Other Instrumental Music
Overture
This is a piece of music played to open an opera, oratorio or
ballet by an ORCHESTRA. Music which precedes a
substantial piece of music featuring little snippets of the whole
piece.
Choral Prelude
An extended composition for the organ based on a chorale
melody. The main melody is varied as it develops.