17th century - sacred and instrumental music - baroque music history

sacred concerto

in the 17th century, a composition on a sacred text for one or more singers and instrumental accompaniment

stile antico

style used in music written after 1600, in imitation of the old contrapuntal style of Palestrina, used especially for church music

stile moderno

17th-century term for the up-to-date style that used basso continuo and applied the rules of counterpoint freely; used most often for church music in contradistinction to stile antico

small sacred concerto

17th-century genre of sacred vocal music featuring one or more soloists accompanied by organ continuo (or modest instrumental ensemble)

oratorio

genre of dramatic music that originated in the 17th century, combining narrative, dialogue, and commentary through arias, recitatives, ensembles, choruses, and instrumental music, like an unstaged opera; usually on a religious or Biblical subject

simple recitative

style of recitative scored for solo voice and basso continuo, used for setting dialogue or monologue in as speechlike a fashion as possible, without dramatization

accompanied recitative

recitative that uses orchestral accompaniment to dramatize the text

coloratura

florid vocal ornamentation

organ mass

setting for organ of all sections of the Mass for which the organ would play, including organ verses and other pieces

subject

theme, used especially for the melody of a ricercare, fugue, or other imitative work

countersubject

in a fugue or ricercare, a secondary theme designed to combine well in counterpoint with the subject

fugue

composition or section of a composition in imitative texture that is based on a single subject and begins with successive statements of the subject in voices

diminution

uniform reduction of note values in a melody or phrase, for instance by halving the length of each note

Improvised ornamentation

A type of ornamentation in the 16th and 17th centuries, in which relatively long notes are replaced with scales or other figures composed of short notes.

opus

Latin for 'work'; a work or collection of works in the same genre, issued as a publication.

chorale prelude

A relatively short setting for organ of a chorale melody, used as an introduction for congregational singing or as an interlude in a Lutheran church service.

partite

A Baroque term for a set of variations on a melody or bass line.

cantus-firmus variations

An instrumental genre of the late 1500s and early 1600s, comprising a set of variations in which the melody repeats with little change but is surrounded by different contrapuntal material in each variation.

chaconne (ciaccona)

A Baroque genre derived from the chacona, consisting of variations over a basso continuo.

passacaglia

A Baroque genre of variations over a repeated bass line or harmonic progression in triple meter.

suite

A set of pieces that are linked together into a single work; during the Baroque period, it usually referred to a set of stylized dance pieces.

sonata da camera/chamber sonata

A Baroque sonata, usually a suite of stylized dances, scored for one or more treble instruments and continuo.

sonata da chiesa/church sonata

A Baroque instrumental work intended for performance in church; usually in four movements - slow-fast-slow-fast - and scored for one or more treble instruments and continuo.

trio sonata

A sonata for two treble instruments (usually violins) above a basso continuo; a performance featured four or more players if more than one was used for the continuo part.

solo sonata

A sonata for one featured instrument, usually accompanied by basso continuo, harpsichord, or piano.

walking bass

A bass line that moves steadily and continuously.

concerto

A composition in which one or more solo instruments (or instrumental group) contrasts with an orchestral ensemble.

orchestral concerto

An orchestral genre in several movements, originating in the late 17th century, that emphasized the first violin part and the bass, avoiding the more contrapuntal texture of the sonata.

concerto grosso

An instrumental work that exploits the contrast in sonority between a small ensemble of solo instruments (concertino), usually the same forces that appeared in the trio sonata, and a large ensemble (ripieno).

tutti/ripieno

In both the concerto and concerto grosso, designates the full orchestra and indicates all should play.

ritornello form

A standard form for fast movements in concertos of the first half of the 18th century, featuring a ritornello for full orchestra that alternates with episodes characterized by virtuosic material played by one or more soloists.

court ballet

A 17th-century French genre, an extensive musical-dramatic work with costumes, scenery, poetry, and dance that featured members of the court as well as professional dancers.

tragédie en musique/tragédie lyrique

A French 17th- and 18th-century form of opera, pioneered by Jean-Baptiste Lully, that combined the French classic drama and ballet traditions with music, dances, and spectacles.

divertissements (diversions)

In tragédie en musique, a long interlude of ballet, solo arias, choral singing, and spectacle, intended as entertainment.

ouverture/overture

An orchestral piece introducing an opera or other long work.

air

A song for solo voice with instrumental accompaniment, setting rhymed poetry - often strophic - and usually in the meter of a dance.

notes inégales (unequal notes)

A 17th-century convention of performing French music in which passages notated in short, even durations, such as a succession of 8th notes, are performed by alternating longer notes on the beat with shorter offbeats to produce a lilting rhythm.

overdotting

Performing practice in French Baroque music in which a dotted note is held longer than written, while the following short note is shortened.

agrément

An ornament in French music, usually indicated by a sign.