Baroque Period

baroque time period

1600-1750

style of baroque period

bizarre, ornamented

• formation of illusions

• motion

wealth + power

influences

religion

power

‘employer’

main composers of this era

Handel

Bach

Couperin

Rameau

Froberger

Telemann

Correli

stages of Baroque period

early: 1600-1640

middle: 1640-1690

late: 1690-1750

monteverdi

1567-1643

extreme emotion

passion + drama

believed text > musicality

homophonic

one main voice

polyphonic

many main voices

dissonance

created instability

early baroque

opera was created

middle baroque

focuses on the tonal basis’s

moves away from religious modes

late baroque

most known

instruments are equal to voice importance

returns to polyphonic texture

characteristics of (late) baroque

one basic mood

forward motion

continuity

sudden shifts

polyphonic

basso continuo

basso continuo

continuous base

• chord progression introduced

figured bass

bass part written in numbers

opera

large scale, drama, action + scenery

created in italy 1600

• first was in 1597

• first Great Opera created in 1607

essentially a musical for high society

cantata

non-staged, contrast, secular + sacred text

oratorio

large-scale contrast, chorus + sacred text

movement

fairly complete + independent piece but part of a larger composition

• gives unity to a piece while giving many emotions

music forms

binary…AA,BB

trinary…ABA

continuous

undivided

libretto

text…spoken not sung

• allows characters to be placed in situations too tragic/fantastic for words

librettist

dramatist

highest to lowest vocal ranges

coloratura soprano

lyric soprano

dramatic soprano

lyric tenor

dramatic tenor

basso buffo

basso profondo

aria

song for solo voice with orchestral music

• emotional

recitative

vocal lines to imitate rhythm + pitch fluctuations

ensemble

3+ singers

chorus

used with soloists as a way to generate the atmosphere + gives tonal background

prompter

gives cues + reminders of words ± pitches they may forget

nerve center

orchestra pit

overture/prelude

opener to the opera that is fully orchestral

• preludes are introductions throughout the play

• overtures are just the very beginning of the play

supertitles/surtitles

translation of libretto projected

camerata

fellowship/society of people who discussed about the creation of opera

1st public opera house opened in

1637

castrato

castrated male to make sound like a woman singer with the lung power of a man

• castrated before puberty

countertenor

male who sings in female pitches r/t voice production

baroque period background

rapid scientific growth + achievement

warfare of Catholic + protestant

• 30 years’ war

styles of music created in the baroque period

opera

sonata

concerto

suite

symphony

doctrine of affections

Emotions in music are created by composers

• philosophical outlet

6 basic emotions

admiration

love

hate

joy

sadness

desire

French opera

no singing

• many orchestra sections

dancing is reserved

ballet

galici

simplicity of music is in the past

virtuosity

composer + performer work together to create music

1st practice

contrapuntal style

• hard time following the text

• complex

2nd practice

homophonic style

• simple

• melody strong

subject

main melody

countersubject

digress of subject w/ basis of the subject

episode

nothing to do with the subject

• interrupts the flow

stretto

overlaps between subject + countersubject

types of suites

allemande

courante

sarabande

gigue

hobiscord

dominant keyboard

• cannot change dynamics

1st piano

1700

concertos

concerto grosso

Ripeno concerto

Brandonburg concertos

concerto grosso

small group of soloists + entire orchestra

Telemann

1653-1712

pretty normal man

Locatelli

showman ship

concerto dachiesa

church performances

contrapuntal

concerto dacamera

secular venue performances

suite style (dancing)

Ripendo concerto

8 soloists (large solo group)

orchestra acts as a symphony

Ritornello form

jumps back + forth from soloists to orchestra

• fast movements only

sinestita

color elements bind together

e minor

sad

hopeful

c minor

energy

striving

f minor

pain

sadness

d minor

passion

anger

vengence

movements are related

tonality

• NOT likeness