The Baroque Period

Baroque era

The ________ lasted from 1600- 1750, which was when J.S Bach died.

Cornets

________ were the instruments playing high brass notes.

Orchestral

strings, winds, harpsichord

First movement

Exposition (two contrasting themes)

Second movement

development (develops themes)

Third movement

recapitulation (recapitulates the themes in the tonic)

Baroque era

The ________ lasted from 1600- 1750, which was when J.S Bach died.

Cornets

________ were the instruments playing high brass notes.

Orchestral

strings, winds, harpsichord

First movement (sonata)

Exposition (two contrasting themes)

Second movement (sonata)

development (develops themes)

Third movement (sonata)

recapitulation (recapitulates the themes in the tonic)

Key composers

Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Corelli, Monteverdi

Concerto

Piece of music written for solo instrument and accompanied by orchestra

Ripieno

Orchestra that accompanies solo instrument in concerto grosso

Concerto Grosso

Piece of music written for a small group of instruments and orchestra

Ritornello

Main theme in a piece that is repeated, usually seen in Concerto Grosso

Tutti

Section where all instruments play together

Fugue

A contrapuntal/polyphonic composition based on the idea of imitation between subject and countersubject.

Used imitation and sequence

Suite

A set of instrumental works usually for dancing

Usually Binary Form (can also be Ternary Form sometimes)

Eg. Allemande, Gigue, Sarabande, Courante

Sonata

Small instrumental work

Many sonatas were in binary form with contrasting speeds between movements

Opera

A piece of music for a singers accompanied by orchestra (dramatized, Baroque opera often based on Greek/Roman mythology)

Oratorio

A strictly concert piece for singer(s) accompanied by orchestra (not dramatized, no props/costumes, based on Christian themes)

Cantata

Vocal music for choir and orchestral accompaniment (can be sacred or secular)

Aria

A piece of music where solo singer sings a mainly melismatic melody, highly expressive

Recitative

A piece of music for a singer where the voice-line falls and rises according to the meaning of the text and is mainly syllabic. Speech-like singing, used to move the plot along.

Ornaments

Trill

Mordent

Turn

Acciaccatura

Appoggiatura

Dynamics in Baroque Music

TERRACED (loud, then soft, no gradual changes)

Ground bass

Bass part which is repeated throughout the piece (ex: Pacabell's cannon). Also, a compositional form based on this bass line.

Basso Continuo

A bass line and numbers which indicate the chords for harmony and improvised accompaniment. Also refers to the instruments that play this bass line- usually a harpsichord and cello or other bass instrument.

Key characteristics

Use of harpsichord

Continuation of melody/unbroken melodic line

Excessive use of ornamentation

Mood tends to stay same throughout

Terraced dynamics

Energetic repeated rhythmic patterns

Figured bass/basso continuo

Ground Bass (no it's not the same as basso continuo)

Polyphonic texture (preludes and fugues, inventions, etc.)

Concertino

the group of instruments that function as soloists in a concerto grosso

imitation

The repetition of a melody in a polyphonic texture, often in a different voice (or instrument).

Canon

A technique in which one or more voices imitate a leading melody or voice.

polyphonic texture

performance of two or more melodic lines of relatively equal interest at the same time

monophonic texture

single melodic line without accompaniment

homophonic texture

one main melody accompanied by chords

Melody and accompaniment texture

Clear melody with purely supporting harmonic parts

Melisma

Use of many notes on one syllable of text

Baroque Orchestra

Usually a small string group with a harpsichord, strings are central focus. (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass). Can also have recorders, wooden flutes, oboe, bassoon, and natural brass (usually trumpets and horns with no valves). Sometimes, timpani drums were also used.

Turn

Regular turns begin with the note above the base note, followed by the main note, then note below and finally landing on the main note again. For example, if you have a turn notated on an F-natural, the turn would be played in this order: G-F-E-F.

Trill

a note that alternates rapidly with another note a tone or semitone above it

Mordent

an ornament in which the written note is played, followed by the note below the written note and the written note again

Acciaccatura (grace note)

A type of ornament played as a quick, crushed note before the main note

Binary Form (AB)

form of a composition that has two distinct sections

Rondo Form

The main section or theme (known as "A") alternates with contrasting themes. These contrasting themes are labelled B, C, D, etc.. So, a typical Rondo Form structure looks like: ABACADA

Theme and Variations form

A form in which a theme is presented and then altered in some way—through harmony, melody, texture, dynamics, or some combination of these—in a succession of individual variations.

When was the baroque period

1600-1750

composers early baroque

Monteverdi, Giovanni Gabrieli

composers mid baroque

Purcell

composers high baroque

Bach, Handel, Vivaldi

Contrapuntal phrases

Combination of simultaneous melody lines which develop throughout the piece

Rhythm

Continuous rhythmic drive

Texture

Balance of homophonic and polyphonic textures

Sequences

Short melody repeated at a higher or lower pitch

Timbre

Orchestral - strings, winds, harpsichord. Little percussion

Harmony

Simple diatonic

Tempo

Either fast or slow, no speeding up and slowing down. Same mood throughout

Tonality

Major or minor key

Dynamics

terraced dynamics

terraced dynamics

Abrupt shifts loud to soft (adding, subtracting instruments)

Ornamentation

Frequent,
Mordents,
Appoggiatura,
Acciaccatura,
Trill

Basso Continuo

Accompaniment for bass and chordal instruments (ie cello, harpsichord). Usually was improvised by chordal music players with the help of figured bass

Figured Bass

____________ is a series of numbers underneath bass notes about which type of chord should be played

Where would an oratorio be sung

in a church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!