The Baroque Era (Level 9 History)

Baroque

From Portuguese, “barroco,” meaning, “irregularly shaped/misshapen pearl.” First used as a derogatory term in reference to the overly ornate art of the era. Now the term is applied to art, architecture, and music of the 17th and early 18th centuries.

Baroque Era

ca 1600-1750

1600

Birth of opera

1750

Death of J. S. Bach

Antonio Vivaldi (dates lived)

1678-1741

Antonio Vivaldi (works composed)

500+ Concertos (grosso + solo; violin, bassoon, oboe, flute, recorder, viola, cello, and mandolin).

40+ Operas.

Sacred Vocal- oratorios, motets, and “Gloria.”

Johann Sebastian Bach (dates lived)

1685-1750

Johann Sebastian Bach

Orchestral: 6 Brandenburg Concertos; 4 orchestral suites; concertos for violin and harpsichord.

Chamber: 6 unaccompanied cello suites; 6 unaccompanied sonatas and partitas for violin; sonatas for flute, viola da gamba, violin, and harpsichord.

Keyboard: Collections for students; two-part inventions; three-part inventions (sinfonias); “The Well-Tempered Clavier,” toccatas; 6 French suites, 6 English suites, Italian Concerto, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue.

Organ: chorale preludes, toccatas, passacaglias, fugues.

Vocal: ~200 cantatas, passions (St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion, Mass in B minor).

Well-Tempered Clavier bk. 1

1722

Well-Tempered Clavier bk. 2

1742 (JSB)

The Four Seasons, op. 8

1725

Brandenburg Concerto

1721

Messiah

1742

George Frideric Handel (dates lived)

1685-1759

George Frideric Handel (music composed)

Orchestral- suites, concerto grossi, organ concertos

Chamber- trio sonatas

Keyboard- organ and harpsichord

Operas- 40+ (including Ronaldo, Giulia Cesare, Serse, Orlando)

Oratorios- close to 30 (including Messiah, Judas Maccabeus, Israel in Egypt)

Sacred Vocal- Ode to St. Cecilia, Te Deum, coronation anthems, and 100+ cantatas

The Harmonious Blacksmith

1720 (8 harpsichord suites)

Terraced Dynamics

Baroque practice of changing volume levels abruptly (=stark contrast)

Figured Bass

A musical shorthand where numbers are placed below the bass line to show harmonic progression, providing the structure for guided improvisation, as performed or realized by the basso continuo.

Basso Continuo

Generally involves 2 performers, one playing the notated bass line (ex. cello), and one realizing the harmonies as indicated by the figured bass. These harmonies are usually played on harpsichord or organ, and provide harmonic framework.

The Affections (Affects)

Inspired by Greek and Roman writers and orators, this refers to emotional states of the soul. In Baroque music, a single clear emotion is usually projected through an entire composition or movement.

Ornamentation

Musical embellishment to decorate a melodic line (either indicated or improvised).

Concerto

Instrumental genre for soloist(s) and orchestra. Generally in 3 movements, fast-slow-fast, which frequently employ ritornello form and which intend to showcase the virtuosity of the soloist(s).

Ritornello Form

A structure employed in the first and third movements of the Baroque concerto, where the opening passage is restated throughout the movement (like a refrain or chorus).

Ripieno

“Full” or “complete”. Used to denote the use of the full orchestra in the Baroque concerto.

Ostinato

“Obstinate” or “persistent”. A rhythm or melodic pattern repeated for an extended period.

Pedal Point

A note, or series of notes, sustained through harmony changes in other parts.

Programmatic Writing

Music with a descriptive element, inspired by extramusical associations (ex. story or painting). This evolved into a significant feature of 19 century instrumental writing.

Concerto (to reach agreement)

“Concertare.” One or more solo instruments are contrasted with an orchestral ensemble (concerto grossi-full orchestra [ripieno]- contrasts with a small ensemble [concertino]; or, a solo concerto, where a single soloist is highlighted).

Concerto Grosso

Full orchestra (to contrast with concertino/solo concerto)

Concertino

A small ensemble, to contrast with a concerto grosso.

Solo Concerto

A single soloist is highlighted (contrasting a concerto grosso).

Motive

A short melodic or rhythmic fragment used to build a melody.

Chamber Music

A small ensemble with one player per part.

Equal Temperament

Method of tuning keyboard instruments where the octave is divided into 12 equal half steps, allowing music to be performed “in tune” in all keys.

Clavier

German for keyboard instruments other than the organ.

Prelude

A short keyboard work in improvisatory style, often paired with a fugue.

Fugue

A highly structured, imitative contrapuntal composition where a single theme/subject persists.

Counterpoint

The combination of two or more independent melodic lines. Also known as polyphony.

Subject

The initial statement of the main theme of a fugue (in the tonic key).

Answer

The second statement of the main theme in a fugue (usually in dominant key).

Real Answer

An exact transposition of the subject.

Tonal Answer

A statement of the subject where one or more intervals are adjusted to accommodate the harmony.

Countersubject

A recurring countermelody that accompanies entries of the subject and answer.

Episode

A passage within a fugue in which neither subject nor answer are present (usually is sequential).

Inversion (in a fugue)

Subject presented “upside down.”

Augmentation

Thematic material presented (in a fugue) in longer time values.

Diminution

Subject (in a fugue) presented in shorter time values.

Stretto

From Italian, “stringere,” “to tighten.” This is overlapping subject entries in close succession (in a fugue).

“A Tierce de Picardie”

Baroque practice where the third is raised on the last chord (thereby having a major tonic chord to end a minor piece/work).

Cantata

A medium-length narrative piece of music for voices with instrumental accompaniment, typically with solos, chorus, and orchestra.

Toccata

A keyboard work written to exhibit the performer’s touch and technique.

Cadenza

A virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto (or other musical work), typically near the end (ex. harpsichord in Brandenburg Concerto no. 5, movement 1).

Castrato

A male singer castrated in boyhood, to retain a soprano/alto voice (a practice banned in 1903).

Oratorio

A large-scale work for soloists, chorus, and orchestra on a serious (usually religious) subject (based on biblical texts), consisting of recitatives, arias, ensembles, and choruses. This style of musical work was developed in the Baroque era.

French Overture

A Baroque orchestra genre (originating in the court of Louis XIV by Jean-Baptiste Lully), which is often used as the orchestral introduction to an opera or oratorio. It is generally in two parts, the first slow and with a homophonic texture (featuring dotted figures), followed by the second at a fast tempo and with an imitative texture.

Imitative Texture/Polyphony

Where two or more melodic lines, similar in shape and sound, play simultaneously.

Libretto

The text of an opera, oratorio, or cantata, typically written by someone other than the composer.

Recitative

A speech-like style of singing used in opera, oratorios, and cantatas, that follows the inflections of the text; this results in rhythmic flexibility, and is usually employed to advance the plot/storyline by moving through text quickly.

Recitativo Secco (dry recitative)

A speech-like, declamatory style of singing, supported only by ‘continuo.’ Used in opera, oratorio, and cantata.

Recitativo Accompagnato (accompanied recitative)

A speech-like, declaratory style of singing supported by instrumental ensemble or orchestra; this allows for greater connection with the text. Used in opera, oratorio, and cantata.

Aria (“air”)

A solo song with accompaniment (heard in opera, oratorio, or cantata) which is highly emotional, if not also virtuosic. It may have lyrical or dramatic qualities; it is often used to reveal characters’ most intimate emotions.

“Da capo” Aria

An aria with an ABA structure, where the return of A is generally ornamented. This is the most common type of Aria in Baroque opera and oratorio.

Word Painting

A musical pictorialization where the music mirrors the literal meaning of the words. This is accomplished through melody, harmony, or rhythm.

Melisma

A group of notes sung on a single syllable or vowel, to demonstrate vocal virtuosity, and to highlight key words.

Homorhythmic Texture

All voices sing or play the same rhythm, resulting in a blocked chordal texture, allowing text to be delivered with clarity and emphasis.