henry Purcell Dido and Aeneas

Flashcards covering Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Barbara Strozzi's Revenge from Baroque music study notes.

What story is told in Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas?

The tragic story of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Aeneas, a Trojan prince.

Why does Aeneas abandon Dido in Purcell's opera?

The gods command Aeneas to leave Carthage and continue his journey to Italy.

What happens after Dido sings her final lament, "When I am laid in earth"?

Dido dies, and the opera ends with the mourning of Dido.

In what language was Dido and Aeneas written?

English.

How does the plot of Dido and Aeneas advance?

Through brief, self-contained musical numbers.

What are the structural features of the overture in Dido and Aeneas?

It is a French overture with a slow introduction followed by a fast, imitative section.

What musical form was used in opera to convey deeper feelings and emotions?

Arias.

What musical device did Purcell use to mimic the act of shaking?

Rapid, uneven (dotted) rhythms.

What musical technique did Purcell use to convey Dido's sorrows?

A descending ground bass.

What is a recitative?

A vocal style that is partway between speech and singing.

What is an ostinato?

A brief pattern in the bass line that is repeated throughout an entire musical number.

Who was Jean-Baptiste Lully?

An important 17th-century composer of French opera.

What form did Handel use in his Italian operas, and what does its name mean?

The da capo aria form, which means "from the top."

Why may Dido and Aeneas have been suppressed for political reasons?

Because it could have been perceived as an unflattering commentary on the dual reign of King William and Queen Mary.

What reputation did Henry Purcell eventually gain?

The greatest of all seventeenth-century English composers.

What do modern opera houses use during performances to help audiences understand the words being sung?

Supertitles.

What is chamber music and where was it meant to be performed?

Music in which there is usually one performer on each part, meant to be performed for private gatherings.

Why is Baroque Era music similar to today's jazz?

Because musicians were expected to decorate a basic tune in a spontaneous manner.

What function does the A section serve in Barbara Strozzi's Revenge?

It is a refrain that brings back repeated text.

What causes the differences between the A section and B section in Strozzi's Revenge?

Changes in melody and meter.

What instruments echo each line of the refrain in Barbara Strozzi's Revenge?

Two violins.

How is the texture of Barbara Strozzi's Revenge described?

As a trio sonata featuring two soprano voices and one bass voice.

What proportion of women who published music in Italy between 1566 and 1700 were nuns?

More than half.

Which genre of chamber music was cultivated with special intensity by Baroque composers?

The sonata.

What is Barbara Strozzi's Revenge about?

It is a dramatic song about betrayal, anger, and revenge, expressing an intense emotional conflict between love, hurt, and the desire for retribution.