The Baroque Period

The Baroque era lasted from 1600-1750, which was when J.S Bach died. However, Handel lived until 1759, thus causing overlap between periods. The era is split into three groups:

  1. Early

       1. Monteverdi, Giovanni Gabrieli

  1. Mid

       1. Purcell

  1. High (1700-1750)

       1. Bach, Handel, Vivaldii

General Characteristics of baroque:

  • Melody   * Single Melodic idea   * Motifs decorated, repeated etc   * Contrapuntal phrases     * Combination of simultaneous melody lines     * Weave in and out of music as melodies are passed from player to player (imitation)     * Overlapping effect     * Sometimes these change and develop throughout the piece
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  • Rhythm   * Continuous rhythmic drive
  • Texture   * Balance of homophonic and polyphonic textures     * Moves and weaves throughout music   * Sequence     * 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   * Abrupt shifts loud to soft (adding, subtracting instruments)   * Limited dynamics   * Often used terraced dynamics (more instruments = louder)   * Contrasts
  • Shifts expression of feeling to a single mood
  • Frequent Ornamentation   * Mordents     * Note played, note above played, first note played in quick successoon   * Appoggiatura   * Acciaccatura   * Trill     * Two notes played alternately in quick sucession
  • 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   * Lots of this improvisation was decorated
  • Polyphonic
  • Instrumentation   * Small orchestra   * Harpsichord     * Short, staccato notes     * For longer notes, you added ornaments such as trills and mordents     * Distincive sound   * Bass Viol   * Countertenor     * Male voice pitched equivalent to a female soprano   * Timpani   * Trumpet/Horns     * Trumpets in this time period were generally less advanced with no valves (only tonic and dominant notes to reinforce cadences)     * Cornets were the instruments playing high brass notes   * Recorder or wooden flute   * Oboe   * Bassoon   * Violin   * Viola   * Cello   * Double Bass
  • Repetition   * Imitation also (where instruments copy one another)
  • Scale
  • Sequences

\ Types of Baroque Music:

  • Concerto Grosso   * Music written for more than one solo instrument, accompanied by an orchestra   * Played alternatively by groups of instruments
  • Sonata   * Written for solo instruments   * many movements     * First movement: Exposition (two contrasting themes)     * Second movement: development (develops themes)     * Third movement: recapitulation (recapitulates the themes in the tonic)     * There can be a short and slow introduction paired with a coda.   * continuo accompniment
  • Aria   * Music for voice   * Song reflects meaning of words   * Vocal painting   * Da capo Aria     * Aria in ternary form     * Notates with da capo instead of being written to return to A
  • Oratorio   * Religious Singing   * Biblical storyline   * Not staged
  • Opera   * Aria, recicitive
  • Suites   * Minuet and trio     * Stately dance, triple meter. Overall form ternary     * Minuet ends in tonic, trio in a new key, first minuet again (no repeats)     * Each section has its own form   * Binary Form   * Performed with each section repeated   * Instrumental pieces including different dances, in the same key and in binary form (apart from minuets and rondos)   * Prelude

\ Melodies:

  • Based on major or minor scales
  • 12-key system established
  • Based on motifs   * Repeated and developed ideas
  • Longer melodies
  • Sequences often used
  • Imitation used   * Lots of fugal music
  • Ornamentation   * Trills, mordents, turns used

\ Structures:

  • Binary form   * Two sections
  • Ternary form   * Three sections
  • Ritornello form   * Section A returns between new sections   * Found in concerti grossi
  • Da Capo Aria   * Common form   * Vocal music   * Found in operas
  • Ground Bass   * Repeated bass line

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