Chapter 28: Baroque Dance Suite +

It was during the baroque era that the western tradition developed a focus on instruments and music written (became central feature of western concert music)

1. instrumental music first encouraged by wealthy patrons

2. then used to convey grandeur on special occasions (enhanced by evolving tech)

Baroque Instruments

• 17 cent — dramatic improvement in construction of string instruments

  • strings were made out of gut rather than the steel used today

  • gut allowed for a more softer and warmer sound

  • playing techniques changed (bowing)

• wood wind instruments used for loud outdoor events through the 1600s, in late baroque composers prizes these as instruments for color as builders

• In the baroque era, instruments were greatly improved and featured in several large scales genres, including the suit (a collection of dances)

Baroque Suites

• suites = one of the most important genres of the baroque

• will either be in binary form (2 sections, equal length, ABB) or ternary form (ABA)

• the principle of combining dances into a suite could apply to solo instrumental music (harpsichord or solo violin) and to chamber ensembles

• seen as an important precedent to the multi-movement cycle that alter became standard in classical instrumental music

• suites = group of short dances performed by the diverse array of instruments

1. allemande - german , moderate duple meter

2. courante - french, moderate triple meter

3. sarabande - spanish, triple meter

4. jig (gigue) - english, lively compound meter

5. minuet - triple meter dance, binary form

6. gavotte - duple meter, moderate to quick tempo

7. bourree - lively duple meter

8. passepied - faster version of minuet

9. hornpipe - country, triple meter (British isles)

• some dances were of peasant origin

Bach’s Orchestral Suite No 3

• J.S Bach wrote four suites for orchestra in the French style made up of dances popular in his day

• each suite opens with a overture, followed by series of french dances

• Bach’s performances at Zimmerman’s were early examples of the instrumental concert tradition.