Untitled Flashcards Set

Baroque Opera Origins & Components

• Origins: Emerged in Italy around 1600 with the Florentine Camerata, inspired by Ancient Greek drama.

• Early Opera: Combined madrigals and mystery plays with music, acting, and staging.

• Opera Seria: Serious opera based on Greek & Roman mythology or ancient history.

• First Opera: Monteverdi’s "Orfeo" (1607).

• Public Opera House: Opened in Italy in 1637.

Components of Opera

• Overture: Instrumental introduction by orchestra.

• Recitative: Speech-like singing to convey the plot.

• Aria: Emotional solo expressing character feelings.

• Choruses & Ensembles: Large and small vocal group performances.

Opera vs. Oratorio

• Similarities: Both use arias, recitatives, choruses, and orchestral accompaniment.

• Differences:

  • Opera: Secular, acted with scenery & costumes.

  • Oratorio: Sacred, performed without acting or scenery, popular during Lent.

Baroque Instrumental Music

• Basso Continuo: Continuous bassline played on keyboard (harpsichord/organ) + bass instrument (cello/bassoon).

• Figured Bass & Realization: Symbols indicating harmonies for improvisation.

• Concerto vs. Concerto Grosso:

  • Concerto: Solo instrument + orchestra (3 movements: Fast–Slow–Fast).

  • Concerto Grosso: Group of soloists + orchestra.

• Sonata: Work for solo instrument + keyboard, early versions had 4 movements.

Important Baroque Composers & Works

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

• Fugues: Polyphonic works with "subject," "answer," counter-subject.

• Cantata: Short religious work for choir & orchestra, often based on Lutheran chorales (e.g., Cantata #80 "A Mighty Fortress").

• Oratorio: Large-scale sacred work (e.g., "St. Matthew Passion").

• BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis): Thematic catalog of Bach’s works.

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

• Oratorio: Best known for "Messiah".

• Da capo aria: A-B-A structure with repeat ornamentation.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

• "Four Seasons": A set of 4 violin concertos, early program music with imagery.

• Ritornello Form: Recurring orchestral theme in concertos.

Instrument Makers

• Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati (from Cremona, Italy): Innovators of stringed instrument craftsmanship.

Classical Era (1750-1827)

Social & Musical Context

• Influenced by French & American Revolutions.

• Vienna: Musical capital where Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven worked.

• Keyboard Evolution: Shift from harpsichord to piano (allowed dynamic contrast).

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

• Father of the Symphony & String Quartet.

• Worked for Prince Esterházy (patronage system).

• Developed the Multi-Movement Cycle:

  • Symphony (4 movements):

    1. Fast (Sonata-allegro form)

    2. Slow (Lyrical)

    3. Dance-like (Minuet & Trio)

    4. Fast (Rondo/Sonata-allegro)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

• Operas: "Marriage of Figaro" (Opera Buffa, satirical, banned in France).

• Piano Concertos: Showcased piano’s new expressive capabilities.

• Cadenza: Improvised solo section in a concerto.

• Requiem Mass (K. 626): Unfinished, commissioned by Count Walsegg.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

• Bridge between Classical & Romantic eras.

• Deafness: Wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament (suicidal letter, 1802).

• Changes to Symphony:

  • Symphony No. 3 "Eroica": Expanded form, heroic themes.

  • Symphony No. 5: Fate motif, extreme dynamics, linked movements.

  • Symphony No. 9 "Choral": First symphony to include voices ("Ode to Joy").

Musical Forms & Innovations

• Sonata-Allegro Form: Used in symphonies, sonatas, concertos.

• Absolute Music vs. Program Music:

  • Absolute: No imagery, e.g., Haydn’s Symphony No. 104.

  • Program: Evokes stories/images, e.g., Vivaldi’s "Four Seasons".

• Patronage vs. Independence:

  • Haydn: Employed by Esterházy.

  • Mozart: Struggled financially, died in debt.

  • Beethoven: Earned through publishing, noble patrons.

Cataloging Systems

• BWV (Bach), Hob. (Haydn), K. (Mozart), Opus (Beethoven).