Untitled Flashcards Set

🎶 Key Genres: Mid-17th Century Sacred and Secular Vocal Music

💡 Cantata (17th century)

• Definition: A vocal work (“cantare” = to sing), usually for 1–2 voices with basso continuo.

• Types:

  • Cantata da chiesa (church)

  • Cantata da camera (chamber/private use)

• Structure: Not standardized yet, but often:

  • Recitative → Aria → Recitative → Aria

• Characteristics:

  • Mix of recitative (speech-like) and aria (melodic, often strophic)

  • Nearly indistinguishable from early opera/oratorio by sound alone

✅ iClicker Question:

Q: Which best describes the 17th-century cantata?
A: B. A short vocal composition that alternates between recitative and aria sections, often for private or courtly settings

👩‍🎤 Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677)

• Venetian composer, singer

• Published madrigals and cantatas – rare for a woman at the time

• Wrote for soprano, performed her own works

• Piece: “Lagrime mie” (1659) – from Diporti di Euterpe, Book 7

• Cantata with:

  • Recitatives (no rhyme)

  • Strophic arias (rhymed)

  • Male voice perspective: Lover mourns Lydia, locked away

• Musical features:

  • Madrigalisms (text painting): mm. 1–3, 11–13, 39–41

  • Descending bass lines

  • Aria begins with a descending tetrachord → Lament signal

🎼 Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)

• Studied with Giovanni Gabrieli in Venice (polychoral style)

• Worked in Dresden court chapel during Thirty Years’ War (1618–48)

• Composer of sacred concertos

Symphoniae sacrae III (1650):

• Genre: Sacred Concerto

• Vocal soloists, obbligato instruments, possibly choir

• Piece: “Saul, Saul, was verfolgst du mich”

  • Dramatic setting of Saul’s conversion (Acts)

  • Vivid word painting, echo effects, instrumental & vocal interplay

✅ iClicker Questions:

1. Q: Why was Schütz’s retirement request bold?
   A: B. Senior chapel masters typically served until death, making explicit requests for retirement uncommon.

2. Q: How did the Thirty Years’ War affect his chapel?
   A: C. Significant disruptions in funding and continuity of musicians.

3. Q: What tension does Schütz’s letter reveal?
   A: A. Court duties often left little time or energy to compile and publish personal works.

4. Q: Why suggest Bontempi as staff?
   A: C. To handle daily rehearsals and mentor younger musicians while Schütz’s health declined.

⛪ Giacomo Carissimi (1605–1674)

• Rome-based composer, Jesuit Collegio Germanico

• Wrote cantatas and helped develop the oratorio

Oratorio (Genre)

• Sacred, dramatic concert piece (not staged like opera)

• Choir, soloists, instruments

• Includes recitative + aria, sometimes narrator

• Originated for Lenten use

• Based on biblical or sacred stories

Piece: “Jephte” (1640s)

• Source: Judges 11 – Jephtha vows to sacrifice first thing to greet him → his daughter

• Final scene: Daughter laments before sacrifice

• Features echo effects, expressive drama, lament tradition

🧠 Summary: Three Key Pieces

Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672)

• Genre: Sacred concerto

• Key Work: Symphoniae sacrae III (1650), especially “Saul, Saul, was verfolgst du mich” (Anth. #81, p. 596)

• Context: Composed during/after the Thirty Years' War

• Musical Features:

  • Soloists, 2 choirs, basso continuo

  • Polychoral effects (mm. 34ff., 60ff.)

  • Drama via musical techniques (ascending tenor line mm. 66–73, echo mm. 78–end)

  • Madrigalisms: Imitation used to depict persecution

  • Dynamic contrasts and surprise entrances

Giacomo Carissimi (1605–1674)

• Location: Rome, maestro di cappella at Jesuit Collegio Germanico

• Genre: Oratorio (esp. Historia Sacra)

• Key Work: Jephte (1640s), Anth. #80, p. 582

• Plot: Based on Judges 11 – Jephtha sacrifices daughter due to rash vow

• Musical Features:

  • Chorus, soloists, instruments

  • Narrator role (like evangelist in Passion)

  • Use of echo

  • Recitative → Aria structure (like opera)

Shared trait with Schütz’s “Saul”:
➡ D) They both evoke an echo

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643)

• Role: Organist at St. Peter’s Basilica; pioneer of expressive keyboard music

• Genre: Toccata – improvisatory, sectional form, expressive

• Key Work: Toccata No. 3 from Il Primo Libro di Toccate (1615), Anth. #82, p. 611

• Performance Style (from preface):

  • Not tied to strict tempo; tempo is expressive

  • Sections can be played independently

  • Begins slowly with arpeggios, cadences should be sustained

• Stylus Phantasticus:

  • Contrasting sections (free vs. imitative)

  • Virtuosity, affect, tempo rubato

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687)

• Born: Italy; adopted by French court

• Genre: Tragédie en musique / Tragédie lyrique (French opera)

• Key Work: Armide (1686), Libretto by Quinault

• Supporter: Louis XIV (L'État, c’est moi)

• French Opera Traits:

  • Royal spectacle: music, dance, and drama

  • French overture: two-part form

    1. Dotted rhythms, homophonic (royalty)

    2. Faster, imitative

  • Use of choruses, airs de cour (simple arias), and passacaglia

  • Moderate, clear structure, no castrati

Henry Purcell (1659–1695)

• Position: Organist at Westminster Abbey

• Style: Mix of Italian, French, and English traditions

• Key Work: Dido and Aeneas (1689), Anth. #90, p. 694

• Important Scene (Act 3):

  • Recitative: “Thy hand, Belinda”

  • Aria: “When I am laid in earth” (ground bass lament with descending bass line, expressive dissonances)

  • Chorus: “With drooping wings”

• Significance: One of the earliest English operas; integrates masque, lament, and chorus

Summary Comparison Table:

✅ Assignments & Housekeeping

• Exam will be discussed on Friday.

• Labs this week: one-on-one meetings with your group.

• Submit Essay Components C & D (mainly for feedback).

• Discussion post for this week is dropped; if submitted, you get a freebie (you now get 2 discussion freebies).

🎹 Frescobaldi’s Toccatas (Italy, Early 17th Century)

• 1615: Publishes Toccate e partite for harpsichord only (no sustained notes).

• Toccata = improvisatory, explores harmony, figuration, key, often preludes other works.

• Stylus Phantasticus:

  • Sectional (free + imitative parts)

  • Affetti: strong emotional contrasts

  • Virtuosity: runs, arpeggios

  • Tempo rubato

• Toccata No. 3: sectional, imitative, alternating hands, cadential pause points.

🇫🇷 French Opera & Lully

Historical Context:

• Louis XIV = Sun King, major patron of the arts.

• Versailles: centralized cultural hub.

• Les Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi: 6 violins + violas + basses (special tunings).

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–87)

• Italian-born, adopted by French court.

• Monopoly on French opera (tragédie en musique / lyrique).

• Integrated ballet, choruses, and dance into opera.

Armide (1686):

• French overture (slow dotted → fast imitative → dotted reprise).

• Notes inégales (lilting rhythm).

• Prologue + 5 acts.

• Final number often passacaglia (ground bass).

🇬🇧 English Opera & Henry Purcell

Dido and Aeneas (1689)

• Blended English, French, and Italian styles.

• Famous lament aria: “When I am laid in earth” (descending ground bass, expressive dissonance).

• Ends with a chorus (“With drooping wings”) → French influence

• Structure: recitative – aria – chorus

📝 iClicker Answer:
C. The chorus that concludes the opera ← shows French influence

🇪🇸 Villancico (Spanish-Speaking World)

• Originated in Spain (Renaissance), sacred use in colonial Latin America.

• Language: vernacular (Spanish), not Latin.

• Function: sacred celebration (e.g., Christmas).

• Form: refrain (estribillo) + verses (coplas); often antiphonal, dance-like, in triple meter.

• Content: theatrical/pastoral + sacred.

Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla

• Worked in Puebla Cathedral, Mexico.

• Composed villancicos, motets, masses.

• Merged European polyphony with local rhythm/language.

• Example: Albricias, pastores (1653)

  • Double choir, festive, dance rhythms, antiphonal texture.

🎭 Opera Seria & Scarlatti

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725)

• Based in Naples, dominated opera scene.

• Composed 600+ cantatas and opera seria works.

• Helped standardize opera seria.

• Called his own chromatic style “inhuman but within the rules.”

Features of Opera Seria:

• Three acts, serious/noble stories (mythological or historical).

• Secco recitative (dry, speech-like dialogue).

• Da capo arias (A–B–A') → solo display of emotion.

• For star singers, not ensembles.

• Clear rules and conventions.

Clori vezzosa, e bella

• Form: recit – aria – recit – aria (we focus on last pair).

• Plot: Shepherd expresses love/pain.

• Recit: chromaticism, wide harmonic range.

• Aria: da capo (ABA) form:

  • A = welcomes pain

  • B = hope for love

  • Repeats A with embellishments

🧠 In Summary:

HOUSEKEEPING

• Essay Components C & D: Submit them for feedback; you still get some points even if it’s not final. This mimics the real research process: collect info → choose what's relevant → outline → draft → edit → submit.

• Discussion Freebies: Will appear at the end of the course. If you've done all posts, freebies become extra credit.

• Labs: 1-on-1 group meetings this week.

• Exam 2 Issues: Common problems discussed in class.

GENRE: VILLANCICO

• Definition: Secular Spanish Renaissance song, later sacred (especially in the Americas); like a Christmas carol today.

• Language: Spanish or other vernacular (not Latin).

• Purpose: Devotional music, especially on Catholic feast days.

• Musical Features:

  • Dance rhythms, triple meter

  • Refrain (estribillo) and verses (coplas)

  • Antiphonal texture (solo vs. choir)

  • Pastoral/theatrical content

• Key Composer: Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla

  • Worked in Puebla Cathedral, Mexico

  • Wrote many villancicos for large forces/double choirs

  • Combined European polyphony with local styles

• Example: “Albricias pastores” (1653)

  • Antiphonal double choirs

  • Triple meter, festive, clear text, pastoral themes (shepherds)

UNMEASURED PRELUDE

• Key Composer: Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre

  • Court musician for Louis XIV, child prodigy, published widely

  • Known for violin sonatas, harpsichord suites

• Unmeasured Prelude (Suite in A minor No. 3, 1687):

  • No time signature

  • Improvisatory feel

  • Introduces the suite key

  • Features French agréments (ornaments)

• Baroque Suite Dances (from same suite):

  • Allemande: 4/4, slow, serious (German)

  • Courante: 3/2 or 6/4, witty (French)

  • Sarabande: 3/4 or 3/2, slow, noble (Spanish/New World)

  • Gigue: 6/8 or 12/8, fast (English/Irish)

  • Others: Chaconne, Gavotte, Menuet

LATE 17TH CANTATA

• Key Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti

  • From Naples, standardized opera and cantata forms

  • Over 600 cantatas, opera seria composer

• Cantata Form:

  • Early 1600s: contrasting sections

  • By late 1600s: Recit → Aria → Recit → Aria

  • Commonly about love

  • Example: Clori vezzosa, e bella

    • Uses recitative with wide harmonic range and chromaticism

    • Da capo aria (ABA form): repeats A after B for emotional impact

TRIO SONATA

• Key Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

  • Violinist, composed only instrumental music

  • Helped define standard forms in instrumental music

• Trio Sonata Features:

  • Instrumentation: 2 violins + basso continuo

  • Form: 4 movements → slow-fast-slow-fast

  • Types:

    • Sonata da chiesa (church): imitative, serious

    • Sonata da camera (chamber): dance-like

  • Focus on lyricism and conversation between violins

• Corelli, Trio Sonata in D Major (#96):

  • 1st mvt. Grave: Imitation, suspensions, contrapuntal

  • 2nd mvt. Allegro: Binary form, dance rhythm, walking bass

  • 3rd mvt. Adagio: Suspensions, lyrical duet

  • 4th mvt. Allegro: Binary form, imitation, pedal tone

CONCEPT: CIRCLE OF FIFTHS

• By late 1600s: Circle of fifths became the key framework for harmonic motion

• Important for instrumental music’s sense of progression

• Associated with Corelli and the beginning of the common practice period

QUOTES & THINKING POINTS

• Fontenelle (~1750): “Sonata, what do you want from me?” – captures 18th-century confusion with instrumental music lacking text.

• Discussion Prompts:

  • Why is music without words confusing?

  • What kind of “meaning” do you seek in music?

1. Context: Naples & Music Around 1700

• Naples: ~300,000 residents, under Spanish rule; poor economy but rich artistic life.

• Important institutions:

  • Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo – music education for the poor.

  • Opera theaters: Teatro San Bartolomeo, Teatro San Carlo.

2. Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725)

• Dominated Naples' music scene (1683–1702).

• Wrote operas and cantatas.

• Helped standardize opera seria and cantata forms.

• Brought structure to the previously free-flowing cantata style: recit–aria–recit–aria.

• Wrote over 600 cantatas; texts often about love.

• Quote: called some of his cantatas “inhuman in idea but regulated chromatically.”

Opera Seria Conventions (from Canvas)

• Alternating recitative and aria.

• Used Da Capo Aria (ABA) structure by 1690: emotional contrast between A and B sections, both modulate.

3. Cantata Example: “Clori vezzosa, e bella”

• Recit–Aria pair shown in the anthology.

• Plot: Shepherd expresses love and pain.

• Musical traits:

  • Recit: Wide harmonic range, chromaticism, diminished chords.

  • Aria (Da Capo):

    • A: welcomes pain.

    • B: hopeful Clori will notice him.

    • Repetition and modulation common.

4. Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713)

• Renowned violinist and instrumental composer (no vocal music).

• Trained in Bologna; active in Rome.

• Pioneered:

  • Trio sonata (slow-fast-slow-fast).

  • Concerto grosso.

• Promoted circle of fifths as harmonic foundation.

• Emphasized lyricism, not virtuosity.

5. Corelli’s Trio Sonata in D Major (#96)

• Church sonata format: 4 movements (S-F-S-F).

• Texture: Two violins + basso continuo.

• Movements include traits such as:

  • 1st (Grave): Imitation, suspensions, contrapuntal texture.

  • 2nd (Allegro): Dance-like, binary form, walking bass, imitation.

  • 3rd (Adagio): Lyrical duet, syncopation, suspensions.

  • 4th (Allegro): Binary form, pedal tone, imitation.

6. Instrumental Music and Meaning

• Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle (~1750): “Sonate, que me veux-tu?” ("Sonata, what do you want from me?")

• Instrumental music could be confusing in the 18th century without text/lyrics.

• Prompted discussions on abstract meaning in music, past and present.

7. Germany in the 17th Century

• Politically fragmented (~300 units), post–Thirty Years’ War.

• Musicians worked in:

  • Courts, cities, churches, amateur settings.

• Catholic: followed Italian styles.

• Lutheran: focused on chorales, sacred concertos, and organ music.

8. Dieterich Buxtehude (ca. 1637–1707)

• Organist at St. Mary’s in Lübeck.

• Known for Lutheran music and Abendmusiken (Advent concerts).

• Praeludium in E Major, BuxWV 141:

  • Alternates free and fugal sections (toccata style).

  • Multiple fugues and interspersed free passages.

  • Example of stylus phantasticus.

9. Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre

• Renowned French harpsichordist and composer under Louis XIV.

• Wrote:

  • Opera

  • Violin sonatas

  • Keyboard suites with unmeasured preludes (improvisatory and ornamented).

Key Takeaways

• Standardization of forms (cantata, opera seria, trio sonata) was a major trend.

• Corelli and Scarlatti were central in shaping instrumental and vocal music.

• Instrumental music was beginning to express meaning without words, raising aesthetic questions.

• German and French traditions contributed uniquely (organ music, harpsichord music).

📌 Housekeeping & Reminders

• Late discussion post (handwritten) due by April 30 (before the exam).

• Submit Components C & D.

• Peer review draft of C & D due next week.

• Labs on Thursday and Friday in the library (Bragg room):

  • Includes scavenger hunt for extra credit.

  • Bring a pencil!

🎻 Arcangelo Corelli (1653–1713)

• Virtuoso violinist and composer, wrote only instrumental music.

• Key figure in standardizing instrumental forms: trio sonatas and concerti grossi.

• Used circle of fifths for harmonic motion—hallmark of Baroque style.

🔹 Trio Sonata:

• 4-movement form: slow–fast–slow–fast.

• Texture: Two melodic instruments (usually violins) + basso continuo.

• Types:

  • Sonata da chiesa (church sonata): more contrapuntal.

  • Sonata da camera (chamber sonata): dance-like.

• Focus: lyrical interplay between violins, not just virtuosity.

🔹 Concerto Grosso:

• Alternation between small solo group and full ensemble.

• Explores contrast and dialogue in textures.

💡 iClicker Trio Sonata Features:

• ✔ Steady walking bass

• ✔ Imitative melodic lines

• ✔ Use of circle of fifths

• ✖ No unmeasured preludes

• ✖ No emphasis on timbre contrast like in later orchestral music

🎹 Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637–1707)

• Organist in Lübeck, Germany.

• Known for Lutheran organ music and initiating Abendmusiken (Advent concerts).

• Famous work: Praeludium in E Major (BuxWV 141)

🔹 Structure of Praeludium in E Major:

• Alternating free and fugal sections (stylistically: stylus phantasticus).

  • Free sections = improvisatory

  • Fugue sections = contrapuntal

• Uses multiple fugue subjects

• Designed as a prelude to church music (not standalone concert piece)

💡 iClicker Questions:

• Structure? → ✔ Alternating free and fugal sections

• Context? → ✔ Prelude to church services

🎼 German Music in the 17th Century

• Post–Thirty Years’ War, Germany was fragmented (~300 territories).

• Musicians found work at courts, churches, cities, and among amateurs.

• Catholic music = Italianate;
  Lutheran music = chorales, sacred concertos, organ preludes

🎶 Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

• Composer and priest in Venice; taught music at Pio Ospedale della Pietà (girls’ orphanage).

• Extremely prolific: ~500 concertos, 21 operas, sacred music, etc.

🔹 The Pietà & Women in Music:

• Girls trained to play all kinds of instruments and sing.

• Performed behind metal grilles, cloistered from public view.

• Eyewitness accounts (Edward Wright, Charles de Brosses):

  • Girls described as highly skilled, cloistered, performing in religious garb.

  • Performances were visually and musically stunning—“music made visible.”

🎻 Vivaldi's Concerto Form

• 3 movements: fast–slow–fast.

• Uses ritornello form in fast movements:

  • Ritornello (recurring orchestral section) alternates with soloist episodes.

• Core ensemble: Strings + harpsichord/organ.

• Occasionally includes: flutes, oboes, horns, etc.

• Explored color, virtuosity, and contrast.

📝 Summary Recap

• Corelli = Trio sonatas, concerto grosso, circle of fifths, lyrical violin duets.

• Buxtehude = Organ preludes, free vs. fugal sections, Lutheran context.

• Vivaldi = Ritornello form, Pietà girls' performances, instrumental innovation.

🇩🇪 Germany in the 17th Century

• After the Thirty Years’ War, Germany was fragmented (~300 units).

• Lots of courts = many music jobs (chapels, churches, courts).

• Types of musicians:

  • Court, city (Stadtpfeifer), amateur, and church musicians.

  • Catholic music = Italian style.

  • Lutheran music = chorales, sacred concertos, and most importantly: organ music.

🎹 Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637–1707)

• Organist at St. Mary’s in Lübeck, northern Germany.

• Famous for starting the Abendmusiken (public Advent concerts).

• Important Lutheran organ composer, using stylus phantasticus (freedom + virtuosity).

📘 Praeludium in E Major (BuxWV 141)

• Structure alternates free (toccata-like) and fugal sections:

  1. Free

  2. Fugue 1

  3. Free

  4. Fugue 2

  5. Free

  6. Fugue 3

  7. Free

  8. Fugue 4

  9. Free

iClicker Answer: C – Continuous alternation of free and fugal sections

🇮🇹 Vivaldi and the Pietà

🎻 Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

• Violinist, composer, priest in Venice.

• Taught music at the Ospedale della Pietà (orphanage for girls).

• Composed 500+ concertos, sacred music, operas.

• Known for the Concerto form:

  • 3 movements: Fast–Slow–Fast

  • Ritornello form: orchestral refrains (ritornelli) alternate with solo episodes.

  • Episodes show off virtuosity.

🎧 Listening: Concerto for Violin in A Minor (RV 356)

• Ritornello has parts A–B–C, reused in different combinations.

🧍‍♀ Women Musicians at the Pietà

• Orphans raised/trained in music.

• Cloistered; played behind iron grilles.

• Played all instruments, even large/“masculine” ones.

• Observers were impressed by their technical skill and mystery.

• Eyewitness accounts emphasize both gendered fascination and musical excellence.

Sample Discussion Questions from Class:

• How did gender affect perception of Pietà performances?

• Why were performers hidden behind grilles?

• Were they making a living or simply passionate?

🇫🇷 François Couperin ("Le Grand")

🎼 Harpsichordist, composer, court musician

• Served Louis XIV.

• Blended French and Italian styles → "réunion des goûts" (union of tastes).

• Known for elegant, expressive, ornamented keyboard music.

🎹 Ordres (Suites of Character Pieces)

• Not strict dance suites, but include descriptive character pieces with poetic or enigmatic names.

• Four books of Ordres (1713–1730).

• Written for aristocratic salons and teaching.

🖼 La Visionaire (25th Ordre)

• Grand, dramatic.

• Combines:

  • French: ornamentation, rubato, notes inégales (uneven rhythms).

  • Italian: contrast, chromaticism, theatricality.

• Performer must evoke a narrative—music as portraiture.

🎵 Rameau (Teaser for Next Topic)

• Argued harmony (chords) > counterpoint.

• Helped shift thinking from Renaissance polyphony to modern music theory (tonic, dominant, functional harmony).

✅ Administrative Reminders

• Late Discussion Post: Handwritten, accepted until 4/30 (before exam).

• Components C and D: Submit ASAP; peer review this week before labs.

• Bring hard copies to lab.

🎻 Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)

• Roles: Composer, violinist, teacher, priest.

• Location: Venice, Pio Ospedale della Pietà (orphan girls).

• Output: ~500 concertos, sacred music, operas.

• Concerto Structure:

  • 3 movements: fast–slow–fast.

  • Ritornello form: alternates full orchestra with soloist episodes.

  • Used limited material creatively for prolific writing.

• Gender & Music at Pietà:

  • Women played behind screens.

  • Explored gendered perceptions, anonymity, and societal expectations.

🎹 François Couperin (1668–1733)

• Called “Le Grand,” court musician to Louis XIV.

• Wrote ordres (keyboard suites):

  • Mix of character pieces and stylized dances.

  • Evocative titles & emotional nuance.

• Style Traits:

  • French ornamentation (agréments), subtle harmony, notes inégales.

  • Combined French elegance with Italian contrast.

• Example: La Visionaire (25e ordre)

  • Expressive, chromatic, theatrical.

  • Embodies “réunion des goûts” (blend of national styles).

📖 Jean-Philippe Rameau

• Theorist: Argued harmony is the foundation of music (vs. counterpoint).

• Pivotal in the transition to tonal harmony theory (chord function).

🎼 Georg Philipp Telemann (1681–1767)

• Mostly self-taught; prolific and eclectic.

• Wrote Paris Quartets:

  • 4 parts (not trio sonatas).

  • Combined ritornello and sonata traits.

  • Balanced instruments, used international styles.

• Presto movement: Used ritornello structure (RSRSRSR).

• Published his own music for amateur musicians.

🎹 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

• 5 Major Posts: Arnstadt → Mühlhausen → Weimar → Cöthen → Leipzig.

• Leipzig Duties (from his contract):

  • Teach music (instrumental/vocal).

  • Supervise students, write church music.

  • Music must be devotional, not operatic.

  • Had to follow processions, discipline students.

  • Couldn’t leave town without permission.

  • Main takeaway: His job was more civic/religious duty than personal artistic pursuit.

➤ iClicker Questions Summary:

1. Not his duty: Compose for artistic reasons.

2. Surprising fact: Strict limits on creativity.

3. Relationship: Hierarchical, not artistic collaboration.

4. Role: Teacher and civic administrator, not just composer.

5. Restriction: Keep music brief and devotional.

🎼 Bach’s Works

• Vocal: >200 cantatas, passions, motets, masses.

• Instrumental: Organ (256), keyboard, chamber, orchestral works.

🎹 Chorale Prelude: Durch Adams Fall

• From the Little Organ Book.

• Chorale prelude introduces melody.

• Madrigalisms: Word painting (e.g., “fall” → descending lines).

🎼 Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC)

• 2 Books, each with 24 Prelude & Fugue pairs in all keys.

• Shows off well-tempered tuning → usable in all keys.

• Educational purpose, but also expressive.

• Prelude No. 8 in E-flat Minor:

  • Italian (leaps, imitation) + French (agréments, dotted rhythms).

• Fugue No. 8 in D-sharp Minor:

  • Complex structure: subject, countersubject, episodes.

🎵 Tuning Systems

• Equal temperament: All semitones equal (used today).

• Meantone temperament: Tuned for specific keys.

• Well-tempered: Balanced tuning for expressive flexibility.

• Just intonation: Only works in one key (pure intervals).

📚 Key Themes to Understand

• Baroque genre development (concerto, chorale prelude, ordre, quartet).

• The role of patronage, institutions, and social context.

• Innovations in form, style, and tuning.

• The contrast between artistic brilliance and professional restrictions.

Would you like a study guide or quiz to test your understanding of this material?
✅ GENERAL THEMES & CONTEXT

• Late Baroque Germany:

  • Eclecticism: German composers blended Italian, French, Dutch, and Iberian styles.

  • Didn't invent new genres — instead adopted and combined existing ones.

  • Employment types: Courts (e.g., Berlin, Dresden) and cities (e.g., Leipzig). Composers also supported themselves via concerts and score publication.

  • Some aristocrats were musicians, e.g., Frederick the Great.

🎼 GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN (1681–1767)

• Autodidact (self-taught); studied law in Leipzig.

• Music director in Hamburg (oversaw 5 churches).

• Developed German eclectic style: counterpoint + international elements.

• Very prolific: ±3000 works across many genres.

• Famous for quartets:

  • Paris Quartets: especially No. 1, Movement 3 (Presto).

    • Features independent viola da gamba/cello.

    • Form: ritornello (RSRSRSR).

    • Combines concerto traits (like ritornello) with sonata features (imitation, instrument equality).

    • Aimed at amateurs.

    • Self-published and promoted via his music journal.

🎼 JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)

✔ Life & Career

• Orphaned at 10; raised by his brother.

• Married twice, had 20 children (only 10 survived).

• Some children (e.g., C.P.E. Bach) became major musicians.

✔ Career Timeline

1. Arnstadt (1703–1707): organist.

2. Mühlhausen (1707–08): organist.

3. Weimar (1708–1717): organist → concertmaster; briefly jailed for trying to leave post.

4. Cöthen (1717–1723): music director.

5. Leipzig (1723–1750): town musician (Thomascantor), Collegium Musicum director.

✔ Compositional Output

• Vocal:

  • 200+ sacred cantatas

  • 40+ secular cantatas (e.g., Coffee Cantata)

  • Passions (St. Matthew, St. John), oratorios, motets, masses

• Instrumental:

  • Organ (~256), keyboard (~200), chamber (~47)

  • Suites, symphonies, 25 concertos

🔍 SELECTED WORKS TO KNOW

BWV 637: "Durch Adams Fall" (Chorale Prelude)

• Part of Little Organ Book → for pedagogical use (teaching chorale development and pedal).

• Chorale prelude: elaborated version of a Lutheran chorale.

• Text painting:

  • Falling bass leaps = “Adam’s fall”

  • Dissonances = corruption

The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC)

• Two books, 24 prelude & fugue pairs in every major and minor key.

• Equal temperament: works in all keys.

• Pedagogical: meant to train keyboardists in every key.

BWV 853 (Book I, Prelude & Fugue No. 8 in E♭ minor)

• Remote key (6 flats) shows equal temperament use.

• Combines:

  • Italian style: imitation, leaps

  • French style: ornamentation, dotted rhythms

• Fugue subject: starts in tonic, developed with countersubjects and free episodes

🎵 CANTATA: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 62)

• Based on Lutheran chorale, from Ambrosian chant.

• For Advent season.

• Mixes Lutheran devotional tradition with Italian opera.

Structure:

1. Opening chorus (ritornello form, counterpoint, imitation)

2. Recitative + Aria (Italian style)

   • Aria: da capo form

   • Recitative: secco or colla parte

3. Final chorale: harmonized in simple 4-part style

🎯 TERMS TO KNOW

• Chorale / Chorale Prelude: Elaborate organ settings of hymns.

• Ritornello form: Alternation of recurring theme and episodes.

• Fugue: Contrapuntal composition with subject, answer, countersubject.

• Text painting: Using musical elements to reflect the meaning of the text.

• Equal temperament: tuning system enabling all keys to sound acceptable.

• Obbligato pedal: independent, essential pedal line (in chorale preludes).

• Colla parte: instrument doubles the vocal line.

• Da capo aria: ternary (ABA) form typical in opera/cantata.

🔑 QUICK SUMMARY FOR REVIEW

🎵 Major Topics Covered

1. Review of earlier Bach works

   • Chorale Preludes

   • The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC)

2. New Material

   • Cantatas (with a focus on Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62)

   • St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244)

📍Key Concepts & Terms

🏛 Bach’s Compositional Output

Vocal:

• Sacred Cantatas (~200)

• Secular Cantatas (~40), e.g., Coffee Cantata

• Passions: St. Matthew, St. John

• Motets, Oratorios, Masses

• Chorales, Arias/Songs

Instrumental:

• Organ Works (~256)

• Keyboard Works (~200)

• Chamber Music, Concertos, Suites

🎹 The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC)

• Two books, each with 24 Preludes & Fugues, covering all major and minor keys.

• Uses well-tempered tuning (equal temperament works too, but just intonation is unsuitable).

• Purpose: Pedagogical/didactic

• Features:

  • Italian style: leaps, imitation

  • French style: ornamentation (agréments), dotted rhythms

  • Example: Prelude & Fugue in E♭ Minor / D♯ Minor

💡 Tuning Systems (Important for WTC)

• Equal Temperament – usable in all keys

• Meantone Temperament – tempered fifths, many keys

• Well-Tempered – unequal tuning, but usable in all keys with unique character

• Just Intonation – only works in one key → unsuitable for WTC

🎼 Chorale Prelude: Durch Adams Fall

• From Little Organ Book

• Uses madrigalisms: musical figures represent meaning (e.g., falling = leaps in bass)

• Purpose: train beginning organists in chorale development & pedal technique

🎤 Cantata: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (BWV 62)

• Genre: Sacred multi-movement vocal work with instruments

• Based on Lutheran chorale + Ambrosian chant

• Texts mix: chorale stanzas + new poetry

• Structure includes:

  • Chorus: Ritornello form (like Vivaldi), counterpoint, chorale motet style

  • Arias & Recitatives: Text painting, da capo form (ABA)

  • Chorale Conclusion: Hymn setting with winds + soprano line

• Context: Advent season

• Style fusion: concerto, opera, and Renaissance motet

✝ St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244)

• Passion genre: Good Friday, mixes:

  • Biblical narrative (recitative)

  • Arias (reflective, emotional)

  • Chorales (communal reflection)

• Scene focus: Peter’s denial

  • Recitative (#38): Evangelist narrates story

  • Aria (#39): "Erbarme dich" – emotional response, remorse

    • Features: obbligato violin, lament symbols (sighs, minor mode, descending bass)

    • Structure: ABA′ (not strict da capo)

  • Chorale (#40): communal theological reflection

🎯 In a Nutshell Summaries

BWV 62 – Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

• Advent cantata

• Chorale-based

• Moves from complexity (chorus) to simplicity (chorale)

• Mixes styles: concerto (ritornello), opera (arias/recits), motet (counterpoint)

BWV 244 – St. Matthew Passion

• Monumental Passion work for Good Friday

• Rich contrasts: narration, turba, arias, chorales

• Emotionally charged: theological drama in music

• Double choir and orchestra

• Famous aria "Erbarme dich" showcases deep lament and solo violin obbligato

🧠 What You Should Know or Be Able to Do

• Define and distinguish between tuning systems (especially why just intonation doesn’t work for WTC).

• Describe structure and function of a cantata and identify key features of BWV 62.

• Identify components and emotional/theological significance of the St. Matthew Passion.

• Understand text painting and musical symbolism in Bach’s works.

• Recognize style influences (Italian, French, German) in Bach's compositions.

• Know the pedagogical intent of Bach's keyboard works.
  Bach’s Cantata and St. Matthew Passion

  • Cantata Structure: Cantatas are multi-movement vocal works with instrumental accompaniment, often written for the Lutheran church service. They typically include an opening chorus, recitatives, arias, and a concluding chorale.

    • Opening Chorus: Often grand and complex.

    • Recitatives and Arias: Influenced by Italian opera.

    • Chorale Settings: Congregational hymns.

  • Example: Bach’s Cantata BWV 62 “Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland”:

    • Form: Stanza-based sections with ritornello and da capo arias.

    • Features: Counterpoint, imitation, text painting, and Lutheran devotional style.

  • St. Matthew Passion: A Lutheran Passion combining narrative recitatives, reflective arias, and communal chorales. It is emotional theology in sound, with particular attention to lament in pieces like "Erbarme dich."

  Handel’s Career and Works

  • Overview of Handel: Born in Germany, Handel became a key figure in London’s musical life. He composed operas, oratorios, orchestral works, and chamber music, with Messiah being one of his most famous compositions.

  • Operatic Influence: Handel’s operas, such as Giulio Cesare (1724), were known for their dramatic arias and character development. The aria "Empio, Dirò, Tu Sei" demonstrates rage through rapid-fire coloratura.

  • Cantata and Oratorio: Handel wrote both operas and oratorios, with Messiah being a landmark work in the oratorio genre. His ability to adapt to market demands and his savvy business management played a crucial role in his success.

  Key Concepts to Focus On:

  1. Cantata Form: Understand the basic structure and elements of a Bach cantata, including the opening chorus, recitatives, arias, and chorale.

  2. Text and Music in Bach’s Cantatas: Pay attention to how Bach’s cantatas use biblical and poetic texts and blend Lutheran and operatic styles.

  3. St. Matthew Passion: Focus on how Bach uses music to express emotions such as guilt, mercy, and hope, and the role of the Evangelist and crowd choruses.

  4. Handel’s Operatic Style: Study the dramatic qualities of Handel’s operas, especially the emotional depth conveyed in arias.

  5. Musical Borrowing: Handel’s use of borrowing music from other composers (as noted in the correspondence with his librettist Charles Jennens) is an interesting topic for discussion.

  Practice Listening:

  • Listen to specific movements from Bach’s Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland and St. Matthew Passion, as well as Handel’s Giulio Cesare, focusing on the musical techniques used to convey emotion and character.