Baroque Time
Period
1600-1750
Historical Events
•1607 –The first permanent
British colony is est. at
Jamestown, Virginia
•1609 – Galileo made the first
observations with a
telescope
Historical Events
•1619- The 1st African slaves
are brought to British
America
•1620 – Mayflower arrived in
America
•1705 – Virginia Act
established public education
Historical Events
• 1672 – Admission charged for the
1st time at a concert in London
• 1710 – Bartolomeo Cristofori
develops modern pianoforte in
which hammers strike strings
• 1741 – Handel completes the
“Messiah”
General Facts
•People were either really
wealthy or really poor (no
middle class)
•Lifestyles became more
elaborate (fancy)
•Rise in drama, theater,
painting, architecture, and
music (entertainment)
Music Facts
•Sharp dynamic contrasts
•The livelihood of musicians
started to come from the
public
•Opera was invented
•Music became ornate
Music Facts
• Music expressed emotion (even
in church music)
• Piano is invented, but does not
yet become popular
• Opera and other performances
become accessible to the
general public
• Brass instruments used more
often
Composers
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• George F. Handel
• Antonio Vivaldi
J.S. Bach
• composed for the church
• played the organ and violin
• wrote for organ and keyboards
mainly
• had 20 children, 5 of which became
musicians
• wrote Toccata and Fugue in D minor
and Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
G.F. Handel
•
•
•
•
played clavichord
composed for the church
wrote for orchestra and choir
composed Messiah ( 3 sections
depicting 3 sections of Jesus’ life)
• composed Water Music ( written
for King George I)
Antonio Vivaldi
• ordained priest
• wrote 40 operas and 500
concertos
• played violin
• wrote for strings mainly (violin
solos)
• wrote The Four Seasons
Instruments
• Harpsichord and strings are the
most popular instruments
• Instrument families were
combined to form small groups
• Composers wrote solos for
instruments
• Dance music was popular
Instruments
• gigue – lively tempo
• waltz – slow, stately tempo
•Types of keyboards
–organ
–harpsichord
–clavichord
Styles of Music during the
Baroque
• Fugue – keyboards
• Chamber Music – strings mainly,
small orchestra
• Symphony – large orchestra
• Opera – solo singers and
orchestra
• Oratorio – choir and orchestra,
tells a sacred story
•
Important Vocabulary
• Baroque period
• Oratorio
• Opera
• Chorale
• Concerto grosso