General Characteristics
of Baroque Music
• Designed to be emotional
• More rigid formal design
• Modern tonality
• Organization and control replace experimentation
• Rhythm vitality
• Strong bass line
Monteverdi, Excerpts from L’Orfeo
• What is the story?
• What is the structure/form of this piece?
• What are recitative and arias? How can one tell
them apart?
• How “natural” are the rhythms in the sung parts?
• What is word painting? Name some examples from
this excerpt.
Purcell, Dido and Aeneas
• What is the story? How does the music reflect the
story?
• What is a ground bass? How does it function in this
piece?
• Explain the significance of rhythmic shifts.
Vivaldi,
First Movement from The Four Seasons
• What is ritornello form?
• What is program music?
• How does Vivaldi make use of echo effects?
Bach, J.S., excerpts form the St. Matthew
Passion
• What is a musical Passion? How does it relate to
oratorios? To opera?
• What is the musical role of the narrator? Of Jesus?
Of the Chorus?
• Describe the text/music relationships
Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from The
Messiah
• What is an oratorio? Is this piece typical?
• Describe the compositional process? What were the
circumstances in which Handel composed it? How
long did it take him?
• Describe and demonstrate the various textures.
• How does Handel create rhythmic interest?
• What is the overall form or structure of this excerpt?
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude and Fugue in E Minor
• What is a prelude? A fugure?
• What is the Subject?
• What is the Counter-subject (answer)?
• What are episodes?
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
First Movement from Brandenburg Concerto No.
2 in F Major
• What are the Brandenburg Concerti? How
many are there? Why did Bach write them?
• How many movements are there in this
concerto? What is the relationship between
them in terms of tempo?
• Explain the relationship between the solo vs.
ripieno sections.