Baroque Music Timeline (1600-­‐1750) KEY POINTS Creation of Functional Tonality Expanded size, range, and complexity of instrumental music. New Instruments and techniques Opera is established EARLY BAROQUE (1600-­‐1654) Widespread use of “Figured Bass” in development of harmony, in the direction of tonality. (Early “leadsheets”) MIDDLE BAROQUE (1654-­‐1707) The rise of the centralized royal court system in most of Europe led to the increased demand for public music. LATE BAROQUE (1680-­‐1750) The years overlap greatly with the Middle Baroque period, but the styles have changed as to include greater complexity and shift towards the Classical era. INSTRUMENTS Strings – Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass, Guitar, Mandolin, Harp Woodwinds – Flute, Chalumeau (predecessor to Clarinet), Oboe, Recorder Brass – Trumpet, Horn, Sackbut (predecessor to trombone), Serpent Keyboards – Harpsichord, pianoforte – literally the “soft-­‐loud”, predecessor to the modern piano, Organs The Virtuoso – Performer who is highly skilled at playing an instrument IMPORTANT COMPOSERS Johann Sebastian Bach Antonio Vivaldi – “The Seasons”, concerto grosso Claudio Monteverdi -­‐ Opera François Couperin Jean-­‐Baptiste Lully Henry Purcell Johann Pachelbel – “Canon in D” George Frideric Handel – the famous oratorio, “Messiah”