Music During the Baroque Period
Music Era Timeline
The Baroque Period
• Started around 1600
and ended around 1750
• Gave a more refined
style of music than the
Renaissance period.
• Started because music
was developing into
something new.
Characteristics of Baroque Music
•
More use of loud and soft dynamics
due to the improved instruments.
•
Compositions started to be more
refined. There was more of an
emphasis on a single melody with
accompaniment.
•
Use of basso continuo- played by the
cello, bassoon, a keyboard
instrument, or viola da gamba. It is a
bass line that is written out and
slightly improvised to accompany a
melody.
•
More use of dissonance than in the
renaissance period.
Reformed/New Ideas in the Baroque
Era
• The introduction of more
refined styles of music both
vocal and instrumental:
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Operas
Oratorios
Cantata
Sonata
Concerto
Suite
• The development of new
and improved instruments.
Question!
• Even though the Baroque period has a time
frame, what helped quantify when the
Baroque period started and ended?
New Instruments: The Serpent
• Added a baritone/tenor
range to the horn
family.
• Hybrid of a flute and
conical cornet.
• Used a mouthpiece just
like brass instruments
today.
New Instruments: The Natural
Trumpet
• Before the trumpet had
valves.
• There were holes that
changed the pitch/timbre.
• Musicians had to have a
good ear for the correct
pitches when playing this
instrument.
New Instruments: The Baroque Oboe
• Was created as the
successor to the shawm.
• Had three keys unlike the
modern Oboe.
• Was used in military
bands until the invention
of the clarinet.
His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts
http://youtu.be/BzeIHcM_DQU
Ensemble Nova Academia
http://youtu.be/ODo-4HfYW58
Question!
• What is unique about the instruments and the
performances you have just viewed? What
makes it unique from the music that you hear
today?
Important Composers
• Johann Sebastian Bach
• George Frideric Handel
• Antionio Vivaldi
• George Philipp Telemann
• Henry Purcell
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
• Keyboardist, violinist,
violist, and composer.
• Made many
contributions to music
through his
compositions.
• Over 1100
compositions.
More on Bach
• Most of his songs were
cantatas, chorales, songs, and
arias.
• Many of his pieces are still
performed today like the Bach
Cello Suites.
• Unfortunately a good amount
of his music was destroyed
through wars.
• His death established the end
of the baroque era.
ChristLag in Todesbanded BWV 4
• The text is based on a Lutheran hymn
• Composed for Easter Sunday
• Starts with the Sinfonia (All instrumental
movement with strings and keyboard)
• The piece then has seven verses that have either
chorus or solo singers with accompaniment.
Question!
• BWV is the way of categorizing Bach’s music.
Does this mean that ChristLag In Todesbanded
is an early or late composition of J.S. Bach?
Why?