Markham Woods Middle
Music History
Part 2
The Baroque Period
Baroque Period: Time Span
• 1600 – 1750
• Derived from a Portuguese word
meaning “Oddly Shaped Pear”
• Baroque Music:
– Highly Ornate, Lavishly Texturized, Very
Intense
– Contrasting Volumes, Varied Tempi, More
Artistic Freedom
Baroque Period: The Music
• What’s New?
– Opera
• A drama with intense vocal music and instrumental
accompaniment
• Originated in Italy
– England – Masque
• Opera performed privately for royalty only
– Comic Opera
• Created as a parody to generate humor
Baroque Period: The Music
• Orchestra
– Mainly string instruments
– Wind instruments doubled parts
• List of instrument later in this section
– Solo Concerto towards end of period
• Solo instrument with orchestra accompaniment
Baroque Period: The Music
• Fugue
– Monothematic melody restated by different
instruments
• Variation
– Melody played 1st time and repeated in a more
ornamental form
• Chorale Prelude
– Mainly composed for church
– Slow melody with fast moving accompaniment
• Dance Suite
– Moderate speed for dancing with repeated melody
Baroque Period: The Instruments
• Violin
Baroque Period: The Instruments
• Flute
Baroque Period: The Instruments
• Oboe
Baroque Period: The Instruments
• Horn
Baroque Period: The Instruments
• Timpani
– Kettle Drum
Baroque Period: The Instruments
• Organ
Baroque Period: The Composers
• Johann Sebastian Bach
– Church Organist
– Composer: Organ Music
– Music Family
• 20 Children
– CPE Bach
– Wilhelm F Bach
• “Fugue In G Minor”
• “Brandenburg Concerto”
Baroque Period: The Composers
• Antonio Vivaldi
– Ospendale della Pietà Director of Music
– Master of melodic invention
– 350 Concertos (2/3 for violin) v
• The Four Seasons: Winter
Baroque Period: The Composers
• George Friderick Handel
– Opera Composer
– Born in Germany
– Worked for King George I
• “The Messiah: Hallelujah
Chorus”