BAROQUE (1600-1750)
(The Birth of Opera)
-Two Giants of the era Handel & Bach
-Most other composers forgotten until rediscovered in the 20 th century

• The Baroque Period can be divided into 3 sub periods
• (of about 40-50 years each)
• early 1600-1650
• mid 1650-1700
• late 1700-1750

• BAROQUE (1600-1750)
• Dramatic extreme contrast and passion ruled the day in literature and music
• Instruments are finally written for specifically and will soon be dominate

• BAROQUE (1600-1750)
• Major and Minor scales and keys will be developed by the mid period
• Early baroque composers favored homophonic but late composers gloried polyphony
• New instrumental emphasis is taken to extremes.

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 1. Unity of Mood
• pieces often express one mood throughout
• start sad / end sad
• start joyfully /end joyfully ect…

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 1. Unity of Mood
• composers developed specific rhythms & melodic patterns to illustrate common moods giving a family resemblance among pieces
(similar to Jazz and guitar riffs of today or blues or gospel singers)
• Vocal music though could sometimes have drastic changes in mood to fit the text

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 2. RHYTHM
• Patterns of rhythm are continuously repeated throughout from beginning to end providing a drive

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 3. MELODY
• feeling of continuity opening melody will repeat over and over varying in octaves but character remains constant
• always ever expanding and very ornamented and elaborate very difficult to sing or remember as a tune
• rapid notes longer dynamic expansion rather than balance and symmetry

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 4. DYNAMICS
• only gradual changes mostly constant.
• main instruments were organ and harpsichord which had little dynamic range
• terraced dynamics (building of notes or instruments) used instead of just playing louder or softer

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 5. TEXTURE
• mostly homophonic in early period but by mid to late period almost all polyphonic
• two or more melodic lines going at once but most important are the soprano and bass
• vocal pieces though would shift between textures to create moods with the text

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• In past melody came first and was more important than any chords that happen to come out of it
• Chords become increasing dominant and some tunes the chords come first then melody

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• Most important part of the chord the BASS note or BASSLINE (in which whole composition rest upon)
• Figured bass MOST CHARACTERISTIC FEATURE of BAROQUE MUSIC

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• figured bass or basso continuo is added to music which chord symbols or numbers outline basic chord structure
• performer of the accompaniment part (usually at least two instruments organ/ harpsichord of low instr i.e cello/bassoon

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 6. CHORDS and FIGURED BASS
(BASSO CONTINUO)
• performer given freedom to improvise the part similar to jazz and rock lead sheets of today
• practical use was to save time and paper

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 7. WORDS and MUSIC
• Word painting with specific words
• HEAVEN high notes HELL low notes
• Rising scales upward motion joy
• Descending chromatic suffering pain lost love or the Crucifixion
• Musical language like this was well standardized

• Elements of BAROQUE
• 7. WORDS and MUSIC
• To showcase virtuosity of singer or instrumentalist …ornate and rapid notes on a single syllable.
• Word and phrases would be repeated to unfold music not lyric

• The Baroque Orchestra
• The main make-up was standard
• The Violin family
• &
• The Basso Continuo section
• Basso Continuo section was
(harpsichord plus cello, double bass or bassoon)

• The Baroque Orchestra
• Woodwind
• Brass
• Percussion
• These would vary from piece to piece and orchestra to orchestra

• The Baroque Orchestra
• Baroque instruments were very different from modern instruments
• The trumpet had no values was very difficult to play at high registers.
• It was associated in past with royals and good trumpeters were treated very well

• The Baroque Orchestra
• BACH, HANDEL, VIVALDI
• (Important Baroque Composers & Orchestral Leaders)
• mixed and experimented with different combinations of instruments
• often reworking compositions between instruments
• (sometimes losing a little in translation) to fit orchestral make up

• The Baroque Orchestra
• Most pieces written were concerned with sounds and not individual instrument quarks.
• Families of instruments would play the same parts as others families sometimes more successful than others.
• YOUTUBE – Baroque Orchestra

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• BAROQUE FORMS
• Unity of Mood but pieces usually contain separate MOVEMENTS
• MOVEMENTS
• have their own themes
• have definite start and end
• a brief pause will come in between movements

• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• Before 1800 most music written to order to meet demands of churches/ municipalities/ and opera houses
• demand was for newly written music and not old style
• Music main source of entertainment for aristocracy (size of $$ court related to size of orchestra, choir and opera singers)

• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• Bach directed small 18 piece orchestra but large could be as much as 80 players and singers
• Orchestra usually limited to 30 instrumentalist
• Music director responsible for all aspects
• (concerts, church music, dinner music, operas plus managing other musicians, the instruments, and the music library.)
• good & bad to be director
• great pay prestige and played original music but still servant to the aristocracy
• some music directors would befriend royals and others not
• some royals good musicians

• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• most public only heard music in church
• church had orchestra now plus choir
• cities compete for best public / church musicians
• earned less than court musicians
• made special $$ for weddings and funerals
(made less when less death)
• Large Towns some times employed musicians for processions, concerts for dignitaries, universities.

• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• Opera houses mainly in Italy employed musicians and composers to supply steady steam of new operas
• Often music handed down in the family but training was in the church and orphanages that would later become conservatories.
• Women still not permitted to hold high roles such as music director or choir master but a number of women composers did emerge.

• MUSIC in BAROQUE SOCIETY
• To get a job often difficult exams, performances, and composition submissions would be required.
• Difficult non-music jobs would often go along with the musical position
• Plus Large $$ donations required
• Or even arranged marriages to get a highly regard position.

• Concerto Grosso
• major form of orchestral music in late Baroque period
• SOLOist (small groups or solo) contrasted against Tutti (full orchestra)
• performed more frequently in private aristocratic palaces
• several movements that contrast in character and tempo
• ( 1. fast 2. slow 3. fast) (ABA’ form)

• Concerto Grosso (form)
• ( 1. fast 2. slow 3. fast) (ABA’ form)
• 1. fast (vigorous determined clear contrast between tutti&solo)
• 2. slow (quieter,lyrically,intimate)
• 3. fast (carefree,dancelike)
• ritornello – refrained theme that repeats in fragments until the end section where it repeats entirely

• Concerto Grosso (form)
1
.a. Tutti, ritornello in home key b. Solo
2.
a. Tutti, ritornello fragment b. Solo
3. a. Tutti, ritornello fragment b. Solo
4. Tuttie, ritornello in home key

• Listening Journal :
• Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (J.S. Bach)
• 1 st movement only
• Dedicated to Brandenburg = German
Aristocrat who requested piece Bach didn’t work for him
• 1 st time harpsichord given a solo in a Concerto
(new instrument)
• 1 st movement allegro (fast section) Concerto with ritornello form (duple meter) in key of D major