Post on 07-Jan-2016
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Chapter Eight:Early Baroque Vocal Music
Baroque • Opera emerged in Italy around 1600
– Sought to re-create the emotive powers of classical Greek theatre
• Opera: A stage play in which the drama is expressed through music; opera drammatica in musica– Libretto: The text of an opera– Overture: Opening instrumental piece– Use of Monody
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)• “The father of opera”• Composed operas, madrigals, Masses, motets• 1590: Worked as singer and performer on string
instruments for Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga in Mantua– 1601: Appointed court director of music – Composed the operas Orfeo (1607) and Arianna
(1608)• Became maestro di cappella at Saint Mark’s basilica in
Venice– Important later operas: Il ritorno d’Ulisse (1640) and
L’incoronazione di Poppea (1642)--Died in Venice in 1643
Orfeo (1607)• The first important opera in the history of Western music• Based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice• Use of Monody: Expressive solo singing to simple
accompaniment • Recitative: Musically heightened speech, narrates the plot
– Usually only accompanied by basso continuo– Simple Recitative: Sparsely accompanied recitative
Orfeo (1607)• Aria: “Song;” Passionate, expansive, tuneful– Lyrical type of monody
– Expression of feelings and emotions
– Accompanied by full orchestra and basso continuo
– Self-contained unit, both textually and musically
• Arisoso: Manner of singing halfway between aria and recitative
• Tocatta: Instrumental pieces requiring great technical dexterity; an instrumental show piece
Chamber Cantata• For solo voice and a few accompanying instruments
• Intended to be performed at home or a private chamber (chamber music)
• Subjects usually described the worldly exploits of the heroes and heroines of classical mythology or takes of unrequited love
Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)
• Steeped in the traditions of Claudio Monteverdi
• Wrote chamber cantatas for herself to sing
• Cantata L’amante segreto (The Secret Lover): “Voglio morire” (I Want to Die)– Use of figured bass (numerical shorthand in the bass)
and ostinato (melody, harmony, or rhythm that continually repeats)
Opera in London
• Opera spread from Italy to German-speaking countries, to France, then to England
Henry Purcell (1659-1695)• Has been called the “greatest of all English
composers”
• 1679: Position as organist at Westminster Abbey
• By 1682, organist for the king’s Chapel Royal as well
• Dido and Aeneas (1689): One of the first operas written in English– Written for performance at a private girl’s boarding school
– Libretto from Virgil’s Aeneid
Dido’s Final Aria
• Introduced by “Thy hand, Belinda” – Simple recitative
• “When I am laid in earth” – Aria– Built on a basso ostinato (or ground round) – Purcell used
a chromatic step-wise descending line with a two measure cadence returning to tonic