Chapter Eight:Early Baroque Vocal Music

Baroque • Opera: • Libretto:

Overture:

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 (music director) at Saint Mark’s basilica in Venice

Orfeo (1607)

• Based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice

• Use of Monody:

• Recitative

• Aria

Chamber Cantata• For solo voice and a few accompanying instruments

• Intended to be performed at home or a private chamber (chamber music)

Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677)• Cantata L’amante segreto (The Secret Lover):

“Voglio morire” (I Want to Die) – Use of figured bass and ostinato

Opera in London

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)•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

Dido’s Final Aria

• Introduced by “Thy hand, Belinda” – Simple recitative

• “When I am laid in earth” – Aria (Listening Ex: p. 106)– Built on a basso ostinato