Early and Late Baroque - Weebly
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Early and Late Baroque 1600-1750
Transcript of Early and Late Baroque - Weebly
Early and Late Baroque
1600-1750
Early Baroque● Era following Renaissance● Artists began incorporating flowing and graceful free-form curves into their
works. Composers followed suit using flowery tonal embellishments to ornament their melodies.
● Baroque Period- stylistic period between approximately 1600-1750● Composers continued to explore emotions in music, but did with greater drama
and freedom
Baroque Music● Baroque music was used to move the listener by sustaining and contrasting
emotions● Terraced Dynamics- layered dynamic levels within a composition. ● Terraced dynamics and changes in tempo helped provide interest and impact.● Each section of a work maintained a single mood throughout● Rhythms and melodies in the section were based on one or two motives.
Beginnings of Opera● Baroque musicians began experimenting with solo voices for communicating
text. ● By assigning music to one voice instead of several, instrumental
accompaniments were simplified to support the solo voice.● Continuo- an accompaniment consisting of a harpsichord sounding the chords
and a viola da gamba reinforcing the bass line. ● Viola da gamba- low, bowed string instrument.
Opera/Orfeo● First appearance around 1600● To dramatize a story through music, characters had to speak for themselves and
convey emotion at the same time.● Dialogue is to plays as Recitative is operas.● First known opera on record is Orfeo● Written in 1607 by Italian Claudio Monteverdi
Orfeo● Summary● Opera scored for soloists, chorus, and orchestra. ● Music consists of recitatives, arias, madrigals, and orchestral music● Tu Se’ Morta (You Are Dead) conveys grief with melody and rhythm that
follow the natural inflection of the text. ● Climaxes on high notes on the words Rimango (remain) Stelle (stars) and Sole
(sun)● High notes convey excitement and grief, low tones despair and death.● Strong use of word painting.
Late Baroque/Fugue● Later half of Baroque period● Carried counterpoint to new lofty heights● Fugue- a rich polyphonic composition consisting of a series of successive melody
imitations. ● Fugue literally means “chase” in German● Melodies chase each other until they overlap, creating a complex harmony
The Fugue, continued● Two main parts: Subject and answer● Sometimes a fugue includes countersubject- a figure that follows the subject or
answer, usually in the same voice. ● The space between is filled with freely invented counterpoint● Often those passages include borrowed melodic motives from the subject and the
countersubject. ● Fugues can be performed by an orchestra, ensemble, chorus, or even a single
instrument.● The challenge is bring out the subject every time it appears, no matter the
voice.
Bach’s Fugue No. 16 in G Minor● Recorded originally on harpsichord● J.S Bach was a master of fugue writing
Development of Functional Harmony● Jean Phillipe Rameu (1683-1764)● Released book in 1722 “Treatise on Harmony”● Was a rule book on rules of harmonization● Baroque composers began thinking in terms of chords and harmony, not just
melody.● “Tambourin”-Written by Jean Phillipe Rameu
The Concerto● Concerto-solo parts alternated with a group of instruments● Composers became more interested in exploiting contrasts of timbre, especially
in instrumental works. The concerto allowed them to do that.● Antonio Vivaldi was the King of the Concerto● Wrote over 500 during his lifetime● Concerto Grosso-Grand Concerto- Small group of instrumentalists trading with
large ensemble. ● Ripieno-Full Orchestra-easier parts● Concertino-Soloists-show off parts
The Four Seasons● One of Vivaldi’s most celebrated concertos● 4 Movements
○ Spring○ Summer○ Autumn○ Winter
● Each introduced with a sonnet● Solo violin and small string orchestra with harpsichord
Trace the transition in texture…..1. ME-Monophonic-(Singular/unison)- Plain Song/Parallel Organum2. Ren-Polyphonic-Counterpoint (Lines can stand independently on their own, but
work as a whole too)-Madrigal/Motet3. Bar-Homophonic- Richer Harmony-Melody line with chords sounding
underneath- Concerto
Complete numbers 1-17 in the chapter 17 Review.
Complete the Chapter Review 1-17 in the TextTurn in when finished
1-10-Vocab Words Only11-17-Short Answer
