Chapter 19

THE BAROQUE PERIOD (1600-

1750)
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
The Baroque period was a period of bustling
activity in science, politics and the arts.
Baroque music trailed a similar movement
in painting and architecture by half a
century.
It is characterized by luxuriant elaboration
of grandiose concepts, and spectacular
design. Theatricalism, heretofore limited to
an occasional picturesque passage, become
a significant trend.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
The period saw decisive changes in the
materials, styles, forms, and mediums
of music and the birth of the first great
universal musical geniuses.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
During the Baroque era, Protestant
church music was established on a par
with that of the Catholic church.
New forms appropriate to the
Protestant services evolved.
The production of secular music,
encouraged by the nobility and upper
classes, exceeded that of sacred music.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
Emphasis on secular music coupled with
mechanical and technical improvements
in instruments stimulated the writing and
performance of instrumental music.
For the first time, the supremacy of vocal
music was challenged by instrumental
music.
Concurrently an independent
instrumental style began to emerge.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
Melodies and harmonies were based
almost exclusively on major and minor
scales, which supplanted (to take place)
the earlier church modes.
Major and minor tonality became a
prime factor in musical organization.
Loud and soft passages were
deliberately juxtaposed, creating
patterns of terraced dynamics.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
Rhythms became more obviously
metric, and on occasion incessant
streams of equal thick notes produced
a sort of perpetual motion.

It was indeed, a time of change and

innovation.
THE BAROQUE PERIOD
A revolt against the mannered polyphony of
the previous age generated the impulse which
led to the new music; it is apparent from the
title of a song collection by Giulio Caccini,
Nuove Musiche New Music, 1602)

Three basic innovations stemmed directly or

indirectly from this revolt:
Recitative
Figured bass
Homophonic texture
RECITATIVE
Recitative was the direct outgrowth of the
emphasis placed on the text of vocal music by
baroque composers
To quote Claudio Monteverdi, The text should
be the master of the music, not the servant.
This was not possible in the 16th century
polyphonic style, because the imitative
entrances and overlapping phrases made the
words and syllables of the text occur at
different times in various parts
RECITATIVE
The baroque solution to this problem was a
recitative, a sort of inflected declamation by
a solo voice.
This style of singing was used almost
exclusively in the first operas and
throughout the period in operas, oratorios,
and cantatas whenever the text is of
primary importance.
The recitative style was ideal for enunciating
a text, but it was musically uninteresting.
FIGURED BASS / THOROUGH BASS
The accompaniment for the voice part
involved no carefully prescribed lines,
only a simple harmonic background
played by instruments.
Except for the bass line, it does not
indicated the specific notes to be
played but does provide a basis for
improvisation.
BASSO CONTINUO
The complete realization, which customarily
proceeded without interruption throughout a
composition.

It provided the harmonic structure of the music.

At least one instrument capable of playing chords

must be included, such as a harpsichord, organ,

lute, theorbo, guitar, legal, or harp. In addition, any
number of instruments which play in the bass
register may be included, such as cello, double
bass, bass viol, or bassoon.
(Source: Wikipedia)
HOMOPHONIC TEXTURE
The vertical concept of chords built over
bass tones implicit in the figured bass
system is diametrically opposed to the
horizontal-linear concept of polyphony.
Music conceived as a single,
predominant melody supported by
vertically ordered harmony.
Homophonic texture is the third basic
innovation of the baroque period.
 After the beginning of the baroque the
relative emphasis between homophonic
and polyphonic texture varied, but
neither disappeared.
By 1750 the homophonic style was
gaining ascendency, but the baroque
era closed with the death of Bach, the
greatest contrapuntalist of all time.
 Inventiveness in the matter of musical
form was also a baroque characteristic.
The 17th century probably contributed
more than any comparable period to the
introduction and crystallization of enduring
modes of musical expression. Continuous
variation, sectional variation, suite, sonata,
rondo, concerto, opera, oratorio, overture,
chorale, chorale prelude, and fugue, all
were either conceived or perfected during
the baroque period.
OPERA
Opera was the first greatest achievement of the
baroque.
Recitatives and arias were conspicuous
elements.
Figured bass was used consistently.
Sinfonias contributed to the development of an
independent musical style
Da capo aria became a standard pattern
Baroque opera represented a remarkable artistic
achievement which strongly influenced
subsequent music, nondramatic and
instrumental as well as operatic.
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI (1567-1643)
The most significant of the early opera
composers.
Before 1600 he was well established in
the court of Mantua as a viol player,
singer, and composer in the old style.
He composed several operas between
his first, Orfeo (1607) and his last, The
Coronation of Poppea (1642)
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI (1567-1643)
He was equally adept in writing court,
church, and dramatic music, but in the
field of opera that the striking
originality of his genius is most
apparent.
ORFEO (OPERA)
Orfeo requires a large orchestra with
assorted wind, string and keyboard
instruments.
The orchestra contributes to the drama
in the accompaniments and supplies
many instrumental interludes.
The score of Orfeo was published in
1609 and reissued in 1615, spreading
the practices of the early baroque.
CLAUDIO MONTEVERDI: ORFEO (1607)
ACT III. POSSENTE SPIRTO
ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)
Antonio Vivaldi was another Venetian famous
during his lifetime as a composer of operas,
but now remembered primarily for his
concertos, of which 450 are extant.
He began an intensive study of music with his
father, who was a leading violinist at St.
Marks Cathedral, and he also prepared for the
priesthood.
A redhead, he was known throughout his life
as l prete rosso (the red priest), though he
served actively as a priest for only a year.
ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)
He devoted himself to music exclusively,
and until the last year of his life he held a
permanent appointment at the Musical
Seminary of the Piet, where orphaned
and illegitimate girls were sheltered and
trained in music.
Many of his works were written for
special concerts and festivals at the Piet
and were first performed by the girls
under his direction.
ANTONIO VIVALDI (1678-1741)
He wrote concertos for single and multiple solo
instruments, that is , for solo and concerto grosso
instrumentation.
Drawing on his experience as a violinist and
conductor, he wrote equally idiomatic and colorful
parts for the solo and accompanying instruments.
Typical baroque terracing of dynamic levels is
achieved in two ways by contrasting the full
tutti with the solo instrument or group and
by marking abrupt dynamic changes in the
score.
ANTONIO VIVALDI: VIOLIN CONCERTO IN A MINOR
(1712)

1. Allegro
2. Largo
3. Presto
 Baroque stylistic innovations were
conceived and nurtured in Italy, but in
music they reached their ultimate
maturity and fulfilment in the hands on
two composers of German birth, Bach
and Handel.
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-
1750)
He was exposed to music at an early age,
and his training while unsystematic was
typical for the times,
His first significant position was as court
organist and chamber musician at Weimar
(1708-1717) during which time he wrote
extensively for organ.
In 1717 he was appointed director of
chamber music by Prince Leopold of Anhalt
at Cthen, a position he helf until 1723.
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-
1750)
From 1723 on he lived in Leipzig as
organist and music director (cantor) of the
St. Thomas Church and School and
eventually also as director of music in the
university.
He enjoyed further honorary appointments
from the Duke of Weissenfels and the Kind
og Poland, Elector of Saxony.
His most significant church music was
written during his tenure at Leipzig.
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-
1750)
Bachs complete works, which due to
many losses are by no means
complete, fill forty-seven massive
volumes.
He was a consummate master of
contrapuntal technique and achieved
an ideal balance between the
horizontal and vertical aspects of
musical texture.
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-
1750)
Coming as he did at the end of an epoch
when music was on the verge of another
metamorphosis, his music was not
appreciated by his immediate successors
or even by his own sons, who continued
the family tradition.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) is
credited with starting the Bach revival
which each succeeding year heaps new
tribute on his already lustrous reputation.
BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 3
Is one of six for various instrumental
combinations commissioned by and
dedicated to Christian Ludwig, Margraf
of Brandenburg.
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-
1759)
Was born in Halle, Saxony, in close
proximity to Bach in both time and place.
Was a true cosmopolitan who travelled
widely and lived and worked in Germany,
Italy, and England.
He was a gregarious extrovert who
fraternized with artists and persons of
rank.
Handels music is mostly dramatic and
theatrical.
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-
1759)
Overcoming strenuous parental
objections, Handel obtained a broad and
thorough musical training including
studies in counterpoint, canon and fugue,
and lessons on harpsichord, organ, violin
and oboe.
He became in turn a church organist and
a violinist in an opera orchestra. While in
the latter position he composed his first
operas.
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-
1759)
Before he turned permanently to other
forms, he wrote forty-six operas in
Italian language and style in addition to
four early ones in German.
After 1712 he lived permanently in
England which placed him in the
curious position of being a German
composer writing Italian operas for the
English.
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-
1759)
The complete disenchantment of the
English with artificialities of Italian opera
brought Handel to bankruptcy.
With the failure of his operatic ventures,
Handel turned to the form which was to
assure of his immortality oratorio.
the success of his oratorios surpassed by
far that of his operas, re-established his
reputation, and recouped his financial
position.
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-
1759)
Handels masterpiece unquestionably is
his Messiah
One of Handels most familiar and most
performed works, and certainly one of
the most ingratiating, is his Water
Music.
G. F. HANDEL: WATER MUSIC (1717)