Basilica Bon Jesus Brazil

Prophet Joel at Bom Brazil

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Church of San Antonio, Recife, Brazil.

Interior of church in Malt

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Ms Clifford 5th Years March 2011Baroque period in music 1600 to 1750

Composers included : Bach Handel Corelli Telemann baroque was the age of monarchism Vivaldi colonialism and witnessed the Purcell establishment of the middle class. Scarlatti

Baroque comes from the Portuguese word “barocco” which is an oval shaped pearl or means “borrowed”. The word was used to describe the very elaborate and ornate style of architecture but was “borrowed” and used to describe music. Art and architecture were very dramatic during the Baroque era and the church and courts were hugely influential in this regard. The church believed that sculptures and art should speak to its well informed people but that it could also be extended to the illiterate (working classes). Churches had high ceilings with very ornate paintings and decorations. Floor plans had elaborate ovals and circles giving a sense of grandeur.

During this time of literal, cultural and philosophical changes music was extended from the middle classes to the ordinary class (working class)Music copied the style of dramatic art and architecture

What are the characteristics of the Baroque era? Basso continuo means continued line of melody, steady and

even. This was provided by a harpsichord or cello for support and harmony. The keyboard player would work out hamonies from a figured bass by improvising.

Music assumed a contrapuntal style of texture (polyphonic) Rhythms changed from free flowing as the bar line was

introduced Writing became idiomatic: this means that composers began

writing for specific instruments such as violin or voice Strings became the most important instruments during the

Baroque era Long phrases were introduced with fast harmonic rhythms The idea of contrast became really important-dynamics, speed,

textures, instruments, keys or tempo

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Semiquavers dominated to create a busy texture Ritornello form was developed (returning theme)

What were Bach’s stylistic fingerprints? (a question is usually asked abou how typical is the Cantata of the Baroque era)

o His textures are rich and contrapuntal: he uses both homophonic and polyphonic styles of texture

o He uses wordpainting in his chorales to highlight the meaning of words (chromatic writing or dissonance)

o His melodies are ornamented (decorated) using trills and grace notes. He uses melismatic writing: one syllable=many notes

o He uses syllabic writing: one note per syllableo His cantata features a basso continuo and figured basso He uses a ground bass=a recurring bass ostinatoo He writes in the style of a canon. This is where the voice

repeats a melody at a specific time or pitch interval and they overlap and imitate each other note for note

BACH’S CANTATA “JESU DER DU MEINE SEELE BWV 78 (JESUS BY THY CROSS AND PASSION)

A cantata is a solo work for voice with an orchestral accompaniment. It consists of arias and recitatives and are written with sacred or secular texts.

An aria is a vocal piece from an opera or oratorio written for a solo or duet

A chorale is a simple hymn written to be used in a Lutheran church and sung by the congregration

A recitative is a speech-like song usually heard in opera, oratorios or cantatas. The words are a very important feature and are usually syllabic. There are 2 types:Recitative secco (dry recitative)=bare accompanimentRecitative accompagnato=more involved accompaniment

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what is this Cantata about?

This cantata was written for the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity and is based on the text from a 1641 hymn. The theme of the cantata is that just like leprosy is a disease that destroys the body, sin destroys man’s soul. As we are humans, we are weak and we commit sin. God offers us hope in the bible. We must pray to god to ask him to help us not commit sin so we can have life ever after in Heaven.

There are 7 movements in this Cantata

movement form

Chorus ChaconneRitornello

Aria duet Da Capo Aria

Recitative Secco

Tenor Aria ABB

Recitative Accompagnato

Bass Aria ABA

Chorale AABC

Instruments used in the Cantata

Violins Violas Double bass Continuo (cello and organ) Flute Oboes Horns

Soprano/Alto/Tenor/Bass/Choir

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