S3 Listening S3 Listening Unit 2Unit 2

Baroque MusicBaroque Music

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The word Baroque was first used to describe the highly Decorative and Grand style of Architecture and art of

the 17th Century

Musicians adopted the word using it to describe the

musical styles of the years 1600-1750

The system of ModesModes, which the tonalitytonality was based on in the

Medieval and Renaissance periods was disused and by the end of the 17th Century music was based on

Major Major and MinorMinor tonalitiesMany new musical structures were introduced and developed by

Baroque composers including......

Opera

Oratorio

Recitative

Aria

Suite

Concerto Grosso

Fugue

The were Many important composers in the baroque period.... The 2 most influential

were

Johann Sebastian Bach

•1685-1750

•Born Thuringia Germany

•Died Leipzig Germany

George Frederic Handel

•1685-1759

•Born Halle Saxony

•Died London England

Baroque Instrumental Music

The Baroque Orchestra The Baroque Orchestra ContainedContained

•A string Section

•1 or 2 Flutes (or recorders), Oboes and Bassoons

•1 or 2 Horns and occasionally trumpets (NO VALVES !!!)

•Timpani

•Organ or Harpsichord (Continuo)

The Violin family (Violin, Viola, Cello and Double bass) replaced the viols of the rennaisance period in the first half of the baroque period

The organ or harpsichord played a continuo or figured bass

The performer follows a Bass line with a series of figures (Figured bass) which tells the player which chords to improvise around

The key styles of instrumental composition in the baroque period were.............

Concerto Grosso

Suite

Fugue

Ground Bass

Concerto Grosso

Was one of the most important forms developed in the Baroque period

In concerto Grosso, a small group of

soloists called the Concertino contrast against the orchestra

RipienoThe most well known concerto Grosso are the Brandenburg concertos by J.S

Bach

Fugue

Composers moved away from the homophonic texture; where all

parts move together to polyphonic/contrapuntal writing,

where 2 or more parts move at different times from each otherThe fugue is the most important

type of Polyphonic writing in the Baroque period, and is based on

imitationThe fugue uses 3 or 4 parts which merge together and overlap using

imitation

Fugues were mostly written for Harpsichord or organ

Suite

The suite is a set of dances originating from the Renaissance period

Suites contain several contrasting

dances

Other than the Minuet, the dances are usually in Binary form

Courante

Allemande Sarabande

Gigue/Jig

•In compound time (6/8, 9/8.......)

•Very fast tempo

Minuet

•In ¾ simple time

•Ternary form

????

•Lively 2/4 or 4/4

•Begins with anacrusis

Bouree

Passepied

The 2 main types of Baroque vocal compositions are

Opera and Oratorio, These are similar but have some differences....Feature Opera Oratorio

4 Part Choir Yes Yes

Orchestra Yes Yes

Solo Voices Yes Yes

Sacred Story No Yes

Secular story Yes No

Costumes Yes No

Scenery Yes No

Acting Yes No

Opera would be performed in a concert Hall or Opera house

Oratorio would be performed in a church

The solo song in opera and Oratorio is called an Aria,

The Key features of and Aria are.......

Accompanied by orchestra

Usually in Ternary form

Known as Da Capo Arias

Syllabic:Syllabic: where each syllable of each word is given 1 musical note to be sung

Melismatic: Melismatic: where each syllable can be given more where each syllable can be given more than one note per syllablethan one note per syllable

Word Painting: Word Painting: Where the musical line reflects the words being sung

The choir in an Opera or Oratorio is called a Chorus

In an Oratorio there is a chorus known as a

Chorale...

A Chorale is another name for a Hymn tune

Chorales are also found outwith an Oratorio..... J.S Bach wrote many of these

The key features of a The key features of a ChoraleChorale are.. are..

•Sung in 4 part Harmony (SATB)

•Use of definate cadences

•Use of Passing notes

•Use of Suspensions

The key features of a The key features of a ChoraleChorale are.. are..

•Sung in 4 part Harmony (SATB)

•Use of definate cadences

•Use of Passing notes

•Use of Suspensions