The Baroque Era

c.1600-1750

Portuguese for Pearl…

 Referring to the ornate architecture, art, melodies.

 This period saw many new ideas and innovations

Characteristics Music of Baroque

 Unity of Mood: a piece usually expresses one mood or affection  Rhythm: – patterns are repeated through out – the beat is emphasized  Melody: repeated, ornamented  Use of Diatonic chords of I,IV,V,II,VI

Characteristics Music continued of Baroque

 Terraced Dynamics: –

alternation between loud and soft dynamics

– organ and harpsichord could not crescendo

Musical textures

   Monophonic Homophonic Polyphonic

Ornaments

     Trill Turn Mordent Acciaccatura/Appoggiatura Grace note

Basso Continuo

 Common type of accompaniment  Bass line with improvised chords – cello or bassoon on bass – harpsichord or organ on harmony

Basso continuo

The Baroque Orchestra

 small (10 to 40 players)  basso continuo and violin family strings  brass, woodwinds and percussion used occasionally, but vary from piece to piece.

 tone color was subordinate to the melody, rhythm or harmony

Music in Baroque Society

 Music written to order: demand for new music.

 Main source of diversion in the courts of the aristocracy.

 Music Director’s job – Pay and prestige were high – compositions were performed – Still a servant of the patron

Music in Baroque Society

 Church musicians – earned less than the court and lower status – supplemented with weddings and funerals  Town musicians  Opera houses

Important composers

    Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) George Frederick Handel (1685-1759) Henry Purcell (c.1659-1695) Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

George Friderick Handel

George Frideric Handel

 b. Halle, Germany (one month before Bach) in 1685  Devoted his life to music from age 18  First Opera –Rodrigo- was performed in 1710  Appointed Kapellmeister to Elector Georg Ludwig of Hanover (Later becoming George I of England)  Promoted with George I to Royal Composer

Handel in London

 Favorite of Queen Anne  Wrote ‘Water Music’ in 1717  English Oratorios after failure of Italian Opera  Blind - from cataracts  Died in 1759 and Buried in Westminster Abbey

Handel - Music

 Instrumental – suites – organ concerti – concerti grossi  Vocal Music – 39 Italian operas – Oratorios (mostly in English)

The Oratorio



a large-scale composition for chorus, vocal soloists, and orchestra

 uses choruses, arias, duets, recitatives, and orchestral interludes – chorus acts as commentary  last approximately 2 hours

The Oratorio

 Set to a narrative text  No acting or scenery  Based on the Bible  Originally performed in prayer halls called oratorios

Handel - Oratorios

 generally Old Testament  for the paying public, not church  have plots, but no scenery or acting  chorus is the focus

Listening:

Messiah

 lasts 2 1/2 hours  composed in 24 days  Premiered in Dublin, Ireland in 1742 as a benefit for people in debtor's prison  later tradition benefit concert as London orphanage  Only one to use New Testament verses

Messiah - Three Acts

 Part 1  Prophesies telling of the coming of Christ  His Birth

Easter

 Part 2  The Passion of Christ  Set mainly to words from the Old Testament

Pentecost

 Part 3  The Resurrection

Pentecost

 Part 3  The Resurrection

Structure of an Oratorio

 Recitative  Aria  Chorus

And the Glory of the Lord

 Idea 1

And the Glory of the Lord

 Idea 2

And the glory of the Lord

 Idea 3

And the glory of the Lord

 Idea 4