Transcript Slide 1

MUSIC APPRECIATION
CLASS #2
The Baroque, part 1
CD #1, tracks 5-8
DEFINITION
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1600-1750
Extravagant, complex, or bizarre, especially in
ornamentation
DEFINITION, CONTINUED
“Spacious, dynamic,
brilliant, colorful, theatrical,
passionate, sensual, ecstatic,
opulent, extravagant,
versatile and virtuoso.”
CULTURE
Turbulent change in politics, science, arts
Religious wars
Exploration of the New World
Rise of middle-class culture
Music making centered in the home,
church, and universities
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Collegium musicum
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0
WHAT IS THE “BAROQUE*” AESTHETIC?
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Intense;
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Complex;
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Dense;
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Opulent;
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Extravagant.
THE SISTINE CHAPEL (MICHELANGELO)
ST. PETER’S
ADORATION BY SIR PETER PAUL RUBEN
MAIN MUSICAL IDEAS FROM BAROQUE:
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Contrapuntal*
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Grandeur
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Complexity
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Virtuosity*
IMPROVISATION*
Improvisation*
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First musical “stars”
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Intense competition.
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William Goldstein master class
BAROQUE MUSICAL RHYTHM
Baroque rhythm*
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Specific
Unrelenting
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Dance
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Formal Royal Court occasions
THE RISE OF THE VIRTUOSO* MUSICIAN
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Technical improvements in instrument making
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Composers challenging the performers
THE DOCTRINE OF THE AFFECTIONS*
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One mood, or affection, per movement or piece
WOMEN IN BAROQUE MUSIC
More professional women were
singers & instrumentalists
Francesca Caccini
 Barbara Strozzi
 Faustina Bordoni
 Francesca Cuzzoni
 Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre
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CONCERTO* & RITORNELLO*
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Definition
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Concerto*: to fight, to argue; a contest
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Ritornello*: to return over and again
THE BAROQUE DANCE SUITE*
Suite: each movement is A-A-B-B
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Allemande
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Courante
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Sarabande
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Gigue (jig)
OTHER OPTIONAL DANCES
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Minuet
Gavotte
Bourrée
Passepied
CONTRAPUNTAL DEVICES
 Augmentation: longer time values
 Diminution: shorter time values
 Retrograde: backwards (starting from the last and going to the
first)
 Inversion: turning the melodic intervals upside down
 Retrograde inversion: original melody is played upside
down and backwards
CD #1, TRACK 5
Johann Pachelbel: “Canon & Gigue”
JOHANN PACHELBEL*
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1653-1706
Composer
 Teacher
 Organist
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DEFINITIONS
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Canon*
Contrapuntal*
 “Leader” melody*
 “Follower” imitation*
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Gigue*
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Movement of a dance suite*
BASS LINE (28 REPEATS!)
“VOICES”
LISTEN FOR…
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Repeating bass line*
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“Leader” voice*
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“Follower” voice*
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Entrances of new voices
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Harpsichord* accompaniment
CD #1, TRACK 6
Arcangelo Corelli: “Christmas Concerto”
Vivace -- Grave
ARCANGELO CORELLI
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1653-1713
Crucial influence on violin music & technique
 Accepted in aristocratic society
 Extreme wealth
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DEFINITIONS
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Vivace*
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Grave*
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Lively, energetic
Slow, mournful
Concerto da chiesa*
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3-part composition for the church
LISTEN FOR…
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Significant tempo* changes
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Dynamic* changes
Crescendo*
 Decrescendo*
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Contrapuntal* writing
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Harpsichord* accompaniment
CD #1, TRACK 7
François Couperin: Premier Concert, “Prélude”
FRANÇOIS COUPERIN
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1668-1733
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Couperin le Grand
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Famous musical family
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Organiste du Roi
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Ordinaire de la musique
de la chambre du Roi
DEFINITIONS
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Prélude*
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An introductory piece, able to be performed out of
context.
French Baroque*
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Identified by unusually specific rhythm* and a
decorated melodic line.
LISTEN FOR…
Trill*
 Mordent*
 Contrapuntal* and melodic writing
 Consistent rhythm*
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CD #1, TRACK 8
Antonio Vivaldi: “The Four Seasons”
Spring Allegro
ANTONIO VIVALDI*
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1678 (Venice) – 1741 (Vienna)
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Father/Son violinists
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Innovative composer
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Form (Sonata* or
“Sonata Allegro”*)
Woodwind*
 Virtuoso* violin technique
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VIRTUOSO!*
"Vivaldi
played a solo – so splendid! -to which he appended a cadenza*
which really frightened me, for such
playing has never been nor can be: he
brought his fingers up to only a
straw's distance from the bridge,
leaving no room for the bow-- and
that on all four strings with
imitations and incredible speed."
VENICE
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City/state
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Social and cultural capital of Italy
Tourism
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Festivals required music
Christmas
 Carnival
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VIVALDI THE TRAVELER...
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Work as performer
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Amassed great wealth
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poorly invested
International success
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Paris, Amsterdam^, Vienna, Rome and Dresden
1ST PROFESSIONAL* MUSICIAN
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Appointment (Patronage*)
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Church and/or state
Music Publishing
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Dedications*
VIVALDI THE PRIEST...
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“The Red Priest”
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Asthma?
Weekly musical opportunities
THE OSPEDELE DELLA PIETA*
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“Hospital of Pity (Compassion)”
...as it looked then...
AND TODAY...
THEATER....
JOB DUTIES
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Teacher
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Violin, viola, flute, oboe, harpsichord and voice
Composer
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Two concerti* every month for public performances
PERFORMANCES
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Most famous & admired orchestra in all of Venice!
Highly competitive market
 Popularity, fame and fortune
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Large, heavy curtains.
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Why?
WHO ARE THE GIRLS?
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Orphans?
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Illegitimate?
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Physically challenged?
DEPARTURE...
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Why?
Popularity
 Travel
 Duties included Mass
 Love?
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VIVALDI THE LOVER...
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Anna Giro
30+ years difference
 Accomplished singer
 Scandal!
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VIVALDI’S MUSIC
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Prolific
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500 concerti*, 40 cantatas*, 52+ operas*, 60+ sacred
works
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Where is all the rest?
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Who claims ownership?
VIVALDI AND OPERA*
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Six opera houses in Venice
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Intense competition
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Diversion from sacred* music
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Profit
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Ownership
Fame
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Social aspect
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
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Attention to individual, unique timbre* of each
instrument
Unusual and new instruments
SONATA* (OR, “SONATA ALLEGRO”)*
 Three
parts
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Allegro* (Fast)
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Adagio* or Andante* (Slow)
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Allegro* (Fast)
“THE FOUR SEASONS”* 1718-1720
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"The Contest of Harmony and Invention”*
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Program music*
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Four violin concerti*
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Three movements each
PROGRAM MUSIC*
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Non-vocal (instrumental only)
Musical depiction of a non-musical event, person
or thing.
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Todentanz (The Dance of Death)
Franz Liszt
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Don Quixote
Richard Strauss
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The War of 1812 (“The 1812 Overture”)
Peter Tchaikovsky
“SPRING” (1ST MOVEMENT)
Springtime is upon us.
The birds celebrate her return with festive song,
and murmuring streams are softly
caressed by the breezes.
Thunderstorms, those heralds of Spring, roar,
casting their dark mantle over heaven,
Then they die away to silence, and the birds take up
their charming songs once more.
“SPRINGTIME IS UPON US...”
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Ritornello*
Part A
 Part B
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Complete
 Partial
 Variations
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“...THE BIRDS CELEBRATE HER
RETURN WITH FESTIVE SONG...”
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Flutes
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High Violin
Ritornello
“...MURMURING STREAMS...BREEZES…”
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Low strings
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Ebb/flow motion
Ritornello
“...THUNDERSTORMS... ROAR...”
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Thunder
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Orchestra
Lightening
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Violinist
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Virtuoso displays
Question and Answer
Ritornello
“...THE BIRDS TAKE UP THEIR
CHARMING SONGS ONCE MORE...”
Flutes
 High strings
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Ritornello
LEGACY....
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Died penniless in 1741
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Musically obsolete
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Forgotten by the musical world for almost two
hundred years
20TH CENTURY DISCOVERIES
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1926
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Monastery in Piedmont (region), Italy
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14 folios
1930
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300 concertos for various instruments nd
18 operas
100+ vocal-instrumental piece
RV NUMBERS
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Peter Ryom
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Ryom Verzeichnis
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« Ryom’s Numbers »
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Répertoire des oeuvres d'Antonio Vivaldi
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Completed in 1977