Transcript Baroque Music - Knox Academy

Sonata – Concerto – Concerto Grosso
Chorale Prelude – Passacaglia - Chaconne
Sonata

 A sonata is usually a piece in several movements for a solo
instrument and piano.
 The piano part is of equal importance to the other instrument,
rather than simply accompanying.
 In Baroque music, the piano did not exist so this role would
have been taken by the harpsichord or chamber organ.
 A ‘cello or lute may also be added, forming the basso continuo
group.
 Watch an example of this in J.S.Bach’s sonata for violin.
Concerto

 A concerto is a piece for solo instrument
accompanied by orchestra.
 This concept was introduced in the Baroque period,
but is still a popular type of composition today.
 Watch an extract from the famous ‘Concierto de
Aranjuez’ by Joaquin Rodrigo.
Concerto Grosso

 A concerto grosso features a group of solo instruments
(accompanied by orchestra)rather than just one.
 This group of instruments is known as the concertino.
 The rest of the orchestra are called the ripieno.
 Both in concertos and concerto grossos, the orchestra often play
a returning theme which we hear throughout the movement.
This is called a ritornello.
 Listen to the 3rd mvt of ‘Autumn’ from Vivaldi’s The Four
Seasons. How many times does the ritornello appear?
Chorale Prelude

 This is a piece for organ. Bach was particularly good
at writing chorale preludes.
 The melody of a well-known hymn tune or chorale
would be hidden amongst an intricate piece of
music.
 The ‘chorale’ part is often played using a different
organ stop (or voice) to help it stand out from the
rest of the piece.
 Listen (again!) to Bach’s Wachet Auf – this time, the
organ choral prelude version.
Passacaglia

 Another piece usually written for organ.
 It consists of a series of variations played over the
top of a ground bass.
 It is usually in a minor key.
 Listen to Bach’s Passacaglia in C minor
Chaconne

 Another piece often heard on the organ.
 It consists of a theme and variations heard over a
repeated sequence of chords.
 It could also be above a ground bass.
 It is practically the same as a passacaglia but is
usually in a major key.