Module 3 – The Baroque

Music Appreciation Module 3 – The Baroque (Text Book: Part Three, Chapters 1-15 ) The Baroque Period (1600-1750) Time Line -Shakespeare: Hamlet-1600 -Jamestown founded-1607 -Galileo: Earth orbits Sun-1610 -King James Bible-1611 -Newton: Principia Mathematica-1687 -Witchcraft trials in Salem, Mass.-1692 - Swift: Gulliver s Travels-1726 The Baroque Period The Age of Grandeur • Baroque comes from the Portuguese word barroco which means misshapen pearl. • Time of flamboyant lifestyle of the aristocracy • Baroque style is elaborately ornamented, and fills the space with action and movement. Visual Arts – Busy; no empty spaces Architecture – Elaborate; decorative Baroque Pearls Music in Baroque Society • Music was a main source of entertainment in courts of aristocracy. • Music was written to order to meet specific demands by wealthy aristocrats or large churches. • Music was a sign of affluence and prestige in the aristocratic courts. The size of the musical staff depended on the court s wealth. • New music was always desired, and not old-fashioned music. • The Court Music Director/Composer received good pay but was still considered a skilled servant. • Music careers were taught by apprenticeship. • Church music was very elaborate • Most (non-aristocratic) people heard music only in church. • Public opera houses opened later to allow greater access to musical entertainment. In this unit we will see how the following composers made a living in this environment. Johann Sebastian Bach George Frideric Handel Claudio Monteverdi Henry Purcell Antonio Vivaldi Characteristics of Baroque Instrumental Music • unity of mood throughout the piece • repetition of rhythmic patterns - gives drive and energy • melodic repetition (fragments & continuous expanding of melodic sequence) • dynamics – abrupt changes in volume known as terraced dynamics • texture – mostly polyphonic • Use of the basso continuo - accompaniment played by a keyboard instrument following numbers (also known as figured bass ) which specifies the chords – similar to modern jazz & pop notation. • Text painting/word painting continues in vocal music. à Refer Music Fundamentals Review: Basso Continuo. Example of a figured bass Baroque Orchestra • The Baroque orchestra was small by modern standards. (10-40 members) • Core group: - strings (violin family of instruments) - basso continuo unit (2 players) - keyboard instrument - improvised chords indicated by figures (figured bass) - low melodic instrument plays bass part - Other instruments such as woodwinds, brass and percussion would vary. • Instrumentation was not standardized yet. Baroque Instrumental Forms • Many instrumental forms are made up of movements. movement - A piece that sounds fairly independent but is part of a larger work. • There is a pause between each movement. • Each movement will have a unity of mood. • Separate movements often contrast in tempo and mood. • Baroque instrumental genres include: Concerto Grosso Fugue Solo Concerto Suite Choral Prelude à Refer to Music Fundamentals Review: Movement Concerto Grosso • • • • • • • Consists of a small group of 2-4 soloists The other members of the orchestra are known as the tutti. It usually has 3 movements which alternate fast/slow/fast in tempo. The first and last movements are typically in ritornello form. Ritornello form (à Refer to Music Fundamentals Review: Ritornello) uses a theme that is repeated in fragments. The tutti plays the ritornello and alternates with the different melodic material of the solo group. Listening Activity: Concerto Grosso Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major by Johann Sebastian Bach String orchestra and group of soloists Soloists: flute, violin, and harpsichord First movement Ritornello form Listening Outline: p. 112-113 à Refer to Brandenberg Concerto video in the M3 Web Links. The Fugue • a polyphonic composition based on one main theme (subject) • subject – is the main theme that is then imitated. • countersubject - second melodic line that is played along with the subject. à Refer Music Fundamentals Review: Fugue Listening Activity: Fugue Organ Fugue in G Minor by J. S. Bach Note individual voice entry on the subject. Listening Outline: p. 115-116 à Refer to Organ Fugue in G Minor video in the M3 Web Links. Opera • Opera is drama that is sung to an orchestral accompaniment. - major innovation of the era - began in Italy about 1600 - The libretto is the text and is written by the librettist. - The music is written by the composer. - form - 1-5 acts with scenes within the acts -begins with an overture -preludes - orchestral interludes - before acts 2-5 - developed as a result of musical discussions by a group of men known as the Florentine Camerata - modeled after their theories of ancient Greek tragedies à Refer Music Fundamentals Review: Opera Vocal Forms in Opera • recitative - song that is more speech-like; imitates the rhythm and fluctuations of speech; used for dialogue • aria - song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment; a show-off piece for the soloist. • vocal ensembles - choruses, quartets, trios, duets, etc. • Chorus - groups of actors playing crowd parts à Refer Music Fundamentals Review: Aria Claudio Monteverdi • • • • one of the greatest early Italian Baroque composers Worked the longest (the last 30 years of his life) at St. Marks in Venice. Composed both sacred and secular music for the aristocracy. wrote Orfeo -first large scale (great) opera -premiered in 1607 Orfeo • Orfeo is a Greek mythological character who is the son of Apollo. • Orfeo is a gifted musician. • Orfeo marries Eurydice. • Eurydice is bitten by a poisonous snake and dies. • Orfeo vows to bring her back from the land of the dead (Hades). Listening Activity: Opera Tu se’ morta from Orfeo by Monteverdi Note: Homophonic texture Listen for the use of text painting Vocal Music Guide: p.124 Developments in Opera • • • • • • • Opera composed for court ceremonies Display of magnificence and grandeur Patrons compared themselves to ancient heroes 1637 - first public opera house opened in Venice (By 1700, there were 17.) Rise of the virtuoso singer performing artist of extraordinary talent (celebrities or super stars) specialization of vocal classifications & operatic roles Castrato was the highest paid of all the vocal specializations. (p. 120) àRefer to Farinelli video in the M3 Web Links for a reenactment of the castrati voice and their fame and fortune. Henry Purcell -English composer (1659-1695) - Highly regarded and held court positions - Buried beneath the organ in Westminster Abbey Listening Activity: Opera Dido s Lament from Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell Note: Recitative followed by aria Vocal Music Guide: p. 126 Ground Bass - Repeated musical idea in bass - melodies above change Also called basso ostinato à Refer Music Fundamentals Review: Basso Ostinato Antonio Vivaldi • • • • • composer, conductor, & teacher at a school for orphaned girls The girls played behind a screen at Mass. wrote both sacred and secular instrumental and vocal music. wrote 450 concertos Famous as a virtuoso violinist & composer Listening Activity: Solo Concerto La Primavera (Spring), Op. 8, No. 1, from The Four Seasons (1725) by Vivaldi Listening Outline: p. 134-135 - Solo violin and orchestra solo concerto a piece for instrumental soloist with orchestral accompaniment. - in 3 movements - Example of program music – instrumental music associated with a story, poem, idea, or scene - Listen for the scenes of spring written into the composition. à Refer to La Primavera video in the M3 Web Links. Johann Sebastian Bach - great late Baroque composer - was born into a musical family - Well known as an organist during his lifetime - Considered the high point of polyphonic writing - created masterpieces in all forms except opera - little known outside of Germany - worked in secular and sacred positions - In his last position he was director of music at St. Thomas Church and responsible for the music at three other churches in Leipzig. The Baroque Suite • Instrumental, multi-movement work; set of instrumental danceinspired movements for soloist, small group or orchestra • These movements are for listening but are based on the style (tempo, meter, rhythms) of popular dances of the day from many different countries. Listening Activity: Suite Suite No. 3 in D Major ( about 1730) by J. S. Bach 4th movement – Bourée (from France) Listening Outline p. 139 Chorale and Cantata • Music was a major component of the Lutheran service. • chorales - hymn tunes sung to a German text • chorale prelude - instrumental piece based on and preceding a chorale • cantata - multi-movement sacred work performed during a religious service contains: arias, choruses, recitatives, duets, etc. - Performed as part of the Lutheran service which lasted 4 hours in Bach s day. - The congregation participated in singing the chorales. Listening Activity: Cantata Cantata No. 140 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Awake, A Voice Is Calling Us) by J. S. Bach (1731) Movements 4 & 7 Vocal Music Guide: pp. 143-145 Note: This is sung in German (the vernacular) not Latin. G.F. Handel - born in Germany 1 month before Bach great late Baroque composer - moved to England and became England s most important composer. - buried under Westminster Abbey - greatest output: Italian opera & English oratorios - ran his own opera company - His oratorios are mostly based on the Old Testament. Oratorio • • • • • large scale composition for chorus, vocal soloists, & orchestra contains: arias, recitatives, choruses, orchestral interludes no acting, scenery or costumes set to a narrative Biblical text not intended for a religious service • Messiah by Handel - 2 1/2 hours long - based on mostly on the Old Testament with some New Testament - utilizes word painting - premiered in Dublin in 1742 - huge success Listening Activity: Oratorio From The Messiah by G. F. Handel (1741) Ev ry Valley Shall Be Exalted Vocal Music Guide: p. 149 Tenor aria with orchestra Hallelujah Chorus Vocal Music Guide: p. 151-152 Chorus with orchestra à Refer to Ev ry Valley video in the M3 Web Links. à Refer to Hallelujah Chorus video in the M3 Web Links. End of Module 3! Please check the task list and due dates to make sure that you have completed all of the items on time before proceeding to Module 4.