Form
*A piece of sacred a capella vocal music, with
Latin text used in the mass, but not part of the
five parts of the mass ordinary
*Praise of Virgin Mary, as popular subject
*Sacred work with a latin text
Motet
What was the name of one of the prominent styles of architecture in the Baroque era?
Baroque
Called greatest English composers
Came from musical family; appointed organist at
Westminster Abbey
Mastered scoring the the English language musically
Dido and Aeneas 1689
Based on Aeneid, epic poem by Roman poet Virgil (70-
19 B.C.)
Henry Purcell
Vocal line that imitates the rhythms of
speech; Words are song quickly and many times
on repeated notes
Recitative
Drama through music, Baroque innovation
Opera
What type of tonality did we learn about when studying
musical elements, but that didn't really solidify as a oft-utilized compositional element unil the Baroque era?
Major-Minor Tonality
Known as master of Italian opera and English
oratorios, as well as numerous instrumental
selections, both orchestral and solo
•Born in Germany, went to Italy to study opera,
spent the last almost fifty years in England
•Came from non-musical family, his father wanted
him to study law
George Frideric Handel
Song for solo voice, accompanied by
orchestra; Most beautiful music of the opera
Aria
Similar to opera in: Large-scale composition for
vocal soloists, chorus, orchestra
Unlike opera: No costumes or scenery, and story
taken from Bible
Unlike cantata: Longer (two hours), and more of a
story line
Oratorio
Conquest of “New World” brought much financial gain
to Western Europe, resulting in rise of ________,
gaining wealth and power in the struggle against
aristocracy
middle class
BORN AND SPENT ENTIRE LIFE IN GERMANY
•CAME FROM LONG LINE OF MUSICIANS
•WAS VIRTUOSIC ORGANIST
•DEEPLY RELIGIOUS, LUTHERAN; J.J. JESU JUVA @ BEG. & S.D.G. SOLI DEIO GLORIA @ END OF
EACH COMPOSITION
•MARRIED TWICE W/20 CHILDREN, 10 SURVIVED, FOUR MUSICIANS
•MOST PRESTIGIOUS POSITION, COURT CONDUCTOR FOR PRINCE OF CÖTHEN; 1717-1723
•BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS CAME DURING THIS PERIOD
•NEXT POSITION, DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, ST. THOMAS CHURCH IN LEIPZIG; WHERE HE REMAINED
THE LAST 27 YEARS OF LIFE
Johann Sebastian Bach
The text of the opera
Libretto
Work for one or more soloist, accompanied by a larger
orchestral ensemble
Most times, three movements
Fast/Slow/Fast
Ritornello form: Italian for refrain; Alternate between
soloist and orchestra
Concerto
Baroque taken from barroco, a Portuguese word,
meaning __________; used to describe jewelry
irregularly shaped
Father was violinist at St. Mark’s Cathedral
In addition to music, he studied for the priesthood;
became known as the “red priest”
Leader of girl’s orphanage, with one of finest
orchestras in Italy
Became known as virtuosic violinist and composer
Wrote operas and church music, but best known
for his 450 concerto grossi and solo concertos
Antonio Vivaldi
remarkable technical skills
Virtuosity
Cornerstone of Baroque music
Polyphonic composition based on a main theme
(Subject)
Different melodic lines imitate the subject
The subject remains fairly constant throughout, but
undergoes changes, in key and rhythmic ideas
Fugue
Which figure was depicted in sculptural art in both the Renaissance and the Baroque eras and is often used to demonstrate the shift from the Renaissance's simplistic, classically minded aesthetics to the Baroque's intricate, emotion-forward aesthetics?
David
Who is most associated with fugues in the Baroque era?
Bach
a foundational, improvised harmonic accompaniment in Baroque music (c. 1600–1750), usually performed by a chordal instrument (harpsichord, organ, lute) and a bass instrument (cello, viola da gamba, bassoon). It provides structural, rhythmic stability and harmonic filling, driven by a "figured bass" (numbers indicating chords)
Basso Continuo