BAROQUE

MUSIC
 Baroque
DATES:
The Baroque period stretches roughly
from 1600 to 1750 (coincides with the
death of J.S. Bach.)

BAROQUE:
From the Portuguese word barroco
meaning an ornamented piece of jewellery.
First used to describe the highly decorative
style of architecture at the time.
Fingerprints of musical style
Early Baroque composers favour a light, homophonic
musical texture melody plus simple chordal
accompaniment; but before long, there is a return to
polyphonic (contrapuntal) textures.
The basso continuo, or figured bass, becomes the
musical foundation for most types of piece providing
a purposeful bass-line (sometimes a walking bass)
making the music move steadily onwards.
The same musical mood is usually kept throughout an
entire piece.
The violin family takes over from the viols; the
orchestra begins to take shape, with the string section
as a firm basis always with keyboard continuo
(harpsichord or organ) filling out the harmonies above
the figured bass and decorating the musical texture.
 Fingerprints 2
The system of modes falls out of use by the end of the 17 th
century; music is now based on major and minor scales.

Typical forms used by Baroque composers: binary, ternary

(including the da capo aria), rondeau, variations (including the
ground bass, chaconne, passacaglia), ritornello form, fugue.

Main types of Baroque music:

vocal chorale, recitative and aria, opera, oratorio, cantata;
instrumental Italian overture, French overture, toccata,
prelude, chorale prelude, dance suite, trio sonatas (sonata da
camera, sonata da chiesa), concerto grosso, solo concerto.

Often, energetic rhythms drive the music forward: melodies

are frequently long and flowing, and decorated with ornaments
(eg appoggiaturas, trills); contrasts (particularly in concertos),
of instrumental timbres, of few instruments against many, of
loud contrasted against soft (terraced dynamics, sometimes
echo effects), and blocks of sound of different timbres (eg
strings and wind alternately, then together).
 Instruments-Harpsichord

A harpsichord is the general term for a family of European

keyboard instruments , including the large instrument
nowadays called a harpsichord, but also the smaller virginals
and the spinet.
All these instruments generate sound by plucking a string
rather than striking one, as in a piano or clavichord . The
harpsichord family is thought to have originated when a
keyboard was affixed to the end of a psaltery , providing a
mechanical means to pluck the strings.
 Baroque Orchestra
Typical features include:
Strings to which composers would add 1 or 2
flutes (or recorders), oboes, bassoons, perhaps
horns, occasionally trumpets and kettle drums.
Organ or harpsichord continuo to build up
chords on a bass line (figured bass),
Effects of contrast- dynamics and textures.
Ribbons of sound- oboes and trumpets against
strings, or
Blocks of sound- contrasting groups- strings
then wind then tutti (all) resulting in terraced
dynamics rather than crescendo or
diminuendo.
 Baroque Orchestra
The Baroque Orchestra is the earliest
example of a true orchestra which came into
existence in the mid-late 1600s. Its origins
were in France where Jean-Baptiste Lully
added oboes (hautboys) and transverse flutes
to his vingt-quatre violons du Roy. As well as
violins and woodwind, the baroque orchestra
would have still contained continuo
instruments such as the harpsichord or
theorbo (lute). The new-fangled
instrumentation and orchestration soon spread
to the rest of Europe and soon became the
standard solo instrumental grouping.
Typical forms used by Baroque
composers
Binary (AB)
Ternary (including the da capo aria)
(ABA)
Rondo (ABACADA)
Variations (including the ground bass,
chaconne, passacaglia)
Ritornello form
Fugue
 Main types of Baroque
music
VOCAL OPERA, ORATORIO, chorale,
recitative and aria, cantata;
INSTRUMENTAL CONCERTO
GROSSO, SOLO CONCERTO, FUGUE,
Italian overture, French overture,
toccata, prelude, chorale prelude,
dance suite, trio sonatas (sonata da
camera, sonata da chiesa),
 OPERA
Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in
Italy, in which the emotional content or primary
entertainment is conveyed to the audience as much
through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is
through the lyrics. From the beginning of the form
(about 1600), there has been contention whether the
music is paramount, or the words
The drama is presented using the primary elements of
theatre such as scenery, costumes , and acting.
However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are
customarily sung rather than spoken. The singers are
accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a
small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic
orchestra.
 ORATORIO
An oratorio is a large musical composition for orchestra,
vocal soloists and chorus. It differs from an opera in that
it does not have scenery, costumes, or acting. Oratorio
closely mirrored opera in all ages in musical style and
form, except that choruses were more prominent in
oratorio than in opera. The peak period for composition
of oratorios was the 17th and 18th centuries.
Most oratorios from the common practice period to the
present day have biblical themes, but a number of
composers, notably George Frideric Handel, wrote
secular oratorios based on themes from Greek and
Roman mythology. Whether religious or secular, the
theme of an oratorio is meant to be weighty, and can
include such topics as the creation of the world, the life
of Jesus, or the career of a classical hero or biblical
prophet.
 CONCERTO GROSSO
The concerto grosso (plural concerti grossi) (Italian
for big concert) was a popular form of baroque music
using an ensemble and usually having four to six
movements in which the musical material is passed
between a small group of soloists (the concertino-
little ensemble) and full orchestra (the ripieno- filling).
Other major composers of concerti grossi were
Georg Friedrich Hndel, who expanded the ripieno to
include wind instruments. Several of the
Brandenburg Concerti of Johann Sebastian Bach also
loosely follow the concerto grosso form, notably the
2nd Concerto, which has a concertino of recorder,
oboe, trumpet, and solo violin.
 SOLO CONCERTO
In classical music , the word concerto (pl. concerti or
concertos; from the Italian concerto, which means
concert) is a label for a piece in which a small
musical group and a large musical group are given
distinct roles, with the smaller group to the fore.
The most common kind of concerto pairs a solo
instrument with a full orchestra. The term also
implies the musical form of a piece, as most pieces
called "concerto" have three movements , of which
the first is typically in sonata form and the last
typically a rondo.
The term apparently arose in the beginning of the
17th century, and came to describe chiefly
compositions which bring unequal instrumental or
vocal forces into opposition.
 Ritornello form
In both types of concerto, movements
are built up in ritornello form.
The music starts off with the ritornello
(little return) played by the ripieno
group (tutti meaning all) with the
soloist(s) joining in. This is the main
theme and it returns at various points
throughout the movement. It may
reappear in full or in shortened form.
 Ritornello structure
Between appearances of the ritornello there are
contrasting sections of music called episodes.

Ritornell Episode Ritornell Episode Ritornell

o 1 o 2 o

Tutti Soloist(s Tutti Soloist(s Tutti

) )
 FUGUE
In music, a fugue is a type of contrapuntal
composition. It begins with a theme stated by one of
the voices playing alone. A second voice then enters
and plays the same theme, while the first voice
continues on with a contrapuntal accompaniment.
The remaining voices enter one by one, each
beginning by stating the same theme. The remainder
of the fugue develops the material further using all of
the voices and, usually, multiple statements of the
theme.
Middle and late Baroque composers such as Dieterich
Buxtehude (16371707) and Johann Pachelbel
(16531706) contributed greatly to the development
of the fugue, and the form reached ultimate maturity
in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach (16851750).
 IDENTIFY THE FORM
1) CONCERTO GROSSO

2) ORATORIO

3) FUGUE

4) OPERA

5) SOLO CONCERTO
 What is ornamentation?
In music, ornaments are musical flourishes
that are not necessary to the overall
melodic (or harmonic) line, but serve to
decorate or "ornament" that line. They are
performed as "fast notes" around a central
note. The amount of ornamentation in a
piece of music can vary from quite
extensive to relatively little or even none.
In the baroque period, it was common for
performers to improvise ornamentation on
a given melodic line. A singer performing a
da capo aria, for instance, would sing the
melody relatively unornamented the first
time, but decorate it with additional
flourishes the second time.
 Trill
The trill is a musical ornament consisting of a
rapid alternation between two adjacent notes
of a scale (compare tremolo).
In modern musical notation a trill is generally
indicated with the letters tr above the trilled
note. This has sometimes been followed by a
squiggly line, and sometimes in the past, the
squiggly line on its own was used. The
following two notations are equivalent:
 Trill
The usual way of executing a trill
is to rapidly alternate between
the note indicated and the note
directly above it in the given
scale
 Acciaccatura
From the Italian word acciaccare, "to
crush"; The acciaccatura, is perhaps
best thought of as a shorter, less
melodically significant type of
ornament. It is written using a grace
note (often a quaver, or eighth note),
with an oblique stroke through the
stem:
 Acciaccatura
The exact interpretation of this will vary according to
the tempo of the piece, but the following is possible:
A short figure consisting of the note above the one indicated, the note
itself, the note below the one indicated, and the note itself again. It is
indicated by a mirrored S-shape lying on its side above the staff. An
inverted turn (the note below the one indicated, the note itself, the
note above it, and the note itself again) is usually indicated by
putting a short vertical line through the normal turn sign, though
sometimes the sign itself is turned upside down.
If the turn symbol is placed directly above a note, it is performed
exactly as outlined above. If it is placed between two notes, however,
the note before the symbol is played, then the turn, and then the
following note. So the following turns:
might be played like this:
The mordent is thought of as a rapid single alternation
between an indicated note, the note above (called the
upper mordent) or below (called the lower mordent or
mordent) the indicated note, and the indicated note
again.
The upper mordent is indicated by a short squiggle; the
lower mordent is the same with a short vertical line
through it:
As with the trill, the exact speed with which the
mordent is performed will vary according to the
tempo of the piece, but at moderate tempi the above
might be executed as follows:
From the Italian word appoggiare, "to lean upon"; The
appoggiatura is important melodically and often
suspend the principal note by taking away the time-value
of the appoggiatura prefixed to it The added note (the
unessential note) is one degree higher or lower than the
principal note. The appoggiatura is written as a grace
note prefixed to a principal note and printed in small
character, usually without the oblique stroke:
This would be played as follows:
 Baroque composers
J.S. Bach Vivaldi
Handel A.Scarlatti
Telemann D. Scarlatti
Purcell Couperin
Monteverdi Rameau
Corelli Lully
 J.S. Bach 1685-1750
J.S. Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany. He
came from a long family history of
professional musicians including church
organists and composers.
Johann Sebastian Bach was a prolific
German composer and organist whose
sacred and secular works for choir,
orchestra and solo instruments drew
together the strands of the baroque genre
and brought it to its ultimate maturity.
Although he introduced no new forms, he
enriched the prevailing German style with
a robust contrapuntal technique, a control
Mass in B minor of harmonic and motivic organisation
Brandenburg Concertos from the smallest to the largest scales,
St Matthew Passion and the adaptation of rhythms and
St John Passion textures from abroad, particularly Italy
and France.
Suites (English, French) Many people consider him to be the greatest
48 Preludes and Fugues Baroque composer, and one of the
Christmas Oratorio greatest composers of all time. He was
Solo Concertos one of the leading figures, along with the
likes of George Frideric Handel, in the
Organ Works transition from baroque to Classical music
Cantatas
 G.F. Handel 1685-1759
He was a German/British Baroque
composer who was a leading
composer of concerti grossi , operas
and oratorios .
Born in Germany as Georg Friedrich
Hndel he lived most of his adult life
in England, becoming a subject of
the British crown in 1727.
Oratorios- Messiah His most famous piece is Messiah , an
Acis and Galatea oratorio set to texts from the
14 Operas-incl. King James Bible ; other well-known
Lotario works are Water Music and
Ariodante, Alcina and Music for the Royal Fireworks . He
Rodelinda. deeply influenced many of the
Water Music composers who came after him,
Royal Fireworks including Haydn, Mozart, and
18 Organ Concertos Beethoven , and his work helped lead
12 Concerto Grossi the transition from the Baroque to
Sonatas and Suites. the Classical era.
 Monteverdi 1567-1643
His work marks the transition
from Renaissance to
Baroque music . During his
long life he produced work
that can be classified in both
categories, and he was one of
the most significant
revolutionaries that brought
about the change in style.
Monteverdi wrote the earliest
Operas- Orfeo, dramatically viable opera,
Arianna Orfeo, and was fortunate
enough to enjoy fame during
Motets his lifetime.
Madrigals
Vespers
 Alessandro Scarlatti 1659-
1725
Italian composer who had written
his first opera by the age of 12.
He was especially famous for his
operas and chamber cantatas. He
is considered the founder of the
Neapolitan school of opera. He was
the father of two other Baroque
composers, Domenico Scarlatti and
Opera- Pompeo Pietro Filippo Scarlatti.
Cantatas- over 600 The first composer to strongly
6 Concerto Grossi differentiate between the singing
Oratorios styles of aria and recitative and
used advanced harmonic
procedures for the time.
Credited with popularising the Da
Capo Aria form.
 Domenico Scarlatti 1685-
1757
He was an Italian composer and
harpsichordist. He was extremely
influential in the development of
keyboard music, especially in
Spain, Portugal and England,
through his individual style.
A harpsichord virtuoso from a
young age, he revolutionised
Over 500 harpsichord keyboard technique. First to use
sonatas. rapid arpeggios, repetition of the
14 Sinfonias same note and the crossing of
Harpsichord hands.
Concerto He wrote a lot of works with a
Moorish/ Arabic flavour as the
result of living in Portugal and
Spain for long periods of his life.
 Telemann 1681-1767
He was a German composer , and
organist. Self-taught in music, he
studied law at the University of Leipzig .
The most prolific composer of his era,
he was a contemporary of
Johann Sebastian Bach and a friend of
George Frideric Handel. While in the
present day Bach is generally thought
of as the greater composer, Telemann
was widely renowned for his musical
abilities during his lifetime.
Telemann traveled widely, absorbing
various musical styles and incorporating
them into his own compositions. He is
Opera- Pimpone known for writing concertos for unusual
(46) St Luke Passion combinations of instruments, such as
St Mark Passion multiple violas or trumpets.
St Matthew Passion He held a series of important musical
1043 Cantatas positions, culminating in that of music
Over 25 Solo Concertos director of the five largest churches in
Over 600 Suites Hamburg , from 1720 until his death in
1767. He was succeeded by his godson
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach .
 Corelli 1653- 1713
Italian composer, teacher
and violinist.
His playing and composing
were an influence on Bach
and he taught Vivaldi.
He is known as The father
of Concerto Grosso for his
work in defining the style.
12 Concerto Grossi
Despite being influential he
5 sets (of 12) Trio
was not a prolific composer.
Sonatas
 Purcell 1659-1695
English composer and organist.
He is generally considered to be
one of England's greatest
composers indeed, he has often
been called England's finest native
composer. Purcell incorporated
Italian and French stylistic
elements but devised a peculiarly
English style of Baroque music
Opera- Dido and
Composed an enormous amount of
theatrical music for plays including
Aeneas The Fairy Queen, a masque for A
15 Fantasies Midsummer's Night Dream, King
Trio Sonatas Arthur and Indian Queen.
Anthems- My heart is One of his favourite styles of
inditing for James 2 writing was the Ground Bass.
Coronation
 Vivaldi 1678-1741
Italian priest, composer and
violinist.
He is one of the composers
credited with helping the
Baroque style evolve into the
Classical style by his use of
harmonic contrasts and
innovative melodies and themes.
Bach was deeply influenced by
Over 500 Concertos his concertos and arias and
transcribed many of Vivaldi's
46 Operas works for harpsichord.
73 Sonatas He was an extremely prolific
composer.
Oratorios and sacred
music
The Four Seasons
 Lully 1632-1687
Italian born French composer,
guitarist, violinist and dancer.
Spent most of his working life
in the service of Louis 14 th
where he composed ballets and
later operas. He transformed
the often stately court dances
into lively, rhythmic affairs and
added many instruments to the
Opera- Atys orchestra of the time.
Ballets He favoured variation forms
Dance Suites such as Passacaglias and
Chaconnes.
 Rameau 1683-1764
Composer, organist and
harpsichordist
He was one of the most
important French
composers and
music theorists of the
Baroque era. He replaced
Jean-Baptiste Lully as the
dominant composer of
Operas French opera, and was
Ballet Music attacked by those who
Pieces de Clavecin preferred Lully's style.
(for harpsichord)
 Francois Couperin
Franois Couperin (born in Paris
November 10 , 1668 died
September 12 , 1733 in Paris) was an
esteemed French Baroque composer,
organist and harpsichordist. Franois
Couperin was known as "Couperin le
Grand" (Couperin the Great) to
distinguish him from the other
members of the musically talented
Couperin family because of his
Harpsichord immense virtuosity on the organ and
the harpsichord.
and organ He was indebted to Corelli whose Trio
works Sonata form he introduced to France.
Suites J.S. Bach was an admirer of his
harpsichord technique and
compositions.
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 Italian composer, teacher and
TELEMANN violinist. 1653- 1713
He is known as The father of
HANDEL Concerto Grosso for his work
COUPERIN in defining the style.
12 Concerto Grossi
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH
A.SCARLATTI
RAMEAU
MONTEVERDI
D.SCARLATTI
CORELLI
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH
A.SCARLATTI
1688- 1733
RAMEAU Baroque composer, organist and
MONTEVERDI harpsichordist.
D.SCARLATTI Harpsichord and organ works
Suites
CORELLI
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
He was an Italian
LULLY composer and
harpsichordist.
J.S.BACH 1685- 1757
A.SCARLATTI Over 500 harpsichord
sonatas.
RAMEAU 14 Sinfonias
Harpsichord Concerto
MONTEVERDI
He wrote a lot of works
D.SCARLATTI with a Moorish/ Arabic
flavour as the result of
CORELLI living in Portugal and
Spain for long periods of
his life.
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH 1681- 1767
A.SCARLATTI Opera- Pimpone
RAMEAU (46) St Luke Passion
St Mark Passion
MONTEVERDI St Matthew Passion
1043 Cantatas
D.SCARLATTI Over 25 Solo Concertos
Over 600 Suites
CORELLI
TELEMANN 1659-1695
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY Composer and organist.
J.S.BACH One of his favourite
A.SCARLATTI styles of writing was the
Ground Bass.
RAMEAU
MONTEVERDI Opera- Dido and Aeneas
15 Fantasies
D.SCARLATTI Trio Sonatas
CORELLI Anthems- My heart is inditing
for James 2 Coronation
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH
A.SCARLATTI 1567-1643
His work marks the transition
RAMEAU from Renaissance to Baroque
music.
MONTEVERDI Operas- Orfeo,
D.SCARLATTI Motets
CORELLI Madrigals
Vespers
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY 1659-1725
Italian composer
J.S.BACH who had written
his first opera by
the age of 12.
A.SCARLATTI Credited with
RAMEAU popularising the
Da Capo Aria form.
MONTEVERDI
Opera- Pompeo
D.SCARLATTI Cantatas- over 600
6 Concerto Grossi
CORELLI Oratorios
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH 1632-1687
A.SCARLATTI Spent most of his working life in the service
of Louis 14th where he composed ballets and
later operas. He transformed the often
RAMEAU stately court dances into lively, rhythmic
affairs and added many instruments to the
MONTEVERDI
orchestra of the time.
He favoured variation forms such as
D.SCARLATTI Passacaglias and Chaconnes.
Opera- Atys
CORELLI Ballets
Dance Suites
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY 1685-
J.S.BACH 1750
Mass in B minor
A.SCARLATTI Brandenburg Concertos
RAMEAU St Matthew Passion
St John Passion
MONTEVERDI Suites (English, French)
48 Preludes and Fugues
D.SCARLATTI Christmas Oratorio
Solo Concertos
CORELLI Organ Works
Cantatas
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH
1683-
A.SCARLATTI 1764
RAMEAU Composer, organist
and harpsichordist
MONTEVERDI
D.SCARLATTI Operas
Ballet Music
CORELLI Pieces de Clavecin
(for harpsichord)
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY 1685-1759
J.S.BACH Oratorios- Messiah
Acis and Galatea
A.SCARLATTI 14 Operas-incl.
RAMEAU Lotario
Ariodante, Alcina and
MONTEVERDI Rodelinda.
Water Music
D.SCARLATTI Royal Fireworks
18 Organ Concertos
CORELLI 12 Concerto Grossi
Sonatas and Suites.
TELEMANN
HANDEL
COUPERIN
PURCELL
VIVALDI
LULLY
J.S.BACH
1678-1741
A.SCARLATTI
Over 500 Concertos
RAMEAU
46 Operas
MONTEVERDI 73 Sonatas
D.SCARLATTI Oratorios and sacred
CORELLI music
The Four Seasons
 Quiz
What is a concerto grosso?
What is a solo concerto?
What is an oratorio?
What is an opera?
What is a fugue?